Kawayan Cove Photography Class

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Here is an official invitation to Bloggers who would like to learn photography skills with an excellent subject like Bamboo Beach! Please let me know if you would like to join this photo class by texting me +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627). It is sponsored by Kawayan Cove so it is FREE to join but you need to be a blogger or photographer to join this activity.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Comedy Cartel Open Mic FREE Session @ Kape Isla

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The Comedy Cartel - The Best Stand-Up Comedy Act in Manila!

Here is an awesome tip for you. If you are in Serendra on Wednesdays 9pm, why not attend the Comedy Cartel's Open Mic Session for FREE at Kape Isla? They would usually try new jokes in this open mic session so it would be fun. You'll get to see Mike Unson bomb on some jokes. I brought my family last Wednesday at Kape Isla, and Mike Unson is the only comic who was able to make my Mom laugh. Of course, the rest of the gang were great as usual.
If you decide to eat in Kape Isla, you can order in Healthy Kitchen and have the food delivered at Kape Isla. It is perfectly OK because they have a partnership. Also, you got to try the local coffee @ Kape Isla. Enjoy!


Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Nike Human Race 10K Bracelet

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Wow! Nice Human Race 10K bracelet for all runners who will finish 10k on August 31, 2008.

First 241 virtual race participants to upload their 10K run will get a finisher bracelet Nike+ Human Race must be claimed on 8.31.08 at Nike Park, Bonifacio High Street. For you to qualify, simply be one of the first to sync your run in any of these 2 ways:
1. Sync your run immediately after completing the 10K during the scheduled run. After the race, just go to the available laptops and upload your run. The race marshal will be affixing a stamp and a number on your race bib after you've successfully uploaded your run. Present your marked race bib at Nike Park, Bonifacio High Street to claim your finisher bracelet. Open to attendees of the scheduled run.

OR

2. If you didn't get the chance to upload your run after the scheduled run, you can simply go to Nike Park, Bonifacio High Street any time during the day from 9:30am - 5:00pm. A laptop and wi-fi will be specially made available on the race day so that you can sync your 10K. You will be given a stub once you've successfully uploaded your run. Present this to the counter to claim your finisher bracelet. Open to both attendees and non-attendees of the scheduled run.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

P.S. Virtual race participants have until 11:59pm on September 2nd to upload their run.

P.P.S. I still have 20% discount for the Nike Sports Band or iPod Kit. Please email me anton@diaz.ph, your complete name, contact number, and shipping address. I'll send the discount coupon tomorrow.

Syoti Joshua @ 9 months and 12 days old...

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Just sharing with you a cute picture of syoti Joshua @ 9 months old (taken by my brother Rommel).

Top 10 Legaspi Sunday Market All Stars !

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Thanks to my Ultimate Philippines Brothers -- Ivan Man Dy of Old Manila Walks, Ivan Henares of Ivan About Town, and Spanx of Manila Boy for organizing a Sunday Legaspi Food Trip coinciding with my birthday. Also, thanks to the Filipino Food Blogging community for attending the Legaspi Sunday Market Food Trip. Lastly, thanks to the great Legaspi Market people for the wonderful food, desserts and other treats!

I also did a survey among the food bloggers, food stall owners, and friends eating in the Legaspi Sunday Market. I would like to share with you the best of Legaspi Sunday Market based on who are generating buzz among the foodie community.

Top 10 Legaspi Sunday Market All Stars! (in no particular order)


Imang Salud Classic Ensaimada (P 160). One of the biggest classic Ensaimada in town based on an old family recipe inherited from Ivan Henares' great-grandmother, Salud Dayrit-Santos of San Fernando, Pampanga. It literally melts in your mouth in softness with a yummy buttery taste and topped with generous servings of queso de bola. Also, one of my favorites in Imang Salud is the plantanilla, super sweet latik in egg crepe. You have to order in advance for the plantanilla.

Imang Salud Dayrit's Kapampangan Homemade Classic EnsaimadaHeirloom recipes of Imang Salud Dayrit-Santos of San Fernando Pampanga passed on to three generations in the Dayrit-Santos Family. Telephone: +63 920 947 8819, +632 837-0842

Related OAP Posts: a Memorable Ultimate Kapampangan Show-Off


Japanese Tofu Steak (P230 Takeout 600g). The savory tofu cakes of Denise Celdran (yes, the sister of Carlos Celdran) is raved about even by non-vegetarian foodies like us. The combination of tofu, peanuts, sesame seeds and japanese seaweeds is their best seller.

Edgy Veggie Productions
Savory Tofu Cakes, Vegetarian Lumpia Shanghai, Siomai & Other Goodies, Veggie Meat, Hotdogs, Burgers, Gluten Barbecue, Choplets, Tocino and Spam.
Denise Celdran - +63917 820 208


Freshly Made Vegetarian Noodles, Boiled or Stir Fried with Seafood (P90). The polanchai noodles are made on site. You can see how they mix the polanchai with flour and create the vegetarian noodles in the morning. People rave about Manvy not only because of its freshly made noodles but also the sauces you can put on your noodles. Think about it as mongolian dish where you have the following sauces as toppings: Peanut Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce, Chili Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Sate Sauce and Soy Sauce.

Manvy Foods
Veggie Wrap, Kikiam, Siomai, Misua Gisado, Kiampong, Lumpia
Telephone Number:+632 254-7404
Mobile Number: +63917 8486012, +63920 9212675


Shaahi Paneer (P280 Regular) and Mango Honey Lassi (P120). Abhra is getting raves about his Indian Food and All Natural Drinks in the Legaspi Sunday Market. We like the Shaahi Paneer which is made from Indian cheese that is rubbery when cold and with a soft, mozzarella-type texture when cooked . For the first time, I like the taste of Lassi - a lactose free yogurt smoothie. The Masala Lassi (P100) and the Mango Honey Lassi (P120) are the best sellers.

Indian Gourmet (Legaspi Sunday Market)
Abhra Dam and Ria A. Villanueva-Dam
Mobile Number: Ria +63920 903-6256


Galette Egg, Ham & Cheese (P140). Gigi's claim to fame is that he serves the real Crepe made from right proportions of wheat flour, eggs, milk and Galettes made from right proportions of buck wheat flour, eggs, water, and salt. We love the galette complete with egg, ham and cheese.
Gigi La Crepe
The Real Traditional Breton Crepe and Gallette
Telephone: +632 729 7783
Mobile Number: +63 926 879-5980/ +63 926 599-8756



Quattro Formaggio (P150) Pizza. Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Kesong Puti, Danish Cheese & Parmessan. What makes the Pizza's unique is the way it is cooked in charcoal. Other flavors include Margherita, Tutti Carne, Four Seasons, Napolitana and Antonio's Special.

Pizza di Grazzia
Food Alley, King's Court Building. Pasong Tamo St. Corner De La Rosa St. Makati City
Miguel Ongpin | Grace Valdoz
Mobile Number: +63 927 339 0462 | +63 906 442 9669
Email: miguelongpin@yahoo.com | geevaldoz@yahoo.com


Assorted Desserts: Sobyet and Baklava with Walnut, Hazelnut, Pistachio (P250) This must be the best dessert in both Salcedo and Legaspi Market. All of the people I talked to raved about this. Thank you Mehmet and Levend for introducing this Turkish pastries in Manila! Don't miss this!

Anatolia Cuisine
Turkish Pastries & Desserts
Mehmet Serce and Levend Ekizoglu
Telephone Number: +632 437-4249
Mobile Number: +63 917 855-8006, +63 922 855-7690
Email: anatoliacuisine@gmail.com


Froyo Frozen Yogurt (P65). The popular frozen yogurt in the Salcedo Market is now available also in the Legaspi Market. My favorite flavors are Vanilla and Deep Chococolate. Nothing beats this healthy yogurt treat! (See my related blog post on Froyo's.)

Froyo's
Dave +63 918 614-7479
Rob +63927-263-9198


Budbud Kabog (P30) and Sugar-free Budbud Kabog (P35). Most of the food bloggers love this. Budbud Kabog is a suman made from millet seeds. We love the Budbud with Mangga, Langka, Purple Rice and Ube-Langka.

Budbud Gourmet Suman
Maribel Van Hoven
Telephone Number: +632 807 1636, 842-8261
Mobile Number: +63 929 366 1999


Citrocello Lemon Liqueur. A Lemon Liquer is made from the peels of organic lemons, carefully microplanned, mixed with vodka and simple syrup and left to steep from 60 to 80 days. Ever since I tasted the lemon cello in Chateau Hestia, I got hooked with this drink. Usually it is taken as a digestive but you can drink it anytime during the course of the meal. I like the higher alcohol levels (20%) of Citrocello.

Citrocello Lemon Liqueur
Nel
Telephone Number: +632 840 0193
Mobile Number: +63 917 846 1135


These are my top 10 favorites. Let me know what are your favorites in the Legaspi Sunday Market. I should do a similar list for the Salcedo Saturday Market one of these days...

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

California Berry Frozen Yogurt

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California Berry Banana Split Signature Creation (P115) - Banana, Strawberry, White Chocolate chips

The resemblance of California Berry to the famous Pink Berry is obvious. The color scheme and menu is a bit similar. I like the frozen yogurt which tastes similar to Pink Berry as well. It was great to see nutrition facts for the California Berry yogurt.

Related OAP Posts on Frozen Yogurt:
Cold Spoon Frozen Yogurt - The Next Dessert Craze in the Philippines!
Sorry Ice Cream, I'm On My Way to Pinkberry!
Red Mango-licious
I Love Berries Frozen Yogurt -- The Best Froyo so far in Manila...
Ice Cream Bar (Flavors by FIC)
Yogurbud
The White Hat - Let the Fro-Yo Wars Begin in Manila!
The Buzz About Froyo's
California Berry Frozen Yogurt
Lulubelle
After Lego Island, Enjoy Yoh-Gurt Froz!


The toppings are usually cereals, chocolate, canned fruits (except for the kiwi, bananas, mangoes) and bottled berries. Based on the nutrition facts, Total Fat is 0g but Carbohydrates from sugar is 17g.

California Berry Signature Creations Menu
Small | P60 + 15 Each Topping P75
Medium | P85 + 3 Toppings P115
Large | P115 + 3 Toppings P145


The Ortigas outlet is actually small and hidden inside Silver City Mall. It is not an ideal place to hang-out because of its location beside the parking lot. I do hope they get a better location for their future outlets. You would need the map below to locate it.


I would recommend eating the frozen yogurt naked to really enjoy it.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Choi Garden - A Chinese Restaurant Worth Raving About

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Our family loves chinese food. On my father's birthday, I reserved this special chinese restaurant -- Choi Garden in Annapolis Greenhills. It is seldom that you hear a buzz on Chinese restaurants. Most people rave about Choi Garden because of the food prepared by their Hongkong Chef and the interesting interiors.

Choi Garden occupies the hole left by Country Waffles in Greenhills. It has two floors -- the first floor is for shabu shabu, while the second floor is for fine dining. For special occasions, better reserve the rooms on the 2nd floor. The first floor is for casual meetings and romantic dates. Better reserve to get the best seats in the house. I love the dramatic tunnel entrance, and the interesting chandelier lighting effects. The word "opium den" comes to mind (I don't know why) when I entered the first floor because of its bloody motif.

The specialties of the house are usually not found in the menu. Choi Garden is famous for their Pigeons (which you have to order in advance) and 3-way Lapu Lapu.


Choi Garden Pigeons (P350/ pigeon). I don't eat pigeons ever because usually it is oily and rubbery in texture. This is the first time I've eaten pigeons because it is a bit crispy without the oil. A must try in Choi Garden for special occasions.


3-way Lapu Lapu (P3,000). First, the lapu lapu is served in Miso Soup. We kept raving about how good the soup is. It tastes like Japanese miso soup and appears like Lapu Lapu sinigang with a smoother taste.


The second way is to steam the lapu lapu with brocolli. The fresh and soft taste of lapu lapu stands out. There is no need for seasoning. My mom kept raving about this!


Finally, the rest of the lapu lapu is cooked adobo style in hot pot with tofu. This one got mixed reaction because it was mixed with meat and adobo sauce was super thick.
We also ordered the Crab cooked in Singaporean Chili-crab style. The sauce is a bit gingery in taste. (I don't know why Manila can't reproduce an authentic Singapore chili-crab?) We should have stopped with the pigeon and lapu lapu.


Of course, we ordered birthday noodles for my Father's Birthday.


This is the best room in the fine dining area located behind the massive Choi Garden logo. (Minimum consumable isP8,000)



Happy Birthday Popsy!! Brobo and Ate Mina -- we missed you in Popsy's celebration.


Choi Garden Seafood and Shark's Fin Restaurant, Annapolis
Contact Person: Helen Tang
# 12 Annapolis St. cor. Purdue St. San Juan, Metro Manila
(+632) 727-6042 , 727 7489
Website: www.choigarden.com
Email: Choi@yahoo.com

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

West Side Story Complete List of Direct Show Buyers

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One of the greatest lessons I learned from my PSI experience, is the principle of "Scoring as many points as possible without hindering the chances of other people to score points." Ok, this is a bit vague. Let me give an example by applying the principle to selling West Side Story tickets. I know I've been promoting our Sept. 6, 8pm West Side Story tickets for weeks now. I'm also promoting Minnie's Sept. 5 Opening Night show. But what about the rest? I'm really promoting the entire West Side Story and I would like to share with you the rest of the contact numbers for the other shows.

The frequently asked question about West Side Story is when will Joanna Ampil perform? Nobody knows except the people from Stages. This is also to protect the show buyers. There are theories that Joanna Ampil will perform on opening nights since it is a tradition in the theater that the senior actress are given priority on opening nights. But this is not confirmed.

Also, please buy directly from the West Side Story Show Buyers for them to maximize their profits. Most of them have charity institutions or foundations as beneficiary for their West Side Story sponsored show. Of course, we would love it if you buy your West Side Story tickets from us.

WEST SIDE STORY 2008 SHOW DATES | SHOW BUYERS | CONTACT INFO.
Sept. 5 Friday 8pm | Minnie Fong | +639178676332 minnie_fong@yahoo.com
Sept. 6 Saturday 3pm | CBN Asia | +632 8124747
Sept. 6 Saturday 8pm | Our Awesome Planet : Anton Diaz +63917 5683627 anton@diaz.ph
Sept. 7 Sunday 3:30pm | Catherine Zobel | Contact Angie: +63 9178981419 + 632 8438472 +632 7572984
Sept.12 Friday 8pm | Timothy Liong | +639178735405 tliong@jnjph.jnj.com
Sept. 13 Saturday 3pm | Justice Raoul Victorino | +632 5529510 +63 9209389429 raoulvictorino@yahoo.com
Sept. 13 Saturday 8pm | Marc Ong / Ria Buenafe | +63 9209623918 +63 9175349437 bauerpb@yahoo.com rrbuenafe@yahoo.com
Sept.14 Sunday 3:30pm | Marissa Saba | +639178637770
Sept. 19 Friday 8pm | SM-Contact Imee Aquino | +632 8349565
Sept. 20 Saturday 3pm | Christopher De Venecia | +63 9178908633 imcalledtoffee@mac.com
Sept. 20 Saturday 8pm | Benjamin Chua | +63 9209704089 alexander_martos@yahoo.com
Sept. 21 Sunday 3:30pm | Williamson Nocom | +632 4008716 +63 9228994647 williamson@pldtdsl.net w_nocom@yahoo.com
Oct. 3 Friday 8pm | Bruno Omlin/Khaki Delos Reyes/Evita Bunyi | +639167179186 +639184216565 +639052969055 bfo@gmx.ch
Oct. 4 Saturday 3pm | 49 Polaris Productions Co. (Contact Emily Kho) | +639177956397
Oct. 4 Saturday 8pm | Mike Luakian / JayDuran | +63 9175386688 mluakian@pldtdsl.net
Oct. 5 Sunday 3:30pm | FILHARMONIKA
Oct. 10 Friday 8pm | Big Pounder Entertainment Alan Ranola | +63 9175310607 alr_bigpounder@yahoo.com
Oct. 11 Saturday 3pm |
Oct. 11 Saturday 8pm | Karylle Tatlonghari | k3hari@gmail.com
Oct. 12 Sunday 3:30pm | STAGES OWNED

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Related Posts:
West Side Story Manila - 10 Things You Should Know Before Going on a West Side Story Romantic Date
The Most Romantic or Tragic Love Story Ever Blogged

West Side Story Saturday Opening Night!

Our Awesome Planet in partnership with Ticket2Me invites you to the Saturday Opening Night of West Side Story Manila!
September 6, 2008,Opening Saturday Night 8pm at the Meralco Theater, Ortigas, Pasig

Buy Your West Side Story Tickets Now from OAP!

West Side Story Manila. (Click-->Seat Plan) Reserve Your Best Seats Now!

Orchestra and Loge Center ($26) ~ P1,200
Orchestra and Loge Sides ($22) ~ P1,000
Balcony Center ($15) ~ P 700
Balcony Sides ($11) ~ P 500
It is cheaper to buy online! All Major Credit Cards accepted.
Credit Card charges would be based on prevailing exchange rate. (see BSP Exchange Rate)

Email me: anton@diaz.ph or call me +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627) to order and pay via Bank Deposit

JT's and Rocci's @ The Zone

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If you have been playing badminton in the Zone area, then you would have noticed the newly opened Makati outlet of JT's Manukan. After eating inasal, you can hop on to Rocci's coffee and chocolate cafe beside it. Bacolod Chicken Inasal Express is still the best versus the commercialized version of JT Manukan. Since JT Manukan has an open kitchen, just notice that all the chicken are half-cooked already. This makes the chicken dry versus grilling the chicken raw. It is still a good alternative specially if you want to taste other Bacolod treats like Kansi and Batchoy.


Pecho (Chicken Breast with Wings) P88 or Paa (Chicken Legs with Thigh) P85 + Rice (P20)


Kansi (ilonggo Version of Bulalo) - P110. A bit more oily than your usual bulalo.

JT Manukan's Main Dishes and Side Orders | Beverages and Pasalubong Items

JT Manukan Grille
The Zone, 7224 Malugay Street Corner Gil Puyat Avenue Bel-Air, Makati
Telephone +632 8130106
For dessert, the rich chocolate cookies and drinks of Rocci are recommended. The place is cute but it could only accommodate four small tables.


Dark Hot Chocolate and Cookies (P128). An intense hot chocolate drink made of pure belgian chocolate and paired with 2 pcs. of Belgian Chocolate Bliss Cookies. Aidan loves it but he was wide awake until 12 midnight because of the richness of the chocolate.

Rocci Coffee Company
Specialty Coffee & Chocolate
Email: rocci.coffee@gmail.com
The Zone, 7224 Malugay corner Buendia St., Makati City
Telephone: +632 474 8084
Mobile Numbers: +63 922 824-7236, +63 917 526 8689

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Spicy Fingers Laffamania

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Related Posts: The Comedy Cartel - The Best Stand-Up Comedy Act in Manila!

Your Monday Nights will never be the same with Laffamania @ Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2. The show starts promptly at 8pm with entrance fee of P150. Better reserve a table with Spicy Fingers and be there by 7pm. The food is OK and nothing to rave about. Don't bother to ask recommendations from the waiters because they would often say, "Lahat po sa menu ay masarap." That is one sign of either the waiters are not trained very well (and have not tasted the food yet) or there is nothing remarkable about the food. Better check out the menu already and order based on your personal preference. Budget P500/ head for your Spicy Fingers dinner.

Spicy Fingers Menu:
Starters & Soup | Pasta, Burger Platter, Sandwiches | Specials Grill and Steaks | Spicy Fingers Snack Menu | Desserts | Spicy Fingers Drinks List #1 | Spicy Fingers Drinks List #2


Tim Tayag @ Laffamania in Spicy Fingers.

Tim started performing stand-up comedy in 1997 in a little cafe in San Francisco. In a few years, he developed his act and showcased it in world famous comedy clubs such as Punch Line and Cobb's where famous comics like Robin Williams, Chris Rock and Drew Carey took their first comedy steps.

In 2002, Tim decided to go back to the Philippines and share his style of comedy with Filipinos. (Hooray! We should always celebrate when Filipinos decide to go back to the Philppines :)


Mike Unson @ Laffamania in Spicy Fingers

Mike first started with an improv theater group Big Bang Cheery, and once the bang fizzled out, he moved on to going solo. From there, he's opened for Rex Navarette on numerous occasions during his Philippine tour of duty, and even taught Stand-up comedy courses at the Ateneo law school in Rockwell. His next big break was when he performed in "Jojo A. All the Way" and "Men's Room" on Channel 23. In 2005, Mike out-laughed his contemporaries at a stand-up comedy stand-off, to take home the grand prize.
We were pleasantly surprised to see Donita Rose' husband Eric Villarama doing one of the opening acts for Comedy Cartel. I like his humor because some of it is based on his unique situation as the husband of a Filipina celebrity.


Seafood Fettucine (P370 + SC). Pasta with melange of seafood cooked in white wine and olive oil. The white wine and olive oil sauce was not as tasty as we expected.



Spicy Fingers Chicken Coconut Curry (P360+SC). Chicken fillet cooked with red curry paste and creamy coconut cream. We were not happy with the coconut curry sauce. Maybe, we are just used to the Thai sweet curry sauce of Sukho Thai.


Sticky Nachos (P360+SC). Nacho Chips with Guacamole, Salsa and Sour Cream. We were happy with the huge serving of spicy fingers nachos. Beer + Nachos + Comedy Cartel Jokes = Winner!



Spicy Fingers
Ground Level, Greenbelt 2 Ayala Center, Makati, Metro Manila
Phone Number: (+63 2) 729-8761, (+63 2) 729-8932, (+63 2) 817-4729

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

The Comedy Cartel - The Best Stand-Up Comedy Act in Manila!

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Have you seen the Best Stand-Up Comedy Act in Manila?

I highly recommend Comedy Cartel if you are sick and tired of the usual gay comedy or slapstick humor in the comedy bars in Manila. I like the more intelligent humor (and sometimes green jokes) of the Comedy Cartel based on taboo truths about the Filipinos. However, I don't like some of the proteges' tasteless jokes about Christianity just to get a laugh from the crowd. Also, I'm hoping they could get a female stand-up comic to be part of the cartel.

I created a video sampler of the best jokes during the Laffamania last July 28 in Spicy Fingers. It features my favorite jokes by Eric Villarama, Alex Calleja, Mike Unson and Tim Tayag. It is guaranteed to make you laugh. You can watch the full Laffamania show every other monday by 8pm in Spicy Fingers. The show runs for two hours featuring the Comedy Cartel and their proteges. The next shows would be August 11 & 25, and September 15 & 29, 2008. They also have practice Open Mic sessions to test new jokes every 9pm Wednesday at my favorite wi-fi place in Serendra -- Kape Isla.


The Comedy Cartel is a guild of professional comic artists whose aim is to expand and master the art of comedy beyond the usual definitions through the practice of the classic monologue form of standup and through sketch comedy. In other words, it was created to impress chicks...

This group is the first of its kind in the Philippines. As the Comedy Cartel, they hope to instill in each artist, professionalism, mastery, and respect for the art of comedy by providing training and building resources to further the craft. If they fail, then it's back to selling hot dogs!

The Comedy Cartel is composed of Alex Calleja, Stanley Chi, JB Dela Cruz, Marlon Olivan, Tim Tayag, and Mike Unson. Other members include: Vic Anastacio, Trian Lauang, Red Ollero, Uli Oposa, Chickie Manio, Ryan Puno, Raffy Taruc, and Eric Villarama.

The Comedy Cartel is exclusively managed by:
eCircle Entertainment (www.eCircleEntertainment.com).
Telephone: +632 533-9316.
Mobile Number: +63917-8860706.
Email: info@eCircleEntertainment.com

Cinderella in Manila! Relive the Miss Saigon Feeling of being Proud to be a Filipino!

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I love watching musical plays because of its timeless lessons that shape my life today.

Rent taught me that there is "No Day but Today". I also learned how to measure your life -- not in terms of five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes but in terms of Seasons of Love. It is the reason why I pursued my wife despite all odds at that time.

Kate Monster from Avenue Q taught me: "You gotta go after the things you want while you’re still in your prime." That is one of the reason why I am pursuing my passion today - blogging my heart away and sharing with people how awesome the Philippines is.

The valuable lesson I learned from Cinderella is that: "Impossible Things are Happening Every Day!". I watched how Filipinos -- Lea Salonga as Cinderella and Bobby Garcia as Director - are leading a predominantly American Broadway cast in the Asian premiere of Cinderella. Is it impossible for Filipinos to be a great nation in 2010? It's Possible!!

I can't get this song off my mind:
" Impossible! But the world is full of zanies and fools
who don't believe in sensible rules
and won't believe what sensible people say..
and because these daft and dewey eyed dopes
keep building up impossible hopes
impossible things are happening every day! "
- Cinderella's Godmother

We are so proud of both -- Lea Salonga and Bobby Garcia! You guys deserve the sold-out opening night which ended in a standing ovation! Thanks for showing us that Filipinos can lead the world!

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Related Posts:

Cinderella in Manila! I'm Proud to be a Filipino : )
Cinderella Tips - 10 Tips When Watching Cinderella in CCP Main Theater
Cinderella - Interesting Facts You Should Know About Cinderella Before Watching It

Where in the Philippines is the Next Destination of OAP?

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OAP Contest: Where in the Philippines is the Next Destination of OAP?

This contest will be easy. Guess my next destination in the Philippines this coming August and win a prize. The first one to guess the right destination will win a JanSport Graphix Remix Bag. Just enter your guess in the comments and that will serve as your official entry to this contest.

Thanks to Bratpack for sponsoring the JanSport Bag for this contest.

About JanSport's Graphic Remix Line of Bags

Now after 40 years, JanSport continues to celebrate its hippie heritage through its Graphic Remix line of bags as inspired by this generation's most definitive counterculture -- the Indie community. The Graphic Remix line's quirky and anti-conformist designs like graffiti, doodles, pop art and calligraphy fits the Indie community's passion for creativity, originality and individuality.

"For us a bag is more than just for carrying your stuff around, but as a practical and personal billboard of expression that's why we came up with the concept of the Graphic Remix line individually designed by the country's best graphic designers," says Clytie Choa, Brand Manager for Jansport.

Froyo's in Serendra

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The Froyo's cart is now parked in Arama (formerly Chocolate de Batirol). This is the place-to-be to have your frozen yogurt dessert in Serendra.


Froyo's Chocolate Frozen Yogurt (P70). Intense Deep Chocolate Taste. For adults only. You gotta try this!

Related OAP Posts on Frozen Yogurt:
Cold Spoon Frozen Yogurt - The Next Dessert Craze in the Philippines!
Sorry Ice Cream, I'm On My Way to Pinkberry!
Red Mango-licious
I Love Berries Frozen Yogurt -- The Best Froyo so far in Manila...
Ice Cream Bar (Flavors by FIC)
Yogurbud
The White Hat - Let the Fro-Yo Wars Begin in Manila!
The Buzz About Froyo's
California Berry Frozen Yogurt
Lulubelle
After Lego Island, Enjoy Yoh-Gurt Froz!

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.
Email: anton@diaz.ph
Blog: www.OurAwesomePlanet.com

Jonas' Pares

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All-Time-Favorite Pares (P100)

Another unique treat in Robinson's Place - Pioneer, is one of the mall outlet of the popular Jonas Pares restaurant in Quezon City.

Jonas is credited for inventing the term "Pares" which means the pairing of beef and rice.. It also refers to the value meal of beef, rice and soup. It was founded by Lolly Tiu in 1979 who envisioned a restaurant providing fine-dining quality food at a price affordable to masses. What makes Pares so special is how the beef was prepared and cooked. Seventy percent (70%) of the beef is lean meat from beef flanks; the rest of the 30% is from fat. The beef is tender because it was slow-cooked in a charcoal-fed fire for at least 12 hours! Anythying you cook for this length in time will definitely becomes soft; add to these the various spices it is definitely tasty and yummy.


Jonas has a simple menu. Aside from Pares, you can order mami, siomai, siopao or spring rolls.
All Time Favorites and Mami | Siopao, Drinks and Desserts | The Story of Jonas


Be honest, have you tried pares before? If you haven't tried the carinderia version, check out the upscale Jonas restaurant version in Robinson Place Pioneer.

Chili Willy's - Best Tex-Mex Restaurant in Manila

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Taquitos (P95). 6 pieces mini-tacos.

I miss eating in a good Mexican restaurant like Zapata in Angeles. So far, the best Mexican food in Manila is hidden in the alfresco restaurants of Robinson's Pioneer. The name of the Tex-Mex restaurant is called Chili Willy's. It serves Tex-Mex cuisine which is a cultural blending of Southern Texas and Northern Mexico usually found in San Antonio, Texas. Just think of it as Fajitas and Burritos meet Steaks and Burgers.


This is the best restaurant in Robinson's Pioneer. (Actually, I was surprised to find one in this mall.) So if you have friends working in Robinson's offices in Pioneer (like Summit Media or Accenture), ask them to have lunch or dinner with you at Chili Willy's.

Chili Willy's Menu
Appetizers, Tacos Enchiladas Quesadillas, Fajitas & Burritos, Soups & Salads.
Texican Combo Plates, Mexican Bowls, Texan Pasta, Chili Willy's Burgers
Texas Grill and Entrees
Beverage, The Classic Cocktails, Wine
Side Orders, Desserts



Blackened Catfish with Mango Salsa (P 170). Catfish coated in black spice rub, topped with crispy tortilla chips, served with refried beans, mango salsa and cilantro rice.

One of the interesting and unique dish that I would recommend is this Blackened Catfish. I like the peppery spice of the catfish complemented by the cilantro rice.

Mexican "Mock-Fried" Ice Cream Choco-Hazel Nut (P110)

Don't forget to order the ice cream dessert. The ice cream is wrapped in tiny bits of peanuts and set on top of fried tortilla with a yummy layer of nutella.


Chili Willy's Tex-Mex Grill
Robinson's Place Pioneer
The Forum Al Freso
30 Edsa corner Pioneer St. Mandaluyong City
+632 68704218

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Why Blog?

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I love blogging and I'm addicted to it. I love it not because of the money or fame it brings but because of its essence. It came to a point in my P&G career that I had to choose between a senior IT management career or a professional blogging and internet marketing career. I decided to pursue what I love and what keeps me burning inside. Let me share with you what the essence of blogging for me is and why you should blog too.

1. Our Blog is a love letter to our sons. OAP and Mrs. OAP blogs are proclamation of our love to Ahiya Aidan and Syoti Josh. The blog entries are written memories of our family life and a testament to their childhood. We want them to relive the fun when they grow up. We want them to feel how much we love them by sharing with them our hopes, dreams and aspirations despite the struggles in life. We want them to see how we reached for our dreams during this time of uncertainties.

2. I'm writing the modern history of the Philippines. I firmly believe that bloggers will shape the country's future. I want to write the history of the Philippines based on my family's point of view. I write from the heart because I want to capture the feeling of the moment in time in the Philippines. I've always wondered what Boracay would looked like in its virgin state. This fueled my passion to write about the virgin state of our beautiful and undiscovered beaches. History has never been this personal.

3. To sow good deeds. The Law of Fairness states that: What you sow is what you reap. If you sow positive good deeds, expect to receive a lot of good deeds in return. I've proven this law many times over. When I write something negative about somebody with malicious intent, I always get negative feedback and criticism in return. When I proclaim about the goodness of people and places, I reap a following that I never imagined would happen in my lifetime. I love to rave about places without expecting anything in return. I know that when I rave about them, I bring in a lot of business that they deserve. I also know that they will pay it forward in terms of great service for more people.

4. Ninoy Aquino is a blogger. If Ninoy was alive today, he would be one of the top political bloggers in the Philippines. Blogs are platforms for advocacy. You fuel the flames of the advocacy on each blog post you writeBlogs are infectious if used with pure intentions.. Bloggers with advocacy are the modern Ninoy Aquinos of this country. Don't expect to build an advocacy in a few months time. How long do you think Ninoy took to flame the hearts of the Filipinos? I imagine that Ninoy had to do a lot of speeches and press releases to communicate his advocacy. As a blogger, you can now do it anytime you want to and as frequent as you want to.

5. Inspire 1 Mind, Touch 1 Heart. This is my personal mission in life. I get fulfilled every time a reader would tell me that I inspired them or I touched their heart. No amount of SEO tactics can do this. A blogger needs to talk from his heart every time. The goal of every blog post is to give the readers an "Aha!" moment or to make them cry. I would rather have a tear or an inspired thought any time instead of six-figure-adsense dollars.

6. To have fun. A blog is your ticket to blog contests and blogging parties. It is also a marketing medium to become famous in your niche. It is your own platform for debates and to share your point of view.

7. OAP is my personal art space. All bloggers are artists and blogs are their creative outlet. Each blog post is an expression of oneself. If you carefully examine it, the blog is the digital persona of the artist. Like any work of art, you can marvel at how magnificent the person is. Blogs are priceless if you do it with passion and not for monetary purposes.

8. Build personal brand. Your blog defines who you are, your values/principles, and purpose in life. If you are lost in life, expect your blog to be lost in the blogosphere as well. If you are just blogging for the money, expect your blog to look like adsense dollars by doing all the SEO tactics possible at the expense of your personal brand. If you are a leader, there is no doubt that you will be a King in your niche.

9. I write to globalize the local. I want to bring to the world's attention the significance and essence of the Philippines-- that we are not defined by our corrupt politicians and pathetic public servants. We are a nation that loves nature. We are a nation of people who are talented and can compete with the best of the best. We are Filipinos. Happy. Positive. God-loving.

10. To live forever. Julia Campbell is not dead. She is alive in her blog, just read Julia in the Philippines. If I only have 24 hours to live, one of the things that I would do is write my last blog post. I would write a blog post that would forever inspire the next generation of Filipinos. I would write a blog post that would forever express my gratitude to God, Family and all the people who influenced me along the way. This is why I try to write each of my blog posts as if it were my last.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

P.S. Thanks to Migs for inspiring this post.

Let's talk About Gas

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Instead of complaining about how the prices of gasoline are continuing to go up, we need to adapt to the situation and be more efficient with our fuel consumption. I would like to share with you some strategies that we started to do:

1. Keep a Fuel Mileage Log.
We now keep a log of the distance (in kms) from our house to any of the destinations we go to. Then we keep track of the car's mileage in between fuel refills. We make sure that we go to the same gasoline station, the same gasoline pump and stick to the automatic stop. In this way, we are able to track the most efficient way to go to one place. For example, from De La Salle University in Malate to Serendra Fort Area, there are two ways to get there. One is via buendia and the other one via Villamor Gate 3. The latter route is 13.5kms versus the former route which is 9.5kms only.

2. Avoid Traffic!
To minimize fuel consumption, we need to apply constant gas pressure when driving. We have to avoid changing lanes or halting to an abrupt stop. One technique is to let the car roll to a stop just right before hitting the car in front of you. Another strategy is to wake up one hour earlier or to go home later at night to avoid traffic.

3. Use the most cost efficient fuel.
I need your help here. I wanted to know based on your experience, what is the most cost efficient fuel brand in Manila? Earl, one of OAP's friends, asked me this question via email and I don't know. Hopefully with the Fuel Economy Survey below, we can have an objective answer.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST COST EFFICIENT FUEL BRAND IN MANILA?

(Fuel Brand, Gasoline Octane Rating, Price as of July 19, Saturday)

Petron Unleaded 93 (P60.61)

Petron XCS 95 (P61.28)

Petron Blaze 96 (P62.01)

Caltex Gold with Techron 95 (P61.28

Caltex Silver with Techron 93 (P60.57)

Shell Super Unleaded 93 (P60.57)

Shell Super Premium 93 (P61.06)

Shell V-Power 95 (P62.35)

Shell Diesoline Ultra (P58.98)

Petron Diesel Max (P59.03)

Caltex Power Diesel (P59.03)

Leyte Pasalubong

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Tacloban is the Ultimate Leyte Pasalubong haven. The top 4 pasalubong from Tacloban are Binagol, Chocolate Moron, Sagmani and Carigara's Pastillas. I would recommend that you buy all your pasalubong from Tita Aida's delicacies along P.Zamora St. (across Chowking).


Binagol (P25? /each) is made in the town of Dagami. It is made of talyan (a root crop similar to gabi). coconut milk and sugar. It is called binagol because the mixture is placed inside a coconut shell called "bagol" and steamed inside. We love the sweet surprise hidden at the bottom of the coconut shell.


Moron (P25? / each) is a suman with chocolate flavor. It is made of ground rice cooked in coconut milk then flavored with cocoa. It is smooth like a budbud kabog. Just imagine a suman dipped in chocolate batirol. Our favorite!


Sagmani (P25? /each) is the less popular among the pasalubong delicacies. It is similar to Binagol but it is made of cassava, gabi or sweet potatoes. It is cooked with coconut cream, sugar and sometimes coconut meat.



Carigara's Pastillas Special (P150). The special pastillas of Carigara is made of pure carabao's milk. . Addicting.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

PS. For Tacloban folks -- can you validate my price for Binagol, Moron and Sagmani? I forgot.

The Buzz About Froyo's

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Good Morning, Manila!

David's Pure Frozen Yogurt from the Salcedo Market is generating a lot of buzz lately. After 4 weeks of continuous product sampling in the Salcedo Market, Froyo's is definitely a winner. Let me share with you a bit of trivia about it:

- These Froyos are flavored fresh yogurt. They are indeed made from 100% fresh yogurt. No Refined Sugar. Nothing Artificial. Just Fresh Yogurt and another flavor. Don't expect to get a plain yogurt flavor because it would be a bit sour. Most of the other frozen yogurt are made from powdered yogurt. My mom would love this!

- Yogurt is made from New Zealand Milk. According to David, New Zealand milk is the best source for the yogurt. He makes it fresh and it is the secret to his highly raved about Froyo's.

- My favorite flavors are Dutch Chocolate and Vanilla. The Dutch Chocolate is an adult flavor that gives an intense dark chocolate taste. (I think he uses champorado, don't you think?). Vanilla is a favorite because the taste is clean and refreshing. Aidan loves the vanilla flavor. The other flavors are Mango Blast (made with fresh mangoes), Mud Slide (coffee & chocolate with fudge & walnuts), Coffee and Coffee Strawberry.

- Froyo's is named after the popular American term for Frozen Yogurt. Why not name your product with how college students call Frozen Yogurt? It is indeed clever.

- David's healthy stuff is popular in a Waldorf school. The buzz is David sells healthy products in a Waldorf school. Every meal time, his stuff gets wiped out by the kids. When he decided to apply in Salcedo Market, the waiting list was long. The organizers gave him a break on the waiting list and asked him to bring his cart around the Salcedo Market to see how his product will go.

- David is opening a Dessert Bar in Arama, Serendra. Arama is the new name of Chcocolate de Batirol in Serendra (besides Larry's Bar). They got the first franchise and I'm excited that I can get my healthy dose of Froyo's in Serendra. I do hope they open next weekend.

- Froyo's are sold in 3 sizes. 140 gms single serving at P65 , a pint(475 gms) at P190 and 1/2 gallon (1.9 kilos) at P650. To order call Dave +63 918 614-7479 or Rob +63927-263-9198. They also sell Rice Cremes made from organic rice.

Related OAP Posts on Frozen Yogurt:
Cold Spoon Frozen Yogurt - The Next Dessert Craze in the Philippines!
Sorry Ice Cream, I'm On My Way to Pinkberry!
Red Mango-licious
I Love Berries Frozen Yogurt -- The Best Froyo so far in Manila...
Ice Cream Bar (Flavors by FIC)
Yogurbud
The White Hat - Let the Fro-Yo Wars Begin in Manila!
The Buzz About Froyo's
California Berry Frozen Yogurt
Lulubelle
After Lego Island, Enjoy Yoh-Gurt Froz!

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

The White Hat - Let the Fro-Yo Wars Begin in Manila!

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You gotta try this! The White Hat is the closest frozen yogurt taste to Pink Berry. The yogurt is more on the creamy side with a tangy kick. This is the kind of frozen yogurt taste that started the fro-yo craze in the US.

They serve fresh fruit ingredients (finally!) unlike the Korean-owned yogurt establishments which include Cold Spoon in Clark and Yogurbud. What makes Pink Berry and Red Mango so unique is the assortment of ingredients. In White Hat, their signature ingredient is home-made cinnamon flavored granola. I would recommend that you combine the granola with any fresh fruit toppings.


Related OAP Posts on Frozen Yogurt:
Cold Spoon Frozen Yogurt - The Next Dessert Craze in the Philippines!
Sorry Ice Cream, I'm On My Way to Pinkberry!
Red Mango-licious
I Love Berries Frozen Yogurt -- The Best Froyo so far in Manila...
Ice Cream Bar (Flavors by FIC)
Yogurbud
The White Hat - Let the Fro-Yo Wars Begin in Manila!
The Buzz About Froyo's
California Berry Frozen Yogurt
Lulubelle
After Lego Island, Enjoy Yoh-Gurt Froz!


Check out the White Hat Menu

This one is super expensive. The small one (4oz) sells for P85 yogurt only while the large one (6oz) at P115. You would have to pay P35 for two toppings. Net, you would have to pay P140 just to indulge on this frozen yogurt treat. The Pink Berry and Red Mango in the US are expensive because their store is as big as a Starbucks cafe with bright funky colors. White Hat on the other hand is just located in a small booth in Mall of Asia.

Net, White Hat is recommended in terms of fro-yo taste, but it is expensive. It is definitely a healthier alternative than a Frapuccino from Starbucks.


Let the Fro-yo Dessert Craze begin!!

The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt2/F Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia
(near SM Discovery Center)
Telephone Number: +632 727-4198Store hours: 10AM – 10PMwww.thewhitehat.com.ph


Print out this coupon...

Tacloban City -- Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 2)

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6. Ayo Cafe

I like the cozy and homy vibe of this cafe. They are famous for their Spanish-style bangus and orange ribs. One of the interesting displays inside the restaurant is Anjanette Cabansag's (the owner) collection of Coke stuff.

Ayo Cafe Menu
Entree, Salad, Omelets, Pasta, Main Meals, and Hot Coffee and Tea
Waffles, Desserts, Shakes and Smoothies, Fruit Juices, Lemon Lime, Nature Chillers, Coke and Pepsi, Beer

Spanish Style Bangus (P130). Brings back memories of the spanish style sardines I used to love when I was a child.

Assorted Cheese Wraps (P60). Simple with a nice presentation.

Anjanette Cabansag's Coca Cola Collection. I wonder if this is also part of Coke's campaign to paint the town red like in most sari-sari-store in the city.

Ayo Cafe
#5 JCO Arcade Apitong Road, Tacloban City
(+63 53) 325-4461

7. Guiseppe's Italian Restaurant

For 16 years, Guiseppe is the best italian restaurant in Tacloban. Joseph (Guiseppe in italian) Bonavitacola married a filipina and decided to establish a family in Tacloban. Taclobanons would go to Guiseppe for special occasions and celebrations. They are famous for their steaks and pizzas. For Manila tourists, people would come here if they don't know where else to eat in Tacloban. Guiseppe is to Tacloban as Sutokil is to Cebu. The food is really good but why would you want to eat in a Manila-style restaurant when you are in the province.

Antipasta, Pasta, and Beef | Pizza, Desserts, Shakes and Beverages | Seafood, Pork, Chicken, Vegetable and Filipino Specialty

Pizza All Toppings (P185) served on thin crunchy crust.

Steak with garlic and herbs

Joseph Bonavitacola's Guiseppe's Restaurant
173 Avenida Veteranos
Tacloban City, Leyte

Telephone: +63 53- 321-4910 or 327-0832
Mobile: +63 917 3060122
Email: jbona123@yahoo.com
www.giuseppesresto.com

8. Jose Karlos Cafe

Jose Karlos is the best and original Filipino designed cafe in the Philippines. This is better than any of the Filipino cafes I have seen (like Kape Isla, Bo's Coffee, etc.) in Metro Manila. Starbucks would look like an ordinary chain of coffee stores compared to Jose Karlos. I would like to commend the owner for a job well done with this cafe.

Jose Karlos Coffee Menu: Expresso, Brewed Coffee, Iced Expresso Beverage, Froccino, Chocolato, Tea, Fruit Chills, Pancakes and Waffle Special, Sandwiches.

It is nice to hang out here instead of Gloria Jeans or Bo's Coffee. In fact, the only edge of those other coffee shops is the free WIFI they offer. For Jose Karlos, I don't understand why they prefer to have an internet cafe and decided not to offer Free Wifi. Most local tourist these days are looking for FREE Wifi spot and I do hope they can offer this service.

The ambiance feels like you are just hanging out with your college friends at home.

Jose Karlos Cafe
in Front of Santo Nino Church

9. Calle Zaragosa Cafe

Calle Z is one of the best local hangout place in Tacloban. The restaurant is known for their bulalo. Gerry Ruiz, the owner, is a respected photographer and Tacloban Blogger (blogging at gerryruiz.wordpress.com).

Calle Z's d Chief Cook Menu
From the Grill, Chicken, Beef, Rice, Noodles, Seafood, Pork and Snacks
Pulutan! From the grill, seafoods, beef/pork, atbp, drinks.


I prefer to dine out al fresco and here you can see the slice of the Tacloban gimmick life.



Calle Zaragoza Cafe
Telephone: +63 53 325-8582 or 321-3197
Email: frontdesk@callezaragosa.com
Website: www.callezaragosa.com

10. Local Favorites

Timo Romano's Lechon. Don't miss to eat the Tacloban version of Lechon. It is similar to Cebu's CNT lechon where you don't need sauce anymore to enjoy it.

In Tacloban, the lechon is usually eaten with gaway (gabi).

Tacloban's lechon is served best with vinegar and lots of garlic.

Nestor Lechon Manok (+63 53 325 7957) is Tacloban's version of Andok's.



If you are looking for a local fast food, you should try Tops of the World. They are famous for their pinangat.


If you are craving for Kare-Kare, try out Ritz tower's Tacloban version.


Tacloban Royal Seafood is famous for their chami pansit.



Fresh Seafood in Yolanda's Seafood. Yolanda's is near the airport so most tourist would stop by to eat seafood in an authentic provincial hut ambiance before boarding their flight.


Bibingka in T. Claudio. I missed this during my trip. The Bibingka in T.Claudio is still cooked pugon-style and they only open at 1pm in the afternoon.

Did I miss anything in Tacloban?

Tacloban City -- Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 1)

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The foodie scene in Tacloban City is underrated. Most people think that Guiseppe Italian restaurant is the only exciting foodie place in the city. I was so excited to explore the different flavors of Tacloban. I'm planning to share it with people via a Food trip/ Heritage/ Sangyaw Festival Tour of Tacloban next year. In the meantime, let me share with you the top 10 foodie secrets of Tacloban.

1. Rafael Farms Garden Restaurant

Rafael Farms is a cross between Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay and The Farm @ San Benito. Named after the adopted son (or grandson) of entreprenuer Rene Tampi, Rafael Farms is my vote for the best restaurant in Tacloban City. Rene started with a restaurant in Tacloban called "Join Us". It is a favorite meat place in the city and popular for ready-to-cook food and supply of meat.

A set menu only costs P220 which gives you a choice of salad; a side dish of green rice, potato sticks or sweet corn; a main course of pork, chicken, fish or baby back ribs, dessert and drinks. In Manila, P220 is the average cost of one gourmet dish. Check out the rest of the menu @ Rafael Farms.

From the Sandwich Bar, Drinks, Desserts, Barista Specials
Rafael's Farm Special Treat (P220), From Grandma's Recipe Box, Noodles from East and West
Family Favorites: Cool and Light, Grilled Pork from our Barbecue Pit, Chicken, Seafoot, Marinated Steak.


You can conveniently visit San Juanico Bridge which is only approx. 20 minutes from the farm.

Rafael Farms
Brgy. Pagsulhugon, Babatngon,
LeyteTelephone: +63 915 9200325 or +63 53 -325 0729.website: www.rafaelfarm.com


Inside the main dining area, the ambiance is characterized by crocheted tablecloths, wooden/ garden chairs, seats covered with banig, and artwork-for-sale all around the dining area.


I would also recommend the big servings of Halo Halo ala Rafael Farms for merienda!


2. Rizal Avenue Barbecue Stalls and Aling Manang's Native Chicken.

If Bacolod is Manukan country, Tacloban is Barbecue country! Eating barbecue at night is an experience you shouldn't miss.


There are two recommended barbecue places to go. First, is the Baldevia Siblings's Barbecue stand along Rizal Avenue near the Tacloban Market. They use a special kind of marinate for their barbecue which is served with a special kind of vinegar. I have eaten in the RTR plaza, or the barbecue places near the bay, the Baldevia's barbecue stands out to be the best.


Second, I would recommend Manang's Native Chicken barbecue stand. You can see Manang's stall along Justice Romualdez at night. She serves a special kind of native chicken barbecue that only she can provide.


Don't miss to eat these Tacloban longganiza. It is sweeter and more meat than fat.

3. Ocho Seafood Grill
Cristina Gonzales would probably agree that this is the best fresh seafood restaurant place in Tacloban.


Eating baked scallops is one of the guilty treats when you visit Tacloban.

Ocho grill is a modern seafood paluto restaurant where you order from a fresh display of seafood and specify how you want it cooked.


Don't forget to order the fish skin chicharon that I've only seen in Ocho grill.

Ocho Seafood & Grill
Sen. Enage Street, Tacloban City
Telephone: +63 53 325-4171. 523-8808 4. Sunzibar


Mayanne Wenceslao's Sunzibar is a cozy secret mexican restaurant in Tacloban. Sunzibar is famous for their nachos and rum ribs. They are proud of home-made fresh ingredients they use for their dishes.

Sunzibar Menu
Starters and Appetizers, Pastas, Sopas and Ensalada and Sandwiches
Pork barrel, Chicken Run, Rice, Beef, Beverages


Nachos (P88). Chessy, crunchy, and dripping with goodness! Everybody's all time favorite!


Rum Ribs (P325). "Our ribs are so tender, the meat falls off the bone. Our ribs are so good, people keep coming back for more. It comes with 2 glasses of iced tea, salad and rice which means more people can share"


It is almost a hole-in-the-wall restaurant and there is some kind of thrill in finding this resto.

SunziBar. Good Food Always.Burgus St. +63 53 523-4565


5. Cafe Urbana
Cafe Urbana, Santo Nino St., Tacloban City
Cafe Urbana Menu:
Dips and Starters | Salads | Paninis and Sandwiches | Pasta | Bakes | Ala Carte Main Dish | Sweet Temptations | Coffee Corner

I was pleasantly surprised to find a modern cafe restaurant that serves filipino and french fusion at less than P200 per meal. Jitka with her french husband, decided to setup the cafe to cater to the local urban crowd and occasional tourist. If you are looking for a dessert place in Tacloban, try out their flourless chocolate cake or their french hot chocolate.

Baked Fish Marinara (P155). Baked seasonal fish, with basil-tomato sauce topped with cream cheese. Served with rice.


French Gateau au Chocolat (P65). A flourless chocolate cake. Sinfully good!


French Hot Chocolat Chaud (P65). French Hot Chocolate

(to be continued... Tacloban City -- Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 2))

The Dark Knight Premieres in IMAX SM Mall of Asia, Manila

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BATMAN - The Dark Knight
premiered in IMAX SM Mall of Asia in Manila, Philippines last night.

It is brilliant, dark and disturbing.
It is definitely, a Christopher Nolan masterpiece.
We were emotionally involved with the fears and hopes of the citizen of Gotham.

I was scared of Joker. Heath Ledger's performance was no joke.
I'm torn between giving him a standing ovation for his performance or
Feeling angry with the way he terrorized the citizens of Gotham.

The IMAX screen brought Batman to life.
It was responsible for the fears and drama that the audience felt.
I felt like I'm a citizen of Gotham City.

Most of the cinematic and action scenes are filmed in the highest IMAX film resolution.
You can distinguish the IMAX 2D scenes where the pictures are taller than it is wide.
With this, you are engulfed by the emotions and drama of the entire scene.

The trailer was just a teaser.
If you love it, wait till you see the rest of the movie.
Bravo to the brilliant writer of The Dark Knight!

A lot of people died in the movie.
Heath Ledger died after shooting this movie.
It was neither a happy or sad ending.

Saying that this is "The Movie Event of the Year" is an understatement.
This is not for kids and I would not consider this a cartoon anymore.
Just watch it.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

P.S. Reserve your tickets @ SM IMAX (+632) 556 IMAX (4629) / 5560242). P350.
The Dark Knight opens on July 17, 2008.
The best seats in Imax are the top rows M,N,P,Q and pick the center seats.

House of Wagyu Heaven

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Rache and I went on a date in wagyu heaven last Friday. We decided to try the Premium Rib Eye 8oz Grade 8 Wagyu of House of Wagyu in Podium. Most of the wagyu we tasted before are only Grade 5 and these are usually the ones available in Manila. The highest grade is 12 or 13 (I think) which is only available in Japan. We were so excited to try out a Grade 8 wagyu for the first time in our life!

House of Wagyu serves Wagyu steaks exclusively and associated with Melo's steakhouse. The wagyu steaks are imported from Australia. If you are a Wagyu fan like me, you should try the House of Wagyu in Podium.


Wagyu (和牛 wagyū?) (source: Wagyu on Wikipedia)
" refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. Also known as Kobe beef or Mishima beef, the meat from wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, and thus a high market value.... Because of the wagyu cattle's genetic predisposition wagyu yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids[1] than typical beef. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats."

Related Posts:
Walking Tour of Wagyu Beef Fest & the P120,000 Wagyu Fantasy Meal
Malcolm's Place and Wagyu Rib Eye Steak!



I must admit it is very intimidating to go to House of Wagyu because of the steep prices of the steak and other dishes. If you decide to go on a date here, please check out the menu in advance so that you already know what you will order. (and importantly, your budget :)

House of Wagyu Menu
Appetizers and Salads | Wagyu Beef | Fish & Shellfish and other specialties | Desserts, Beverages and Wines
The House of Wagyu ambiance is formal with an imposing poster of the Wagyu breed at the back. Since it is inside the mall (ironically), you need to dress smart casual at a minimum.

Check out this huge chiller of Wagyu Beef!


The wagyu steaks come with a free serving of Soup of the Day. The mushroom soup was almost perfect.


Caesar Salad for One ( P225 + SC) We ordered caesar salad and had it divided into two servings.


Premium Rib Eye 8oz Wagyu Grade 8 - ( P2,850 + SC)

All of the cliches about Wagyu is true. It is soft and it melts in your mouth. You don't need a sauce anymore because the meat itself is tasty. We shared one steak and it was enough for both of us. Slice the beef thinly and savor each bite.
After finishing our meal, we were in Wagyu heaven and we both agree that it was worth it.


The prices in the menu are VAT inclusive. They would charge 10% for service and you won't regret it because the service is friendly, professional and worth it.



House of Wagyu, The Podium
5/F The Podium, Ortigas Commercial Center
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (+632) 635-3056

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

P.S. (Tip: This is perfect dinner place before watching West Side Story on Sept. 6, Saturday 8pm -- just plugging our show)

Yogurbud

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Yogurbud is the latest dessert place capitalizing on the healthy benefits of yogurt. Surprisingly, they now have three branches in Metro Manila - Megamall, Podium and Tomas Morato. You can really taste the sourness of the yogurt. The frozen mango topping was a turnoff for me and how I wish they provided fresh ingredients instead. For P90, the entire cup is not full and we were disappointed that there is so much air inside the cup.

I haven't tried the other yogurt offerings. Have you tried yogurbud?

Related OAP Posts on Frozen Yogurt:
Cold Spoon Frozen Yogurt - The Next Dessert Craze in the Philippines!
Sorry Ice Cream, I'm On My Way to Pinkberry!
Red Mango-licious
I Love Berries Frozen Yogurt -- The Best Froyo so far in Manila...
Ice Cream Bar (Flavors by FIC)
Yogurbud
The White Hat - Let the Fro-Yo Wars Begin in Manila!
The Buzz About Froyo's
California Berry Frozen Yogurt
Lulubelle
After Lego Island, Enjoy Yoh-Gurt Froz!



In Megamall, they are located in the 2nd floor above the skating rink. In Podium, they are located in the 3rd floor. In Tomas Morato, they are located in the ground floor 170 Tomas Morato corner Scout Castor Quezon. I'm glad that we are starting to have healthy dessert options in Manila.


Yogurbud Menu. More info: www.yogurbud.com
#3 Francis Court M. Paterno St. San Juan, Metro Manila
+632 723-6333

This is still not exactly the frozen yogurt I was craving for. I'm still waiting for the day, Pink Berry and Red Mango will open in Manila.

Angelati Italia in Megamall

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Angelati Italia - One of the best gelato in Manila opened their first store in Megamall. We love their Hazelnut, Pure Pistachio, and Mascarpone Crumble flavor.


Angelati Italia is located in the ground floor of Megamall A (this is where the skating rink is located).


Here is the retail prices for Angelati Italia. You can Text or Call them for delivery @ +63917-889-0110.

I'm planning to do a posts on the top 10 ice cream of Manila. What is your favorite ice cream/gelato/frozen yogurt secret in Manila?

OTOP Food Trip

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Most of the foodies in Manila are raving about the One Town One Product (OTOP) Fair in Megatrade Hall in MegaMall. After doing an OTOP food trip, we can't stop raving about it! Let me share with you our discoveries when we went around. The fair runs until tomorrow, Sunday and you should not miss it.


To start off the food trip, have a taste of Bing Angeles' Tahong Chips (P20/P45)dipped in their own version of Sinamak. Tahong Chips is an OTOP product of Bacoor, Cavite. Then visit Teresita Verano's colorful brooms which is a proud OTOP product from Caramoran, Catanduanes.



Check out the innovative C&C foods' traditional Kesong Puti Dips and Spreads (P100), a product OTOP of Nueva Ecija. Usually there is a crowd that forms around this booth to taste the different flavors of Kesong Puti Dips and Spreads. Most of the people who tasted it, end up buying the product.


We don't really need a hat but the Aurora Hats were so cute that we ended up buying one. The one that Rache bought costs P150.


Fly over to La Trinidad, Benguet and have a wine tasting at Jason's Quality Wines. Check out their Strawberry, Blueberry, Yacon and Bugnay Wine. Bugnay Wine is our local red wine. I liked the blueberry and yacon wines.


The No. 1 Foodie Secret in the OTOP Fair is the Okey na Okoy booth. It serves the best Kalabasang Okoy (P15) which is a proud OTOP product of Baliuag, Bulacan.


For lunch, don't forget to try the P70 Hero's 250g Hungarian Sausage. We loved this and wondered where we can order one in Manila.


Don't miss Aling Nene of Binan's version of Buchi, only P10. Aling Nene is famous for their Puto Binan.


Now for your second wine tasting event, check out the Dory's flavored Lambanog of Candelaria, Quezon. I loved the blueberry lambanog flavor with 22% alcohol.


For dessert, check out the different versions of Pili Nuts, Pastillas, and sweets. No one really stands out. I wondered is there a famous brand of Pili product in Bicol?


To end the food trip, don't miss the naturally fermented and organically grown Basi Wine of Laoag City.


For pasalubong, buy this unique Wrapsody product from Albay, Bicol for only P180. This is Bicol's version of the Greek Baklava dessert.

Nagutom ka na ba? (Are you getting hungry?) We can't stop raving about this OTOP Fair! We'll surely go to the next event!

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Healthy Kitchen, Serendra

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The newest kid on the Serendra block is the Healthy Kitchen restaurant in between Cafe Via Mare and Guava. Most restaurants in this Serendra driveway area facing Market Market are struggling and they only survive because of the weekend crowd. Healthy Kitchen's formula for success is providing yummy healthy food + nice homy ambiance + FREE wifi. They have an extensive selection of salad, innovative healthy appetizers, signature brown rice toppings, healthy burgers and satisfying whole wheat pasta assortment. If you love tofu, they serve Tofu Sisig, Tofu Steak Salad or Tofu Adobo Brown Rice. The only downside with Healthy Kitchen is that the main dishes cost around P200-P300.

I love the entire concept of Healthy Kitchen including the FREE wifi! We sincerely hope that more people will patronize Healthy Kitchen.


Healthy Kitchen Menu Cover | Appetizers and Salads | Whole Wheat Pizza, Whole Pizza Pasta, and Wraps, Sandwiches and Burgers | Brown Rice and Beverages

Lory Petry-Tydingco owns the successful chain of Brown Bag restaurants in Guam. She first opened Brown Bag in Eastwood but it was not successful because the term Brown Bag is an American concept that was lost in translation in Manila. She opened Healthy Kitchen less than a few weeks ago in Serendra. You would often see Lory in the restaurant. She would always strike up a conversation after you finish your meal to get feedback and suggestions.


Edamame Pate (P130). A flavorful pate made primarily with soy bean pods. Served with red and blue corn tortilla chips.

Replace your creamy dips with this soy beans pate. They have a way of making ordinary healthy food like this taste and look great. It was surprisingly small and how I wish that they could add more chips into the serving.
Lory's Pizza (P250). Lory created this pizza for herself one day and everyone started ordering it and calling it Lory's Pizza. Made with turkey bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes in an alfredo sauce and topped with organic fresh mozzarella. Really good!

We fell in love with Lory's whole wheat pizza and it was served in thin crispy crust. The turkey bacon was the key factor in providing the texture and yummy taste to this pizza.


I'm not sure if the servings in Healthy Kitchen are intentionally small so that you don't over-eat or it is small because the healthy ingredients used are expensive.


Salmon Blueberry Brown Rice (P320). Salmon, assorted veggies, blueberry raisins fried into organic brown rice.

This is one of their brown rice best sellers. I liked the different layers of taste because of the different complimentary ingredients. I also liked the orange slices that were included in the meal. If you are on a budget, try the Tofu Adobo Brown Rice for only P165.



The Healthy Kitchen "Eat Good, Feel Good!"
Lory Petry-Tydingco
141 C, Serendra Place,
Bonifacio High Street, Global City, Taguig
Telephone: +632 900-6514
healthy_kitchen_serendra@yahoo.com

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

West Side Story Manila - 10 Things You Should Know Before Going on a West Side Story Romantic Date

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Christian Bautista invites you to watch West Side Story Manila!

Our Awesome Planet in partnership with Ticket2Me invites you to the Saturday Opening Night of West Side Story Manila!
September 6, 2008,Opening Saturday Night 8pm at the Meralco Theater, Ortigas, Pasig

Buy Your West Side Story Tickets Now from OAP!

West Side Story Manila. (Click-->Seat Plan) Reserve Your Best Seats Now!

Orchestra and Loge Center ($26) ~ P1,200
Orchestra and Loge Sides ($22) ~ P1,000
Balcony Center ($15) ~ P 700
Balcony Sides ($11) ~ P 500
It is cheaper to buy online! All Major Credit Cards accepted.
Credit Card charges would be based on prevailing exchange rate. (see BSP Exchange Rate)

Email me: anton@diaz.ph or call me +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627) to order and pay via Bank Deposit

Related Posts: West Side Story Complete List of Direct Show Buyers

10 Things You Should Know Before Going on a West Side Story Romantic Date

1. First, one should know what West Side Story is all about.
West Side Story is one of the most popular storylines based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Two feuding street gangs – the Jets and the Sharks – are on a collision course in the gritty slums of New York City. Out of the chaos, a passionate romance blooms between Tony and Maria, teenagers caught on opposite sides of the turf war. But can they find a place for their love amid the prejudice and turmoil that surrounds them?

2. Why should you watch it?
"West Side Story" is one of the greatest musicals of all-time with music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It is a beautiful, dramatic dance musical with many show-stopping numbers and immortal songs like “Maria,” "Somewhere," "Tonight," "One Hand One Heart," "America," and "Something's Coming." It was the winner of 10 Academy Awards and two Tony Awards.

3. Why are people raving about the cast members of West Side Story Manila?
"West Side Story," STAGES' major musical offering in 2008, is all set to go on stage with an assembly of a strong cast headlined by Christian Bautista, Karylle, and London West End's Joanna Ampil; and a first-rate artistic team with Audie Gemora as executive producer, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as director.
Balladeer Christian Bautista is given the role of Tony. He is tall, handsome, and has the makings of a perfect romantic leading man. Singer and actress Karylle could match Natalie Wood's film version of Maria. She is young, beautiful and sings her songs with utmost conviction. Meanwhile, the Philippines will get the rare chance to watch Joanna Ampil in her first musical theater assignment in Manila after sixteen years playing lead roles in London.

4. Why are people excited about Joanna Ampil?
Just think about Lea Salonga is to Broadway while Joanna Ampil is to London's West End. Joanna has agreed to share the role of Maria with Karylle because she has long wanted to perform for her “kababayans” who cannot easily afford to go to London to watch her in a musical. She just finished her stint in Les Miserables in London's West End. Local audiences have to see why Joanna is a favorite of British producer Cameron Mackintosh. Joanna, at one time, was even handpicked by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber to play Mary Magdalene in "Jesus Christ Superstar." (Nobody knows which dates she will be playing.)

(Related Posts: Audie Gemora explains How West Side Story Manila Cast Joanna Ampil .)

5. This is the second time West Side Story is played in Manila.
"West Side Story" was first staged in Manila back in 1982 with Audie as Riff and Menchu as Maria. This Manila re-staging will precede a Broadway revival in 2009. 2008 is the 50th year anniversary of West Side Story!

6. Who produced the show?

"West Side Story" Manila is produced by Audie Gemora's STAGES production which will run this coming September and October 2008. It is their third major musical production after "Footloose" in 2005 and "High School Musical On Stage" in 2007.

Since "West Side Story" is primarily a dance musical, the artistic team had to call professional dance groups, and handpick very strong dancers for the supporting cast. Rest assured that the show would be a night of great dancing. Jazz choreographer James Laforteza is tasked to reconstruct Jerome Robbins' original choreography in the Broadway production.

It is interesting to note that musical director Gerard Salonga has been longing to do "West Side Story." Lea Salonga's husband Rob Chien, who now manages the FILharmoniKA orchestra under Ambient Media, went the extra mile to make it possible for them to play for the production.

7. Where do you eat before the show?
There is no restaurant in Meralco Theater so you can either go to Podium, Robinsons Galleria, Metrowalk or the restaurant rows near Medical City. Have dinner at around 6pm and be sure to be at the Meralco Theater 30 minutes before the show. It is usually traffic around that area so allot ample time to navigate through the traffic. There are plenty of parking spaces available at Meralco Theater.

8. What is the attire?
Usually theater goers in Manila wear casual chic. Jeans are usually OK and you can wear coat and tie if you want. The key is that your attire matches with your partner. Bring jacket.

9. If it is your first time watching a musical play, remember to keep these etiquette in mind:
- Be on time. No excuses. Since Meralco theater is big, you will be disturbing a lot of people when you are late.
- Put your mobile phone on silent mode or turn it off during the duration of the show.
- Sit quietly and don't disturb others. Talking or humming the songs during the show is a sign of discourtesy to your seat mates.
- Go easy on the perfume. People go to the show to watch it and not to smell your strong perfume.
- Don't forget your breath fresheners. Or just watch out what you eat during dinner. Avoid eating food with lots of garlic and onions.

10. Listen to the songs first before watching the play.
Make sure to listen to the songs “Maria,” "Somewhere," "Tonight," "One Hand One Heart," "America," and "Something's Coming." You will be more involved with the show and appreciate the performance of our Filipino artists.

Our Awesome Planet in partnership with Ticket2Me invites you to the Saturday Opening Night of West Side Story Manila!
September 6, 2008,Opening Saturday Night 8pm at the Meralco Theater, Ortigas, Pasig

Buy Your West Side Story Tickets Now from OAP!

West Side Story Manila. Seat Plan: Reserve Your Best Seats Now!

Orchestra and Loge Center (1,200)
Orchestra and Loge Sides (P1,000)
Balcony Center (P 700)
Balcony Sides (P 500)

Email me: anton@diaz.ph or call me +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627) to order and pay via Bank Deposit

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

P.S. Have you ever wondered how to become a sponsor in the souvenir program of West Side Story? You still have a chance to sponsor before the end of July. Download this West Side Story Souvenir Program Letter.

Ensaymada Factory, Savanna Market

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After eating in Bacolod Chicken Inasal Express, don't miss ordering desserts or pasalubong from Ensaymada Factory next door. Ironically, the Ensaymada Factory is known for their big cheese rolls, chicken empanada, caramel cake (with yummy toppings), and canonigo instead of the ensaymada. You got to try their new flourless cookies. Most of the goodies are baked fresh from this main store. They also sell their goodies in the Salcedo Saturday Market.


With only three tables-for-two inside the resto, the Ensaymada Factory also serves lunch meals. Check out Ensaymada's Factory lunch menu.


Make sure to greet and have a chat with the owner, Josie Illesias.

The Ensaymada Factory,
Savanna Market (Beside Bacolod Chicken Inasal Express and infront of Shopwise Makati)
Telephone: +632 895-9476
Mobile: +63 917-834-7198
Email: josie_illesias@yahoo.com

Bacolod Chicken Inasal Express - The Best Bacolod Chicken Inasal Place in the Heart of Makati

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8 Secrets of the Authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal

Paa (P88) or Pecho (88) Authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal.

Do you know that there is an authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal in the heart of the Makati District? Two of the authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal places in Manila are Joel Torre's (JT's) Manukan in Greenhills and Bacolod Chicken House Express in Makati. These are the two places where people from Bacolod satisfy their craving for an authentic chicken inasal. Here are the 8 secrets of the authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal:


1. The authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal place cooks the chicken 100% raw which makes it juicier than the commercialized version. Some of the commercialized Bacolod Chicken Inasal places use chicken that is already half-cooked (or worse cooked already and just reheated).


2. The secret in the flavor of the Chicken Inasal is in the orange atsuete oil sauce.


3. One of the Bacolod favorites is the Isol (P38). In Bacolod, Isol means atras and it refers to the chicken ass. The right way to eat isol is to put everything in your mouth and eat it (including the tail bone).


Other Bacolod favorites are the Baticolon (P30) and Atay (P40).
4. Grilled Liempo (P65) marinate sauce is good but the quality of meat is poor. They should find a better meat supplier for their liempo.


5. Enjoy Chicken Inasal with a sauce of Sinamak Vinegar, Kalamansi, Soy Sauce and Chili. Always make sure that sinamak vinegar is available.


6. The best way to enjoy the rice is to put a little bit of the orange atsuete sauce and a pinch of rock salt.


7. To complete the authentic Manukan experience, eat Bacolod Chicken Inasal with your hands.


8. Carlo's Bacolod Chicken House Express is one of the authentic Bacolod Chicken Houses in Manila! It is located in the Savana Market in front of Shopwise Makati. The resto is owned by Jose Carlo Cajili who is the son of the owner of the Main Bacolod Chicken House in Bacolod City.


Bacolod Chicken House Express
114 k Savana Market, Metropolitan Avenue, Pasong Tamo, Makati

PSI Philosophy

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Last Weekend, I got bitten by the PSI Philosophy bug.

PSI stands for People Synergistically Involved (PSI) Leadership Success Seminar. "The seminar is based on the fundamental principle that each individual possesses unlimited untapped potential. Unlocking this allows a person to achieve greater results and abundance. What hinder us from achieving what we want are self-limiting beliefs about who we are and what we can do. These act as barriers between our goals and us. The PSI Leadership Success Seminar provides the opportunity for us to examine these beliefs as well as experience new ways to overcome them."

I know that it is a bit vague and that was my first reaction too. At first, I don't understand why I need to pay P10,080 for leadership principles and strategies that I thought I already learned in P&G. I was dead wrong. The 4-day PSI Basic seminar blew my mind away and woke me up from my degrading and doomed life. I became aware of what life is all about and how to live life to its fullest.

So what is PSI Basic Course all about?
- It is a lesson about life and provides a formula for achieving peace of mind.
- It simplifies complex ideas into basic guiding principles through experiential learning environment.
- It is based on universal Christian values and the Laws of Attraction and Fairness.

I cannot share beyond this point because we have an agreement on confidentiality. Majority of the seminar is based on experiential exercises and heart-felt sharing from the participants. I would like to respect that confidentiality because if I share some of the concepts, it might be taken out of context.

Thanks to Kokoy Reonisto for waking me up from my doomed life. Keep up the great work!!


How much will you pay for peace of mind? How much will you pay for getting the secrets to a life of abundance and wealth?



Thank you to the PSI Family for the warm welcome! My journey to a life of wealth and abundance starts now.


I am a proud member of PSI Basic Batch 222! Thank you to Ka Edong for inviting me to this life changing seminar.

If you would like to attend, the next batch is on:

PSI Leadership Success Batch 223: August 7-10, 2008
August 7, Thursday – 6pm to 12mn
August 8, Friday – 6pm to 12mn
August 9, Saturday – 9am to 7pm
August 10, Sunday – 9am to 8pm

PSI Leadership Success Website
Purposeful Stewardship InstituteUnit 604 Metropolitan Terraces, Metropolitan Ave., Makati City
Mobile: +63 (918) 578 5981Mobile: +63 (927) 221 2460

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

PS. Congratulations to Ateneo for winning last Sunday's game against La Salle! Babawi kami sa second round.

Awesome Journey Winners

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Thanks to all the bloggers who joined the Awesome Journey to the Islands of the Philippines contest. I'm sure all of you had fun reading all the entries. I took me a day to select the winners based on the awesomeness of their journey. Congratulations for winning 2 tickets to the Special 3D Movie Screening of Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D on 9 July 2008, 6pm at the D-Cinema, The Block, SM North Edsa. (To the winners: we can meet in D-Cinema tomorrow before 6pm. Text me at 0917-LOVEOAP (5683627).

Here are my top 3 favorites (in no particular order)

Pinoy Lakwatsa's Puerto Princesa Palawan Journey
I've been to El Nido and Coron, Palawan but I've never been to Puerto Princesa. I was enticed to go to Puerto Princesa because of Pinoy Lakwatsa's blog post on Palawan. I'm starting to love her blog because it reminds me of OAP.

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Missyosigirl's Baler Trip
After reading her entry, I'm going to Baler this surfing season. Check out Missyosigirl's adventure in Baler.

Back to Baler, Part 1: Dibulalan and Dicasalarin Island
Back to Baler, Part 2: Random Fun-ness!

Manila Boy's Caramoan Typhoon Frank Adventure
Despite the imminent danger of Typhoon Frank, Spanx and friends proceeded to go to Caramoan via Tiwi Albay (instead of via Naga). Spanx can't stop raving about Caramoan and check out his wacky series on their adventure:

CARAMOAN : All That You Can't Leave Behind...
CARAMOAN, part one : Getting There
CARAMOAN, part two : Small Town Downtown
CARAMOAN, part three : Things To Do in PANIMAN When You're Stranded
CARAMOAN, part four : Forget Gota Beach, Go Straight to HUNONGAN COVE!!!
CARAMOAN, part five : The Twin Beachfronts of LAHUS ISLAND
CARAMOAN, part six : Boracay + Palawan = MATUKAD!!!

New 7 Wonders of Nature - Vote for the Philippine Nominees!

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Four (4) Philippine nominees for the New 7 Wonders of Nature are in the top 10 in the latest New 7 Wonders of Nature Live Ranking.


Tubbataha Reef in Palawan, Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan, and Mayon Volcano in Bicol have a greater chance of becoming the New 7 Wonders of Nature by Summer of 2010! I could already imagine the boom of tourism in the Philippines and the additional jobs that it will create in these areas. Philippines will become a serious player in the tourism industry.

The selection process has started and you can vote for your nominees until December 31, 2008. Please vote --> New 7 Wonders of Nature Nominees from the Philippines.

By January 2009, a panel of experts led by Prof. Federico Mayor, former Director-General of UNESCO, would shortlist the 200+ nominees to 21 Finalist. Hopefully the four (4) top Philippine entries will be included in the shortlist. So Please vote --> New 7 Wonders of Nature Nominees from the Philippines. Afterwards, the 21 finalist will be put on a popular vote for the New 7 Wonders of Nature until summer of 2010. We would need all Filipinos to vote for the Philippine finalists.


My vote for the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Related Posts:The New 7 Wonders -- I'm Zero out of 7 in 7.7.07

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Awesome Journey to the Islands of the Philippines

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Win 2 Tickets to the Special 3D Movie Screening of Journey to the Center of the Earth on July 9, 2008!


I'm still savoring the memories of my latest awesome journey to Tacloban City in Leyte. We had fun celebrating with the Taclobanons during their twin fiesta celebration -- Pintados Kasadyaan Festival last Friday and Sangyaw Festival last Sunday. I discovered most of the foodie secrets of Tacloban-- it is definitely more than just Guiseppe's Italian restaurant. Finally, I was able to check off San Juanico Bridge, Sto.Nino Shrine and Mac Arthur Park in my must see list of awesome places. Watch out for my Tacloban blog post series. We would definitely do an Ultimate Tacloban Tour next year!

What is your latest awesome journey to the Islands of the Philippines?
The top 3 entries will win 2 tickets to the Special 3D Movie Screening of Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D on 9 July 2008, 6pm at the D-Cinema, The Block, SM North Edsa.

Here are the mechanics on how to win the contest:
1. Write a blog post about your latest awesome journey to any of the 7,107 islands of the Philippines.
2. Place your comment on this blog post with the title and a link to your official blog post entry.
3. Deadline of submission is on 6 July, Sunday midnight.
4. Top 3 winners will be announced on 7 July, Monday morning.
5. I will select the top 3 best entries based on awesomeness of the journey.



Journey to the Center of the Earth
Opens on 10 July Exclusively at D-Cinema Cinema 1, The Block SM City North EDSA
Telephone No: 929-542
Email : dcinema@smsupermalls.com

An exciting adventure based on the classic Jules Verne novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D stars Brendan Fraser (Crash, The Mummy) as a science professor whose untraditional hypotheses have made him the laughing stock of the academic community. But on an expedition in Iceland, he and his nephew stumble upon a major discovery that launches them on a thrilling journey deep beneath the Earth’s surface, where they travel through never-before-seen worlds and encounter a variety of unusual creatures. Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D is directed by Academy Award-winning visual effects veteran Eric Brevig (Total Recall, Pearl Harbor) from a screenplay by Michael Weiss and Jennifer Flackett & Mark Levin. The film is a co-venture between New Line Cinema and Walden Media.

“RealD is building a groundbreaking 3D platform which paves the way for the release of such films as our upcoming Journey to the Center of the Earth, which, in the 3D version, is the first live-action narrative 3D film ever released,” said Dan Fellman. Journey to the Center of the Earth marks the first full-length live-action narrative film to be released by a major studio at digital 3D theatres; and it will be the widest 3D release in the history of the technology. The film will also be simultaneously featured in 2D theaters.

What is D-Cinema?
Digital Cinema describes the use of movies with a digital data representation in best quality. Traditionally movies are shot on film and projected with film. In the future this will be done with digital cameras and digital projectors. Because of the huge amount of data within this application area data compression will be necessary. In contrast to Electronic Cinema, which uses the digitization of the film for new commercialization pathes, Digital Cinema replaces only the film chain from the acquisition to the film theatres. Therefore Digital Cinema must achieve and surpass today's best film quality. The parameters for the digital representation of the movie have to be much more extensive than in standard videos.

Romancing San Juanico Bridge, Tacloban City

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8 Things You Ought To Know About the Longest Bridge in the Philippines

1. San Juanico Bridge is the longest bridge in the Philippines measuring 2.162 kilometers in length.

2. The bridge connects the province of Leyte and the province of Samar.

3. It is also called the Bridge of Love because it was (allegedly) a gift of Ferdinand Marcos to Imelda Romualdez and to the city of Tacloban.

4. It was constructed in August 1969 and completed (before I was born) in December 1972.

5. The best angle to photograph San Juanico Bridge is via an aerial shot according to Master George Tapan.

6. The bridge is shaped like the letters L S which stands for Leyte and Samar.

7. The best time to shoot San Juanico bridge is during sunrise.

8. The best way to experience San Juanico Bridge is to do a 5 km walk from one end of the bridge to the other end and then go back.

Princess Urduja - The First Filipino Animated Film

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(Thanks to Michelle Morelos for the Urduja photos)

Congratulations to Producer Tony Tuviera (of Eat Bulaga fame) and Director Reggie Entienza for Urduja! It is "the first-ever Philippine full-length digital and traditional animation film" that showcase Filipino talent and animation capabilities (see more info: Life is an Animation) This is history in the making. Who said that the Filipino film industry is dead?

Urduja is a fictional story of a warrior princess in the land of Taliwisi which is in Pangasinan. The story revolves around the forbidden love story of Princess Urduja(voiced by Regine Velasquez) and the Chinese Pirate, Lim Hang (voiced by Cesar Montano). It also offers a view of the tribal lives and ancient traditions in the Philippines. I love the movie's theme song "Babae Ako" sang by Regine Velasquez.

Urduja reapplies some of Hollywood animation's winning formula which uses a woman as a lead character like in Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. The musical romance scenes of Urduja and Lim Hang are reminiscent of Pocahontas. It is like watching anime-like cartoons but dubbed in Tagalog. You'll get entertained by the Eat Bulaga humor between Tasir (a tarsier voiced by Allan K) and Kutkut (a rat voiced by Michael V). They resemble the tandem of Timon (a meerkat), and Pumbaa (a warthog) from the Lion King.

What I did not like about the movie is the over use of romantic cliches,and tired Eat Bulaga jokes. The plot is also predictable.

I sincerely hope that this opens the door to animated movies featuring the enchanted tales of Filipino folklore or the lost island of Lemuria in the Philippines.
I am proud that we finally have our first Filipino-made animated film! Watch it for its historical significance and realize that "Kaya pala natin ito (We can do it!)!"


Have you watched Urduja? What do you think of it?

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

OAP Readers Survey

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*** June 19 Update: *** 250+ responses and counting. We are so thankful for all the support! I am reading each of the comments and listening to each one of them. You gave me a lot of good ideas on how we can take OAP to the next level. I will wait for a few more days before I close the survey. Salamat!

Aidan and Josh would like to hear from you!

Feedbacks and comments are very important for us. We would like to hear your thoughts on our ideas and plans to bring Our Awesome Planet to the next level. It would only take you 5 minutes to answer this survey. The first part of the survey focuses on our plans for OAP while the second part focuses on getting to know more about you.

Take the survey here: Our Awesome Planet Survey

Thank you for all your support! May you live an Awesome Life,

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Happy Father's Day Popsy!

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Happy Father's Day to Popsy and all the fathers out there! Having been blessed with two wonderful sons, I realize how hard it is to be a father.

The leadership responsibility is crucial to the financial and spiritual success of the family. It is not easy to raise two sons. Teaching them the right values and instilling discipline entail a lot of energy and thought. I now appreciate what fatherhood means.

I like to thank my dad for taking care of us! He brought us to the school every single day and yet never hear him complain about anything. He is also kind enough to always give whatever we want (within reasonable financial terms of course). I can also feel that he loves Aidan so much and cares for him the same way he cared for me all these years. Popsy, I love you. Please don't forget to greet your fathers in a very special way today.

Carla's Avenue Q

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***** June 13, 2007 Opening Night Update *****

Carla's performance was really something else on opening night. It is indeed like watching an entirely new show. We are glad to introduce the show to people who never watched it before. Every Filipino in Makati should be watching this world-class show. If US has Broadway in New York and Europe has West End in London, Asia has Manila as the capital of world-class musical theater shows. I am so proud of our theater guys!

The show only runs until June 22 Sunday. So don't miss it! This is the finale run and you won't see it in Manila ever again.

Here are the contact numbers where you can buy your tickets:
June 13 Friday 8pm  Joelle Horca +63920-9010863
June 14 Saturday 2pm Lorna Lopez +63917-9256505
June 14 Saturday 8pm Joelle Horca +63920-9010863
June 15 Sunday 3pm Pamela Cruz +63906-3414545
June 15 Sunday 8pm Theody Demaisip +63920-9326067
June 17 Tuesday 8pm Women of Aleitheia +63915-9263965
June 18 Wednesday 8pm Alexandra Orosa +63917-8432252
June 19 Thursday 8pm Ticketworld +632 891-9999
June 20 Friday 8pm Ticketworld +632 891-9999
June 21 Saturday 2pm Jay Duran +63917-5366832
June 21 Saturday 8pm Lorna Lopez +63917-9256505
June 22 Sunday 3pm Theody Demaisip +63920-9326067
June 22 Sunday 8pm Mae Castro +63906-3414559

June 12, Original Post

Great Job, Carla! Most of the audience, who attended Avenue Q's technical dress rehearsal last night, would agree that Atlantis made a great decision in selecting Carla Guevarra to play the leading female role, replacing Rachel Alejandro.

Carla did it! She was able to perform Kate Monster very well and delivered a seamless switching of character as Kate and Lucy T. Slut.

As I watched the show, I realized that she was more beautiful than Rachel Alejandro (my personal opinion). Carla was able to convincingly portray the seductiveness of Lucy The Slut better than Rachel. You shouldn't miss this! You've got to watch the show to see how a puppet can be as seductive as a real female thru Carla's right combination of voice and movement.

I also liked the pa-tweetums effect of Kate Monster and the romantic chemistry she had with Princeton. The courting scenes between Kate and Princeton were more alive than I remembered it from the previous Avenue Q shows I've watched.

Since it was a technical dress rehearsal, I could see Carla's nervousness at the start but her acting performance slowly transformed with confidence as the show went on. Towards the middle of the show, Carla got that puppet magic where you won't notice her as a person anymore because she was able to mirror her facial expression through the puppet. At the end, you'll just noticed that you were already watching the puppet's act and forgot that Carla was even there.

I honestly thought that Rachel Alejandro's performance as Kate Monster cannot be replaced but Carla elevated the sweet and seductive roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut into a different level. Although, I must admit that Rachel's version of "There's A Fine, Fine Line..." cannot be matched and will forever be remembered to those who have watched Avenue Q several times.

I would commend Aiza Seguerra as she portrayed the role of Gary Coleman, Joel Trinidad as Trekkie Monster, and Frenchie Dy as Christmas Eve for their great performance. They have mastered it and are ready for their Singapore stint!

Thanks to Atlantis Productions and Lorna, the Bachelor Girl, for inviting me to this technical dress rehearsal! Lorna is selling tickets for the 21 June, Saturday, 8pm show of Avenue Q.

Avenue Q - The Farewell Run:

13-22 June 2008 at

Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza.

All tickets may be bought from Atlantis Productions (www.atlantisproductionsinc.com, 892-7078)

Ticketworld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Some Final Reminders and Tips for those watching Avenue Q on its Finale Run:

1. Casual Chic dress code. Wearing jeans is perfectly OK.

2. Given Carla's exceptional performance of Lucy T. Slut and the sex scene of Kate Monster, you might need to talk to your kids about the adult content of the show before it starts.

3. Parking at RCBC Plaza is P40 for 2 hours and visitor's parking is on the Basement 5.

4. You can eat at Piquant, Kangaroo Jack (for free Wifi), located at the 3rd floor or Hexagon Lounge at 4th floor. There are a lot of fast food outlet in the third floor (Starbucks, Olivers, Subway, Mexicali, etc.) for those who only have a few minutes left before the show starts.

5. Show starts and ends on time with a 15-minute intermission in between sets.

6. After the intermission, there is a scene in the second act where they will ask the audience for donation for the Monterssori school. Be prepared to give money when they pass around the hat.

7. Throughout the entire show, you might be tempted to sing and dance but you have to control yourself and respect the people beside you.

8. Expect the show to end on or before 10:30pm. If you brought and parked your car at the RCBC parking lot, expect that there would be people traffic going to the basement via the elevator after the show.

9. Balcony and Orchestra Center seats are almost sold out in most of the shows but there are still available Orchestra Sides and Loge tickets. For last minute buyers, you can still buy tickets on the night of the show.

10. If you have friends who never watched it before, invite them to watch one of the awesome musical broadway show in the Philippines since The Rent days. They only have until this and next weekend to watch it before it goes to SIngapore. Matinee Show starts at 2pm while evening show starts at 8pm.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Summer of 2008: Love for Philippines, Rogin E Update, and Taking OAP to the Next Level

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Summer of 2008 is a turning point in my life. As we end the summer season, allow me to share with you my own reflections and learnings.

1. The more you explore the Philippines, the more you will love it.
I went on a blogging sabbatical and decided to explore the beauty of the Philippines. Just this summer, I've been to Coron in Palawan, Basco/ Sabtang in Batanes, Batad in Banaue, Bolinao in Pangasinan, 100 Islands in Pangasinan, Pahiyas in Quezon, Caramoan in Camarines Sur, Donsol in Sorsogon, Calaguas Islands in Camarines Norte, Callao Caves in Tuguegarao, and Palaui Island in Cagayan. I met Filipinos along the way who love the Philippines because they see how beautiful it is. This is the spirit behind OAP's advocacy. I would like to show the world how beautiful the Philippines is, so that each Filipino will love their country.

2. I'm committed to improving the quality of the blog posts in OAP.
I'm taking OAP to the next level both in terms of quality and frequency of blog posts. Also, I have resolved to decline tasting previews or accept free stuff to blog about. Favorable reviews cannot be bought and I want to be objective. In the next six months, I will be writing my book Our Awesome Planet: Philippines. I would like you to be a part of it. I'll share more details about how you can contribute to the book. Also, I'm looking for a publisher who will publish an awesome book about the Philippines. If you know anyone who may be interested in this partnership, please shoot me an e-mail.

3. How to leverage blog as an effective decision making tool.
Thanks to all the parents who helped us in deciding the school for Aidan. We were able to narrow down the best pre-school for Aidan based on independent comments and suggestions from OAP readers. I plan to post our research on the different schools available in Manila.

4. You attract people with the same "core identity".
Via OAP, I was able to meet foodies, travelers and passionate Filipinos who love the Philippines. This is the single biggest reward that I get from Our Awesome Planet. Thank you for all the support and watch out for exciting things in the next few months.

5. To be a maven, you need to be emotionally independent.
I'm usually not affected by criticisms. I actually welcome them because I learn a lot. I would not tolerate, however, vulgarity in any form or shape, especially if the comments become personal attacks that degrade other people. I'm thankful to all the OAP friends who send me letters of support to continue what I am doing.

6. Public Accountability via Rogin-E contest does not work for me.
The Rogin-E biggest losers contest was really good but it did not work for me. I was able to go back to the gym but it did not help in controlling my habits in eating and restaurant hopping. It is another failed attempt for me at losing weight and I congratulate Carlos Celdran for his awesome transformation. I'm now a user of Rogin-E vitamins because I feel the difference in terms of the energy it provides me. I need to be more accountable to myself and modify my eating lifestyle

7. I hate moderating the comments.
I tried to moderate the comments for a few days as suggested by Carlos Celdran but I discovered that I hate it. I've decided to moderate the comments after publication as usual. I would also like to call on the readers to refrain from impersonating another commenter’s identity. You know what I mean. I also use the website address of commenters instead of their email address as the hyperlink of the commenters' name to protect their privacy.

8. I love P&G but it’s time to move on to a higher calling.
I am lucky to experience working in P&G. (I honestly believe that P&G is the Best Company in the Philippines (period).) I learned a lot from my 13 years career in P&G in the areas of coaching other people, project management (got certified in PMP), creating innovative information solutions, and developing winning business strategies. This is the summer that quelled the what-ifs. The road is forked and I decided to follow my passion instead and go full time as a professional blogger and internet marketer in the Philippines. By being independent, I remove any conflict of interests in future projects

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Fluke, a Stroke of Luck

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A.Venue Restaurant Reviews in OAP
Fluke
A Tale of Two Art Cafes in A.Venue
Gasthof - Home of Boracay's Famous Baby Back Ribs!
Burger Avenue's Ridiculous Challenge
Foccacia, A Slice of Italy in A.Venue Mall


I must admit that the name of the restaurant is catchy but it has a negative connotation. Fluke (pronounced as flook), literally means a stroke of luck. It is usually used to describe a one-hit wonder or in Filipino, I guess the closest word I could think of is chamba. From a home-based Miniatures Bakeshop and catering service, the Palanca family decided to setup their first restaurant at the A.Venue Mall along Makati Avenue.

I liked their best sellers -- Beef Salpicao, Three Cheese Lasagna and especially the mini-eclairs and mini-cream puffs. No doubt that this home-style cooking resto would be a hit and won't be a fluke!



Fluke Soft Opening Menu:
All Day Breakfasts, Picas and Soups | Salads, Pasta, Beef, and Pork | Chicken, Seafood, Rice Bowls, and Snacks/Merienda | Drinks, Desserts, Others
Mushroom Soup (P85). For a resto who promises a home-style cooking, we were surprised to be served a Campbell's mushroom soup with skyflakes. Fluke should create their own soup instead of serving something out of the can.



Beef Salpicao (P 230). Grilled beef cubes aged in our special homemade marinade.

The beef was tender, juicy and tasty. It is evident that the beef was chosen carefully and marinated for a few days. I now know why people keep coming back for this.


Three-Cheese Lasagna (P 280). A perfected recipe of layers or rich meat sauce, creamy white sauce, and a mixture of Mozzarella, Parmesan and Edam cheese in between layers of homemade pasta noodles.

Yummy and fatty came into my mind when I saw the lasagna floating in its own oily sauce and freshly baked layers of cheese. We can't resist finishing this even though Rache finds it a bit salty to her taste.


This was the first time we heard of Miniatures bakeshop which is a home-based business. Their specialties are the mini version of the popular cakes and pastries. Have you heard of them before? What are the goodies you keep on ordering from them? I'd love to hear it from you too!


Cream Puffs (6 pcs). - (P55). I can't believe that this only costs P9 per mini cream puff with caramelized sugar coating.


Eclairs (4pcs.) (P55). The eclairs are equally good and we made sure to bring some for Aidan as pasalubong.


Check them out at the center ground floor of A.Venue Mall.

Fluke
A.Venue Mall, Makati Avenue
Santi Palanca
+632 728-0857

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Havaianas: Flipping for the Beach Judging

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Related Posts: 7 Tips on Havaianas' Flipping for the Beach Contest

I was happy to be one of the judges for the "Havaianas Flipping for the Beach" contest. Thanks to all OAP friends for all your support! I learned a lot as a judge and I want to share my learnings with you.

Learning #1: Follow the instructions to the detail or you'll get pre-screened. There were a total of 300 entries which were pre-screened to 21 finalists. The agency handling the entries removed those who did not follow instructions. Most of the criteria were focused on being unique so Boracay and Palawan entries were removed. If you join a contest, your first goal is to get past the pre-screening committee. I guess this is true for all contests -- writing or photo.

It was so cool to judge alongside Simeon Jun Ventura, Jr. , Editor-in-Chief of Mabuhay Magazine, Liza Ilarde, Editor-in-Chief of Travel Life, Anne Arcenas Gonzalez, Managing Director of Terry S.A, and Marbee Go, Travel and Tourism Editor of Manila Bulletin among others...

Learning #2: Impress the judges by making your presentation stand out of the crowd.
The most creative entry made a lasting impression thus, influenced the scoring of the judge. The judging were very subjective based on the background of the judge. In this particular contest, there were 9 judges to average out that subjective bias. Your second goal in a contest entry is to impress the judge with a presentation that would knock the judge off her chair and say wow.
I loved the presentation and personality of this particular entry. I rated this entry a 91% because of the uniqueness of the experience and creativity presented in the Camotes Island entry. The entry was able to present the author's unique activities and experience and the beach being one unique destination through a big postcard collage-type presentation. Most of the other entries were forgettable because the authors formatted their entries like a travelogue versus a celebration of the uniqueness of the place.

LEARNING #3: Give the judges what they are looking for.
The judges were looking for evidences that will address the judging criteria. For this particular contest, the criteria were: Uniqueness of Experience (50%), Uniqueness of Beach Destination (20%), Uniqueness of Activities in the Destination (20%), and Presentation/Creativity of Entry (10%). Give the judge very good reasons why he should rate you high in each criteria.


The Balicasag photobook was also a memorable one. The Balicasag Island is a nearby island in Bohol. This was the highest rating I gave out, 93%. Inside the book was a collage about their experience and showcasing why Balicasag Island is an awesome place to visit.

Learning #4. Show versus Tell.
There is a big difference between telling the judge what the place is about versus showing the judge what the experience looks and feels like. I'm trying to practice this in OAP by making each reader of the blog experience what it feels like to be there through excellent photos, and concise description of the place by using nouns more than adjectives. (It is hard and I try to improve my writing each day).

This should apply to videos, as well. However, we were disappointed with the submitted video entry because they were more of AVP-type versus a video showing the unique experience.


I wanted to acknowledge the effort of the person who submitted this Pagudpud entry, complete with props of seashells and sands from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Although, I have personal issues with people getting sand from the place because I adhere to the principle: "Take nothing but pictures and Leave nothing except footprints." Pagudpud is not a unique destination anymore but the presentation was so good that it got past the pre-screening committee.

The 21 finalists featured the following destinations: Bohol; Cloud 9, Siargao; Coron; Busuanga, Isla Naburot, Guimaras; Anawangin (2x), Zambales; Pandan Island (2x); Misamis Oriental Aquamarine Park; Buslon Beach, Surigao del Sur; Sugar Beach, Sipalay, Negros Occidental; Balicasag Island, Bohol; Animasola and Sombrero Island in Burias Masbate, Camsur; Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte; Malapascua, Cebu; Cagbalete Island, Mauban, Quezon; Anini-y Antique Nogas Island, ; Hundred Islands, Pangasinan; Mabini Beach,Compostela Valley and Camotes Island, Cebu.

Learning #5: Why did I not submit my entry? It was easy for any travel writer and photographer to win this contest. Most of the entries were personal and blog-type entries so I could have joined the contest if I was not invited to be one of the judge. I was personally disappointed that Caramoan or Calaguas Island did not make it. I would love to go back there and promote the islands. I do hope Havaianas would organize Flipping for the Beach contest every year.


The distinguished panel of judges of Havaianas Flipping for the Beach 2008! Thanks to Terry S.A. for inviting me to be one of the judge in this prestigious contest.

7 winners will be announced very soon...

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Avenue Q: My Gigantic Heart Will Go On...

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2 Weeks to go to Avenue Q's Final Run. Thanks to all OAP friends who bought ticket from us. As promised, we will give your Genki Umbrellas before or after the show. Just look for either Rache or me near the main entrance.

Avenue Q Final Run - 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Miss the Opening Night of Avenue Q’s Final Run!

Rachel Alejandro's performance was one of the reasons for the smashing success of Avenue Q in Manila. I do hope Carla Guevarra - Laforteza can beat Rachel's performance. Join us on opening night to share your opinions and personal reviews in OAP after the show.

Avenue Q Final Run - 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Miss the Opening Night of Avenue Q’s Final Run!


Good luck Carla and we will miss you Rachel!

Avenue Q Final Run - 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Miss the Opening Night of Avenue Q’s Final Run!

Kustaa Saksi: OFFPISTE In the Land of Kustaa Saksi

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One of the things I learned from Master George Tapan is that you need to look at the works of great artists in order to train your eyes in photography. So together with Rache, we went to our first art show.

It was great to meet and have an inspiring chat with Scandinavian illustractor, Kustaa Saksi during his art show launch at the CCP Main Theater driveway. Manila is the final leg in his Asian tour after Singapore and Bangkok.

His artwork is greatly influenced by his growing up years in Finland. An example would be the artwork (photo above), he said that there were a lot of mosquitoes when he was growing up and they would often eat the apple. It is a simple concept but great execution on the design.

The show was impressive with a projection bomb of all Kustaa's artwork on the facade of CCP. Also, no less than Imelda Marcos attended the art show as their guest of honor but it was great to see a young crowd appreciating the illustrator's artwork.

How I wish we can also celebrate the works of the great Pinoy illustrators and give them this kind of Art Show in Manila. Maybe I just don't know about them...

Sugar Assault ($400). Digital Giclee Print [50]. 80 x 60 cm. Most people love this artwork.

Kustaa's artwork is described as:
" Kaleidoscopic prisms and psychedelic poetics interplay in the work of Scandinavian illustrator Kustaa Saksi. Retro and futuristic elements are interspersed, these two extremes complementing each other effortlessly, radiating energy, a vision of music and life manifest. "

Get a chance to view the "OFFPISTE In the Land of Kustaa Saksi " exhibit in Archeology, Rockwell only until 1 June 2008.

Aidan's first shoot for CPK Father's Day Promo - Create Your Own Pizza

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This is Aidan's first modeling stint. We did a print ad shoot for CPK's Father's Day promo of Do-It-Yourself Pizza.


Aidan created a Hawaiian style pizza (P156). First, we put the tomato base on the pizza dough. Then, we sprinkled it with cheese. Lastly, we garnished it with slices of ham and pineapples.

Aidan loves to play Chef these days and the shoot was a perfect opportunity to show off his baby cooking skills. I do hope that the print ad pushes through -- it was fun doing this.

Petra and Pilar - High Style Carinderia Dining in Makati (with Delimondo Store)

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Petra and Pilar is an interesting restaurant concept. Just imagine gourmet spanish and filipino food served carinderia style and priced at less than P150 per ulam in a minimalist restaurant ambiance. The concept is a winner and this will be my comfort food place in Makati from now on. Thanks to Chef Ed and the JAKA group for leading the restaurant industry with the best-value-for-money restaurant in the heart of Makati.

I do hope Chef Mia will be able to maintain the quality of the food. I have this perception that after a while the quality of the food suffers in a JAKA restaurant. They seem to short-cut the cooking process or they are tempted to commercialize the taste of the food like what happened in La Esquina in Splendido.


When Chef Ed was describing the concept, I can't imagine how a sosy carinderia would look like. They did a great job with executing the sosy carinderia concept and they ensured that the restroom is likewise appealing. Rache was raving about their clean restroom and I was raving about our less than P500 gourmet lunch :)

The restaurant is named after Katrina Ponce Enrile's grandmothers - Petra being the mother of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and Pilar being the mother of Mdm. Cristina Ponce Enrile. This restaurant is indeed a great tribute to Katrina's Lolas.

Fans of Delimondo from the Legaspi Saturday market can now get the best Corned Beef in the country today in Petra and Pilar. Their sausage bestsellers - Hungarian and Cheese, Schublig with Cheese, Smoked Kielbasa are also available. I admire the vision of Delimondo of promoting the Philippines' deli products to the world. For our balikbayans, these Delimondo products are excellent pasalubong for your family and friends in the US.

Sausages
Chorizo Bilbao (P160)
Chicken and Chunky Apple (P150)
Chicken and Pesto (P150)
Schublig and Cheese (P110)
Chili and Garlic (P100)
Smoked Kielbasa (P110)
Spanish Longanisa (P100)
Hungarian and Cheese (P130)English Pork (P130)


Delimondo's concept is to provide gourmet food that you can serve easily at home. Here are the choices you can choose from:

Pasta Sauces
Puttanesca (P450)
Bolognese (P350)
Nona Consuelo (P350)

Oils
Sundried Tomato, Peperoncino and Basil (P350)
Anchovies, Garlic and Cream (P350)
Rosemary and Caperberries (P250)
Chili and Garlic (P150)

Cooked Food
Bacalao Ala Vizcaina (P450)
Callos Al Estilo "Morado" (P300)
Marinades
Iberian Chicken Mix (P380)
Universal Sauce (P250)
Guava Jelly and Coffee (P250)


Ranch Style Corned Beef (P100). The Best Corned Beef in the Philippines today!

Other Delimondo products
Sardine Pate (P120)
Chicken Liver Pate (P100)
Milk Chocolate Fondue (P250)
Fresh Bacon (P200)
Jamon Iberico Bellota (P900)
Satay Sauce (P100)
Java Sauce (P100)

Katrina Ponce Enrile's Delimondo
For inquiries: Please call / text Paolo Santiago
+632 844-3362 or +63 920 921-6305


The food is served carinderia-style where you order your food, you get a number and it is delivered to your table.


Beef Caldereta (P130). One of the best I've tasted. I can recognize the signature chef Ed style -- rich flavorful sauce, super tender beef and sweet vegetables.


Bangus Embotido (P105). This is a healthier alternative to the usual embotido. The size is right for its price.


Beef Mushroom Kalitiran (P110) -- This is the best seller in the house. I do hope that they will serve this every lunch time.


Truffles are sold for 3 pieces for P20. Aidan was very happy :) except for the dark chocolate truffles which he finds bitter for his baby taste.


Katrina's Chocolate Cake (P120). The cake is good but nothing to rave about.


Petra and Pilar
Ground Floor JAKA Center Building
Exportbank Drive corner Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Pasong tamo) , Makati
Near Buendia and Pasong Tamo intersection.
Open from 11am to 11pm

Note: Exportbank Drive is ONE WAY. So you need to pass through the back of Makati Med or if you are coming from Buendia in SLEX, make a U-Turn in Mercury Drug.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

[Bolinao] Puerto del Sol - The Place to be in Bolinao

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Bolinao is 50+ kilometers away (approximately 1 hour drive) from 100 Islands in Pangasinan. After traveling for 300+ kilometers (approx. 9 hours drive 4-5 hours via shortcut )from Manila, you should see both places to maximize your trip to Pangasinan.

For me, the main attraction of Bolinao is its unique sunset. This is the only place where you feel you are so close to the sun that you can touch it. The illusion is created by the low tide area which extends all the way to the horizon. It is a very romantic scene and a perfect time to propose to your special someone.


The most popular place in Bolinao is Puerto del Sol. This is the place to be when you are in Bolinao. They have a signature floating hut where you can hang-out during sunset. Also, their beach area is the best among all of the resorts I've been to. I love their Cafe del Sol restaurant.


Aidan and syoti Josh enjoy the Bolinao Sunset from Puerto del Sol's floating hut. BOLINAO BEACH

The beach is so low that you cannot really swim in Bolinao's beaches.


A closer look of the beach...



Puerto del Sol enjoys the best beach area among all the other resorts.


PUERTO DEL SOL RESORT


Puerto del Sol Promo Rates - It is very expensive but worth it. The price is inclusive of breakfast.


Mansion Villa (Deluxe Rooms) - Php 4,200 (2 pax)
Spacious two-storey building done in the Mediterranean style. Each unit has two double beds with individual balconies.

Bahay Kubo (Premier Suites) - Php 6,500 (2 pax)
Two-storey single detached units named after homey Filipino native dwelling place. The ground level has spacious open-air living and dining area. Bedroom is on the second level with a king-size bed and veranda facing the turf.

Casitas (Family Suites) - Php 9.100 (4 pax)
Two bedroom detached units which can accommodate up to four people with living and dining area. It has an all glass wall with sliding doors, giving you a view of the South China Sea.

Nipa Hut - Php 2,100
Fourteen detached units which can accommodate up to maximum of four to five guests, an open air ambiance accented with curtains for guests to enjoy the luxury of relaxing serene surroundings of the resort.

Family Room - Php 7,500
A dormitory style accommodation that has a seven single bunk bed in each room perfect for the family, students or company outings traveling together.

Extra Person - Php 980


We stayed on the second floor mansion villa. We were surprised to find a nice room with a cute veranda in the province of Pangasinan. Rooms are fully air-conditioned, with mini-ref, and 21-inch colored TV with Satellite cable. Our only complaint was the poor location of the air-conditioning unit.


Here is the sunrise view of Puerto del Sol's swimming pool from the second floor veranda. The resort's centerpiece is the adult swimming pool, kiddie pool and outdoor jacuzzi.
Puerto del Sol
Beach Resort and Hotel Club
Brgy. Ilog Malino, Bolinao, Pangasinan

Manila Sales Office
G/F Renaissance Tower, Meralco Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Telephone# +632 637 8963. +632 635-2547
Email: info@puertodelsol.com.ph
Website: www.puertodelsol.com.ph


CAFE DEL SOL @ PUERTO DEL SOL

I was surprised to have a restaurant in Bolinao which is at par with the Manila restaurants. The specialty in Pangasinan is the availability of fresh bangus. So, we tried Kare-Kareng Bangus and Stuffed Bangus Belly. We were not that adventurous enough to try the Fruity Bangus. The breakfast that comes with the accommodation was worth it. Although I generally find the Pangasinan bangus thinner than the ones you would see in LZM in Tagaytay.


All Day Dining: Appetizers, Salads, Soup, Main Courses International
From our Vegetable Corner, Pasta and Noodles, Dessert, Sandwich Board and Little Ones
Filipino Dishes: All Time Favorites, Puerto's House Specialty, From Our Native Soup


Kare-Kareng Bangus (P240 + 10% SC). Braised boneless bangus in peanut sauce with eggplant stringbeans and native pechay.


Stuffed Bangus Belly (P225 + 10% SC). Grilled milk fish belly stuffed with ginger, tomato, bellpepper and onion.


ADDANGSILOG. Adobo and Danggit with Garlic Rice and Scrambled Eggs.


BALONGSILOG. Bangus and Longganisa with Garlic Rice and Scrambled Eggs.

Another complaint about Puerto del Sol is despite their expensive prices, you don't get the customer service that you deserve. So, how was your experience in Puerto del Sol?

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Bolinao, Pangasinan: Where Else to Stay and What to do

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There are a lot of resorts in the Bolinao, Pangasinan area. There are two other resorts worth visiting -- Punta Riviera and Treasures of Bolinao aside from Puerto del Sol. They are not as nice as Puerto del Sol but their prices are a bit cheaper. I finished this Bolinao series with a visual land tour of Bolinao. Do share your getaway if we missed any awesome place in Bolinao?

PUNTA RIVIERA RESORT
" An upmarket, stunning, romantic beach and river resort in a unique environmental setting located less than one hour drive from Hundred Islands with infinity pool and quality cuisine, catering for tours, family reunions, weddings, business conventions for up to 300 persons."


Punta Riviera has the best infinity pool in the Bolinao, Pangasinan area. Just imagine sitting by the pool whle watching the sunset. Unlike Puerto del Sol, they don't have an enclosed structure. Punta Riviera enjoys a wide 15km beach area you can use for beach activities. Also, the resort is strategically located where Ilog Malino meets the South China Sea. You can do Kayaking along Ilog Malino.

It is marketed as:


Room Rates ( + 10% Service Charge)
Riviera -- 4 pax - Php 4,500
La Breeza -- 6 pax - Php 5,500
Sunset - 5 pax - Php 5,000
La Marea - 6 pax - Php 5,500
Familia 8 - 8-10 pax - Php 11,000
El Grande - 10-15 pax - Php 10,900
Familia 7 - 4 pax - Php 4,500
Cabanas (no Aircon) - 3 pax - Php 1,850
Cabana Big (No Aircon) - 6 pax - Php 3,000
El Grande - 15-20 pax - Php 13,000
Familia 14 - 10-12 pax - Php 11,000

Extra Person - Php 500

Take the Nestea Ice Tea plunge... Have you stayed in Punta Riviera? Any experience to wanna share?

Punta Riviera Resort,
Brgy. Ilog Malino, Bolinao, Pangasinan
Mobile: +63 918 591 7148
email: punta_riviera_resort@yahoo.comwww.puntarivieraresort.com


TREASURES OF BOLINAO RESORT

" Your visit to Bolinao is not complete until you see the Patar beach & the century old lighthouse. Treasures of Bolinao is the only resort located in the heart of Patar white beach. "


This is the key competitor of Punta del Sol in Bolinao but it pales in comparison based on the swimming pool. I would agree that it is the only resort located near Patar white beach and the lighthouse -- but so what? You can always drive to Patar beach anytime and see the lighthouse along the way.


Treasures of Bolinao Room Rates (+ 10% Service Charge)
Villa 1,2,3,4,5 - 2 pax - Php 3,500 (Extra Pax is php 500)
Coconut Cottage 1, 1B, 2, 2B, 3, 3B, 4, 4B, 5, 5B - 2 pax - Php 3,500 (Extra Pax is Php 400)
Jr. Suite 1,2 - 4 pax - Php 5,500 (Extra Pax is Php 400)
Suite 1,2,3 - 4 pax - Php 6,500 (Extra Pax is Php 500)
Conservatory - 4 pax - Php 5,000 (Extra Pax is Php 400)Corkage Fees (bring in Food) (Adult - Php 200, Kids - Php 150)

Day Tour
Entrance (Adult - Php 150, Kids - Php 100)
Use of Swimming Pool (Adult - Php 100, Kids - Php 75)
Corkage (Adult - Php 100, Kids - Php 75)

Treasures of Bolinao, Pangasinan
Manila Office: +632 375-8884. +632 413-4914
Mobile Numbers: +63 920 381-8888. +63 921 559-2732. +63 910 783-6648


Here is your sunbathing view from the resort obstructed by this concrete bridge. We don't want you to see this in the brochures, don't we?


The best asset of Treasures in Bolinao is walking along this concrete bridge with an awesome view of the Rock formations.


This is one awesome view! I would book in Treasures of Bolinao just to enjoy this view. I am surprised that they are not marketing this in their brochures. But if you are staying at Puerto del Sol, you can always enter Treasures of Bolinao and just say you are checking out the place for your next return trip to Bolinao.

Land Tour of Bolinao

Puerto del Sol charges P300/ head with VAN (P175 without VAN) with a minimum of 5 persons. You can definitely go to all the places by yourself because you can just drive down all the way to the Patar beach. Most of the points of interest are along the way.


Enchanted Cave. There are three caves in Bolinao and only the Enchanted Cave is worth visiting. I would not recommend swimming in the cave just because of the number of people swimming in a stale water environment.


Rock Formations. As part of the Puerto del Sol tour, you would go to this rock formations located beside Treasures of Bolinao. This rock formation is pathetic. I would recommend that you go inside Treasures of Bolinao and walk along the concrete path to see the awesome rock formations!


Patar Beach - This is a public swimmable beach. The current is super strong and I did not even attempt to swim here. The beach is brown - beige color and this is far from being the Boracay of the North.


Cape Bolinao, Lighthouse - Nice lighthouse but you cannot go up like the other lighthouse we've been to.

Don't miss the awesome sunset in Bolinao.


Binuguey -- Don't forget to buy Binuguey which is suman cooked inside a bamboo. You can only try this in Bolinao, we bought this in Bolinao town! Rache and Momsy loved it. I liked mine with a dash of splenda.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Hundred Islands: Where to Stay and Eat

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I would recommend that you stay overnight in one of the islands in Hundred Islands in Pangasinan. I highly recommend that you book in Governor's Island either the Big Brother house or smaller cottages. Electricity is available in the island and you have access to the highest vantage point in the 100 islands. The other option would be to book in Quezon Island but there is only 1 hut (I believe) that has electricity.

Most people would stay overnight in one of the hotels or inn in Lucap especially if you have kids. I would highly recommend Maxine by the Sea. They have a nice restaurant with free wi-fi, secured parking lot, affordable rooms and nice location by the sea. I also included the other recommended hotel options below. Please let me know in the comments section if you have a particular hotel you want to recommend.


Governor's Island Rates
Telephone +63 75 551-2505

Big Brother House (10 pips) - P10,000 (with generator from 6pm to 6am)
Extra drum of water - P100
Extra Pax/ Extra Bed - P200
Table for Rent & Picnic Area -P200 (day tour); P300 (overnight)
Bahay Kubo (3 pips) - P1,500




Maxine by the Sea Restaurant and Lodge
Lucap, Alaminos City, Pangasinan
Telephone: +632 75 551 2537
Mobile: +63 9216428551
Email: maxine@maxinebythesea.com
www.maxinebythesea.com

16 fully airconditioned rooms with one single and one double beds (3 Person per Room) @ P1,100.
There is FREE Wi-fi in the dining area.


Bangus Bellies Sinigang (P250). A Pot of tamarind-based all filipino soup of bangus heads and bellies cooked in the traditional sinigang.

Maxine by the Sea Complete Menu
House Specialty Soup, Sotanghon, Sandwiches, Rice | Breakfast, Omelette, Pancake, Side Orders | Vegetables and Salad | Lobsters and Prawns | Shrimps | Pork | Beef | Chicken | Shellfish and Plated Fish Steak or Fillet Dishes | Whole Fish or Slice and Fresh Bangus |Calamares and Crabs | Drinks and Beverages, Fruit Shakes and Smoothies


Maxine's Famouse Calamares (P170). Deep Fried Rings of Squid in Maxine's Special Recipe. The best I ever tasted and you should never miss this on your visit in 100 Islands.


Kilawen Talaba (P150). Fresh-shelled and "cooked" in vinegar and calamansi topped with onions, ginger and red hot pepper.

100 Islands, Pangasinan: Where to Stay and Eat

Vista Delas Islas
Telephone: +63 75 551-2160

This is the most expensive resort in Lucap, Alaminos City. They have a swimming pool but not really swimmable because of its questionable cleanliness. We were attracted to this because of the big and secured parking space. It was our first time in 100 Islands and we thought that if the rooms are expensive then it must be good. Later on, I found out that other resorts have similar rooms at a much cheaper rate.


Vistas de las Islas (P2,300 / night). The rooms were clean and have a nice restroom. But I find them expensive. You can get a much cheaper room in the other resorts.


Quezon Island Room | Day Tour | Overnight Rates
Hundred Islands National Park Information +63 75 551-2505

Cottage without room [Nipa 1,2,3] | P350 | P500
Cottage without room [Nipa 4] | P500 | P1,000
Cottage with room (Nipa A) | P500 | P900
Cottage with room (Nipa B) | P600 | P1,100
Picnic Tables & Picnic Area | P200 | P300

Quezon Island Overnight Kubo with Electricity
c/o Ted +63 909 715642
Overnight on Quezon Island (P1,600) | Day Tour (P700) | Cottage only (P400-P500)


Villa Antolin Hotel
Telephone: +63 75 551-3604

6 persons room (P2,000-P2,500)
4 persons room (P1,800)
2 persons room (P1,200-P1,500)
Extra Bed (P200)



The Last Resort
Telephone # +63 75 551-5651

5 persons Room (P1,500)10 persons Room (3,000)
Kitchen (P200)



Ted's by the Sea Lodge and Restaurant
#18 East Blvd, Lucap, City of Alaminos, Pangasinan
Kgd. Teddy N. Ferrer, jr.
Telephone: +63 75 551-2160
Cellphone: +63 918 428-4828

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

100 Islands, Pangasinan: My Favorite Islands

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Have you been to 100 Islands in Pangasinan? If not, these tips would be helpful for you!
1. You can finish the island hopping tour of 100 islands in 4 hours. There are only 21 islands that has beach area and these are the only islands you can visit.
2. My favorite islands to visit are:

Governors - to see the Big Brother House and get to the highest vantage point in the island;
Quezon Island - for swimming;
Children's Island - for swimming with kids;
Marcos Island - for dipping and jumping into the Imelda Cave;
Lopez Island - for sunbathing.

What's your favorite island/s? Did I miss any island worth going to?

3. I would suggest that you go early in the morning and you will be back by lunch time. For overnight options, see (Hundred Islands: Where to Stay and Eat)
4. Eat lunch at Maxine by the Sea and order their super delicious calamares and fresh seafoods.
5. Get the medium boat and offer a nice tip to the boat man. Budget about P1,500 for the boat.

Any other tips?


Hundred Islands National Park
Lucap Alaminos City, Pangasinan
Tel: +63 75 551-2505

Victory Liner Trips to Alaminos

Entrance Fees:
Island Entrance Fee
(P20 day tour and P40 Overnight)
5 years old below free
20% discount for SENIOR Citizen

Motor Boat Rates
(with Island Hopping @ Quezon, Children and Governor's Island)
Small Boat (1-5pax) - P800 Day Tour | P 1,400 Overnight
Medium Boat (6-10pax) - P1,100 Day Tour | P1,800 Overnight
Large (11-15 pax) - P1,100 Day Tour | P2,000 Overnight

1. Quezon Island

Area: 13, 667 sq. m. (est.2000 sq. m. of beach area)
Flora: molave, kalumpang, igyo, maladuhat
Birds to watch: : pied fantail, Phil. Coucal, black-naped monarch, sunbird, little tern

One of the well-developed and most frequented islands in the Park which has facilities that includes 2 dining pavilions, and grilling area, where you and your family can do the eating and the grilling ;cottages and nipa huts for relaxation and restrooms that assure comfort. Lie in the sand, take in the salty breeze, savor the delectable seafood and swim to your heart`s content. Don`t pass up the chance to snorkel or dive in the island`s azure waters and see its thriving coral and giant clam garden. (source: Hundred Islands National Park)

Quezon Island Room | Day Tour | Overnight Rates
Hundred Islands National Park Information +63 75 551-2505

Cottage without room [Nipa 1,2,3] | P350 | P500
Cottage without room [Nipa 4] | P500 | P1,000
Cottage with room (Nipa A) | P500 | P900
Cottage with room (Nipa B) | P600 | P1,100
Picnic Tables & Picnic Area | P200 | P300

Quezon Island Overnight Kubo with Electricity
c/o Ted +63 909 715642
Overnight on Quezon Island (P1,600) | Day Tour (P700) | Cottage only (P400-P500)

Make Quezon Island your first stop because this would be a good place to swim and roam around for a while.

100 Islands, Pangasinan My Favorite Islands

2. Governors Island

Area: 74, 408 sq.m.(est.3000 sq. m. beach area)
Flora: molave type species, sablot, pamalaybayen, panalayapen, siar and molave, kalumpang, balete, kalumpit, kupang, malaikmo and other shrub species
Birds to watch: pied thriller, blue-naped monarch, black-naped monarch, yellow vented bulbul, shrikes, black-naped oriole, kingfisher, pied fantails

The island that captured Pinoy Big Brother`s eye, and turned its guest house into a unique PBB home which can accommodate 8 to 10 people. Ideal for family and barkada relaxation, with bedrooms, restroom / bathroom, working kitchen, dining room and living room, furnished with colorful furnitures and linens, ceiling fans and other amenities. It is also the largest island in the Park, which boasts of the sweeping views of the Park from its view decks. A small cave, which has no notable stone formations, that is home to bats and swiftlets. Its fine stretch of sand is ideal for sunbathing and its waters make an ideal spot for swimming, kayaking and snorkeling. (source: Hundred Islands National Park)

Governor's Island RatesTelephone +63 75 551-2505

Big Brother House (10 pips) - P10,000 (with generator from 6pm to 6am)
Extra drum of water (P100)
Extra Pax/ Extra Bed (P200)
Table for Rent & Picnic Area (P200-day tour, P300 overnight)
Bahay Kubo (3 pips) - P1,500

Aidan's pa-cute face after hiking to the highest point in Governor's Island.


3. Children's Island

Area: 24, 053 sq. m (est.1, 500 sq. m. beach area)
Flora: kalumpang, molave, balete,bani, panalayapn, is-is, tapinag, malakalumpit, ligas,longaray, botong, other molave type shrub to small tree species
Birds to watch: noisy sunbird, Eurasian tree sparrow, pied fantail, white collared kingfisher, black-naped oriole and Phil.Coucal, little pied fly catcher

It`s an island famed for its features ideal for family get-togethers, especially with children. Its waters near the beach are shallow enough for little kids to practice their budding swimming skills. Adults will have to swim a little further to stretch their limbs. With wooden cottages (beddings available), floating picnic shed, restrooms, tent rentals, camping, cooking and dining areas and amenities like linens and lighting – it`s indeed an oasis for single, family and big group vacationers. Panoramic views also await you as you snake around the island’s walkways and rock ladders leading to higher ground. (source: Hundred Islands National Park)

Nipa House (2-4 pax) - P1,500 day tour or overnight
Tables for Rent - P200 day tour, P300 overnight

Aidan can swim here all day long without worrying about getting drowned. The waters are shallow and calm.


3. Marcos Island

Area: 18, 916 sq. m. (est. 600 sq. m beach area)
Flora: kalumpang, molave, dapdap, igyo, maladuhat, bani, pandan are found at the lower periphery of the island
Birds to watch: white rumped swift, glossy starling, little pied flycatcher, long tailed shrikes

Near Quezon Island and anchored in front of Old Scout Island, is a one of a kind handiwork of nature, named after the former President Ferdinand Marcos. It has three mounds, a helipad and a dose of artfully sculpted mermaid statues. You can clamber the steep, jagged rock pathways around the island, leading to its many vantage points where a different, picturesque view of the shorelines and other islands greets your eye, uniquely captured by the sun at different hours. But the sweet dessert to your visit would be a walk at the 50 meter-trail that ends in a 70-feet drop leading to the cave named for the former President`s better half, Imelda. The single-chambered cave is about 18, 916 sq. m., rising about 8 meters from the water surface and is a haven for edible-nest swiftlets and insectivorous bats. It`s also accessible by kayak or a daring swim, if one intends to approach its cove from below. (source: Hundred Islands National Park)

4. Imelda Cave on Marcos Island

A cathedral-shaped nature cave, it has two chambers, with the outer chamber accessible via a submerged opening from one side of the island and from an open ceiling which can also be reached by a 30-m trail from the beach area. One of the favorite things to do here is to dive from the tip of the wooden stairs and into the water. The cave which can be reached by swimming, kayaking or rafting is a corner of serene beauty on which one can just lay back and enjoy the quiet atmosphere. (source: Hundred Islands National Park Island Caves)

5. Cuenco Island Cave

Nestling in Cuenco island`s twin white beaches is a lofty and charming delight. Cuenco Cave runs right in the middle of the island, making it an ideal explorer`s treat. Strike a pose with it`s intact and interesting limestone formations (e.g. stalagmites, stalactites, draperies,etc.) which continue to amaze locals and tourists. Then, you can reward yourself with a brisk swim in either of the two white sand beaches on its both ends. (source: Hundred Islands National Park Island Caves)

6. Lopez Island

Area: 7, 561 sq. m (est. 800 sq. m. beach area)
Flora: kalumpang, molave, climbing vines, talisai, maladuhat
Birds to watch: white collared kingfisher, pied fantail, yellow bellied whistler, pied bushcat, island collared dove

A sunbathing heaven with its white fine sand and sparsely covered limestone. Add to that, is the exhilarating atmosphere that welcomes both the daredevil and the fun guru in you. Indulge in adventure on or under the island`s surrounding water. You can immerse yourself to a relaxing snorkel or you can engage in a kayak challenge with friends. Then, camp late and enjoy a starry night, chatting or simply idling till the wee hours of the evening. (source: Hundred Islands National Park)

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Jollibee, Philippines and Our Awesome Planet 30 years from now.

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Aidan Congratulates Jollibee on their 30th year Anniversary!

I've always wanted to congratulate Jollibee, Philippines on their 30th Year Celebration! I got reminded about it when I saw their sponsored house during the Pahiyas Festival. This is one Filipino company I truly admire. Given a choice between Jollibee and McDonald's, I would go for Jollibee every time!

I'm just imaging, what would become of Our Awesome Planet 30 years from now. I will be in my senior retirement years. I still continue to blog away about how to eat healthy, lessons learned in 30 years of blogging and the secrets in living for 100 years. Aidan will be 33 years old and this was about the time I started OAP. We would be blogging together in OAP and we would have posts like what happened to the GB5 restaurants or what happened with Chef Florabel, Chef Laudico and others... I do hope OAP wins blogging awards locally and globally like Jollibee. OAP will be a multimedia site with photos, videos, and music about the beautiful things about the Philippines and Asia. In 4 years time, I would have posted my 1,000th blog post so 30 years from now, I do hope to post my 10,000th blog post. Market Manila and Dessert Comes First would still be there and we would reminisce together the early years of blogging in the Philippines. My imagination goes on and on...

What do you think will happen with OAP and the blogosphere 30 years from now? Please post your predictions and let's look back at this blog post 30 years from now, hahaha!

Jollibee, Philippines 30th Year Celebration
1975: The Tan Family opens ice cream parlors in Cubao & Quiapo, the first Jollibee outlets.
1978: Jollibee Foods Corporation is born as a 100% Filipino Company
1980: Chickenjoy is hatched. Jollibee Mascot debuts.
1984: The Champ is Launched1985: Jollibee becomes the #1 fastfood chain in the Philippines
1987: Efforts to establish a foothold abroad gained ground with the opening of an overseas outlet in Brunei
1991: Jollibee opens its 100th store in Bolton, Davao
1993: Jollibee becomes the first food service corporation to list its share in the PSE.
1995: Launch of MaAga ang Pasko sa Jollibee
1996: Jollibee opens its 200th store in Malolos, Bulacan and opens stores in Hongkong and Vietnam
1998: Jollibee opens its 300th store in Balagtas, Bulacan and its first in Daly City, USA.
2001: Jollibee opens its 400th store in historic Muralla, Intramuros.
2001: Jollibee hailed as Best Employer in the Philippines by Asian Wall Street Journal.
2003: For the 6th straight, the Far Eastern Economic Review ranked JFC as the Philippines' Leading Company
2004: Jollibee opens its 500th store in Basilan.
2004: Tony Tan Caktiong receives "World Entreprenuer of the Year" award from Earnst & Young
2006: CNBC Asia awards Ernesto Tanmantiong the "Corporate Citizen of the Year" award in Hong Kong
2007: Jollibee opens its 600th store in Aparri, Cagayan, and Las Vegas becomes the first US Jollibee store outside California

Anyway, Congratulations again to Jollibee! Paglaki ko, gagayahin ko kayo mga idol!

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Jollibee, Philippines

Halo Halo Foodie Secrets in Laguna...

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In your next adventure in Laguna, consider to drop by these foodie places.
Panaderia, Pantoja Bakery, Los Banos, Laguna

In the Los Banos intersection with Jollibee and Mercury Drug as landmarks, you should see the Panaderia Pantoja of Laguna.


Buy the Paborita -- the favorite bread in Laguna. This is a perfect partner for the Halo-Halo since 1933 in Pagsanjan.

Aling Taleng's Halo Halo since 1933, Pagsanjan, Laguna

One should never miss this when you go to Pagsanjan. When you drive to Pagsanjan from Los Banos, turn right (going to Lucban) in the T-road section in Pagsanjan. Just right after the bridge, turn right and you should see this Halo-Halo since 1933 on your right side.


Aling Taleng's halo halo has been passed on for 4 generations since 1933. It has 7 ingredients : Kaong, Tubo, Mongo Beans, Leche Flan, Macapuno, Ube and Kondol. This is Pagsanjan's best kept Halo Halo secret since 1933. Have you tried their halo halo?

Don't forget to eat the halo halo with the paborita. It is the best halo halo combination you've ever tasted in your life.

FoodTrip, Laguna, Laguna FoodTrip

Palaisdaan Restaurant, Tayabas, Quezon


Inihaw Pla-Pla (Fish) (180). I love their fresh Pla-Pla.

Another favorite is the Palaisdaan Restaurant in Tayabas Quezon. This is always a hit whether it is for lunch or dinner. The original Palaisdaan have two branches in Tayabas Quezon about 30 minutes away from Lucban.


Ihaw-Ihaw Pork Chop (P260). This is one of their best sellers aside from their fresh seafood selections. See Palaisdaan Menu.

Palaisdaan Restaurant
Bo. Dapdap (Lansonisan) Tayabas, Quezon
Cell Phone # +63 919 392 2433
Land Line: +63 42 793-3529

Home-cooked TIIM, Calauan, Laguna

After visiting Lucban, and Liliw in Laguna, we got invited again to another fiesta in Calauan, Laguna. We bought the best pineapples we ever tasted better than the ones in Tagaytay. We also got a taste of the very traditional dish called Tiim in Calauan.


Tiim. Pork Legs and Chicken slow cooked for 8 hours with only Fresh Paminta, Garlic and Salt. Even the locals don't know why it is called Tiim.


Thanks to Jojie for unselfishly sharing with me the foodie secrets of Laguna! Thanks :)

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Arabela, Liliw - The Foodie Place to be in Liliw, Laguna

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In the land of slippers in Liliw, Laguna, the Arabela restaurant is the foodie place to be in. Usually people visit Arabela before or after they visit the Pahiyas in Lucban. It is about 45 minutes away from Lucban via the Majayjay road. The low-ceiling restaurant is cute and patronized by even foreigners.

Named after their daugthers Ara and Bela, Bobby and Tonet Camello started the restaurant by just selling cakes and brownies. Tonet is the cook while Bobby just loves to eat. These days, they are known for Pasta, Pizza and their Salad inspired by Italianis. Tonet confessed that they don't really have a formal background on cooking but they are just passionate about the food.


Kesong Puti Pizza Large (P220). Mozzarella, onions, mushrooms, black olives, green bell peppers, native white cheese.

Arabela, Laguna, Liliw

Seafood Salad (P100). House Salad of assorted garden field greens, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber & feta cheese with assorted seafood on top. The honey mustard sauce was creamy with the right taste that I was expecting. The seafoods were cooked with the right crunch. Loved it!


Seafood Marinara (P140). Mixed Seafood in Marinara sauce. This pasta was so good that it would put some of the Greenbelt 5 restaurants to shame. The pasta were cooked al dente, topped with tomato sauce mixed with the right sweetness.


Thanks to Jojie and gang for sharing this little foodie secret in Liliw, Laguna.

Bread Pudding (P50). The bestseller dessert in the house.




Arabela Menu

Pasta House Specialties | Soup, Salad, Fresh Salad | Seafood | Meat | Tacos and Bread | Baked Pasta and Other Pasta | Pizza | Fresh Fruit Shake | Coffee and Beverages | Cold Drinks | Hot Drinks

Bobby & Tonet Camello
Arabela Cakes, Pastries, Pasta, Pizza and Coffee
503 Rizal Street, Liliw, Laguna
Mobile Number: +63 917 204 1447, +63 927 386 0639.
Telephone: +63 49 5632495


Liliw also celebrates the feast of St. Isidro Labrador. By 2pm, most of the houses would start throwing slippers, suman or coins as a thanksgiving for all the harvest and blessings of the family. I got stuck in the middle of this tradition and it was good to see it first hand. But I would suggest that you leave before this starts because it could get out of control.


For 30 minutes, the crowd enjoyed the shower of coins and paper money by one generous family. The traffic literally stopped to give way to this thanksgiving tradition.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Pahiyas, Lucban - 8 Things We Love About Pahiyas

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8 Things We Love About Pahiyas

Pahiyas in Lucban, Quezon is celebrated in honor of St. Isidro Labrador every May 15. The date is fixed and this year, it fell on a Thursday. Saint Isidro is the Catholic patron saint of the farmers so it is not only celebrated in Lucban but all around the Laguna area during Harvest season. Coincidentally, Pahiyas celebration is within the rainy season.



1. Lucban Longganisa -- Ever since Tina Decal introduced us to lucban longganisa, we look forward to buying them every time we go to Lucban. It is made of natural ingredients (no preservatives) and lots of oregano. It is salty and not the sweet kind that we are used to. Dip it in vinegar and I bet you'll momentarily forget your diet. If you want to make your own, just inform me, I have the recipe to share with you.



2. Creative Harvest Displays - The families invest time and money to put up a good display that would look good during the day and at night. It is a photographer's haven (except when it rains heavily like last week).

Lucban, Pahiyas, Quezon

3. Tour of Lucban via Procession Route - Every year, the Pahiyas committee would determine the procession route which starts and ends at the Church. All the houses in the procession route are encouraged to decorate their houses and join in the decor contest. This route changes every year to give a chance for every family in Lucban to decorate their houses.

If you arrive early in the morning, you can join the procession at around 7am. Also, you can walk along this path on your own which serves as a mini-tour of Lucban town. If you arrive in the afternoon, you can follow the parade that goes along that route. In the evening, most of the houses will be lighted up for the night contest.




4. Noknok's Paintings by Erick Dator. Noknok is a name derived from the work Anok which means scarecrow. It is a stuff character known in portraying the life and people of Lucban, Quezon. Noknok is also the artist name of Erick Dator. He is known for his bright and vibrant paintings of the rustic scenes of Lucban and Pahiyas festival on board cut-outs in shape of kiping or rice wafers.


He is based in New York but every year, he showcases his paintings during the Pahiyas festival. If you buy his painting, you can get a free bayong with paintings of different fruits and vegetables.

Erick Dator
90 Fidel Rada St., Lucban, Quezon 4328 Philippines
Tel. # +6342 911-1940

80 Horton Drive, Huntington Stn., New York 11746, USA
Tel. # +631 424 2797
Email: erickdator@yahoo.com


5. Jollibee Characters in Lucban. This house was a particular hit for Aidan and you should see his face waiving at Hetti Spaghetti. Every year, the Pahiyas festival gets commercialize with advertisement banners all around the town. But the Jollibee Pahiyas house was done in good taste -- I liked it.


6. Meet and Greet the people of Lucban -- Thanks to Eric Nabos and family for hosting us in Lucban and we will definitely come back each year with Rache and syoti Josh :)


7. Pancit Habhab - For P10, you can enjoy this very popular pancit in Lucban. The best way to eat this is to shove the pancit directly into your mouth while warm without using any utensils.


8. Perfect time for a family portrait inside the Pahiyas houses. It was raining heavily during the Pahiyas so we were not able to get a family picture. At least, I got a lot of portraits of Aidan in Pahiyas.


Kiping softens and curls up when wet. Would you like to know how to make kiping? Let me know.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Myron, Zuni or Felix? The Battle for the Best Greenbelt 5 Restaurant

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Have you ever wondered which is the best among the high-end restaurants in Greenbelt 5? Do you love Myron's Place, Zuni or Felix? If you can only spend on one restaurant, where would it be? Let me know your thoughts on this...

MYRON'S PLACE, GREENBELT 5

Mon Eugenio's Myron's in Rockwell created a blogging controversy in 2006 that generated significant profits to fund the new Myron's Place in Greenbelt. Named after his father-in-law, Myron's place is receiving good karma these days. They enjoy a unique nice location at the ground level of Greenbelt 5 where they have a convenient access to the basement parking and a nice view of the GB5 gardens. We love the dramatic view of the garden vista and we are quite impressed with the Noel Bernardo's interior design. Noel designed the high-end restaurants of Elbert's, Myron's, and CAV (would you know where else?). We love his dramatic, young and unique restaurant designs. You need to see and be impressed with the simple restroom of Myron's.



Myron's Place,
Greenbelt 5, Legaspi Street
Telephone: (+632) 757-8898, (+632) 757-9898

Sandwiches, Burgers, Ribs, Roast Beef, Seafood, House Favorites, Desserts | Small Bites, Spreads, Oysters, Salad, Soup, Pasta | Beverages and Wine


In-Store Theater drama inside Myron's. I love just seating here with a grand view of the garden vista. If you plan to reserve a table, specify that you'd want the spot with the couch area facing the garden.


Gordon Biersch Wheat Beer (P195 + 10% SC). I'm adventurous with food and I'm experimenting these days with food and wine or beer pairing. Myron's have unique grade A beers you can choose from. (Frankly, I'm not familiar with the grading system of beers. Would you know?). I tried the wheat beer and it was very interesting with my meal.

I don't want to rely on restaurant's pairing recommendation, any idea on where can I get training on pairing food with wines or beers?


Moroccan Lamb Shank with Apricots and Almond (P450 + 10% SC).

Rache loves to eat meat these days and this time, she tried Myron's moroccan lamb shank which was quite memorable. She had to use her hands to clean off the lamb shank with a bubble thought saying, "Sarap to the bones...".
Myron's is criticized for using cookbook recipes to serve in his restaurant in Rockwell but I do hope it's not true. Mon is a great cook but he chose to just create the recipes and menu, supervise the kitchen and manage the restaurant. They are coming out with a whole new menu in the next two weeks.



ZUNI, GREENBELT 5

Nand Prasad's Zuni executed their concept really well. They delivered their promise of an elegant dining venue with a relaxed and informal ambiance. They delivered their promise to serve creative continental and mediterranean entrees with meat and seafood cooked to perfection. They have the best restaurant service in Greenbelt 5 that I don't mind paying more than 10% for the service charge. Kudos to Chef Ding Lazona for a job well done in the kitchen. The paintings on the wall and roof, the uniforms of the waiters, and the overall ambiance would remind you of their sister company Duo in Serendra or Chef's Quarters in Malate.



Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar
Greenbelt 5, Legaspi Street
Telephone: +632 467-3931, 757-0361, 757-0362

Appetizers and Salads | Create Your Own Salad, Soups, From the Grill, Seafoods and Meat | Zuni Specials-Seafoods and Zuni Specials-Meat Pasta, Rice, Desserts, Souffle | Wines Page 1, Wines Page 2



Norwegian Salmon (P485 + 10% SC) with Hollandaise Sauce. I like my salmon to be crispy with no black edges outside, and soft but juicy & flavorful meat. They cooked my dish to perfection in a reasonable amount of time.


Baked Roulade Sole Fillet (P425 + 10% SC) in nantua sauce, stuffed with mushroom, spinach and cheese, served with mashed potato.

Zuni likes to play with the sauces from Nantua Sauce to Ponzo-Wasabi Salsa to Port Wine Jus. Don't be intimidated by their food names. The Nantua sauce, in particular, is the same as the Tomato and Prawn Bisque Soup in their menu. We regretted ordering that soup because we got to taste it in our Baked Sole fillet. Anyway, we enjoyed the play of taste with this sole fillet.



FELIX, GREENBELT 5

Felix is yet another Chef Florabel restaurant in Greenbelt 5. I love their creative menu and would have raved about it if they were able to execute it well. In the foodie circle, it is either you love Chef Florabel's restaurants or never to eat in any of them. I just think that if Chef Florabel is not in the restaurant, the food is not consistent. The restaurant was named after the chef's father so I do hope they can stabilize the kitchen really soon. I personally don't like the oldie accomplished crowd it attracts and the untrained service.

Felix,
Greenbelt 5, Legaspi Street
Telephone: (+632) 729-9062

Appetizer | Salads, Soup | Entree Page 1, Entree Page 2 | All Filipino (Pasta, Noodle, RIce) | From the Grill | Desserts | Beverages and Wine


Hot Bonite Bread with Olive Oil, Basil and green/red pepper. This is something to rave about in Felix.


Dyesebel (P400 +10% SC). Luscious baked John Dory stuffed with shrimp & taro in coconut cream, served with white rice and fried eggplant. I love laing but do you think it taste good as it looked?



Ternera (P795 + 10% SC). Oven Roasted Veal Chop with Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, and Broccoli Flowers

In Conclusion, the best Greenbelt 5 restaurant for me is Myron's Place because of the Noel Bernardo's design, a grand view of the Greenbelt 5 garden vista, and (I would like to believe) original recipes cooked to perfection ala Myron's. I'm not an expert, so I would be interested to hear your comments and opinion. What's your vote Myron, Zuni or Felix?

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

[Pepper Lunch, Rockwell] 8 Trivias About Pepper Lunch in the Philippines

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1. The original Pepper Lunch is definitely better than the pinoy copycat version, Sizzling Pepper Steak in Trinoma. The Japanese rice used in Pepper Lunch is consistently yummy. I learned that Pepper Lunch uses a patented Rice Robot to wash and measure the rice and the amount of water (talk about Japanese geek technology) to attain consistency on the rice to be served. Also, their cast iron plate is heated up to a 270 degrees centigrade to cook the meat instantly and retain its heat when it is delivered to your table. I remember that Sizzling Pepper Steak plates are not as hot as the Pepper Lunch ones.



2. Pepper Lunch in Rockwell will open on May 16, Friday! Yeah, the long wait is over! Currently, they are on a tasting preview for immediate family, close friends and Chuvaness' blogger friends within the week. Don't be surprised if you see this boarded Pepper Lunch outlet in Rockwell with some people entering it. You need to know the secret password to enter if you want to try it before Friday.


a sneak peak inside the interiors of Pepper Lunch in Rockwell...



3. The Pepper Lunch Philippines is 30% cheaper than Pepper Lunch in Singapore. The pricing for Pepper Lunch in the Philippines is lower than Singapore but similar to the prices in Thailand. The Pepper Lunch franchise ensured that the quality of food is consistent across the region via standardize equipment, procedure and sources of raw materials.

Pepper Lunch, Philippines Menu: Pepper Lunch Menu: Sizzle it Your Way!


Shake! Shake! Salad! Seaweed (P99) and Spicy Tuna (P99) -- For this amount, I think I would skip the salad next time.

4.