Book Review: Doon By Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

I love having new books to read and Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon did not disappoint.  I got this complimentary eBook from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers. I enjoyed reading it and want to continue the next books in the series.

My Little Pony Pez candies at Daiso Robinsons Manila

Last Friday, Patrick and I went to watch Heneral Luna in Robinsons Manila and you can read more about it in this post.  After the movie, we still had errands to run and ended up going to Daiso at the Ground Floor in the Padre Faura wing.  We were pleased to see these My Little Pony Pez candies there.  Naturally we went for Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle but there was also a Pinkie Pie too.  They were P88 each.  

Watching Heneral Luna

Patrick and I don't often get to watch a movie by ourselves but when we first saw the trailer of Heneral Luna while watching Ant-Man with Dylan, we decided that it was something that we'd be interested in watching.  That in itself is a big thing because we don't really watch Filipino movies.  So, now we got a chance to watch Heneral Luna in Robinsons Manila.

New Remote Controller from Fukuda Factory Outlet and Repair Center

Last Sunday, we decided to take a trip to Cubao and finally visit the Fukuda Factory Outlet and Repair Center near Farmers Market and get the replacement DVD remote controller I ordered about two weeks ago.  I figured since Dana and I were headed to the Rak of Aegis musical later, we can make the most out of the day.

Food: Papa John's 2 Family Pizzas All-In for P495 treat

Last August 19, the kids and I decided to order pizza for dinner.  We settled on Papa John's Pizza because they were offering this Duo Saver - 2 Family Pizzas for P495.  Now, considering that most pizzas cost P400 each for a Family-sized pizza, this deal is a bargain.  But, you do have a certain selection of flavors to choose from:  Italiano, Cheese Trio, John's Special, Cheesy Margherita and Bacon Cheeseburger.  We chose Cheese Trio (the kids love cheese) and Bacon Cheeseburger (because it was a new flavor).

Food: Used OpenSnap to search for Yoshinoya in Glorietta #ShareSnap

Last August 9, we all went to Glorietta to visit the Camerahaus branch so that they can check the Fuji camera that Patrick won as a prize.  We thought at first that the memory card was at fault but we already had it replaced twice, so maybe it was the camera that had a problem.  But it turned out that it was the memory card – for some reason, it required a 32GB memory card for it to work, we only used a 16GB.  So, Patrick was very happy to have got it right this time.

At first, we were getting really stressed when the day started because the kids were taking too long getting ready and then when we reached Glorietta, Dana’s shoe broke and she had to keep dragging it across the floor to be able to walk and finally having to buy her new shoes at Bench (it was the closest).  I thought the day was getting too stressful. 

But after the camera got fixed (though it wasn’t really broken), it was time for lunch and we weren’t familiar with the dining choices in Glorietta (we haven’t been back in a long time) so it was a good thing we have the OpenSnap app on our phones.  Rather than having to find a customer service desk to ask for food choices or even having to go looking for a directory just to view the list of restaurants, this app allowed us to view all the available restaurants and dining choices in Makati.  We can even search by restaurant name for a more specialized search. 

Since it was raining that day, we wanted something cozy and soothing. The closest restaurant that fulfilled our needs was Yoshinoya and it was great because we haven’t tried it before.  I liked that it was bright and airy and at that time, there were still a lot of seats available.  We all had ramen, Chashu and Chicken, and some California maki.  We liked the green tea beverage that came with the dish.  I also have to mention that I liked their bathroom because it had a bidet, was huge and was clean. We all felt rejuvenated after our meal.  :)

Thanks to OpenSnap for helping us find the restaurant so fast :)

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.

First time at CaliBurger Timog

February 02, 2015

We ended up eating at CaliBurger Timog when our earlier trip to St. Peter's Crematorium went bust.  Patrick's Uncle Rolly died and was cremated at around 7PM but we were only able to leave the house at 7PM due to Stanley's color coding.  By the time we got there, everyone was gone.

We decided to have dinner before going home and Patrick drove us to CaliBurger Timog.

Trying out the Nail-a-holics Nail Salon & Spa

January 21, 2015

So today, I had a real itch to get out of the house (I don't know why).  Since I had to get out anyway and pay some bills, I thought I'd make the most out of the day and do everything I need to do at once.  So, Dylan and I made our way to SM City San Lazaro.

Our plan was to pay the bills first so I am sure that I won't be spending that part of the budget on frivolous things but when we got to the Bills Payment counter at the SM Department Store, we were only able to pay for the PLDT Bill because Maynilad was offline which meant we had time to kill and we went directly to the Nail-a-holics salon at the LGF of SM City San Lazaro.  The only reason why we headed there was because I was aware of it from previous trips in the area.  Also, the times when I passed by the salon I usually saw that it was full so I thought the next time I needed to go to a nail salon I would definitely try going there.

It was perfect timing that when Dylan and I went there, there were no other customers but us.  Three foreigner guys were just paying their bill when we arrived so I felt good that the attendants wouldn't be in a hurry to finish their work since there's no line of customers.    I asked how much the foot spa with pedicure was and the receptionist immediately replied P420 which when you look at their menu of services was for the "Water Drift Spa Pedicure".  Quoting from them, the Water Drift Spa Pedicure was described like so:

"Fall in love with our indulgent all-natural treatment that helps bring life to sore, tired feet.  Reveal beautiful skin with hard skin removal and thorough exfoliation using sea salt and virgin coconut oil.  Finish off with a nail shape, cuticle tidy and nail color of your choice."

With this description in mind, let me tell you why I was disappointed with the service that I got.

* It wasn't as indulgent as I thought - Yes, the couch was comfortable.  Yes, the decor in the salon was appealing.  But I was surprised by the "palanggana" (huge plastic basin) that they brought out to soak my feet in.  Now, in some salons they have built-in sinks or foot tubs but I wasn't prepared for the "palanggana".  That was a turn off especially for a pricey salon.

Liked the Lighting

* It wasn't as thorough as I expected - I have had my share of foot spa pedicures in other salons, from high-end ones to your friendly neighborhood salon.  I got better treatment from them than at Nail-a-holics.  The thorough exfoliation didn't happen.  The attendant merely applied the sea salt on my feet and legs then rinsed it off.  It wasn't used for scrubbing or exfoliation unless it wasn't meant to then that was my misinterpretation.  I was also expecting a longer massage.  In my previous experiences, massages usually took between 15-30 minutes.  The massage I had was closer to 10.  The whole service for me took between 30-40 minutes, including the waiting time.  At the other salons, treatment time was usually an hour.

*minimal choice for nail polish - For P420 , you would expect to see Orly products like in other salons instead, they were offering regular nail polish, the brands I wasn't even familiar with.  To get Orly or some other special nail polish you have to add P40.  All the available regular nail polish was bright and neon, which I wasn't into.  But I didn't want to spend any additional for special polish so I just picked out a "Rose" colored polish.  Both my kids didn't like it (which I agree too because it made my feet and toes look darker)

Looks better in the light ;) 

On the PLUS side, I appreciated that the staff wasn't noisy.  At one point, the receptionist/head attendant even had to call out one manicurist for reclining on the couch with customers present which to me meant they wanted to project a better and professional image.

Looking back at my experience, I can't say that the service applies to all other branches since I've only tried this one. I may have just been unlucky this time.  But if you want value for your hard-earned money, it may be more worthwhile to find another salon, like Hot Nails in Hemady or California Nails and Day Spa.  Even our neighborhood salon that charges P160 for Foot Spa Pedicure had better services in my honest opinion.

Oh well, that's how you learn from and distinguish among salons.  You just have to try and experience them.  

Food: Marikina Burrito Brothers and Crepeman

January 19, 2015

When I blogged about eating at Tamagoya's here, Patrick shared it on Facebook and my friend, Lily, saw it.  It was the trigger which caused us to set a date to meet up in Marikina when we come to get Stanley back from his parking in Stevie's house.  Lily mentioned so many food choices through text messages as we were trying to figure out where to meet.  She also told me to Google "Marikina Food Tour/Trip" to get an idea of what I want to eat.  The results were enough to make me drool hahha Finally, we limited our choices to Lilac street since we're already familiar with the location of Tamagoya.  Lilac Street is where you'll end up if you follow the B. Soliven Avenue where Tamagoya is.  Well, the date came and we first met up at Burrito Brothers at #69 Lilac Street, Marikina.   

I didn't know what to expect so I was pleasantly surprised when we got to the location because the place seemed cozy.  Patrick was a bit worried because there was really no parking space in front of the location though.  Anyway, we got inside and saw Mother (we call her that because of a movie producer called Mother Lily) and it was like we just saw each other yesterday and not years ago.  It was a great feeling!!

We moved to a bigger table and we browsed the menu while chatting and catching up.  There were a number of choices of Mexican fare: Steak/Chicken burritos, Chicken Flautas, Tacos and Taco salads, Nachos, Chicken Fajitas, Quesadillas and more.  Patrick, Dana and Mother ordered steak burritos, I ordered the chicken flautas, Dylan had the Quesadillas and we ordered Nachos and Grilled Chicken Fajitas to share.  While we were waiting for our order, Patrick got up, took the poncho and hat from the hanger on the mall and put them on.  It was hilarious.  Since I wasn't sure if it was allowed, we asked the gyuys at the corner if we can fiddle with the costume and they said it was okay. :)  Patrick took the smaller set and put it on Dylan.  What do you think? hahaha

Mother and I have been friends for more than 20+ years and this was such a heartwarming reunion.  It was perfect timing that it was the holiday because of Pope Francis' visit otherwise we probably wouldn't have the time.  We picked a great spot to eat too because the food was great, it was reasonably priced, the place was clean and airy, and at that time there weren't too many people around yet.  

Our next stop was at Crepeman because the kids wanted something sweet for dessert.  Since Mother already told me about it, I said "Why not?" since we're already in the vicinity.  So we drove down to Crepeman which was about 5 minutes away on the left side of Lilac street (if you're coming from Burrito Brothers).  We were the only people at the store probably because it was still off-peak hours.  The kids watched Kuya make and assemble the crepe.  They were quite excited about it.

If I remember correctly, the kids ordered the Ferrero which was crepe with Nutella and Nuts (P90).  Patrick ordered Mango which was crepe with sliced mango, chocolate spread, whipped cream and kisses (P90).  I ordered Peaches which was crepe with peaches, choco spread, whipped cream and kisses (P90).  Lily only had coffee.

Here are the pictures of their menu:

Peaches

I really liked the crepes because they're crispy ! Of course when you have something like peaches or mangoes, they will naturally soften the crepe so you have to eat it fast.  But the texture of the crepe complements well with the sweetness of the chocolate and the tangy taste of the peaches.  It was big enough to satisfy sugar cravings too :)  I liked the setup because it was small but practical and they have a clean bathroom too :)

I don't think this will be the last time we'll visit Marikina for a Marikina Food trip.  I think the trick is to go on the off-hours to appreciate the food without worrying about parking. AND, you have to be hungry when you start out :D

Another tasty trip to Tamagoya

January 14, 2015

Some of you may know that Pope Francis is due to visit the Philippines from January 15-19.  As part of his itinerary, he will be visiting the University of Santo Tomas.  The reason why I'm mentioning it is because I learned today that we had to move Stanley, who is currently parked on the sidewalk because we have a test unit parked in the garage, to a different parking area for security reasons.  The Pope and his entourage will be passing by the street in front of our house and no car should be on the sidewalk when they pass on their way to UST.  So, we had to find Stanley a new parking slot for the duration of the holiday.

We then ended up bringing Stanley to Stevie's house in Marikina so he can be safely parked in their garage and we didn't have to pay for parking fees.  I think overnight parking fees near our area cost P300 for overnight parking.  Anyway, that's why Patrick and I ended up visiting Tamagoya once again.  We first visited Tamagoya last year.  We liked the food so much that, because now we were in the vicinity again, we couldn't pass up the chance.   This time, I was able to take pictures too hahaha

I ordered the Miso Ramen and Patrick ordered the Tamagoya ramen.  My miso ramen came with togue (monggo sprouts), a bit of nori, a slice of pork, an egg and corn kernels.  It was a good combination of salty (miso) and sweet (corn).  It was delish! :) Patrick's Tamagoya ramen included bamboo shoots, pork and nori.  We shared an order of pan-fried gyoza too.
 

Miso Ramen = P158

Tamagoya Ramen - P198

Pan-Fried Gyoza = P98

The last time we ate at Tamagoya, we were offered Choux Creme for dessert.  It was what we know as Creme Puff, a light crusty pastry with a creme filling.  I'm a sucker for creme puffs and that time we ordered the regular one and one with a strawberry filling.  This time, Patrick and I ordered the regular Choux Creme each.  It's the perfect way to clear your taste buds of the oil of the ramen :)  It was really good and there was a lot of filling! Sometimes, creme puffs can be disappointing because it's more bread than filling. Glad it wasn't the case here :D 

Choux Creme (Creme Puff) = P48

Choux Creme (inside)

Before leaving, naturally, I had to visit the restroom and I took a photo of it too hahaha It's quite small but clean. This was the downstairs bathroom.  There's also another one on the 2nd floor.  There was good running water, tissue, soap and a trash can.  

Female Bathroom (downstairs)

So, here's our receipt.

Our Receipt

If you want to visit Tamagoya Noodle House, they are open Tuesdays - Sundays (Monday-Closed) 11AM - 2PM and 5PM - 9PM only.  They are often full so expect a bit of waiting time.  Here is their address:  2 VV Soliven Avenue, Barangay Mayamot, Antipolo City.  Phone 861-86-31.

What's interesting about Tamagoya is that they also don't accept tips because as they say, "It is their pleasure serving you".  

New Year's Staycation at Hotel Jen (formerly Traders Hotel)

January 1-2, 2015

We started the New Year with family, particularly Patrick's brother Stevie's family.  They invited us to spend a night at the Hotel Jen (formerly Traders Hotel) just to catch up and be together.  Naturally, the kids were excited because it meant getting out of the house and they also wanted to see their cousins Lance and Hannah again.

All of them have already grown so big!  Two Tadeo cousins were missing though, Dimples' kids, Rhys and Vito, whom we haven't seen in a long time.






Though it was very cold and raining, that didn't stop the kids from taking a dip in the pool.  They were chilled to the bone, their chins were quivering and still they swam!  Poor daddies, they had to be cold with the kids too!

By the time, everyone came out of the pool and took a bath, it was dark and that was our view from our 14th floor connecting room.  The kids were busy running around and playing between the two rooms and Patrick and I just settled on the couch and took selfies LOL It took a number of tries till we got one right hahahha

The next morning, I was woken up by Dylan's incessant kicking so I decided to wake them all up for their early morning swim hehehe No one seemed to complain though since they wanted it anyway!  We left the kids in the care of Stevie while we bought breakfast at the nearest Jollibee in Harbour Square across the CCP.

We all lazed about while waiting for check out time.  At the lobby, the cousins took pictures for posterity.  

Meanwhile, Dylan was entranced with the revolving door and wanted to try it out by himself.  But, he backed out at the last minute and had to wait for Dana to help him out :)

We got a new Condura Negosyo Ref 5G!

September 22,  2013

Last August, our 20+ year old Goldstar refrigerator died.  I didn't realize it was weakening and should have turned it off (as the repairman said later) so that I could save it.  But, as it is, it would still have cost P6K-P7K to repair it so we decided to just buy a new one.  It took longer to get the money to actually buy one and I also had to do my research to get the best one.  We finally narrowed it down to the Condura Negosyo Ref 5G and I'll tell you why.