Samba Ole ole! Samba cake at Bizu Patiserrie

this is actually a late post.

samba's the name of the mini cake we picked up at Bizu patisserrie and bistro at the promenade behind greenhills. Me and my cousin makes it a habit of treating ourselves to a fine dinner and yummy cake deserts. and to have a check on our diets (hehe) we make sure that we share only a slice or small piece of those dreamy concoctions.

we have tried cheeze cakes everywhere so we decided to pick something different.. i have to admit i was hesitant to pick up this one because of its soo-chocolate-ty appearance. i have cough that time and i'm not sure if chocolates would be good for me... but we still did go for it.. and after a hearty dinner at tenderbob's, we opened what got and surprise!

Samba was not as i imagined it to be.. well it looked like a choco lava cake for me, yet it was really like a gelatinous spongy like mousse - light choco and caramel mousse that is light and truly heavenly. i forgot that i was still full from the meal and that i even had cough when i had a taste of this. and yeah i forgot to take a picture of what's inside it as well!

there's nothing left! nada! hehe.. though these little pieces of heaven are a bit pricey, it would all be worth it once you take your first bite... yummy!

Bizu Patiserrie branches are at:

• 1st level Promenade in Greenhills San Juan City
  
• Ground Level of Alabang Town Center
• 3rd Floor of Glorietta 4 in Makati City, and
• 1st Level Greenbelt 2 in Makati City
  

Dragon Boat Rowing... err paddling!

pic taken from Aqua Fortis Crew Multiply site

it was a third invitation to try dragon boat rowing that i've accepted. for like three years now, i got invites from two people i know and this third one was a person i hardly knew. yet i decided to try it and thought that it maybe the one that will keep me fit. hehe

Dragon Boat rowing is said to have started in China some 2000 years ago. The sports came to the Philippines in the 1980's and back then, only a few knew it ever existed. But right now, it is one hot sports for paddlers from different walks of life. Take an early jog along Manila Bay and see crowds of students, professionals, youths and mid-aged paddlers train and practice.

Crew of a dragon boat is consist of 22 paddlers seated side-by-side facing forward. A drummer sets the pace and the heart of the boat. they have to have a commanding presence and be able to set the pace for the leading paddlers. a sweeper or a "timon" is seated at the back to control the direction of the boat.

early morning training @ the Manila Bay

Hearty Dinner @ Tender Bobs

my cousin and i have decided to go out every now and then to treat ourselves and experience different types of food from different restos around metro manila. we've already been here at tender bob's once but this is the first time i've ordered this grilled chops. yeah, a hearty dinner that's is really good for two (two girls! lolz). of course i wasn't able to finish all these, yet it was one of the best meals i had... when it comes to steaks and grilled chops, i guess this joint is one to beat!

also, be sure to try out their potato skins... one of the bests!

tender bob's has branches in prominade greenhills, makati and sm north(i think) =)),

Coron Trip

Coron Trip 3 Days and 2 Nights June 25-27, 2009

PAX: 5 (Jissa, Kris, Nina, Arvin & Cotton)

Budget:

Accommodations (Board, Lodging, Fees and Transfers) & Tours

Coron Village Lodge Tour Package III 6400

RT Tickets (Cebu Pacific Promo) 950

RT Terminal Fees 220

Pocket Money 1500

9070

IT TOUR 3 - 1 DAY CORON ISLAND TOUR & 1 DAY CALAUIT ANIMAL SANCTUARY TOUR

INCLUSIONS:

1. 2 Days room accommodation (aircon, TV, hot & cold shower, T&B)
2. 6 Meals & 2 snacks
3. 1 Day island hopping for swimming, snorkeling, nature tour and adventure plus hot spring
4. 1 Day Calauit Animal Sanctuary tour
5. Entrance fees to tribal and private islands
6. Services of a guide/ staff during tours
7. Free- flowing coffee
8. Airport transfers
9. Tricycle transfers within the town
10. Welcome drink.

ITINERARY:

Day 1	Activities
9:00 am	Off to the islands – Cayangan Lake , Lake Barracuda , Twin Lagoon, Banol or Caliwantay Beach , Siete Pecados, Makinit Hot spring
5:30 pm	Back in town / free time

Day 2	Activities
4:30 am	Off to Calauit
7:30 am	Arrive at Calauit Animal Sanctuary after a 2 hour jeep or van ride and a 10 minute banca ride across the channel.
8:30 am	Tour of the sanctuary by safari truck.
11:00 am	Early lunch
12:00 nn	Rest
1:00 pm	Travel back through Salvacion town. stopover for snacks.
4:00 pm	Back in town / free time

Day 3	Activities
6:30 am	Breakfast
7:00 am	Off to airport for trip back to Manila.

Reminders! (A series of Unfortunate events)

Check your Air tickets! LOL!! We missed the 9:05 flight to Busuanga and therefore had to buy another for the 2pm flight to Busuanga and shell off another P900.

Instead of just having a light morning meal before the flight, we were forced to partake a ridiculously pricey lunch at Chaikofi while we pass the time and wait for the next flight to Busuanga.

Also, consider the weather, because of the apparent climate change I was confident that the rainy month of June will still grant us fair and travel friendly weather. Unfortunately, a typhoon came up early in the week made the flight to Busuanga a little shaky. When we were just about to land, the pilot’s voice started talking about coordinates and told us to look at the build up cumulo-nimbus clouds that is visible from where we are and goes all the way to Busuanga. After which, he announced that the plane has enough fuel to stay in our position for 30-40 minutes and wait for the “clouds” to disperse. So the plane just circled over the islands, islets and seas for what seemed like endless minutes until finally God heard our prayers and allowed us to land safely.

Busuanga Airport served the towns of Busuanga, Coron, Culion and Linapacan or the Calamianes Group of islands in the Northern part of Palawan. The town proper of Coron is on Busuanga mainland while there is also the Coron Island facing the town and can be reached by boat within 15 minutes.

Coron is still an hour away from Busuanga Airport; a van we shared with 6 or 7 other people including “Cookie” was waiting for us when we arrived.

Coron Village Lodge was quite a surprise for us. When we were still searching for accommodations and tour in Coron, the Lodge’s website offered the best tours and prices, however we were a little unsure of what to expect about the rooms and the place because of the limited photos displayed. Feedback on the packages was also scarce, though I got a really positive feedback at one time.

The staff were nice, we had welcome drinks (uber sweet ice tea!) brought to our lovely rooms. The whole of the Lodge had a real nice and cozy atmosphere with framed collections displayed on rooms and on the resto’s wall. We got two rooms, both with a double bed and a single bed, dressers, TV, cabinets. Our room had a terrace where a hanger stand and a table with chairs are conveniently placed.

We were served the lunch we missed even if it was already 4PM. One of the best things about the Lodge aside from the staff and the ambiance is the FOOD!

We were not able to have our island hopping on the first day but we were able to relax and have a dip at the Maquinit hot springs which is only 15 minute tricycle ride away from the town. The Lodge staff also advise us no to go on with our Calauit Safari Tour the next day because of the possible landslides caused by the heavy rains the past few days. We then decided to have a whole day island hopping tour the next day instead.

Island hopping in Coron simply is one of the best experiences you can have. Our tour guide, Kuya Gary was very informative on the history and fact and trivias of the island and places we visited.

Cayangan Lake and Blue Lagoon are sites to behold though going around Coron Island would really give you a restful and serene feeling. We had lunch of yummy adobo, grilled fish (huge!) and ensaladang talong at what seem like our very own private beach before moving on Twin Lagoons. I can’t say much about this place except that it is also one of the must sees. Towering limestone and surround a peaceful but really deep lagoon which you can access by diving into a hole during high-tide or if it is low tide, you can easy pass through it.

I experienced snorkeling in Bohol, but snorkeling in Siete Pecados is way more exciting! Here fishes are like trained to eat from your hands though the larger ones really freaked us out! And please don’t step at the lovely corals when you get tired, just go get back on your banca.

On our third day, we tried climbing Mt. Tapyas (rumored to be more than 700 steps high) but we only reached the middle part because of the sudden heavy rains. When the rain stopped, we decided not to continue the climb and just take pictures of the amazing site we have where we were stranded - two rainbows appeared in the island of Coron, one end on an island, and the other end on another island!

After breakfast, Nina, Arvin and me went to Coron Gifts and Souvenirs to buy trinkets and handicrafts. The Lodge also displays beautiful crafts in their resto and garden. We had an early lunch and left for Busuanga airport at 12noon.

And because of the cancelled Calauit Safari, we had as much as P2000 savings each on our bill!

Must see for a 2^nd Coron Trip is Cagban Beach and diving on some of the WWII Japanese Shipwrecks as well as the Banana and Macalapuya(?) Islands.

teloy in manila

teloy was born at chinese general hospital, manila on november 16, 2006. on december 27, 2006, teloy was brought to bicol and stayed there with her lolo, lola, tito and tita. since the time he was taken to bicol, teloy's first trip back to manila was last april 24-26, 2009. that's almost three years now.


upon arriving here in manila, i took teloy to my office and meet the tita's and tito's that are so excited to see him. those people saw how he grew in mommy's belly and had never really seen him yet.

the april 24-26 trip here in manila with lola was also to celebrate mom's birthday and visit enchanted kingdom for the first time. Though it wasn't the best weather, it was still one of the best first experiences for teloy..



teloy also had his first trip to antipolo to visit tito eboy, tita libay, cousin's ate dayday and winona on april 26, 2009.


i'm actually waiting for teloy to become stable in his potty habits so i can take him on my trips hehe.. the first are always said to be the hardest.. =) with teloy, it wasn't that bad!

best desserts in manila are found at conti's!

this is my first review of a place, or resto or place to dine in..

i always thought that conti's is only for the rich and upper class people. i believed them have pricey and expensive menu's that i as a simple employee cannot afford. though there had been great comments on how good their meals are, i was still hesitant to try out. Until one night that my classmate Nina and Bert invited me to have dinner at Conti's Trinoma. I had baked mac which the waiter supposedly said was only a single serving and came out to be a heaping of food good for two hungry females! haha we also had salad before that - the mango royale salad which instantly became my favorite. Nina also ordered turtle pie after the meal and it was really yummy. I wasnt able to enjoy it very much coz i was really full.

the second time i visited conti's was when my cousin wanted to eat somewhere new. We went to Conti's greenhills to have lunch (it was 3 pm already haha!) we had mango royale salad as i suggested then i had longganisa meal and sheen chicken tocino (both breakfast meals). we were so full that we almost cancelled the dessert we've ordered - the bluberry cheesecake. after taking the first bite, i was so happy not to have cancelled it and though i was really full i cannot stop having it bite after bite! for me it was the best dessert i've ever tasted.

see not a crumb left even after a full meal!