We joined a couple of friends for a road trip to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone so we can do some Christmas shopping. A few malls, outlets, and several shopping carts later, they brought us to Gourmet Garage, a spot they had seen during a previous trip. The restaurant had a wonderful cozy vibe. […]
Read more "SEASON’S SURPRISES AT SUBIC"There’s a lot to love about Fundacion Pacita’s restaurant, particularly the fresh, farm to table offerings. Everything on the menu board was mostly made with locally grown veggies, free-range meat, and fresh seafood. Everything looked yummy, and we ended up eating most of our meals in Batanes there. For our complementary breakfasts, we usually went […]
Read more "BATANES ADVENTURE PART IV: CAFE DU TUKON"Given the two weeks it took us from planning it to getting there, our Batanes vacation can be considered quite spontaneous. It’s normally a trip that takes time to prepare, where hotels and flights have to be booked weeks or even months in advance. Luck had something to do with it. We’re fortunate that our […]
Read more "BATANES ADVENTURE PART III: FUNDACION PACITA"The attractions on Southern Batan are mostly spread out along the scenic National Road that follows the island’s coastline. Before we toured the lower half of Batan Island, we had lunch at Octagon Bed and Dine. A few minutes away from the center of town, Octagon’s dining area has a view of the ocean, and […]
Read more "BATANES ADVENTURE PART II: SOUTH BATAN"At first, we didn’t know that much about Batanes. The remote islands that made up the northernmost and smallest province of the Philippines seemed to be shrouded in mystery. What we knew was: it wasn’t the easiest place to get to; but it was worth the trip. We did our homework, and got excited. While […]
Read more "BATANES ADVENTURE PART I: BASCO & NORTH BATAN"A shopping trip to Glorietta 5 meant a chance to try Kichitora of Tokyo. So, for lunch, we headed into the restaurant chain’s second branch in the Philippines. From outside, the restaurant provides a sleek and stylishly dark contrast compared with its neighbors. As we waited for our order, we got to take in the […]
Read more "Kichitora of Tokyo"When it comes to Manila’s food scene, if a place is new, affordable, popular or franchised from abroad, lining up is to be expected. Add the Michelin factor (in a country that’s starved for a Starred restaurant) and a perfect storm occurs. For Tim Ho Wan, the lines are practically mentioned as often as its […]
Read more "THE LINE UP FOR TIM HO WAN’S LINEUP"After several hours of walking around the halls of the National Art Gallery, we decided to end our cultural adventure at another historic landmark, the Manila Hotel. The lobby lounge was full when we arrived. Thankfully, we found a cozy little corner beside the Tap Room. We stayed there for some time just sipping our […]
Read more "MANILA HOTEL AFTERNOON"As impressed as we were with the National Museum’s collection of art, we found the neo-classical structure that held it equally impressive. When we arrived, men on scaffolds were painting sections of the Old Legislative Building’s façade. Work on the building’s southern wing had already been completed, and it looked quite elegant with the lighter […]
Read more "THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Part II: The Architecture"Neither of us had been to the National Museum of the Philippines in years. Since we’ve been hearing good things on recent developments from friends, we decided to head for the National Art Gallery. We didn’t arrange for a tour guide, and instead simply walked into the Old Legislative Building on Taft Avenue so we […]
Read more "THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Part I: The Art"