Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Friday, July 17, 2020
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Four Days in Barcelona: Basking in the Eternal Summer of Spain's Second Largest City
The mountaintop town of Montserrat in Barcelona, Spain.
It can be said that here in the United Kingdom, where I currently reside, the weather is almost always unpredictable and the temperature is fickle. It can be summer here, but the sun will be hiding behind a thick fluff of cloud. Or it can be spring, but the temperature is close to 5 degrees. Judging by the color of the skies, you can either bring an umbrella and find out that you won't be needing it, or you could forgo bringing your umbrella but later on regret it when that 24-degree warm weather decides to be a total a-hole and gives way to a surprise shower.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
A Fellowship of Friends in the Idyllic Countryside of Onibury
Sunday morning brunches will definitely taste better with this view.
Written in (great) retrospect.
The sixth of September, 2018.
An ordinary day, to say the least. The neighbourhood was quiet except for twelve bustling few who were busy loading luggages and food coolers into a white twelve-seater mini-coach. They didn't think the day would turn out to be ordinary and neither did I-- it was my birthday, after all, and all twelve of us were going to a secluded refurbished barn in the countryside for some rest and relaxation.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Discovering the Wonders of White, Red, and Rose at the Theescombe Estate Wine Farm
Afternoon has turned to evening over the vineyards of Theescombe.
If, one day, a mad scientist would approach me claiming to have discovered a drug that can banish all despair in the world, I would grimly tell him that his tonic is already being used even long before ancient civilisations came to thrive to modernity-- and it's affectionately called 'vin', the ever-sophisticated 'wine'. Some parts of the Bible even feature this specific fermented solution, while the ancient texts of Greek mythos have a god named "Dionysus" claiming dominion over vineyards and, subsequently, the fruit and the wines cultivated from them.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
The Dorsett Wanchai in Hong Kong is a Kid-Friendly Paradise
The hotel's Deluxe Family Quad Room.
Image from the Dorsett Wanchai's official website.
During our final two days in Hong Kong, we stayed in a hotel that all the mommy bloggers in the world are gushing about because the staff always goes the extra mile to accommodate guests with little tots in tow.
The Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong (formerly known as Cosmopolitan Hotel) is the ultimate choice for group travelers and/or tourists traveling as a family. The hotel promises a pleasant experience despite having the lowest rates in town without ultimately having to sacrifice comfort, luxury, and accessibility.
The Dorsett Wanchai (formerly Cosmopolitan Hotel) in the distance.
The Dorsett Wanchai is just a stone's throw away from well-renowned tourist hotspots like the Happy Valley Race Course, the Hong Kong Racing Museum, Victoria Park, and Hong Kong's answer to Japan's kawaii cafes, the Hello Kitty Secret Garden.
The bus stop across the hotel is where Bus #40 (to Stanley Village) drops off and picks up passengers every 4 minutes to take directly to the beautiful Ocean Park. Should you wish to experience the cool, crisp air and the high-end shopping that Victoria Peak up in the mountains has to offer, there's another bus stop near the Dorsett where Bus #15 (to The Peak, Terminus) makes a stop every 12 minutes.
As a reference to its close proximity to Hong Kong's famed Happy Valley Race Track, the hotel's room numbers were superimposed on horse figurines!
Check-in was a breeze. The courteous receptionists just looked at our travel documents and reservation confirmation and, once satisfied, swiped my credit card for the security deposit and called for a bellboy to take us to the nineteenth floor-- all in a span of less than ten minutes!
The Dorsett's Deluxe Family Quad room as captured by my unprofessional photographer's lens.
Mini-bar, coffee, and tea maker.
What's inside the mini-bar?
Ironing board and flat iron, mini-safe, cotton robes, and indoor slippers.
The bathroom.
Our suite came with a bath tub!
LCD TV.
When navigating in and around Hong Kong, a pocket wi-fi can be your best friend. The handheld comes free to use for Dorsett Wanchai guests.
When Dorsett Wanchai's hotel manager learned that I was traveling with a three-year old primadonna who celebrated her third birthday one day prior to our stay, he gave her two complimentary Dorsett Wanchai teddy bears instead of the usual one teddy along with the complimentary kiddie snack box and complimentary set of Johnson's baby care products! I didn't know who was more thrilled from all the gifts-- me or the little one.
In Dorsett Wanchai, everything is double the fun.
The complimentary kids' snack box. It has a milk drink, a packet of chips, a packet of sweets, and a box of chocolate balls inside.
Johnson's Baby Bath and Baby Shampoo for our little pampered princess.
One of the thrills that comes with being a child guest in Dorsett Wanchai is going "treasure hunting" inside the room. Playing on the fact that kids are naturally curious about opening drawers and peering inside nooks and crannies, the hotel staff hides "treasures"-- little packets of sweets and snacks-- where an exploring little tyke may find it. In my three-year old princess' case, she found one inside our side-table's drawer and another inside a corner of the closet.
Look at what my princess found inside one of the drawers! What a treat!
Should your little one get bored, Dorsett Wanchai also offers a mobile library service upon request (subject to availability). The management at Dorsett believes that empowering children to read at a very young age can make better our world's future, because is there a better way to cultivate fruit than to nourish the soil that binds the roots?
A tisket, a tasket, the books are in a basket!
(Some pictures from other blogs show the mobile library in the likeness of a big two-tiered dollhouse in wheels filled with books.)
Reading together is a fun way to bond with your child!
"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."
Our stay at the Dorsett Wanchai came with free breakfast buffet for four. The buffet is served daily in the Dining House on the second floor from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
Bread station.
Fruits and vegetable salad station.
Cheese and dried fruit. The kitchen help need to replenish plates more quickly.
Juices and milk.
A table for cereals.
Grilled tomatoes and beef curry.
Chicken sausage and beef burger patties.
Scrambled eggs and Chinese-style sauteed vegetables.
During the afternoon and evening, the Dining House reverts back to being Dorsett Wanchai's Chinese/Seafood Restaurant. Taking pride in serving only the freshest seafood, there are rows upon rows of glass tanks where customers can just pinpoint what they want served to their table.
My sweetheart probably wants to play with them more than have them buttered with garlic and chili.
Are these sea cucumbers?
Clams are surprisingly cute and stretchy!
Overall, we had a wonderful time at the Dorsett Wanchai and would like to stay again if we were to return to Hong Kong with a much older (but still little) travel-savvy baby girl. The service and the warm, hospitable staff were the best!
Friday, November 10, 2017
There's an Addictive New Role-Playing Game for Travel and Food Enthusiasts (Like Me!)
Move over, Pokemon Go!
I came across Chef Wars when I opened my App Store and saw it as the Featured Game of the Day. With the promise of being "a food and cooking RPG (role-playing game)" with "over 900 recipes to discover" and "over 500 different towns to explore", I could not resist sacrificing my three-year old niece's Playfirst app (much to her chagrin) just to make more room in my phone for a 116.9 mB app.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Spending the Last Few Days of Summer at the World-Famous Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort
The stunningly-beautiful infinity pool at Villa Escudero.
I'm not usually one to visit an attraction that I've already gone to in the past unless (1) some part of it was revamped in a major way, or (2) it was designated as a place where I need to go to celebrate something. In the case of my second visit to Villa Escudero, it was for both aforementioned reasons: their swimming pools were newly-renovated and my father booked us a room for Fathers' Day.
And so, we drove to Tiaong, Quezon province in the middle of June for a family staycation where we expected to be free from the stresses that came with living in a generation where dogs eat dogs.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
[In Photos] Japan's Tsukiji Fish Market: The World's Largest
I love you, King Crab. Now come into my tummy!
Friday, September 8, 2017
The 7 Things That I Miss the Most About Japan
Delicious takoyaki (octopus balls) from a food stall in Ueno Park.
As of the time of writing, it's been five months since my family and I concluded our twelve-day vacation in Tokyo, Japan, but the euphoria from having explored our ultimate dream destination did not decrease the slightest. It's all we ever talk about at home. We made a slideshow out of the 3, 600+ pictures and 10+ videos that we shot in Japan which my mom fondly plays everyday; and sometimes, we find ourselves daydreaming about the most surreal twelve days of our lives so far.
With my heart continuing to yearn for the Land of the Rising Sun, I've listed the top seven things from that country that I miss the most.
Optional: Jump to:
Page 2: Japanese food and street fare, Japanese food markets called depachikas, and the extensive and exceptionally-efficient railway transportation system.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Reliving the Spanish Era in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Bataan
Old Heritage Houses standing on the edge of a canal in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.
There's something fascinating about old architecture.
I remember writing a 300-word essay explaining my stand on a question that went, "Should old heritage buildings be kept as they are or demolished to give way for progress?" It sounded like it was an easy question wherein any immediate opinion could easily be formed, but it was not.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Dining with the Posh Monsters of Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku, Tokyo
The Mushroom Disco area of Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku, Tokyo. Image from Spoon and Tamago.
When the word "MONSTER" is mentioned, my three-year old princess' immediate response is a somewhat unique and isolated process of its own kind. She instantly freezes with her mouth agape for three seconds, drops whatever she is holding, hesitates for a few nanoseconds before her flight response activates. She runs screaming to the nearest caregiver (usually me) for comfort or to the nearest blanket where she hides like a cute little kitten threatened with a bath. I point out that Mike and Sully from one of her favorite Pixar film are monsters. She points at the empty wall behind me and quietly whispers "A monster. Wearing white."
Either she's learned the art of trolling people back or she has an active third eye. I pray to God it's the former.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Spending the Day as a Strawhat Pirate at the ONE PIECE Tokyo Tower Theme Park
A part of the Mugiwara Crew Banquet at the Landing Port, Tokyo Tower One Piece. Image from this link.
Imagine living in a world where the ultimate dream for most people is to be able to sail under the vast blue sky with bits of swashbuckling adventure on the side. Think of the proposition that there exists a world where the ocean so greatly divides the lands that much of the world is left unexplored. Imagine a world not run by any technological advances but is instead driven by the people's magnanimous love for the need to satisfy their natural curiosity about the world and its unsolved mysteries. Wouldn't it be nice to set sail in an alternate universe where the romantic call of the ocean is all the fad? While this kind of dream is far from becoming reality, the experience is within reach via boob tube.
Sunday, April 9, 2017
A Taste of Vietnamese at the Lucky Bà ngoại's Kitchen #9 Vietnamese Street Food Restaurant!
The "Bahn mi" (Php 110.00), a traditional Vietnamese sandwich. Marinated pork cutlets together with onions, dressing and other vegetables are stuffed inside a crispy, toasted bun. Only at Lucky Bà ngoại's.
Friday, March 31, 2017
15 Things To Do in Davao City for First-Time Tourists (Like Me!)
The "Fruitasan Mo" fruits market at Bangkerohan, Davao City.
"All roads lead to Davao City."
While Davao City in Davao del Sur has always been one of the Philippines' most iconic tourist destinations, its new-found popularity and sudden projection to the spotlight can be credited to the country's most powerful man as of present-- His Excellency, President Rodrigo Roa-Duterte who hails from said province. The largest city in the world in terms of land area, Davao City has always been famous for its low cost of living, public safety, cleanliness, and orderliness, and its export-quality production of fruits and seafood.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Pondering about Life: My Birthday Staycation in Pampanga!
One of the mid-depth pools at Rhosean's Garden Resort, Pampanga.
On the morning of September 1, 2016, I and my family woke up to a tragic news: one of my uncles from Pampanga passed away due to multiple organ failure from end-stage renal disease. With this tiny tidbit, we were also informed that his interment will be on the 6th.
September 6th was the day I was born.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Buffet by the Beach! San Fabian PTA Beach Resort Combines Stellar Views with Awesome Food!
The wooden azotea of San Fabian PTA Beach Resort overlooking the picnic area and the ocean is where diners may indulge themselves in unlimited pork barbecue and bangus sisig.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Tribute to Summer 03: Feeling like a Cowgirl! Horseback-riding at Wright Park, Baguio City
Beautiful horses waiting to give customers a ride at Wright Park.
The third post in the Tribute to Summer series details the trip I took with my family to Baguio City on a warm, sunny day after a meet-up with my endocrinologist.
(Related: The first post from the Tribute to Summer series can be found here.)
The Philippines, being a Southeast Asian country, only has two seasons: Dry and Rainy; there is no in-between-- just these two extremes of temperature. Filipinos try to escape from the unrelenting heat of the sun by going to the pool/beach, staying cool indoors, or climbing to places in high altitude-- and Baguio City is one such place. Dubbed the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", Baguio City in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines is about 1,500 meters from sea level. It is close to the sun, but it's cool and crisp most of the year. From my experience living in Baguio for almost two years, temperatures can go up to 33° Celsius during dry season to as low as 9° Celsius during the rainy season. February and December, in my opinion, are the coolest months.
Monday, June 20, 2016
Tribute to Summer 02: The Palm Tree Resort in Subic is Perfect for your Summer Heartbreak!
D'you fancy sitting here, a cold drink in hand, while gazing at this lovely view?
Here in Pangasinan where I come from, tourists come for the infamous beaches for their amazing beauty and world-class quality. Think Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Patar Beach in Bolinao, and the surfers' favorite Lingayen Beach in the provincial capital.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
The Ultimate Macau Vacation: 8D7N in the Las Vegas of the East!
The Cotai strip in Macau, all lit up at night.
When people hear the word "Macau", they take it as one of China's special administrative regions (SAR) and just a popular side trip from its sister SAR, Hong Kong. Macau is relatively small, about 29.5 square kilometers in area size, so it comes as no surprise that potential travelers just assume that activities and attractions there will be little to none. This entails the possibility that even when they do decide to visit, they just allocate a few hours or days.
This will prove to be a travel faux pas, as any non-Tripadvisor subscribing traveler would later find out.
This will prove to be a travel faux pas, as any non-Tripadvisor subscribing traveler would later find out.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
The Shrekfast Experience in Macau! Getting to Know the Dreamworks Gang Over Buffet Breakfast!
One of the most sought-after items in the menu is Po's anko-filled steamed buns. Po is the main protagonist from the Kung Fu Panda film series produced by Dreamworks.
Macau, the Las Vegas of the East, is China's Special Administrative Region that is best known for its towering skyscrapers, luxurious hotels and state-of-the-art casinos. Truly, it is a playground tailored for adults with time on their hands and money to burn. However, at the Holiday Inn along the Cotai strip, one of the country's family-friendly resorts, there's an attraction that is all smiles and good vibes-- for people of all ages, children and adults alike.
