Category Archives: TIPS

SM Advantage Card: Working On Your Advantage!

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It’s nice to be writing a blog again after a few months of laziness.. Well, i just got so excited by the experiences i had from my SM Advantage Card. If you’re an SM customer, and you don’t have their Advantage Card, sorry to say that you’re not enjoying the privileges that it brings to its members.

For quite a long time, i thought that it’s just one of the “swipe cards” that you would bring once you purchase something from the store where you’re a member of. Getting some purchase “points” that will require a thousand for you to enjoy a certain “treat” from them. But then, after a long time of using my SM Advantage card, it’s now really working on my advantage. I remember last Christmas of 2010 when i was able to shop for my kids worth 2,500 pesos credited to my SM Advantage Card alone, without shelling out money from my pocket! The kids were so happy that they enjoyed having a lot of new toys and clothes on Christmas day! Aside from earning points, there are freebies and discounts from time to time during promos.

2 days ago, i received an email from SM Advantage informing me that my SM Advantage Card was upgraded to PRESTIGE. SM Prestigeis the elite membership program of SM Advantage. It is composed of SM Advantage members who have reached the required spending level at SM, or have been nominated by SM retail establishments. SM Prestige membership is free and valid for two years. It has more benefits and privileges that are over and above those enjoyed by regular SM Advantage members.

           • Free 2-year membership
• Concierge services, valet shopping and priority fitting rooms at SM Department Store
• Priority check-out lanes at SM Supermarket and SM Hypermarket
• Free access to the SM Prestige Lounge
• Free delivery (with minimum purchase) at SM Appliance Center, ACE Hardware & Makro
• Valet Shopping at Toy Kingdom & Kultura
• Free gift wrapping at SM Department Store
• Seasonal promos, exclusive to Prestige members, from SM Advantage retail partners
• Discounts and freebies from partner hotels, restaurants, resorts, spas, fitness centers,    recreation and automotive establishments

Upon claiming my Prestige card, i also signed up for an SM Advantage CHARTIS, a Personal Accident Insurance that covers up to 100,000 pesos. Your SM Advantage card will be deducted with only 20 points per year to cover the insurance. Also, your SM Advantage card must maintain 70 points to be qualified for the insurance. It is really not just a benefit but also a great help to its members specially to those who drive their own automobiles. It’s an Accident Insurance, per se!

So for those who have’nt got their SM Advantage card, avail your own now so you can also enjoy all the perks, benefits and privileges that it brings! You may check out the SM Advantage website for more details.. http://smadvantage.com.ph

 


BULLIES and the BULLIED

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I hate kids that bullies their classmates. I think they need medical attention. My daughter’s been a victim of those. Bullies should not go to regular schools. They must have a proper school where all of their kind undergo a different disciplinary approach.
I am not an “overprotective” mother. But as a parent, we want our kids to study in a school where they can learn the right values and proper behavior w/o bullies that distracts them from learning. Parents who have bully kids must know that they have a bigger responsibility to discipline their child.
It all boils down to the parents.. Bullies are kids “nurtured” by their parents who spoiled them extremely during their toddler years. They are unaware that they are teaching their kids on how to be arrogant and insecure at a very young age.
We all love our kids that’s why we want to give them almost everything that they wish to have when they were still small. But we have to know that, there are factors that might affect their attitude and behavior as they grow and becomes a school child. Parents who spoil their children and always giving them what they want means showing a perfect” world to their kids. Which is contrary to our reality.
Parents must be aware that kids should learn how to live in an “imperfect” world as all of us lives in. That there will be times, that what their kids want, they will not have even if we really can provide them. Toys are cool, but playing is more important. Anyone can play with a toy. But imagination will never exist without thinking.
Parents must encourage their children to play with other kids as they grow rather than playing with a lot of toys alone. With that, kids will develop how to deal with different characters of other kids that they play with. They will learn the value of giving, humility and friendship.
Everything that a child learn starts from home. Let’s give them a better one. Cheers to us, parents! :)

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, a review

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Rise of The Planet of The Apes is the prequel of the longest running movie franchise, Planet of The Apes. This movie was said to be the opening episode to create a new and different story to offer the audience.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a 2011 American science fiction film. The film is directed by Rupert Wyatt. It is a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series that will act as a foundation with an origin story for a new film series. Its premise is similar to the fourth film in the original series, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes in 1972, but it is not a direct remake in that it does not fit into that series’ continuity. 

The movie’s story was clearly presented all through out, but did not gave its audience to think more and get puzzled about, unlike the past episodes. It has a shocking yet interesting ending that implies a potential sequel that must be look forward to.

I give 4 STARS for this movie! :) :) :) :)

CAPTAIN AMERICA: The First Avenger, a review

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Captain America has been running in cinemas for over 2 weeks already. This was kinda late for us to watch it, when almost everybody have seen it. Well, as they say, “better late than never..” Part of our movie marathon itinerary, this is the first movie that we watched yesterday.

Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film was directed by Joe Johnston, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, and Stanley Tucci.

The film tells the story of Steve Rogers, a sickly man from Brooklyn who is transformed into super soldier Captain America to help the war effort. Captain America must also stop Red Skull, Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry and leader of a terrorist organization, who intends to use a mysterious “tesseract” energy-source for world domination.

I just find it lacking of more action stunts and more awesome fight scenes. But, of course, the setting was during the World War I, so we shouldn’t atleast expect something big to happen. It was quite slow-paced. But still has entertained me specially on the last part of the movie.

Somebody from the Twitter world who has seen the movie during the US opening gave me a tip that I must not leave the movie house until all the credits have been displayed because there is a surprise spoiler/teaser on what’s going to happen next. So as I watched it, I remember that tip so we decided to stay to wait for that surprise.. And yes! I was surprised and got excited to what I learned about. That Captain America will be on the upcoming Marvel movie, The Avengers. He will be with other Marvel Heroes such as THOR, IRON MAN, and others to be mentored and trained by Samuel Jackson. The movie will be shown on May 2012, which made me really excited to look forward to!

I give 3.5 STARS for Captain America! :) :) :)

MER-NEL’S CAKE HOUSE

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Cake is one of the “sweets” that people loves to eat. There have been a lot of successful businesses that are engaged in this industry. Red Ribbon, Goldilocks are some of the local brands that has many branches nationwide. But here in Laguna, there is a very famous cake maker that has been creating a big following for the past few years now. Even non Laguenos craves for their chocolate cake, because of the distinctive taste of the icings on their cakes.. It’s Mer-Nel’s Cake House!

I’ve been hearing a lot of great feedbacks about Mer-Nel’s cake. They say that they’ve never tasted a chocolate cake as delicious as that. So I got curious of it. A former colleague back then, brought us some at work. Yup! At first I didn’t notice any extraordinary taste to it, but as I eat continuously, the next thing I know there’s nothing left on my plate! Their main secret is in the “icing”. Some branded cakes, especially the chocolate flavored ones, has this “oily” feel that you would not appreciate to eat it all up. But Mer-Nel’s icing is different. Their icing doesn’t taste the “fatty” feel so you would end up eating everything up to the last bite. It doesn’t taste so sweet that you’d stop eating after a slice.

And not only that, their cakes are very cheap that a 10×12 chocolate cake would only costs around 500-600 bucks! I’m glad that they finally have a branch in SM Calamba, for which I know, their one and only remote branch. Their main branch is located in Los Banos , Laguna from where they all started. So from now on, I can have their delicious cake anytime I want without going so far! ;)

GOOGLE Plus: The New Era of Social Media

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Google+ has been creating a big buzz in the social networking site industry. It’s giving more curiosity to all especially to the “tech people” who has been reviewing every social networking sites’s features and uses.

Google+ is a social networking service, operated by Google Inc. that was launched last June 11, 2011 and still on its “invite-only” testing phase. The following day, existing members were allowed to invite friends through mail, which must be above 18 years of age, who can also create their own accounts. However, this was quickly suspended in a day after there was “insane demand” for accounts.

Google+ will be built as a layer that not only integrates different Google social services, such as Google Profiles and Google Buzz, but also introduces many new features including Circles, Hangouts, Sparks and Huddles. There are a lot of exciting networking features and services here that will enjoy and be benefited from by its users.

Google+ will also be available as a desktop application and as an application on Android and iOS operating systems. This is also the biggest attempt of Google to rival social networking site, Facebook which had over three quarters of a billion users in 2011.

I was fortunate to receive an invite from my sister, which i was able to sign-up immediately and flawlessly. I was so excited to have an account on Google+ and to be one of the few people to have the privelege to enjoy its cool features and applications. This is also the reason why Facebook launched their video chat, to counter part the “hangout” feature of Google+, their own video chatting service.

GOOGLE+ FEATURES

CIRCLES- enables users to organize contacts into groups for sharing, across various Google products and services. Although other users can view a list of people in a user’s collection of circles, they cannot view the names of those circles. The privacy settings also allows users to hide the users in their circles as well as who has them in their circle. Organization is done through a drag-and-drop interface. This system replaces the typical friends list function used by sites such as Facebook

HUDDLE- is a feature available to Android, iPhone, and SMS devices for communicating through instant messaging within circles.

HANGOUT- are places used to facilitate group video chat (with a maximum of 10 people participating in a single Hangout at any point of time). However, anyone on the web could potentially join the ‘Hangout’ if they happen to possess the unique URL of the Hangout

INSTANT UPLOAD- is specific to Android mobile devices; it stores photos or video in a private album for sharing later.

SPARKS- is a front-end to Google Search, enabling user to identify topics they might be interested in sharing with others; “featured interests” sparks are also available, based on topics others globally are finding interesting.

STREAMS- users see updates from those in their circles, updates similar to Facebook’s news feed. The input box allows users to enter a status update or use icons to upload and share photo and videos.

I think Google+ is a combination of Twitter and Facebook rolled into one, and even more! I even want to have an Android phone for this because the application is only available on Android powered phones for now, but soon to have an iOS app.

As an early Google+ user, i notice that the “streams” are all very informative, unlike in Facebook and Twitter that even the most nonsense things are being posted. Well, it can happen to Google+ later on, but what i like about it is that you can choose the “circles” that you would want to see your “streams” on theirs, and also the “streams” of the “cirles” that you would only want to see on yours! Very organized and discreet. Other members may follow you, but it’s your choice if you want to follow them too!

I am really really impressed with Google+! Things are getting so cool there. If Google+ comes into “full throttle”, it’s gonna be crazy! This is really a big threat to Facebook.

Google+ is a very promising social media service that gives its members the best of both worlds! I can’t wait to see everyone using it! :) :) :)

If you already have a G+ account, here’s my mine! http://gplus.to/wengblanquera check it out, and add me to your circles! :)

WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN

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I would like to share this to everyone, especially to all the men out there, who never gets tired of loving their own woman. A message to men in love.. :)

You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect, you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together. But if she can make you laugh, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold on to her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break – her HEART. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.

                                                                           –BOB MARLEY

FAVORITE CRAVINGS!

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My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. Whenever i have a great breakfast, my whole day would be great too. Who does’nt want a hot chocolate drink in the morning? I love hot choco’s! And my recently favorite is the Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate. It comes with a value pack, that you can just put over a hot water or milk.

This value pack box has 16 sachets that costs around 140 bucks. Not bad for a super delicious hot chocolate! It also comes on different variants; Marshmallow Lovers, Dark Chocolate Sensation, French Vanilla, No Sugar Added and Fat Free.

Of course, my favorite wheat bread filling? chocolate again! And that would be Nutella Hazelnut Cocoa spread.. Really perfect on any bread and biscuits as well. The 220-gram jar costs about 200 bucks, but you wont be disappointed with the nutty cocoa taste!

Enjoy breakfast! :)

SHADES OF NAILS

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I really love having manicure and pedicure. Of course with the shades of nice colors that brightens my finger nails. I used to have foot spa with manicure and pedicure at F Salon for only 300 bucks.

Then i transferred to Nail-a-Holics, tried their very pampering nail services. Their regular manicure pedicure costs 500 bucks, so it’s kinda pricey.

with my friend Eurie, branch manager of Nail-a-Holics SM Calamba

But recently, i tried Ystilo Salon, which i liked a lot because their manicure lasts for a long time, without having any scratches or blisters in a week even if you always wash your hands or do some laundry stuff. Their regular manicure pedicure costs 400 bucks. This is my latest nail shade, bright pink whick i really love!

bright pink shade from Ystilo Salon

AUDI Q7 3.0 TDI Quattro VS BMW X5 xDrive 3.0

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Oh maaan! If i just have the millions, i would definitely buy these two SUV’s! If i win the JACKPOT price in a lottery, this two will be on the top of my lists!

I have always dreamed of having my own car. But i prefer to have an SUV than to have a sedan. I really appreciate the real beauty of bigger cars than the smaller ones. They are more robusts, agile, sturdy and spacious.

These two SUV’s are matched! In terms of price and specifications.

******AUDI Q7 3.0 TDI Quattro

AUDI Q7 3.0 TDI Quattro

  • Price                                          P6,250,000
  • Seating                                             7
  • Layout                                           AWD
  • Transmission                                  6 AT
  • Fuel                                              Diesel
  • Engine                                             3
  • Cylinders                                         6
  • Horsepower (hp)                             233
  • Torque (Nm)                                   500
  • Length (mm)                                 5086
  • Width (mm)                                  1983
  • Height (mm)                                  1737
  • Wheelbase (mm)                           3002
  • Curb Weight (kg)                           2245
  • Brakes                              Front Ventilated Discs/Rear Ventilated Discs
  • Airbags                                           8
  • ABS                                              Yes

******BMW X5 xDrive 3.0

BMW X5 xDrive 3.0

  • Price                                        P6,325,000
  • Seating                                           5
  • Layout                                         AWD
  • Transmission                                6 AT
  • Fuel                                            Diesel
  • Engine                                             3
  • Cylinders                                          6
  • Horsepower (hp)                              231
  • Torque (Nm)                                    520
  • Length (mm)                                  4854
  • Width (mm)                                   1933
  • Height (mm)                                  1766
  • Wheelbase (mm)                           2933
  • Curb Weight (kg)                           2170
  • Brakes                            Front Ventilated Discs/Rear Ventilated Discs
  • Airbags                                            8
  • ABS                                               Yes

For comparison, both are ranging from P6.2M to P6.3M. Auto specs, both are 3.0 engine (though a Q7 has a 4.2 version), diesel fueled, All Wheel Drive transmission, 6-way automatic transmission, 6-cylinder, front and rear ventilated discs, with 8 airbags, and with anti-lock breaking system. The Audi Q7 is more spacious because of its 7-seating capacity while the BMW X5 has only 5 that makes the Q7 more bulky to look at than the sleek and lighter X5.

Now here’s a road test video, just showing off how these two babies look on the road.. I’m dying to have just any of the two. But if i were to choose, i would want a BMW X5. :) But having all the money to buy, i would care for both! Who does’nt anyway! ;)

I love seeing these two together! I like the scene where they were exchanging lanes, just like playing on the road. Really cool, check this out!

The Philippines Holds First “Spring Cleaning Day”

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Hello everyone! As part of my advocacy on a “Clean and Green Philippines”, and environmental obligation, i would like to share this event to everyone. Participate and be a part of it!

Five cities in Metro Manila will demonstrate how the country can save lives, time, and money, as they join the first-ever “Philippine Spring Cleaning Day (PSCD).”

In its goal to push for cleaning and sanitation as one of the most effective ways to lower the country’s disease burden, representatives from the Department of Health (DoH), UP-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP), Reckitt Benckiser, Lysol, and several local government units are calling for better sanitation through the institution of the first Philippine Spring Cleaning Day.

On May 11, there will be a simultaneous cleanup across five cities, namely Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Manila, and Pasay.

“We hope to educate as well as to encourage the habit of cleaning and disinfecting of Filipino homes through this annual event,” says Marichu Gozun, Senior Brand Manager of Lysol.

According to a joint study commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least 20 million Filipinos are exposed to poor sanitation. This means that one-fourth of the Philippine population has poor hygiene practices, do not have the benefit of an accessible and safe toilet, or do not dispose of human waste properly. The fact that less than half of Filipinos wash their hands after using the bathroom is a very telling statistic that speaks of the country’s unfortunate attitudes towards cleaning and sanitation.

Being one with the PSCD’s advocacy to educate Filipinos about the significance of cleaning and disinfecting, DoH Environmental Health Chief Dr. Rodolfo Albornoz says that families should be mindful of the harmful effects of poor sanitation not only on their health but also on other aspects of their lives.

For instance, poor sanitation affects productivity. “The rhinovirus–the virus responsible for approximately 50 percent of the cases of flu and the common cold in both adults and children–causes Filipinos to lose an average of eight school or work days a year,” shares Dr. Albornoz. Consequently, poor sanitation also results in increased economic losses.

The campaign’s concentration on household cleaning is highly significant because proponents of the PSCD believe that even the home, which is supposed to be every family’s place of refuge, can be unsafe. They note that bacteria dwell on everyday things in the home that are taken for granted. “What people do not know is that they are more likely to get sick from germs and viruses in their own homes than in any other place,” says PIDSP President Dr. Lester Deniega.

UP-NIH Executive Director Dr. Lulu Bravo agrees. “We invite everyone to take part in this initiative and join the fight against diseases,” ends Dr. Bravo.

Indeed, intensified cleaning and disinfection will go a long way towards helping the country save time and money, reduce economic costs, and increase productivity as well as people’s overall health and productivity.

Be part of the first public and private initiative for cleaning and sanitation, and join the Department of Health, Lysol and partner organizations as they celebrate Philippine Spring Cleaning Day on May 11. For more details, log on to www.philippinespringcleaningday.com and like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/philippinespringcleaningday.


A NEW LOOK..

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Since the summer started, i have change my web page to blend with some sands.. ( yeah, summer! ) But then, i find it too fancy and bright so i gave some clicks to put on a “new look” here on my blog. This website became my “online journal” for the past two years and im still getting excited to experiment on its layout. To match in the journal thing, i made it look like a notebook.. simply a journal! Cool, is’nt it?!

Expect more blog posts here more often ‘coz i’m always in front of my gadgets. Blogging at home with my Lenovo, blogging remotely through wifi with iPad, or blogging anytime with my BlackBerry. As long as i have time and willingness, i will blog. And there’s no stopping now..

I hope to inspire more ordinary people to have their online journal too! You can have it anytime as long as you have the device and the connection.. Learn to blog from WordPress, Blogger or LiveJournal and other blogging sites that will fit you.

Have an awesome life everyone! :)

PANCAKE HOUSE

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It was late night last Easter Sunday when i had a short time to cook for dinner. We ended up eating at Pancake House, a newly-opened branch along Filinvest Avenue inside the Filinvest Corporate City. It was a subtle evening within the area and very few people were strolling around.

Blueberry Pancake

Apple Shake

We just wanted to have a light dinner, but since my youngest daughter wants chicken and rice, i just ordered it for her. We tried their mouth-watering Blueberry Pancake with Apple Shake. And also the Pan Chicken Special Set for me with a cup of rice as requested by my little one.

Almondigas Soup

To soften our tummy, we ordered the Today’s Soup and the Almondigas Soup. I just slurped the Almondigas soup, and did’nt eat the meat balls. ( i just dont like the taste!) But the soup was great!

Pan Chicken Special Set

The friend chicken on the Pan Chicken Special Set was oily, and doesnt taste special at all. But the tuna macaroni salad side dish tastes good.

Venice trying to shade on the coloring maze

What im grateful about their customer service is that they understand the little kids trip. So as we wait for our food to be served, they offered a coloring sheet of paper and a small jar of assorted crayons for my little one to enjoy while waiting. So, good job for that! I would love to try their other dishes some time. :)

NATURE TRAILS CAFE

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Nature Trails Front Poster

Without a doubt, Solenad Nuvali is the most favourite family hangout place in the south, mostly in Laguna area. Because of it’s strategic and family-friendly amenities and activities, this place has become more and more popular to visit.

As time passes, more and more restaurants opens here to give variety to all its visitors and guests depending on their tastes. We went there for a Sunday lunch. It was Easter Sunday, so we expected that the place would be full of families bonding together, and of course having their lunch.

Dining Area

We were suppose to eat in a seafood cuisine resto, where they’re main dish are big crabs! But we were not as lucky because the dining area is so full and even more customers are waiting to have a table.

Inner Entrance

So we just looked for another restaurant where there were not so many people dining in. We checked out the newly-opened Nature Trails Cafe. Their menu does’nt have a wide variety of dishes, because of course it’s just a cafe. So we ordered some of their heavy meals.

Almond Salmon Fillet

What i like about Nature Trails Cafe is their very homey dining area. Well, since we were only two families eating there during that time, it made me feel lighter that i can breathe more than the other jampacked resto that we have checked earlier then.

Hawaiian Pork Chop

We tried to order the Almond Salmon Fillet with sliced potatoes on the side with dill sauce. And since it’s Easter Sunday, we gave ourselves a break, and ordered Hawaiian Porkchop. And to serve as an appettizer, we got a plate of Shrimp Mango Salad in Honey Mustard dressing. And also, i tried their banana shake as well.

Shrimp Mango Salad

The Shrimp Mango Salad was great as well as the Almond Salmon Fillet for as long as you would put a dill sauce on it or else, it would be tasteless. I dont know if i just became a “no pork” person because i didnt like the taste of the pork. I havent been eating pork for a very long time, that my taste buds doesnt like any of the pork dish at all.. :( well, good for me! :)

Banana Shake

In entirety, Nature Trails Cafe would be a good place to check out..

THOUSAND CRANES SHABU-SHABU

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Front Menu

One of the few restaurants found in The Commerce Center in Filinvest Alabang is the Thousand Cranes Shabu-Shabu. It is located in the secondth floor across Monalisa Italian Restaurant. We ran out of time for lunch, so we just decided to have it somewhere near.

Seafood Plates

It is my first time to dine in a shabu-shabu restaurant. We tried before but, the resto was full and doesnt have an available table. So, fortunately, during this Holyweek that has passed, we were able to eat in that place. Shabu-shabu is a Japanese hot pot wherein raw food/ingredients are both cooked and eaten at the same table.

Raw Seafood Plate

In observance of the Lenten season, though we did not do fasting, we tried to eat non-meat food, so it became a “seafood fiesta” for us. We ordered Seafood and Chicken, and Seafood and Beef combo platter. The meal is just so big for an average person, so it will really fill up your tummy to the max.

Raw Ingredients for Dunk

As we all know in a shabu-shabu, assosorted raw seafood, meat and vegetables are served that you must cook in a boiling soup in a built-in caserole installed on the table itself. So the food is super hot that you should eat directly from the “hot pot”. The Kiwi shake relieves me from the spiciness and hotness of the food everytime i sip it.

Kiwi Shake

I love the soup base that they serve to use for the raw food cooking. It is your choice which one to be cooked first, but it is advisable to boil first the ingredients that is much harder to tenderized.

boiling hot pot

Everything is raw except for the japanese rice, which i was’nt able to eat anymore because i got so full. Noodles, tofu, Japanese sweetcorn, other vegetables and rootcrops are heavy in the stomach as well as the assorted seafoods in it.

Overcooked

I even overcooked some of it, because the hot food slowed me down in eating. The next thing i know, everything that i have dunked inside my hot pot got overcooked.

It was a great experience, and i’ll cook better the next time i visit again in any of the shabu-shabu resto.. :)

BULAWAN FLOATING RESTAURANT

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Front Gate

It was Good Friday when our family decided to have a long road trip.. We wanted to have our lunch somewhere far in our place that will give us a different restaurant dining experience. We searched in the internet for a floating restaurant that caters Filipino dishes which we truly love. We drove along Rizal province, and found the resto that were looking for.. Bulawan Floating Restaurant. It is located in the long road of Manila East Road National Highway in Pililia, Rizal. It was a long drive but became worthwhile as we came there.

Cottages in a Pond

Bulawan is called as a “floating restaurant” because of its isolated cottages within a pond that has fishes where anyone can go fishing just for the fun of it. They serve Filipino dishes, especially seafood. This restaurant is perfect for big family dining, because most of its dining area are in big cottages.

Walkway

The only thing that dissappoints me when we we’re there was the customer service. I dont know if they are understaff at that time, or maybe because of the huge dining crowd that just wants to have lunch that made us have our lunch a bit late. The food that we ordered took over an hour to be serve, which was frustrating for hungry people like us.. huhu.. :(

view from our table

Fresh Young Buko Juice

But then, glad that they thave a nature themed dining area, that makes us feel more relaxed because of the fresh breeze of the wind. They first served the young fresh buko for our drinks.

Mixed Seafood Sinigang

Grilled Fresh Tilapia

Then of course, we craved for their mixed seafood siningang that truly relieved our hunger. It’s best served with the big grilled tilapia with soy sauce and kalamansi. It was just a simple home-style lunch that really made our day.

Halo-Halo

We also had a halo-halo for dessert, that tastes like ordinary halo-halo sold on streets. but then, it was a refreshing Good Friday lunch for us! We will try to go back there to try some other Filipino dishes that they have.

Venice enjoying the pond view

UNCLE CHEFFY BRICK-OVEN PANIZZA

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Uncle Cheffy is one of the newest restaurant to check out in the beautiful place in Solenad NUVALI, in Sta. Rosa Laguna. It was an unplanned lunch that our family had there, because we were suppose to have a restaurant hunt in Tagaytay. It was Maundy Thursday then, that the road from Sta. Rosa going to Tagaytay is in a tremendous traffic, due to tourists that wants to have their vacation.

Solenad, Nuvali is just along that road going to Tagaytay so we decided to just have our lunch there. There were new restaurants that have opened, and Uncle Cheffy catched our attention. There were a very few people in Solenad that time, because of the Lenten season.

Seafood Tom Yam

We were the only customer of Uncle Cheffy during our visit, so we owned the place for the moment. Their crew are very courteous and assisting. Since it’s Lent, we ordered non-meat dishes. To start with, we ordered the Seafood Tom Yam that boosted our appetite beacuse of its spicy flavor, and all of our favourite seafoods are there.

Larry's Craving Panizza

Then we tried the Larry’s Craving Panizza, which is a very healthy pizza that has mushrooms, salmon, escargot and also snails on top. It was a perfect seafood pizza! It came with some arugrula leaves and some alfalfa sprouts on the side that makes it more appealing to look at. The taste is superb and will definitely be loved by seafood lovers!

Fish Barbeque Platter

Then we ordered the Fish Barbeque Platter these are grilled fillets Cream Dory, Garoupa, Salmon, and Tuna Belly served with Tomato Salsa, Teriyaki, Creamy Garlic and Balsamic Sauce. The fish will taste tastes even better when dipped of drizzled with the sauces of your choice.

Water Melon Shake

Of course, dining in a resto for me woul’dnt be complete without ordering a fruit shake! I just love the natural and refreshing taste of their Water Melon Shake topped with a slice of it and a cherry!

Choco Roulade

And to finalize our delicious lunch, we tried their Choco Roulade which was offered to us by their dining crew. She told us that it’s their best seller dessert. And we believe she’s right! The creamy mango ice cream inside a roll of chocolate cake really wrapped up our lunch with a smile..

Happy Venice :)

Chicken Veggie Salad

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Hey there! For a month now, I’m being a health buff when it comes to foodies.. I rarely eat rice, I do sometimes for soupy viands. Haha! :D But most of our meals now are veggies, fishes and chicken. No more red meat, coz we’re trying to avoid those fatty and high cholesterol food.
Before, the salads that I know how to cook are macaroni and fruit salads. But now, I’m learning a lot of the salad dishes.. And I’m loving it!
I would like to share this recipe to all the health buffs out there and to those who doesn’t enjoy the idea of eating “leafy” veggie salad. We had this for dinner last night. Maybe you should try to cook this, and you’d appreciate it as a start.
First, you have to cook 3 pcs of chicken fillet and 4 slices of bacon in a deep skillet, just like frying. You have to cook first the bacon, without any oil because it will be fried by its own “fat”. Then set aside bacon and place the chicken fillet you can use the oil produced by the bacon. Then set aside, let it cool down.
For the salad dressing, combine a cup of mayonaise, a dash of worcestershire sauce, 2 stalks of chopped celery, a spoonfull of chopped parsely, 2 spoons of chopped green onions, 2 tablespoons of honey, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside the dressing and chill it in the fridge.
Before frying the chicken fillet, it must be marinated in a spoon of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cut the cooked chicken into chunks, and crumble the fried bacon. Combine the chicken, bacon and seeded chopped tomatoes. Toss the dressing on the chicken mixture until evenly spread.
Prepare some red and green lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces. Place it on a large plate, and top it with the chicken salad dressing! Enjoy best when chilled.
There you go.. I hope you would try this one out! Best for dinner! Yumminess! :)

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I LURVE STRAWBERRIES!

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Oh my.. I just can’t get enough of this famous fruit from Baguio!
I used to unlike this lovely fruit for quite some time.. But this time, I’m loving it! I’ve already eaten half a kilo of it just this afternoon after having my lunch. Dipping a not so ripe strawberry in a pinch of iodized salt tastes like heaven! Crunchiness makes it more addicting to eat some more! And if I would have leftovers, making it a strawberry milk shake or a strawberry jam would be great! Healthy and rich in vitamin C! Yumminess! :)

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