Top Free Wi-Fi Hot Spots in HKG (via HK Magazine)

Café O 
This café-cum-restaurant in the heart of Sheung Wan has a refreshing and comfortable atmosphere with a chic modern touch. The Wi-Fi is free and unlimited, and the surroundings make it the perfect place to get a quiet bit of work done. Café O also guarantees fresh food cooked from scratch and has a little something for everyone. Try the signature dishes, eggplant and rocket pizza as well as the salami pizza as well as the freshly made smoothies to keep your mind energized.
284-286 Queen's Rd. Central, Sheung Wan, 2851-0890, www.cafeo.hk

Holly Brown 
Settle down and relax while surfing the web on the comfy seats with Holly Brown’s famous waffle dish gelato and a cup of fragrant coffee. There are almost always available seats at this joint but the wi-fi is turned off between noon and 2pm to keep freeloaders away during busy lunch times.
 G/F, 22 Stanley St., Central, 2869-9008, www.hollybrowncoffee.com

At 1968 
Enjoy delicious Indonesian cuisine from beef rendang to nasi goreng while surrounded by other diners wielding laptops.
5F, L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd., Central, 2577-9981, www.ir1968.com 

Java Java Coffee & Tea Lounge 
Situated on a quiet stretch of Hollywood Road, Java Java lounge serves fine coffees, teas, pastries, home made cakes and other scrumptious delights. Java Java’s loungey atmosphere and plush seating is a great place to relax for hours. Open until 11pm during the week and 12am on Fridays and Saturdays.
188 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2549-7739, www.javajavalounge.com 

Oolaa 
Oolaa is a popular dining and drinks destination with an ideal comfy café corner for web browsing and freelancers. Try the freshly baked pastries and have a cup of ground Illy coffee.
G/F, Bridges Street, Centre Stage, Soho, 2803-2083 

Caffé Habitu 
This chic Italian cafe offers handcrafted coffee by some of the most talented baristas in town.
77-79 Gloucester Rd., Wan Chai, 2111-2977, www.caffeehabitu.com 

Initial Café 
This vintage chic café is a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of Tsim Sha Tsui, also doubling as a clothes store. This is a great place for people watching and serves authentic Italian style coffees. Lounge with your laptop whilst listening to the Parisian music.
48 Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2311-4223 

The One and New Town Plaza Malls 
Both The One Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui and New Town Plaza in Sha Tin have Wi-Fi throughout the entire shopping centers.
The One, 100 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, www.the-one.hk
New Town Plaza, Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin, N.T., www.newtownplaza.com.hk

How to dine out with kids ... and enjoy it! (ages 2 to 4)

From BabyCenter.com - How to Dine Out With Kids
It's easy to see why many parents of young children avoid restaurants and prefer to eat at home, where thrown food will hit only members of the immediate family. But sometimes it's necessary — and even fun — to eat out. If you have a 2- to 4-year-old and you're still uneasy about dining out, these suggestions will help:

Before you go

Pack a bag of tricks. Bring a variety of reliable amusements, including favorite books, games, and (quiet) toys. If you know you'll need to fill an hour, overestimate and bring two hours' worth of goodies.

If your child is especially energetic and restless, pack a couple of new, small toys that will hold his interest (at least until the food arrives). It's also a good idea to throw in a few favorite snacks, in case the food is slow to arrive or not to your child's liking (just because he loves the mac 'n' cheese at home doesn't mean he'll eat the restaurant version).

Pick the right restaurant. Choose a child-friendly restaurant, preferably one casual and loud enough to absorb any noise your family might make. Make a reservation if possible, so you don't have to wait to be seated.

If you're new to eating out with kids, consider working your way gradually up the food chain by practicing good behavior in a basic burger joint, where manners matter less to those around you. Buffets are great for families with small children — kids like the wide selection, and everyone is walking around, so no one minds (or even notices) you taking short forays with your preschooler.

Set some ground rules, and enforce them at home. Young children are creatures of habit. If you establish realistic, age-appropriate guidelines at home, you're more likely to see your child following the rules when dining out.

Go early. Be among the first to arrive for the breakfast, lunch, or dinner hour and you'll be seated and served more quickly. Quicker service means less "gap time" between ordering and food arrival or between courses — and less gap time means less time for your active preschooler to get rambunctious.

Treat eating out as a reward. To motivate your child to maintain some decorum in public, make eating out a special event where good behavior is not only expected but required.

Once you're there

Order kid-friendly food. This is not the time to spring something new on your child. Stick with recognizable favorites — burgers, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese. Order from the kids' menu, if there is one, or go with finger foods, like fries and chicken nuggets, that your child can dip into an assortment of accompaniments for added amusement.

Don't dawdle. Ask your waiter if the kitchen can prepare your child's dish quickly, or at least have him bring some bread or crackers your child can munch on while he waits for his meal.

Keep it moving. Don't expect your 2- to 4-year-old to wait through the adults having a salad course and appetizer while she plays quietly or nibbles on croutons. As soon as you're seated, order an appetizer you can share with your child, or skip the appetizers and go straight to the entrees, avoiding the gap between courses.

Reserve certain special foods or drinks for restaurants. Consider allowing your child to have something that's rare or forbidden at home — dessert, for example, or a caffeine-free soda. The treat will not only occupy his attention but will reinforce the idea that going out is a special privilege.

Be considerate. The wait staff — who you may have been compelled to ask to rush the entrees, get more parmesan for the plain pasta, trade the ice cream dish for a more toddler-friendly one, or who knows what — will also have to pick up all those graham crackers that hit the floor. They'll notice your efforts to minimize the extra service you'll need, and they'll notice any extra appreciation you show them. The next time you come in, this can easily translate into even better service.

Heading off behavior blowups

Have realistic expectations. Concede that eating out with a young child will never be like eating out with adults. It's not realistic to expect a 2-year-old to sit still, conversing quietly, for an hour. Instead, think of the meal as an opportunity to be engaged with your children. This can mean playing games, talking, reading, and, most likely, at least a little walking around. It's reasonable to expect a preschooler to be fairly well behaved (in other words, not running around and screaming) if he's entertained.

Choose your battles carefully. A restaurant is not the place to get into an unnecessary confrontation with your child. Aspire to good basic behavior (staying fairly quiet and not disturbing other people) and reasonable manners, but let minor transgressions go rather than getting into a battle of wills that could spoil the whole evening.

Share the load. To make things go smoothly, both parents should be involved in meal management. If your child demands constant attention, take turns with your partner so one of you can eat while the other attends to your child.

Persevere. Even if you have a meal that ends with a bunch of overstuffed, untouched doggie bags, try again. Remember that as young children practice appropriate behavior, it becomes almost second nature, and your first few challenging meals will eventually yield a wonderful reward: your family enjoying a pleasant restaurant experience.

J.Co donuts ETA March (correction from February) 2012

I can't wait for February and it's not because of Valentine's Day...it's because of these...

I'm excited!
Doesn't it make your mouth water!

It's from a donut company called J.Co and it's been around Asia for awhile now.
I heard from a friend who was lucky enough to get these early as a "preview" that there are more interesting flavors and that it's not overly sugary/sweet compared to other donuts in the market...so you can eat more than just one without having to grow tired of donuts on the same day! Yummy!!!

More information about this delicious donuts is here.

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Update: opening was moved a month later to March 15

Christmas in August :D

Christmas is early this year...before September! It's defnitely a new record, especially for Philippine standards. That's because I got to enjoy and be creative with Mari Koegelenber's Noel kit, exclusively from TDC. I guess it's time to start with the Xmas gift/card layouts! :D
Check out the preview below. It's available now over here.

Here's my tate on this fun christmasy kit.Supplies: Noel by Mari Koegelenberg Creations (MKC) at theDigiChick.com
Font: Raavi

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Foodscape News:
Some gal pals and I checked out Lime88 in Mandaluyong City. It's basically street food with a twist...a new twist!
My favs were the Tuyo Pasta, Cripy Pigs Skin and the Lime88 Scramble (drink). It's a random taste of the olden days. Priced decently and quite away from the hussle and bussles of the city, it's located in a residential part of Mandaluyong City. I miss some of these types of food ~ honest with real homey service. Pictures are below:

Bday Week(end)...still in party mood!

Birthday week(end) came and went. It was pretty cool. I was able to party with so many types of groupies of mine and it definitely started as early as Wednesday (July 1) and I still plan to celebrate again this weekend.. :) The breakdown are as follows:-

• July1 (Wed) --> lunch with officemates
• July2 (Thurs) --> lunch with officemate at a different location; dinner with the pit crew
• July3 (Fri) --> lunch with fav pal (K); special dinner with E
• July4 (Sat) --> game of golf with pals then lunch at the club; dinner with coolgals
• July5 (Sun) --> lunch with parents & E at Sango; dinner with extended family (usual Sun dinner but with extra good food)
• July6 (Mon) --> dinner with best cousin, L

I'm overwhelmed with joy to find out so many people (who I didn't expect) that greeted me in random ways - email, FB, text, call, etc. It was just a wonderful surprise and definitely something I would remember for many years to come.
I'm still hoping for another party but I think I should wait till next year again. :P

There's another bday coming up in a few days...and she's with four paws. E&I are brainstorming on how to celebrate the bday. Keep you all posted on what we decide.

RESTO REVIEW:
SANGO MASTER BURGER
Rockwell, Power Plant
Dad and I had the Master Cheese Burger, which was roughly P130. See picture shown while E got the Chili Master Dog and mom got the Gyudon Rice Meal. It's okay...nothing really special. I do have to say that the veggies (lettuce and tomatoes) are so fresh!!
Sango is constantly compared to Mos Burger chain (one of the most visited establishments by us is in HKG) but E being the biggest fan of Mos, he disagree and I have to be with him on this. If you were to just compare burgers, I think I would prefer Mos Burger (since it's juicier) and Shake-’em Buns or Triple O's of White Spot. :D

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Kit: Lovebug Sampler by Mari Koeglenberg Creations available here
Alphas are by Shabby Princess' Happy Go Lucky Kit
Font: Arial

Kit: Happiness Kit available here
Designer: MKC (Mari Koegelenberg)
Paper clip: SOTB Birthday Freebee Kit
Font: Fox Jump

I'm a Scrapinator!

I'm so inspired and with Holy Week around the corner...it's full speed scrapping!
It's also a time of rest&relaxation before pushing through the summer months of work and more work. Check out below...

If there are people who don't already know...you can get free Krispy Kreme Chocolate-covered donuts with a cup of coffee here. I think they already have reached the site's freebee limit but for those who are lucky enough to get the "prized coupons", enjoy!!!


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Cardstock: Bazzill
Transparencies: My Mind's Eye
Staples: EK Success Fastenater










Cardstock: Bazzill
Pattern Paper: others
Buttons: ButtonsGalore.com
Flowers, Brad: Making Memories
Wordart: K&Company (Words to Go)
Sticker Charm: Brenda Walton for K&Company (Charmers)






Cardstock: Bazzill
Pattern Papers: Chatterbox
Vellum: K&Company
Sticker: Pebbles Inc
Flower: Prima
Metal Buttons, Leather Photo Corner: Making Memories
Others: tag, ribbon






Cardstock: American Crafts
Word Art: K&Company
Brads, Metal Photo Frame: Making Memories
Icicles: KI Memories









Cardstock: Paper Adventures
Alpha Chipboards: Mon Petites Chipboards
Flowers: Prima
Sticker Art: Miss Elizabeth's
Brad: Making Memories
Word Art: K&Company
Pattern Paper, Fiber: others
Buttons: ButtonsGalore.com

W@W 10-10-10

WatW 10-10-10 Anniversary Party!

Venue: Fernbrook Gardens, Alabang

E&I got to celebrate WeddingsAtWork 10th Anniversary years. It's 10 successful years of brides&grooms helping each other in planning their weddings. It was a wonderful night and definitely tons and tons of freebees. There were free-nups for the upcoming brides&grooms (which E&I participated in 2007). There was tons of food and there was never a problem with not having enough. The program was great and it was cool sharing all this with our good friends J&N.

Check out the pictures below...


Wall of WatWies




**WatWie Pals**
-->Sis Tina & Bro Jessie
-->Sis Steph & Bro Joel
-->Sis Kendz & Bro Lui

News on Agnes b (HK)

Address: Shop G001-005 & P101, wtc more, Causeway Bay, HK

Agnes b LPG is now open at WTC (World Trade Centre). From March 2009 till April 30, as an AMI member, you'll get a cup of coffee free upon purchase of any sandwitch or salad with your AMI card.


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Marriage:...

Supplies: Making Memories (metal charms/accents), brad alphas, laced ribbon, old wedding invitation

Photo by: Ems Van Gogh

Chiqui & the Dog Trainer

Got a dog trainer for little Chiqui. Check out her new trick! She's learning a lot especially getting used to the leash and going where she needs to go than just where she wants to go. :)
She's learned to stand and walk with her two feet, jump through hoops, push her ball with her two front feet, crawl, sit properly, and get used to the leash.
She's a pure joy and I couldn't have asked for any puppy else! :D





Food Reviews:
1.) Som's Noodle House
Add: behind Rockwell's Power Plant
Cuisine: Thai
Recommendations: Green Curry Beef, Tom Yang Soup
Price: $
Verdict: Yummy!!!
**You can take

2.) Duo
Add: Serendra
Cuisine: Continental with specialty of steak & seafood
Recommendations: steak, seafood (especially fish), pasta and salads
Price: $$$
Verdict: Good good good!

3.) Zumi
Add: GB5
Cuisine: Continental with specialty of steak & seafood
Price: $$$
Verdict: efficient and attentive service; food is so-so; Good place for kids and pets due to the garden front


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Kit: A Cutesy Kind of Love by Deanna Patterson/Shabby Scrap Designs
Font: Rosewood Standard
Program: Adobe CS3

Foodie Foodie Foodie

Food Trippings:
Tokyo Café (TC)
G/Lvl. South Wing, Main Mall Bldg, Pasay City, Metro Manila
(632) 556.0517
I have this philosophy, line-ups are the best. Base on the line-up we saw at TC's Mall of Asia and the colorful and mouth-watering sample food displayes, E & I were curious.
TC is exactly like it's previous resto - Kohikan, at Greenhills Promenade (Perry Chicken now). TC is Japanese fussion family resto with a Western twist. The menu of TC is impressive, wherein pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, crepes, drinks and burgers are immense. The selection is quite unexpected for a restaurant of such type. The cafe uses the traditional and elaborate Japanese Drip method, wherein exact temperatures must be used to make a good cup of coffee!
They also have their own signature coffee mix, giving a distinctive flavor.

Best Sellers:
Yoshi's Burger - the top favorite with its juicy beef burger patty, Cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato and meat sauce
Creamy Ebiko Pasta (P255)
Hamburg and Shrimp (P235)- juicy burger patties with breaded black tiger prawns
Mango Chicken Salad(P150)
Kani Crab Sandwich (P140) - a zesty assembly of Kani sticks on ciabatta bread
Dripped Coffee: Sumibi Yaki (P84) - boasts of a bold and distinctive flavor, and Tokyo Blend, a fusion of various origins of coffee beans that taste both sour and smooth. Note that the Sumibi Yaki hot coffee is distinctively bold and is different from the strong coffees Filipinos are accustomed to with the Barako.
Other Specialties:
1.) Shrimp Agli Olio, pasta with hot green peppers, garlic and shrimp sautéed in olive oil
2.) Wafu Steak, Tokyo Boneless Chicken, Unaji and Tokyo White Pizza
3.) Crepes and cheesecake galore
4.) Other coffee concoctions - Tokyo Ice and hot and iced espressos
Range: P300/pax

Terrace at 5th
1/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila
(632) 729.6860
In Makati , Chef Ronald Manalo is part of the team that just opened The Terrace at the 5th Restaurant and Bar in Greenbelt 5. The restaurant features family treasured recipes from the kitchens of Maricris Zobel, Carol Garcia, Menchu Soriano, Ching Cruz, Ivy and Cynthia Almario, and Cecille Ysmael along side specialities from their favorite chefs. The place serves grilled items (including a Ladies’s Choice cut of only 300 grams) and modernized Filipino food.
Grams, Ma, E&I went there last night, we got the Grill Lamb Chops and the Crispy Pork Belly to share. E found the Lamb a bit on the salty side but everything else in it was great. I love the Pork Belly with Balsamic Vinegarette reduction sauce. It was a winner for me & Mom. The meat was tender for both dishes but I would vote for the latter. Price of the lamb was far more (extra P200) compared to the Pork. Grams had the Chicken Binalao, which is similar to chicken nilaga with some extra .
Range: roughly P500/pax

Ten02
43 B Scout Ybardolaza St., Sacred Heart, QC
(632) 412.-7572, (63) 915.569.5419
E&I checked out this resto/live act venue last Friday (Jan09) and had dinner there. nice pasta dishes that I/E loved and would surely come back for more. I had the house specialty Ten02's boulonnaise spaghetti. A neat twist to a classic Itallian dish. There are a lot of short orders also for the ones that come after dinner to listen to the live band performances. Referred to us by our photographer, eBe, Ten02 is small, quaint and cozy. I love the stage with the curtain backdrop.
That night we went was tribute night for Anabel Bosch, the lead vocalist of Analog, who suffered an aneurysm on Jan01. Although she fought tooth and nail for the first few days after her surgery, despite the aggressive treatments provided for her by her doctors and her sister, Dr. Marlies Bosch, Anabel passed away, quietly, ten days later, in the early morning of Sunday, January 11, 2009.
The local music industry was out in full force to contribute/support this great cause with acts no less stellar as the clear starry sky that evening by Noel Cabangon - Johnny Alegre (Affinity), Akasha (Mar Dizon, Henry K., Dave Harder), Lynn Sherman and Skarlet, Balooze (Ricky Gonzalez’s jazz quartet), Corporate Lo Fi, Helen, Reklamo, Color It Red, Ms. Emee Fortuno (wife of the legendary Ed “Bosyo” Fortuno).
Too bad, E&I had to wrap things up early since we have important appointments the following day but overall - highly recommended place to chill and enjoy great local music flavor.
FYI: the owner, Scarlet, packs a mean jazz scat!

Background: exerpt from the FB tribute account
Ever the rock goddess, Anabel chose to fly away when the moon was literally at its biggest and brightest. It was also the same night that her 11-year-old daughter Mishka had her first-ever major 'gig', backed up by no less than the legendary Blue Rats, at a benefit show held for Anabel at Hobbit House.
For those of us who were lucky enough to have spent time with her during her all-too-brief life, Anabel was the strongest, most loving, fiery, and passionate woman we knew. Her blog (http://dizzychick76.multiply.com/) was testament to that.
Anabel was a bright, burning phoenix, yes, a rock goddess, yet made of very real flesh and bone. She figured as one of the most important female musicians in our local industry, having worked with such bands as Tropical Depression, Electrikoolaid, Spy, and Analog. More than that, she was (and will continue to be) a great inspiration to many people, because she lived her life with such vigor and intensity, doing her best in everything that she did, be it as a focused, hard-working writer and editor, or as a dedicated mother to young Mischaela, or as a dutiful daughter and sister, or as an absolute whiz in the kitchen, or as a caring, loving friend.

Check These Out
I bumped into this website that I think you guys will find really interesting. :D - La Tartine Gourmande. I know the photos looked yummy!

Want to check this place out some where down the road...Acuatico Resort, Batangas Laiya

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Cardstock: Bazzill
Patter Papers: Chatterbox's Scrapbook Walls
Buttons: Buttons Galore
Woven Photo Corners, Metal Accents, Sticker Definition: Making Memories
Alpha Chipboards: Mon Petites Chipboards & Making Memories
Definition/Dictionary Boarder Sticker: Pebbles Inc
Sayings: K&Co's Words to Go and 7Gypsies
Vellim Pocket: Sticko
Ribbon: unknown

Gone Vacationing!

Just want to let you guys know...going on vacation tomorrow! So excited though still packing till the last home stretch.
E and I are pretty psyched! It's been so long since we went on a real vacation and heck, this is our honeymoon. :P I hope we can do all the planned activities on the cruise ship and the land tours that I booked us. :)
See you all real soon and with photos and stories to match.

On the left is my ASM family!
We have been through a lot and though some have moved on to other work/job/company/life, it was really great to be able to round everyone up on my most recent (and short) trip to HongKong. We really did partied the night/morning away, which was surely rare for pure workaholics like us. :P

Some new places that hubby and I went to...
1.) Bite Club (burgers)
Katipunan Extension
213 Katipunan Extension, Across Blue Ridge, Quezon City
~ Burgers: freshly cooked/prepared; juicy and tasty
~ Feature: the big 1 pound burger...good for sharing
~ Others: fries...fresh and crispy

~ Price: a bit pricier than Brother's Burgers but I think it's worth it!
~ Comments: currently one of my favorites for a burger. It's cheap and simple! The downside is that you need a car to get to it since it's in the middle of Katipunan Extension.

2.) La Nuova (Italian)
San Antonio Plaza, McKinley Road, Forbes Park
Makati City, Metro Manila
(02) 867-2370
~ Pasta: love everything that we have currently ordered...from the spinach ravioli with riccotta cheese to the parma ham with truffle cream sauce (?)
~ Pizza: wonderfully light, decently thin crust with loads of taste and toppings
~ Price: a bit steep but they definitely use the best quality ingredients so it's all justified in the end
~ Comments: will go again and again and again. Thanks LS with recommending this place to us. It's purely a God-send!

3.) Pepper Lunch (Japanese Steak)
Rockwell Power Plant Mall
Makati City, Metro Manila
(02) 895-6185
~ Specialty: sizzling steak meals
~ Price: good for the P200/P300 meals else I think the P600 and above doesn't justify it's worth since you can basically go to a hotel buffet (with a hotel discount card) and have better quality of meat
~ Comments: Taste was good and the novelty of cooking your meal that way you like it is nice...but the steak portion/cut quality could be better...not overly tender...to think that my mom got the most expensive steak - the rib eye steak and it was a bit tougher than expected while my steak, a bit cheaper but not by a lot was far better.
**WARNING: long long queue (wait time in the line is about 30mins, if not more) though the turn-over is quite fast (less than 20min or so). How long would it take to eat a decently slab of steak in a sizzling plate? E said that the waittime is even longer than the eating time!

Furniture Wishlist and more...

Since E and I got our own place, I've been so into furniture/design mags. As an advance bday gift, E got me a year's subscription to Elle Decoration (UK edition) and I've gotten a furniture/design wish list in the works (in my head). Of course, owning the original would like put me back a whole lot but since there are a lot of replicas being done nowadays, access to these timeless and practical pieces are not unachievable. Below are some of what I would hopefully own...as of this date. :D
This is going to be one costly house...good thing I chose one piece and section area at a time!
From left to right: Ray & Carles Eames' LCW (Lounge Chair Wood), Eileen Gray's Chrome Side Table, Isamu Noguchi's Nogochi Table, respectively.



Buon Giorno
Italian
Near Puregold Shaw Blvd
Liberty Center, Mandaluyong City
4/5
~ highly recommend the vegetable risotto...very tasty and cooked to perfection
~ got the spinach lasagna...a bit hard on the bottom side of the lasagna
~ would rather have gotten the pizza
~ beverages are so worth it since they serve is in a big tall mug...got the grape shake!

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Title: Lullaby
Kit: Dainty Delight by Deanna Patterson
Template: Free Sampler by Doodleboogs
Photo Credit: Vivian Chung Photography
Program: PS7.0
Font: Book Antiqua
Journaling (abbreviated):
by John Fuller
Sleep little baby, clean as a nut, Your fingers uncurl and your eyes are shut. Your life was ours, which is with you. Go on your journey. We go too.
Oh be our rest, our hopeful start. Turn your head to my beating heart. Sleep little baby, clean as a nut, Your fingers uncurl and your eyes are shut.

Fast Track Updates

Sorry for the long absence...still catching up with life and work.
It's audit season, you know! :P

This is one of the cool sights I've seen a while back. I enjoy the good old Havaianas like a lot of Flips here though I don't wear mine as often as the rest since I do want to look a bit more semi-casual than beachy casual. The slippers are so popular in the tropics like the Philippines since we have tons and tons of beaches to choose from and we basically love being in the sun!
This was taken at Serendra, Fort where there were gigantic displays of the famous slippers with various themes.
I'm guessing this pays homage to soccer. The slipper company is a huge fan of the sport - maybe because it's made in Brazil...or @least most of them where conceptualized there. :P

In celebration of the movie, Speedracer, Rockwell's Power Plant was one of the places that this "star" gave light to the movie. I never would have thought this car ever existed in this lifetime aside from what's in the movie.
Although it didn't fair well in the box office, it was pretty cool to be able to touch and to be this close to the star of the show. Too bad E was at work when I took this photo. It was my bragging rights picture! :P
Go Speedracer go!

Travel Café Philippines
2/F GB5
Rating: 2/5
E & I checked out the new café at GB5 on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We shared this dessert sampler which showcased the typical Filipino native sweets. There was the leche flan (Filipino custard), suman (sticky rice cooked in coconut milk), banana turrón (deep fried banana wrapped in spring roll skin) and some fresh fruits on the side. It looked so impressive and nice in photos but the only winner for us were the banana turrón. Would we go back again...most likely not.

Restaurante Pia y Damaso
2/F GB5
Rating: 3/5
One of our food trippings again at GB5 on another Sunday afternoon for snacks.
The chocolate was cool since carabao's milk was used so it smelled heavenly and so rich. E was a really happy camper with this unique detail.
I had the "boring" hot peppermint tea. :P We share a toasted local pastry - ensaymada (Filipino sweet bread).

Cuillère
G/F Serendra
Rating: 2/5
One of the highlights at this resto. My mom was so looking forward to some good French food in Manila - this comparing it with Le Souffle. Sad to report that she was disappointed with the results. The cool thing was the soup and the rest was so-so to her. It's quite pricey but as long as the food is superb, we will keep coming back for more. E and I still have to go back to try the lamb platter so we'll keep the rating as it is for now.

CAV
Lot 5, Quadrant 8, Bonifacio High Street
Rating: 4/5
Love the set menus offered that you can personalize - either a three or four course option. The one photographed is my dessert, Baked Alaska. Very fatty but not bad.
The feature of this resto is the very cool wine dispensers wherein guests can try various win by the glass on their own - similar to the soft drink dispensers but a lot more sophisticated. We weren't able to have wine on our trip there but I can see that it's a really hip and happening place that requires you either to make reservations or go early to secure a nice table. A lot of beautiful people make up this joint. Get ready to be pretty and to spend a bit.

Look who visited me in Manila...of all people! It's R and his family!!! What a blast from my YVR past and in "my turf"!
Though of course I was pretty surprised when I got an FB message that he would be coming. It was totally a crazy surprise since I didn't think he would be heading to Asia in general since he was wrapping med school.
R and his parents came to Manila to play some golf with their friends. His folks are basically retired, mom's semi while dad's fully retired. They stay in HKG almost half of the year now since they have some business in China and are looking into moving back to be closer with their HKG relatives. I think if this pushes through, I will have the possibility of seeing R more than before. The last time we hung out was my YVR time in 2004! It was pretty cool to let E meet some of my YVR friends.
I showed R some sights and food trips around town the day after he arrived while the rest of the time was a lot of golfing trips for him and his folks. :D
We went around ChinaTown, Chinese Cemetary, Fort Santiago, Old Manila, Rockwell, Alabang Town Center, etc. I hope his folks enjoyed their golf game and come back again soon!

This is our new family member (MIL's), Creamy. He's far bigger and got groomed to shorter do now than in the picture. He has been a real handfull since he refused to be housetrained and has been driving everyone nuts! He's pee'd and poo'd whenever and wherever he wants. There were times that my E and I babysit him and it would mean guarding this little one's every move around the house, especially our room! :P
Plus I changed my hairstyle a few weeks after this picture has been taken.
Been so busy these days due to the new work and just getting the house orgazined.


This is one of purchases that E and I got for the house. We got this during the Megamall 3-day Mega Sale at My Home.
It's pretty cool with it being expandable on both sides - the white portion is the "extended" part while collapsing it would reveal only the glass portion that is nice for dinners for 2. Anything more would require extendingthe table so as not to look so cramp.
I love the "modern contemporary" look of this. Form and functions are my criteria in searching for the right furniture...oh, and aside from the dimensions. E was super excited when I discovered this through my furniture research.
Thanks Dey!

Okay - next would be the sofa/living room - I'm off to get this rolling...