De-stressing in the Metro

With the many events suddenly happening week after week plus five regular workdays, it's hard to find time to pamper one's self. I already consider myself lucky for having opportunities to go out of Metro Manila frequently this year because the fresh mountain air revitalizes me and gives me that much needed boost to face the toxic urban jungle again.

Just yesterday though I met up with a college friend at Ace Water Spa. I was able to get discount vouchers from an officemate and I thought it would be a perfect place for us to find some quiet time together and just update each other on what's going on in our lives.

Ace Water Spa looks small from the outside. But when we got inside, this kiddo got giddy! The place was one awesome waterworld, reminding me of One Piece's Water 7 somewhat. I've never seen so much water in one of the metro's busiest cities.

We enjoyed each of the water spa's offerings in less than four hours, getting the most of the hydromassage most of all. We also tried the steam bath and the sauna but the sudden rise in temperature the moment you walk in was something my body couldn't stand. I still prefer the sauna room in an ex-officemate's condo because there we can adjust the room temperature and also opt for gradual temp increase.

We left feeling cleansed. That's what you get after dipping in the herbal pools, too. Then we walked to Banawe St where I initially planned to take her to Shangtsu but because I forgot where the exact location is, we had late lunch at T Cup Zone where I ordered a double Taiwan beef noodles. Boy was I surprised and delighted at the sight of the HUGE bowl! My friend had kung pao chicken rice meal. This happy kid just got her money's worth after devouring thick QQ noodles. Yum! (This is compensation for not being able to have ramen at Little Tokyo last Friday when I went to Makati. Apparently, the Japanese restos there open only during mealtimes.) Oh and I'd like to bring my sisters there so we can have our sisterly date.

One memorable thing about our date was that she commented at how I am always wearing T shirts. I don't understand what the issue is since I really just wear extra casual clothes (read: pambahay) on dates except when watching concerts and plays. She said, "then don't complain if boys wouldn't approach you!" Major OUCH!

That's why sometimes I hate talking about my non-existent love life, or even about my crushes.

And so she gave me the blue dress I borrowed when we were in Cambodia, plus another dress because she says she looks like a kiddo when in those dresses. Ah well, perfect for me since I enjoy looking young!

We parted ways at Quezon Avenue, with me going straight to SM North. I forgot yesterday was payday and when I got there I was ultra overwhelmed by the number of people. But I had to brave the crowds just for my banking needs. Of course a mall visit is never complete without going to NBS, Booksale, and Chris Sports. I held tight to my money though.

Then off to Fishermall where I was glad to see another event at the lobby. Seeing musicians there inspire me to do my best in playing the violin so that one day I will deserve the spotlight. There were also two exhibits there. One was on Pinoy inventions where I bought a manual heating pad and healing oil. (It was extra expensive but I was open to try the products, plus it's something I can definitely bring with me when out hiking or camping.)

Got home at 7pm. Despite not having enough sleep these past few days, I surprised myself at how I still found time to be with a friend, all for the sake of reconnecting with the right people. (In short, people who do not befriend you because of the material perks of being with you, but because they truly enjoy being with you. This is just the topic of my conversation with fellow officemates, about how people nowadays become friendly users and do not really care about their "friends". There are many who will label me as their friend but with whom I cannot feel even the slightest care nor concern unless they need me.)

Baba's Kebab House and Backyard Burgers

Located near Melo's in Quezon City are two restaurants under the same owner. Baba's Kebab House and Backyard Burgers wowed me at first bite.

A few months ago, I purchased online vouchers to try out these two places. And because of that, I found my new comfort food: Backyard Burgers' Truffle Burger with its super thick patty which makes a growing kid like me very very happy indeed. Not to mention the thin, flavored onion rings which immediately will be a rival to Burger King's depending on my mood.

Baba's Kebab House interiors

chicken and beef kebab, rice and hummus, plus iced tea

So I dined in and had my fill of kebabs. Both the chicken and the beef kebabs were flavored just right in such a way that at first bite you'll know it's VERY chickeny or VERY beefy. For me bringing out the innate flavors of meat is a sign of good cooking. As for the rice, let's just say that they can always opt to serve hot, soft rice.

Truffle Burger, onion rings, and sauces

The Truffle Burger is one of my best discoveries this year so I quickly included it in my list of comfort food. So now when I'm depressed and sad and when I feel like everything's not right, I guess all I have to do is go to Backyard Burgers and have my fill of their heavenly Truffle Burger. Believe me when I say that it's huge. And never doubt my word when I say it's ULTRA delicious. Probably the best burger I have eaten so far. Suddenly I cannot eat another burger in those ubiquitous fast food joints. And I'm glad my dad also likes this. So now I'm tasked to buy another, and I will VERY VERY SOON!

Will I be back? The answer's pretty obvious.

And because I feel that I have to spread the word, here's their address:
52 Sgt. Esguerra Street (across ABS CBN), Quezon City
(It's just some ten minutes' walk from MRT-Quezon Avenue)

Spontaneous Sundate 07142013

And so after making friends with Chinese tourists, my sisters and I decided to have dinner at Pho Hoa in Eton Centris. We shared two large bowls of noodles: beef stew and flank tendon brisket, and an order of fresh spring rolls. I'm glad my sisters also love pho. I have been bugging them to get a passport soon so that the three of us can go to Vietnam and eat as much pho as we like.

Fresh spring rolls (P129) which my sisters are crazy about.

Flank tendon brisket (P295)

My favorite beef stew (P295)

Tell me true, how can a girl be sane after consuming pho? Everytime I eat this Vietnamese fare, I always sigh and wonder when I will be able to eat such heaven-sent noodles again. And yes, Pho Hoa remains as one of my favorite restaurants in Manila. And I can hear my sisters saying amen to that.

After eating, we checked out the tiangge inside the small mall. I was able to buy a striped dress there for less than P400!!! (It was about the same style as the dress I wanted to have badly when I was in Vietnam and so I had no second thoughts when I saw this there, and at half the price!)

Aaaaand, I discovered a cool karaoke place at Quantum!!! The one thing that excited me and lifted my spirits to heaven-level was the fact that they have Japanese songs!!! Of course, Aerosmith songs are a mainstay for me and alongside that, I did X-Japan's "Tears". And yes, there were tears of joy. I'm so happy!!!

Big Better Burgers 06092013

It's one of those rare Sundays when the women in my family would go to the mall. I treated my sisters and my mom to Big Better Burgers in SM North EDSA Annex last June 9 and we all agreed that the burgers taste delicious and we all loved the thickly cut fries.

The Hahalapeño burger boasts of a medium rare patty which is obviously thicker than McDonald's more expensive burgers. The patty is juicy and it's devoid of any fancy fillers and such as is common in other burgers.

Hahalapeño burger (P152)

Skin on Fries (P60)

Will I be back? Yes, but it will take a long time since I am not a big fan of greasy foods. I guess one thing I loved about the place is that staff are very approachable and they do their best to please the customers. I love how the staff are so flexible that when they see a customer who needs anything, they are quick to act on it. And I appreciate the fact that they were willing to grant my simple request of hot water.

Mann Hann 05292013

Last May 29, my sisters and I had our sisterly date which we do from time to time provided we all are in the mood to dine out and just spend time together away from home without leaving the city. A few days later they would be going on an out-of-town trip with their college friends and both wanted to buy clothes at Landmark, Trinoma.

While they were shopping, I waited for them at Burger King eating onion rings and reading George R. R. Martin's "A Clash of Kings". When the mall was about to close, we went outside and looked for a place to dine in, and fortunately, Mann Hann was still open.

What we love about Mann Hann is its closeness to home-cooked meals, though evidently with MSG. We love their oyster cake best but when we visited this time, it was not available. 

Green Seafood Soup (P275)

For starters, we had an order of Green Seafood Soup. The vegetable used is polunchay and it's got small tofu cubes. An order is good for 6 persons so we had two bowls each of this wonderful soup.

Mapo Tofu (P190) and Garlic rice (P150)

Next we had garlic rice, mapo tofu, and spicy squid. The garlic rice has just the right amount of saltiness. An order is good for 5-6 persons. Considering we all are big-eaters, we still had a serving left and I took it out for lunch the following day. (It was still delicious after reheating.) The spicy squid is not as spicy as I would have preferred and it's a bit overcooked. Also, I was expecting to have squid rings and not flat slices. I would have loved to feast on squid tentacles and heads. The mapo tofu also is disappointingly not spicy, it's a bit salty. Still the dish stands out because of the nice texture of tofu used.

spicy squid (P270)

Will I come back? The answer will be a resounding YES! Honestly whenever we're stumped as to where to eat we always end up dining here.

Bensetti's Diner 06152013

What was supposed to be a dinner date became a lunch date on such short notice because a friend suddenly has nothing to do in the morning and asked me if we could move our date, and I obliged.

With a Metrodeal voucher in hand, we met up at MRT- Cubao Station and walked all the way to N. Domingo to claim my right to the buffet lunch. I surrendered my voucher to a staff there, who's very likable because she's always smiling. Because my friend just ate a bowl of pho, I was the only one who availed of the buffet.

The spread was not as impressive as in other buffet restaurants but at a discounted price of  P199 from the original P400, I couldn't complain more. Besides, it wasn't that bad. I would even recommend it over Barbara's in Intramuros. It's more of like lutong-bahay with general favorites like pinakbet, kaldereta, chopsuey, sinigang na ulo ng maya, penne in tomato sauce, pancit guisado, and fried bangus belly (which I loved!). One can also opt to have garden salad but I skipped this. Before we left, I was lucky to see the newly arrived fresh lumpiang ubod and happily ate one. 

Fridate: Mexican Express/ Coffee Way, Maginhawa 05242013

Had a date with a beloved friend last night in Maginhawa. She knows the place too well, having been there countless times before. I, on the other hand, the scrimping student during my UP days, would rather have packed lunch or go home to eat. (And yes I feel like I missed out a lot in my life so now a corporate slave, I go back to UP and its surrounding places every once in a while to have a feel of what I missed.)

Maginhawa--- that place that has become synonymous to food trip haven, is a long street with bends and curves located near UP, and as such, is frequented by UP students and alumni. Friuli, Tomato Kick, Van Gogh is Bipolar, Rodic's, Moon Leaf, Crazy Katsu--- these are just some of the many small restaurants that have gained a cult following. Aside from the now popular restaurants, Maginhawa is home to the secondhand bookshop Bookay Ukay, where students get literary treasures at affordable prices. 

I've been to a few (Gayuma ni Maria, Moon Leaf, Friuli, Ate Fe's Kitchen, etc.) and am hoping to get to know more (and eat more) about Maginhawa's restaurants. Last night, we visited Mexican Express. I have been bugging my friend to take me to someplace with good Mexican fare and she suggested this. Imagine my delight when I saw their giant taco (P149)! It's got no jalapeno though but one can order it as an extra item for P20 (or was that P25?).

phone cam sucks but WTH!!! Just go visit Mexican Express and they'll fix your taco cravings!

I also tried their cheese flautas, apparently my friend's favorite. She says when stumped as to what to order, she asks for these. And they're lovely! I love the texture, how it gradually shifts from slightly crispy to soft and then you get to the cheesy part. YUMMY!

After our appetizer, we went to Coffee Way. Earlier when we passed by said café, my friend told me it´s got budget meals. Being broke (from my many travels), I just couldn't resist budget meals. I ordered Beef Pesto with tomato (P80), curiosity getting the best of me again. AND I'M HAPPY WITH WHAT I WAS SERVED!!! Pesto has always been a favorite and when cooked with beef, it simply is wonderful. (Yes, I just added it on my list of foods to replicate at home.)

I'm looking forward to trying out more at Maginhawa. It certainly is a budgetarian foodie's heaven on earth.

Finding Love: One Week of Love

It’s another ZERO in romantic love for me this year. But love in other forms more than compensate for that lack of romantic love. For instance, I have realized how much I treasure my students. Being the first ever to be my students, they shall always occupy a special place in my heart. They can be noisy, uncooperative, selfish, and disrespectful at times, but when you really get to know them, you will find that they are cheerful people who struggle everyday to meet the demands in the academe. I have come to know their reservations, their silent dreams, their aspirations, their struggles— which make them all the more endearing to me. Perhaps the reason why I can totally relate is because as a student myself, I am also under such stress and pressure to complete the requirements in school. On Valentine’s Day itself, I spent the whole day in school, 12 straight hours in front of my beloved students, discussing one last lesson before their final exam.

The following day, I was supposed to go out with my trench mate. A few days before, he has been asking me to go to the UP Fair. I told him I’d think about it since I have early morning classes and I’d hate to come to class late. On the day itself, I totally forgot about it. Upon arriving home, I ate a quick dinner and prepared to get ready to sleep. Then I received a text message from him, asking me where I was. I thought maybe it was a mistake, that the message wasn’t intended for me. Then I remembered I wasn’t able to give him a definite reply and being tired, I told him I was already home and that I was sorry I couldn’t come, that in fact I forgot about it. Turned out he was with our fellow batchmates and one of them called me up to tell me to join them. I was touched but I had to say no. My tired body only wanted to lie down and rest. I told them we’d go out for a group date next month.

On Thursday, I met up with my sisters at a Chinese restaurant somewhere in Quezon City. It’s a restaurant that all three of us love. For us single girls, this is a sisterly date. Just two weeks before we had grand plans like go watch a movie (I told them I wanted to watch Star Wars in 3D but I don’t think they approved), spend some time at a spa, pig out at a resto, etc. Since we were all busy we just settled for resto food instead.

On Friday one of my closest friend and I had a date. All morning and afternoon I worked on revising a major requirement. Late in the afternoon, I went to UP and met up with her for a date. We watched Dulaang UP’s “The Forsaken House” at Wilfredo Ma. Guerrero Theater. The last play I watched was “Amphitryon”, which I also watched with her and which I greatly enjoyed. “The Forsaken House” is okay but the story’s cliché. It’s about a family slowly being destroyed because of the father’s tyrannical attitude. Since it has been a long time since our last date, we excitedly told stories of our recent life. I’m happy to learn that she has finally submitted her thesis draft whereas I am set to present my paper next week as a requirement in one of my classes in graduate school. I wanted us to graduate this year together.

On Saturday my dad arrived home late and asked for me. I thought that maybe he was going to ask me to do something for him again. I was just about to say I’m busy (coz I was working on my presentation) when he burst into the room with DVDs in hand. He bought me the DVDs I requested!!! Finally!!! I’ve been prodding him for Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin for a long time now. I’m happy that he didn’t forget his promise. Now I have another reason to graduate this year, and another motivation to finish my papers in the shortest possible time. I just miss watching TV series and movies, as well as curling up in bed with a good fiction novel.

Today my dad asked me to go with him to the temple. I did, since I enjoy eating misua afterwards. There is romance in eating free food at a hospitable temple; it makes me feel like a ronin on an adventure. While inside the car, we talked about Three Kingdoms. I guess Chinese literature could be something for us father and daughter to bond together since he’s the only one who’s knowledgeable about it at home, and I am also the only one interested in Chinese literature. Upon arriving home, he gave me a short lecture on Chinpingmei, Three Kingdoms, and The Water Margin. This is one thing I like about my father, we engage in discourses on literature and at times, politics.

So who needs romantic love when you’re surrounded by people who allot even a small portion of their time for you despite the crazily hectic schedule?  I still do. But it doesn’t mean that I should sulk and wallow in self-pity for having no love life when Valentine’s Day is around. I have all the love in the world because of the people around me.

Cifu (Banawe Street, Quezon City)

This is another late post.

Last month, after a day's work at the National Archives, I had a date with my sister and we agreed to try out Cifu. Cifu is located along Banawe St. and is just some three minutes from Del Monte Avenue. At first we were hesitant to enter the restaurant. For one, we thought we might be in for a costly treat. Two, we haven't heard of reviews of this resto and we're afraid it'll be another one of those money-down-the-drain scenarios.

But we were oh so wrong! The food here are reasonably priced. What I like most about this resto is that waiters are attentive and really wait on customers well. Also, the servings do not disappoint. My sister and I even had to take home the noodles because both of us were already full. (And that is considering we are big eaters.)

Me showing my sister my latest awesome purchase from Booksale: Doraemon comics!!!

xiaolongpao, thai noodles, and dumplings: YUM!!!

After our meal, my sister and I swore to come back again. I must also say that I super love their chili sauce. I put lots of it on my food and it was really wonderful!