After a tornado, it's a fire...

20 August 2016

The last thing that you want to hear in the middle of the night is someone shouting "Fire! Fire!" at the top of their lungs.  And that's exactly what happened last August 20 in Sampaloc, Manila.  We've had similar experiences with fires in Sampaloc.  That time when a tanker blew up in the street fronting our compound and when there was a fire across the street from us.  This time, our house was flanked on two sides by a huge fire  - on our left and in front.  Let me tell you how it went....

First time ever to experience a tornado in Manila

14 August 2016

So we in Manila have had monsoon rains for the past 5 days (and counting).  It was just a regular Sunday, everyone was doing their own thing at home when the power went out.  Okay, that's fine, it'll come back in a second.  While waiting, it didn't come back on, and then I heard this whistling sound and I braced myself for some strong winds.  Never in my life did I expect a tornado to literally pass over our house.  I only found out that it was what it was when I went up to our roofdeck and saw the destruction.

Visiting the PAF Aerospace Museum Aircraft Park

06 August 2016

When the birthday celebration of Grayson Lucas ended at around 2PM, we took the chance to visit the PAF Aerospace Museum Aircraft Park, right on the grounds of the PAF Aerospace Museum.  It was a great chance to be up close and personal with different historic aircraft used by the Philippine Air Force.  This was the first time for me and the kids.  Patrick visited the place when he chaperoned my niece Den during her field trip in school.

The 1st birthday of Grayson Lucas at the PAF Aerospace Museum

06 August 2016

Yesterday, we went to the PAF Aerospace Museum to celebrate Grayson Lucas' 1st birthday.  We were all excited because the kids and I haven't been to the PAF Aerospace Museum before.  So, this was a birthday party, a reunion and an educational field trip rolled into one!
Thanks Jops and Gabs for inviting us!! :)  Happy birthday Grayson Lucas! :)

Attended a free ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) Seminar that taught the basics of teaching ESL in Japan

27 July 2016

Last July 23 and 24, my High School friend Erlinda (who represents companies looking for prospective Filipino employees/workers) held a two-day seminar/orientation for people who want to work in Japan.  She presented opportunities on the first day and offered a tutorial for ALTs on the 2nd day. She actually regularly does this now since the demand is becoming great but this is the first time I've been fortunate to attend.  It gave us a chance to catch up too, during the break and afterwards :)

Tasting Bo's Coffee's "Sablan Reserve" Premium Washed Bourbon #boscoffee

02 July 2016

I love coffee and it's always a joy discovering new coffee products and tastes.  We received this 200g can of Sablan Reserve as a gift and it has been sitting in our pantry for a while now since it had to be ground before we could actually brew it.  It was worth the wait! :)

1-Day Sale at The Reading Room in Cubao X

02 July 2016

It's always nice to discover new shopping haunts, particularly if they're entrepreneurial boutiques that offer unique and interesting products.  Today, we found one when we went to The Reading Room, Shop #39 in Cubao X (formerly the Marikina Shoe Expo).  I saw their 1-day sale announcement on Facebook yesterday and as Dana and I browsed their products, we squealed when we stumbled on their Totoro Luminous stickers and then and there we decided to visit their shop :)  This was also the first time for the kids to visit the former Marikina Shoe Expo.

Admission to the National Museum (and its other museums nationwide) is Permanently FREE!

01 July 2016

Our family so enjoyed our visit to the National Museum and the Museum of the Filipino people last May that we follow the National Museum of the Philippines' Facebook page for announcements on FREE admission schedules.  Just yesterday, I was so surprised and exhilarated to learn that the National Museum, through its Board of Trustees, has established that admission to the National Museum and its other sister museums nationwide will be PERMANENTLY FREE starting July 1st 2016!

Interesting finds at the new Miniso store in Robinsons Manila

25 June 2016

As we walked around Robinsons Manila, we naturally gravitated towards Daiso, our favorite Japanese-brand store.  Even though we didn't have anything to buy, it's comforting to be surrounded by a ton of kawaii and practical stuff :) While there, the kids needed to go to the bathroom and when we went to find one, we ended up seeing the new Miniso store at the 2nd Level of Robinsons Manila (Padre Faura wing).  At that point, Dylan, Dana and I simply couldn't resist and went to check it out =)

After-dinner desserts at Cafe Mary Grace in Robinsons Manila

25 June 2016

After a satisfying early dinner at Erra's Vest Ramen in Malate, we went back to Robinsons Manila because that was where we parked the car.  We went around the mall for a while, trying to walk off a sumptuous meal =)  We weren't aiming for anything in particular but we all came to stop when we reached the Cafe Mary Grace area.  Dylan, Patrick and I have tried their desserts when my friends and I met up one time in Makati.  Now, Dana was with us and we wanted to share the experience with her as well.

Ramen for 100 pesos or less at Erra's Vest Ramen in Malate, Manila

25 June 2016

Today, we received a treat from my cousin Joyce who asked me to take the kids somewhere nice for the day.  Patrick and I decided to go to Erra's Vest Ramen in Malate, Manila as they're known for authentic Japanese ramen for P100 or less.  Since we all love ramen and the price is a great come-on, we all trooped to Erra's Vest Ramen to explore their offerings.

Day 1 of Toy Con 2016: Part 2 #ToyConPopLifeFanXperience

10 June 2016

This post is a continuation of our experience during the First Day of Toy Con 2016.  The first part of our Day 1 adventures focused on the ToyCon itself, with the Toys and Collectibles booths and exhibits.  This time, it's the PopLife FanX side of the event.  Halls 3 and 4 were dedicated to this part of the event.  Read on to see what the Stan Lee Excelsior Exhibit is all about.  Look at the giant, life-sized Funko Pop figures.  Check out pictures from the press con with Kristian Nairn, Dean Cain and Daniel Logan.

Day 1 of ToyCon 2016: Part 1 #ToyConPH2016

10 June 2016

Today, Patrick and I attended the ToyCon 2016 + Poplife Fan Xperience event at Halls 1-4 of the SMX at the SM Mall of Asia.  The Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention, shortened to "ToyCon", is now on its 15th year and has partnered with PopLife (makers of the popular Funko Pop figures) and Salt Lake Comic Con producers Dan Farr and Bryan Brandenburg to add another dimension to the event with the highly anticipated "Poplife FanXperience".

The event showcases 3 days (June 10-12) of toys, cosplays, exhibits, performances, panels, photo ops and autograph signings.

For today, we saw the Stan Lee Excelsior Exhibit, attended the Press Con and interview panels with celebrities Kristian Nairn (Hodor of Game of Thrones), Dean Cain (Superman of Lois and Clark) and Daniel Logan (Young Boba Fett of Star Wars) and browsed the many booths and displays.

Pio's 4th Birthday Celebration at Kenny Rogers Roasters Katipunan

04 June 2016

Today, we went to Kenny Rogers Roasters in Katipunan to celebrate Pio's 4th Birthday.  We left pretty early to avoid the traffic and we made it in time to slide into the last remaining slot in the parking :)
This was the first time we've attended a birthday party at Kenny Rogers so it was interesting to see how they managed the party.

Picking up a Parcel from the Philippine Postal Office

03 June 2016

We don't normally get notices to pick up parcels at the Post Office.  Usually, any package that we receive is delivered door to door by couriers because they're faster and they don't get opened.  So, when I received a Postal Notice to pick up something at the Post Office, my first thought was, "Who could possibly have sent me something through postal services?"  My 2nd thought was, "Oh no, I don't want to be overcharged for the package!" There was a time when people were up in arms because they were being charged obscene amounts for packages that were being claimed at the Post Office.  Well, with trepidation in my heart, this is what happened at the Post Office.

Steps to Filing for Amnesty for Real Estate Taxes in Manila

31 May 2016

Today, Patrick and I went to the Manila City Hall to get our real estate taxes in order.  We've lapsed on our payments (yep, our bad!) and so we wanted to get our affairs in order.  Fortunately, as we were trying to figure out our way at the Tax Payers' Lounge, we noticed that there were "amnesty" signs around the area which prompted us to ask if we were eligible.  So, yeah, it turned out that we were and these are the steps that we took to file for Amnesty for Real Estate Taxes in Manila.  Hope it helps others even if the Amnesty is only until June 30.

Dinner at Ponte Rialto Ristorante Italiano in McKinley Hill

29 May 2016

After 2 hours of listening to great music from Bituin Escalante and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Jazz Ensemble (read about it here), we all trooped to Ponte Rialto Ristorante Italiano in McKinley Hill.  This restaurant is owned by long-time friends and it's only been recently opened so we were simply honored to be invited.  They offer authentic Italian cuisine, a varied selection of wines and drinks, and an altogether cozy and warm atmosphere perfect for dining amidst the replica of the Venice Grand Canal.

Jazz for a Summer Evening with Bituin Escalante and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Jazz Ensemble

29 May 2016

It's always a privilege to be able to watch our good friend Bito perform, whether she's on stage as an actor (she's a fine theater actor) or as a singer (one of the best vocal talents of the Philippines!). Yesterday, we saw that she was performing at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village, Makati together with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Jazz Ensemble and we immediately got excited and prepared to watch them.  Oh and it was free so it really was a great opportunity for us to enjoy great music in the open air! :)

Travel: Trip to Museo Pambata - Free Entrance because of International Museum Day 2016

18 May 2016

Today is my Mom's 69th birthday.  In her honor, we went to the Museo Pambata (the first hands-on children's interactive museum in the Philippines)  because as an Educator of young minds, my mom absolutely loved museums and the wealth of knowledge that they can impart.  It was incidentally International Museum Day so Museo Pambata's entrance fees were waived for the day which was a blessing too! :)  Read on to see what's inside Museo Pambata :)

Events: Luke's 1st birthday

14 May 2016

Another milestone in the Tadeo Family:  Luke celebrated his 1st Birthday at Jollibee Pioneer! Yay! Happy birthday Luke and Congrats to Mommy Toni and Daddy Stevie!! :)  It's so nice to see everyone again.  Thank you for inviting us we had such a great time!! Daming pagkain!! :)

Travel: Visiting Rizal Park in Manila

13 May 2016

When we visited the National Museum and the Museum of the Filipino People last May 5th (see the posts here and here), we knew that we needed more time to visit Rizal Park and its environs.  Today was the day we came back for more.  We started around 4PM to avoid the hot summer sun and we ended our walking tour around 6PM.  It was enough to visit most of the attractions between the Quirino Grandstand and Luneta, but ideally, we should have taken more time to include the ones opposite the Museum of the Filipino People. Read on for more of our adventure.

Finished Voting! #2016Elections

09 May 2016

Today is the day Filipino people are heading to the polling booths to cast their votes for President, Vice President, 12 Senators, Congressman, Mayor, Vice Mayor, 6 Councilmen and a PartyList Representative.  Voting Booths open at 7am but Patrick and I went at 830AM.  We wanted to get it done early to avoid the rush and the heat in the afternoon.

So, we headed to Moises Salvador Elementary School, which was where I voted last time.  When we got to the gate I knew, it was closed and Patrick said it's probably the school next door so we went there.  When we looked for our precinct number on the list, it wasn't there.  So, we asked at the Voter's Assistance Desk and we were so silly, there was another gate at Moises Salvador!  It was closed because the school was undergoing some construction.

We followed the rest of the public who were headed in the same direction.  At the school, we looked for our precinct number so we know which room we needed to head to.

We then headed to it.  There was quite a number of people around already.  Some were going to vote, others are done.

I had no problem finding my name on the list when we got to the room since I had voted in the previous elections.  Since Patrick was voting in this precinct for the first time and he just reactivated his voting privileges, we couldn't locate his name at first and he had to confirm with COMELEC at the front of the school.  But upon re-checking the list, his name was there.  We just overlooked it, our brains weren't working this early in the morning haha.  So, that was a relief.

Picture taking isn't allowed inside the polling room so I didn't take pictures :)  The procedure was fast though.

• An assistant will write down your name, gender, number on the list and precinct number on a piece of paper.  
• You will bring this with you into the room for verification.
• Once verified, you will proceed to the next table where you will sign on the COMELEC registered voters' list (I don't know what you actually call it).  The list actually shows the digitized photo they took of you when the Biometrics update happened.  This is a great security feature to avoid flying voters.  
• Next, the Board of Elections Officer will hand you your ballot covered in a folder and a marker with the express reminder to mark your votes gently to avoid punching a hole through the ballot.  Apparently, some people press too hard or hold the marker too long on their ballots that they end up punching a hole in them.  
• After you've marked your choices on the ballot, you take it to the desk to personally run it through the machine.  I did it! I think I overheard the person in charge say that the machine will capture everything regardless of how you insert the ballot (whether front first or back first).
• Then, you wait for the machine to spit out your receipt which you check to make sure that the votes that you cast are reflected correctly.  The receipt will show you a printed list of your choices for the respective positions.  Mine showed my own personal choices, so no problem there.
• You will then give back the receipt to them and watch them put in a container.  You're Done!

Going out of the school after voting feels good.  It's even better because there are so many food stalls around the school.  There are vendors selling corn, buko juice, gulaman, corn on a cob, mangoes and other fruits, cookies, donuts and many other street foods.  We bought mangoes, corn, taho and cookies :)

The street was getting crowded as people are beginning to flock to the schools.  I think plenty are excited to make their voices heard! Mabuhay Philippines!

Visit to the Quezon City Parks and Wildlife Center

07 May 2016

We went to the Quezon City Parks and Wildlife Center primarily to attend Joe Inoue's Meet and Greet with his Filipino fans (story here).  After the event, we decided to go around the place since it's been a while since we've been here and it appears that a lot has changed.  On the way to the venue, we passed a lot of people having a picnic or just walking around and relaxing.

Meet and Greet with Joe Inoue at the Quezon City Parks and Wildlife Center

07 May 2016

The best way to be on "stalker mode" with your favorite celebrity is to set their posts to "see first" on your News Feed on Facebook.  Since we saw Joe Inoue at the Nihonggo Festival last February (related post here), Dana and I have taken to keeping updated with his meet and greet events for fans.  We were excited when we saw him post that he was in the Philippines and will be at the Quezon City Parks and Wildlife Center (he originally posted that the venue was to be at the Quezon Memorial Circle).  This was so doable since it was pretty accessible and we made sure that we'd make it.

Walking around Intramuros: Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral and Bacolod Chicken House

05 May 2016

This post is really a continuation of our trip from the National Museum and the Museum of Anthropology,  From these two museums, Intramuros was just a stone's throw away and I wanted to visit Fort Santiago (which was within Intramuros) so that Dana can have the chance to visit it as Dylan already had.

Free Admission to the National Museum: Part 2 - Museum of Anthropology

05 May 2016

This post is the 2nd part in the "Free Admission to the National Museum" adventure that the kids and I had.  The first part can be seen here.  The focus of this post is the Museum of Anthropology, also known as the Museum of the Filipino People.  It is located at the old Department of Finance Building in Rizal Park and may be considered as an extension of the National Museum.  It contains anthropological and archaeological artifacts about our Filipino heritage.

Free Admission to the National Museum: Part 1 - The National Art Gallery

05 May 2016


I've always wanted to revisit the National Museum with my kids.  I used to be able to visit it when I worked at the Senate since at one point, it was where the Upper House held their sessions and I'd go around at idle moments.  For the month of May, since it's National Heritage Month, the National Museum has offered "Free Admission" which made it a good time for an educational/cultural trip.  The "Free Admission" allows you to enter the National Museum (the National Art Gallery),  the Museum of the Filipino People (old Department of Finance Building) and the National Planetarium and all other regional museums in the country.  The National Museum is located at P. Burgos Drive, Rizal Park, Manila.

Trip to Pililla Wind Farm: Directions and Other Info

30 April 2016

The last time we went looking for the Pililla Wind Farm, we didn't actually end up getting there.  You can read about our journey here.  This time, we decided on traveling the route we were originally on (the Sampaloc-Tanay road) before we turned around and drove down via the less-known route from near Camp Capinpin.  At the 54MW Pililla Rizal Wind Farm, we were up close and personal with six (6) 125-meter tall wind turbines capable of generating 2MW of power.  From here, we also saw a row of 9 more wind turbines at a different location, presumably along the same road which we weren't able to access at this time.

Trip to Pililia Wind Farm: Lunch first at Cafe Katerina

30 April 2016

Yesterday, we decided that since Patrick was test driving the new Hyundai Tucson for Top Gear Philippines, we could go back to the Pililia Wind Farm and see if we could actually finish what we started before (read about our previous trip here).  We left the house at 10AM and arrived around lunchtime at our first stop, Cafe Katerina. Cafe Katerina is a restaurant offering Filipino dishes located atop a hill affording a scenic overlook of the Tanay, Rizal area all the way to Laguna de Bay.

We watched Captain America Civil War twice!

28- 29 April 2016

Last April 28, Dana and her friends made plans to hang out in Greenhills.  Seeing as Patrick was out of town, Dylan and I decided to go with her although of course, I told her that when we got there Dylan and I will separate from her and her group.  It turned out that Dylan and I went ahead of them because some of her friends weren't there yet at their meeting place.  I told her to text me when they arrive in Greenhills.

The Isuzu 4x4 Action Playground at the SM Mall of Asia #IsuzuPhilippines ‪#‎MyIsuzuActionPlaygroundExperience‬

21 April 2016

Today, we attended the opening of the Isuzu 4x4 Action Playground at the Exploreum Parking of the SM Mall of Asia.  The event features both the Isuzu mu-X and the D-Max as they both take on the Slipper Roller, the Articulation Ramp and the Action Playground's Highlight - the 20ft Thrill Hill, a 40 degree Transverse Angle Ramp.  The obstacle course showcases the powerful engines (163 PS maximum output and 380Nm maximum torque) of both vehicles and everyone is invited to participate from April 21-24, 10AM to 9PM.

A night of friendship at Cafe 80s with High School peeps

16 April 2016

Tonight, I had a chance to meet up with some High School buddies of mine at the Cafe 80s Bar in Quezon City.  It's been awhile since I've attended any gathering with them so this was a pleasant opportunity to catch up on everyone.  It was nice to see old friends again and meet some new ones. It was a fun night!
*Pictures are courtesy of Leander Suguitan

Took a trip to the Pililia Wind Farm in Rizal #PililiaWindFarm

13 April 2016

The best trips out of town are those that are unplanned and spontaneous.  Just like today, Patrick simply announced he wanted us to take a drive to the Pililia Wind Farm and we were all like, "Where is that?" haha It turned out that he has been meaning to see these huge windmills in Pililia, Rizal (pretty much like those in Bangui, Ilocos Norte which he has already seen) and since he's test driving the 2016 Honda Jazz as well, it would be a killing-two-birds-with-one-stone type of deal.

Dana hangs out with her friends for the day

08 April 2016

I am about to write about another milestone in Dana's life.  It's her first time to go out with her friends for the day.  Now, you have to understand, Dana hasn't gone anywhere without us, except maybe with her class on their retreat.  Even with their educational field trips we were always with her.  This is the first time she's going anywhere by herself, even though it's with her friends.

They've made plans for this day out after their graduation and she has been really excited about it.  I, on the other hand, was more worried because she doesn't know how to commute because she's had the privilege of being driven around in a car.  Yes, she's ridden public transportation but she hasn't really paid attention to roads and locations because she was with us.  So, I knew that I had to teach her how to commute by herself first.  We looked at Google maps so she'll know where she's going and how she's going to return.  It's easier to picture everything when it's visual and there are references.  She's familiar with the area that they're going to so that's a plus.  I also told her how to commute using the jeepney, like where to get off, how much to pay and what to do next if she misses her stop.  I knew she was nervous but I trust that she understood.

DIY: Removing rust from my tools using vinegar

05 April 2016

Everyday, I try to find something to do at the house aside from the normal chores.  Today, I decided to tackle reorganizing one of our storage closets.  To make a long story short, I ended up throwing a lot of things but the worst was I found that my toolbox and the tools inside got wet (for some reason) and now they're rusted! So, some of you may say that I should just buy new tools but see, these are my grandfather's and father-in-law's tools.  They're really heavy-duty! :)

Anyway, I was racking my brain to figure out how to remove the rust without further harming the metal.  Obviously, I couldn't just wash it in water and soap because that would just exacerbate the rust.  I turned to Google to find out what I needed and after several articles they all pointed to using vinegar to remove the rust from my tools.

Knowing that, I took inventory of my tools and planned how to go about it.  First, I didn't have enough vinegar to be able to soak the tools in one go.  Second, I didn't have a big enough tub with which to soak them in too.  So, I knew I'd have to do this in two parts - smaller, lightly-rusted tools first to test just how much vinegar to use and how long I have to soak them in for.  The more rusted ones will follow.  I asked Patrick to buy a gallon of vinegar just to be sure.

Like I said, I started with the smaller tools first.  Silly me, I forgot to take a before picture because I was intent on making sure that I wouldn't get cut or hurt handling the tools.  I put them in a small pail and added just the right amount of vinegar to soak everything. The picture below shows the result of soaking them overnight and scrubbing and scraping off the stubborn rust with a steel wool brush.  I rubbed oil on them for good measure.

Now that I've seen that the acid in the vinegar actually eats through the rust, I was ready to deal with the heavier tools and I remembered to take pictures this time :)  Instead of a pail, I used a medium-sized basin.   I also put some vinegar in the bottom of the tool box although I kind of felt that I was going to throw it anyway but just wanted to try first.

As you can see, after a few hours, the clear bottom has turned murky and dark from the rust.  I turned them over so that the other side can be soaked as well.

When I figured I've given the vinegar enough time to penetrate the rust and make it easier for me to scrape it off, I did just that.  The thing is, during the first trial, after removing the tools from the vinegar, I immediately dried them off and polished them quickly.  With the second set of tools, I left them to air dry after the scrubbing and the scraping since I had to clean the bathroom first.  This was a mistake.  There was some oxidation on the tools which meant that I needed to double my efforts in cleaning them again.  This didn't happen with the first set of tools. So, Lesson Learned. :)  I remembered too late that you're supposed to put some baking soda on the tools to stop the acidic reaction but I forgot that. 

There was a remarkable change in the tools as you can see.  I made sure to really put a lot of oil on them too.

Anyway, it felt really good to see the rust coming off.  It was a lot of work and it's a pain on the hands but it's all worth it.  I hope that this helps :)

Bought a new monitor, the Viewsonic VA2046a-LED!

23 March 2016

The last thing that you want to hear about when you've just woken up is someone telling you that the computer is broken.  That brings to mind all sorts of bad things and most of them expensive costs.  So, I immediately went down to assess exactly what "broken" means.

Dana's Graduation Day and Dylan's Birthday

18 March 2016

Today marks the end of Dana's elementary school life.  I can't believe that time has flown so quickly that Dana is now finished with elementary and will now be embarking on her High School journey.  Still, this is a milestone in our family's life and we're just so proud of her for making it this far.  Congratulations Dana! :)

On another note, today is also Dylan's birthday so it's a double celebration for our family! :)  Happy birthday Dylan!

Joaquin's Baptism and Tracy's birthday

28 February 2016

Well, it's Sunday and today was my nephew's son, Joaquin's baptism.  Dana, Dylan and I traveled by ourselves all the way to Fairview/Caloocan to attend the event and the travel was an adventure too.  We had to take an FX to get there because Patrick was still in Bohol and I didn't know how to drive so we couldn't take Stanley.

Went to the "Art for Everyone" exhibit at the SM Megamall

27 February 2016

After attending the Nihongo Fiesta 2016 and seeing Joe Inoue live in Manila (here's the post), Dana, Dylan and I went to SM Megamall for the "Art for Everyone" exhibit.  Dana remarked that it was weird that we just visited a Japanese anime event and now we're headed to a contemporary art exhibit.  The exhibit features several diverse pieces from local contemporary artists using a variety of media and subjects.  It's free and open to the public until February 28 and will have other ongoing exhibits at SM City North EDSA, SM Aura, SM Southmall, SM Cebu and SM Lanang.

Went to the Nihongo Festival and saw Joe Inoue Live in Manila

27 February 2016


Today was supposed to be an ordinary day until Patrick tagged me on this link.  Joe Inoue, the singer of "Closer", one of Naruto Shippuuden's ending songs, was going to be performing live in the afternoon at the Nihongo Fiesta 2016 sponsored by the Japan Foundation Manila at the Shangri-la Plaza for free!  Dana, Dylan and I were so excited because first, it's free! Second, the venue was accessible! Third, we had plenty of time to finish our chores before we go! :) yay! There was a moment of doubt because we might have a hard time coming home from there since I remember that area always being jam-packed with people during the rush hour.  But, what the heck, it's a rare opportunity so we went!