Late Post: New Year at The Peninsula Manila

White Starbucks Planner

Today, I got my white Starbucks planner. Thanks to my friends. I won't be able to complete it without a little help from my dear friends. I don't drink coffee. I only drink iced tea. So I can only complete the non-handcrafted beverage part of it. I will try to be consistent. I will try to put something on it everyday. I will try to be more active in writing the things that matter. Or the things that are dear to me.

Let Them Be Little

It seems Johan is growing up so fast. I can't catch up. He has so my tricks up his sleeves nowadays. He listens and talks gibberish. He speaks some words and he knows how to take your stress away. He is so adorable and I can't get enough of him. I just hope the he stays just a little more 'little' so I can have more time to hug and kiss him. I love you Johan Christoph!

Jamba Juice

I first tasted this in 2010 when I went to the US. Now it's been in the Philippines for almost a year already. I love Jamba Juice. Despite its high price, I make it a point to buy it whenever I am in SM The Block. I feel full after slurping the biggest size. I just hope they lower the price.

The other one is Mochi. This one came straight from Japan and cost P90-100 per piece. I feel cheated when we bought it. Yeah it tastes good but so is buchi. I don't get the price. It's too pricey. The taste is just average. I would try Parvati's mochi next time.

Starry Starry December

One with The Flash and the other with Clara.

Danish Cookies

The best-tasting cookies I have ever tasted. Every year, the Danish company where my youngest sister works, gives this to all their employees. Straight from Denmark! I love this to bits. I wish they give my sister every month so I can enjoy it.

Kanin Club

Oh Kanin Club

The first time I met Kanin Club was at the Paseo de Sta.Rosa.
I had their bestsellers like Crispy Dinuguan, Seafood Kare-Kare, Calderetang Nueva, Crispy Pork Binagoongan, Ensaladang Mangga.
It was super satisfying that when they opened in UP-Ayala Technohub, it became our 'tambayan' during dinner.
We still had our usual favorites but we ordered something new from their menu from time to time.
We love their food that we had even our birthday salo-salo here.
I will be biased if I will make a review of Kanin Club.
But so far everything I have tasted here is all good.

The ones I mentioned above are all good.
You can also try their Crispy Liempo, Squid in Salt and Pepper, Sinigang na Hipon, Camaron Rebosado, Chopsuey, Pakbet, Bagoong Rice and their Turon ala mode.

Happy eating!

Cafe Antonio

Cafe Antonio, http://cafeantonioelbi.blogspot.com/

I am originally from Pila, Laguna.
Once a month, we try to visit my parents there.
It is also a chance for our baby to get to know his grandparents and to breathe in fresh air and fresh air.

We chanced upon this restaurant when we left Johan with my parents during the Christmas season.
We were leaving for Manila and we passed by this quaint, artsy cafe in Los Baños.
It was kinda dark in the area and there are no customers at that time so we really don't have any expectations
as to what the cafe is all about.

We learned from their site that this is a family restaurant. They offer a variety of whole coffee beans including
single origin (SO) specialty coffees and local coffees delivered fresh every week by their local roasters.
So it's good to know that they are one of those restaurants who care deeply about their local farmers
and help and contribute to the local market.

We ordered Pumpkin soup with Focaccia bread. This is creamy, rich and fresh.
Their Barbecue salad is to die for. Loved it to bits. Juicy chicken bits, crunchy and fresh veggies
and really nice sour cream dressing.
We also tried their Smoked Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza. This one is also yummy.
The crust is perfectly done and there is a generous serving of pepperoni and mushroom.
We had a great time there. It has a homey ambiance and you can feel the warmth of the people there.
I would definitely go back here.

Hoagies

Hoagies,Guilt-Free Sandwiches and More!

We came across this restaurant during our grocery day at SM Fairview.
Located in the Annex, it was sandwiched between (if I remember it right) Pho hoa and Sbarro.
According to their FB account, Hoagie is a Philadelphian word for submarine sandwich.
Word has it that it has origins from "Hog Island". The Irish and Italian people living there during
the early 20th century were known as "Hog Islanders".
They ate unique sandwich in large loaves of Philadelphian bread filled with meat and called it "hoggies".
The word has somehow evolved and transformed into hoagie.

What attracted us to Hoagies is their introductory price of P88 for an 8-inch sub.
We ordered their Pulled Pork Adobo and Hoagies Catch.
Hubby enjoyed his sub and finished it with gusto while I struggled to finish mine.
It was big for me. My hubby liked it. But I had a hard time eating the bread.
It was too much for me. I guess I am not a bread person or a sandwich person.
I am just a person=)

Affordable for such humongous sandwich.
Flavorful and meaty and filling.
I just have a problem with the sandwich, and probably it's just me, I just feel that they could do better with the bread.
Anyway, this is great value for your money. Filling but less the price.

Gumbo

Gumbo, A Taste Of New Orleans http://www.gumbo.com.ph

As a couple, we love to experiment especially when it comes to eating.
I love Italian and American dishes and hubby loves Chinese & Filipino dishes.
We also enjoy Korean and Japanese. But we also try something new and different every now and then.
Because we love to eat and experiment, we tried different restaurants.
This time, we have Gumbo, originally a New Orleans dish.
According to their website, the word Gumbo is from the African word 'okra', if you are a Filipino you would know what I am talking about.
But for others' sake, okra is a pod like vegetable often used by African slaves to thicken the stew.
Gumbo is considered as the greatest contribution of Louisiana Kitchens to American cuisine.
It was recorded that when the French settlers came to Louisiana, they brought their love for bouillabaisse, a highly seasoned fish stew.
Born out of the lack of the usual ingredients to make a French bouillabaisse, they substituted local ingredients.
After about a century, the bouillabaisse became Gumbo.
What started out as a second best became better than the original.
Today, Gumbo is generally a southern US regional term for stew-like dishes with meat or seafood, tomatoes and sweet bell peppers
but more specifically, it is a Creole dish who ingredients are okra and file powder.

You can say that the dish is an acquired taste. There is something going on when you put it in your mouth.
It is so full of flavor bursting with a hint of spice and some herbs (not sure though what it is).
It is so rich in flavor and so filling. They offer you complimentary bread and dip which is as tasty as their meal.
It is affordable. You can have 3 dishes for the less a thousand bucks.
We tried Gumbo at Gateway Mall. The place is just right but a little hot at that time.
I would definitely eat here again.

Pasto

I am big on pasta and pizza. I am big on Italian food.
Pasto restaurant located at the Theater Mall, Greenhills is one great pizza and pasta place.
I believe this is a local company. Their food tasted heaven on earth.
Their pizza and pasta are cooked just right.
Their mozzarella stick is fantastic.
Big serving. Not so crowded. Attentive staff.
The price is ok for the food.
Worth every penny spent.

Melo's

Finally, we were able to dine at Melo's, Home of Certified Angus Beef and Authentic Wagyu Beef! http://melosteaks.com/

Short background: I have been working at ABS-CBN for almost 13 years now. Melo's is just in front of our office. Ever since I started working here, it has been sort of 'a dream' within my circle of friends to eat there. Melo's is known for great steaks -- Angus and Wagyu beef --- but expensive menu. I even heard that Erap (former Philippine president) loves this restaurant and frequent this place. President Noynoy also had lunch here from time to time. So you get the drift when I say, we 'dream' of dining here. Owned by Carmelo Santiago, according to their website, they started in 1987 and this is the first Philippine restaurant to offer Certified Angus Beef. In verbatim from their website "Only Melo's has a steak cart for the customers so that they can choose the cut and thickness of the meat before it is grilled to perfection with a secret marinade and using volcanic rocks".

So after more than 13 years, imagine the day when we can finally dine at Melo's! I bought a voucher for half the price and finally tasted their steak. We had a delightful 3-course steak meal. We started with their soup-of-the-day served hot off the pot, then we had creamy and rich pate with bread and then the certified US Tenderloin steak cooked well-done both for me and hubby. The ambience is calming. The set up is fine dining. The place is I guess small -- just right to enjoy your privacy. They have landscaped the surrounding area so that you can have a 'view' instead of just concrete walls. The servers are attentive to your needs. I guess it comes with the price you pay. We had it through a voucher, luckily there was an offering. If you ask me if I'll pay the full amount to dine if there are no vouchers available, I will definitely try it once. Since I'm not really a beef love, it would just be for the novelty of dining with one of the country's best just at our doorstep.

New Year at Peninsula Manila

Now on its second year, we have this new tradition that every New Year we spend it at the hotel of our choice. Last year was at the H2O Hotel in Manila Ocean Park. This year, we celebrated it at The Peninsula Manila. They have this New Year Package for an overnight stay including buffet breakfast, cash voucher and gift on New Year's eve.

We had a good time there.

Just a little snag on checking in but which the management already addressed.

It was our first time to stay there because we wanted to have a really hassle-free new year. And because The Peninsula Manila is one of the best hotels.

Other than the long queues while checking in , we had a good stay. The breakfast buffet at Escolta is superb. The food at The Lobby is really amazing. The room is clean, smells good and the bathroom is spacious. We had the view of the party and the fireworks during the New Year's eve so we had a grand time enjoying the spectacle. The box of chocolates during the New Year's eve was a nice touch. The staff we met along the hallways are all smiles and very courteous. The checkout was ok amidst the long queues. Overall it was good.

After check out, we went to the Powerplant Mall.

Next year, we will try Eastwood New Year.

Post Script of our short stay in Peninsula:

Good service, kind staff, great food. Just some problems with check in=)

Overall, we had a good time when we stayed there for the New Year.

However there are some areas that they can improve on. I’m not sure if the timing is not good because we stayed there during the busy New Year but we believe that great service is always a top priority regardless if it's peak season or not. New year happens every year and a hotel as good and as established as The Peninsula Manila should be able to anticipate the influx of guests and should be able to foresee reservations at that time. What more, good service is expected or it is a given when we're talking about a premier 5-star hotel like them.

It was our first time to stay there because we wanted to have a really hassle-free new year. And because the hotel is one of the best in the country. However upon checking in, it took us almost 2 hours to get a room. A room we reserved 2 months prior and a room which was according to the receptionist we talked to was already reserved but still need checking/inspection (for almost 2 hours).

We were assisted to the 4th floor but nobody as in nobody ever asked us of anything or even as a courtesy offered us anything. We had an 18-month old baby at that time so you can only imagine how hassle it is to stay in a lobby. We had to personally line up at the receptionist on the 4th floor just to be assisted and to get our room card.

Anyway, that was just the letdown which we never really expected from this hotel but I already emailed them about it and they have been gracious enough to answer it and apologized for the inconvenience. Thank you.

But not everything is bad. Other than that, we had a good stay. The breakfast buffet at Escolta is superb. The food at The Lobby is really amazing. The room is clean, smells good and the bathroom is spacious. We had the view of the party and the fireworks during the New Year's eve so we had a grand time enjoying the spectacle. The box of chocolates during the New Year's eve was a nice touch. The staff we met along the hallways are all smiles and very courteous. The checkout was ok amidst the long queues again. Overall it was good.

I just hope that next new year will be different for other guests. Perhaps a more organized way of checking in and out. And making sure guests are informed and assisted well until they get to their room.

Our Cebu Trip

We have decided to spend Chris' birthday in Cebu. This will be his first and my nth time in Cebu because I used to visit Cebu for work. Another first timers are my parents and Yaya Lyda and of course our son Johan. It is his first plane ride. How do I start my story.

First my parents (both seniors) and Ate Lyda didn't have any motion sickness while flying. They were a bit nervous, scared and excited at the same time. Their eyes were all aglow when they rode the airplane and when the plane took off and landed. They had a great time in Cebu and enjoyed the food and the places. I also feel happy for them. It has been my dream to bring my parents to different places while they still can enjoy and appreciate it and I just can't contain myself when this became a reality. I was hoping we can bring them to foreign countries so that they can also see the beauty of other countries the way we have experienced it. I have a lot to be thankful for my parents are the greatest. They gave us everything we need and most of all, they love us with all of their hearts and souls.

It was also Johan's first plane ride. We had a lot of stuff brought in because he has colds we had to bring his meds and nebulizer. Surprisingly he didn't make a scene. He was ok during the waiting, checking in and boarding and practically slept through the whole flight going to and back. I was just relieved that he didn't do drama or cry during the flight back and forth. He pretty much breezed through the trip, enjoyed his bonding time with his grandparents and mostly enjoyed the food. We stayed at Crown Regency Hotel and Tower in Fuente Osmeña and we had a great time there. The room is huge and clean and the view of Cebu is amazing. The food as always is pretty much satisfying. The places we've been to are limited given the time we stayed there but we enjoyed it.

Overall, we had a great time. We pretty much covered the essentials when visiting Cebu so I'm just grateful it happened.

Amiga's Beautification Day

This is a first for all of us. I usually do my hair alone or with my husband but this December, we had this girls' ganda leave. We call it our beautification day. We had our hair colored and relaxed and cut and our nails done. We had to canvas for the salon with the lowest price in Trinoma. And the winner is Bench Fix Salon. It was so refreshing and fun. After Fix we had our lunch at Italiannis, another winner resto.

Where Good Friends Dine

Our lunch barkada in the office is one who loves food. That's our common thing. Not a day goes by that we don't talk about it. And usually it is one of our perennial problems whenever we have about to take our lunch. The question is always where to? We recently tried Abe in Trinoma. I heard about it before and a lot of good reviews. But this is the first time I tried it with my lunch friends. We ordered their adobong baboy at manok, the crispy tilapia and their gising-gising (not in the picture)and boy it really tastes good. It is flavorful, crispy for the tilapia and soft and chewy for the adobo. The gising-gising is something you will order again. We had a great talk over great food at Abe where really good friends dine.

Gift of Love

Who couldn't resist this man who gave me my new toy -- a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 as his Christmas gift. Last year, he gave me my HTC phone which conked out a little after 10 months. Sad that it costs a lot but not that durable. I wish I bought the tried and tested but it was so nice then that I have no doubt I got the best buy. Anyway, he convinced me that phablet is the way of the future and this is the best time to buy it. So off we go to Greenhills to buy the Samsung Note 2. A friend of mine bought his from the same store so we decided to go there. The price is also much lower there than any other stores we went to. It has warranty and the store I feel is more legit than the ones in the bazaar area.

I have been an Android user so I had no adjustment or difficulty using it. I love the 'fastness' of it, the sleek slim finish and look, the pictures and the easy transfer to computer. Actually, I love everything about it. So far, this has been the best phone I got.

Again, thank you bebeko for convincing me on buying and using the phablet. Thank you for the gift of love.

Our New Ref

When we were starting, we used to match our appliances according to our color motif. Our interiors matched the furniture and the appliances. So we'd go for aesthetics rather functionality. But since Johan came into our lives, we have to come to terms that we need to be more practical and we'd now go for safety and durability more than anything else. Our first ref was a Panasonic designer series. Since our color motif in the kitchen played around black and brown, we bought the brown and the small one. When there is just the two of you, it seems cool but now that we have a growing child it seems not practical anymore to have a small but 'cool' ref. So this December, we decided to sell the old ref and buy a new one. We went for the big size that even Johan can fit inside so we can store unused milk, vitamins, leftover food of Johan and other stuff he needs. We also got the classic one, rust-proof and child proof. We got the one that functions well and that doesn't just sit there as adornment. It costs much higher than our old ref but I would say this works well for us. It's true what they say about changing priorities when you have a child. But this changing thing is something that I would love to have for Johan is simply our life.

Mohawk Cut

Recently, Mister Santiago decided that Johan needs a new haircut. Since he is still young and cannot decide for himself yet, he gave him a simple Mohawk. The thing I love about Johan since we started bringing him to Cuts for Tots is that he sits like a man during his haircut. No drama, no mess. Just occasional standing and playing with the barber but overall he is a well behaved little man. And I am so proud of him. He loves the powder after and he watches his favorite Mickey show on DVD while his hair is being cut. Until the time he can decide for himself, his haircut will always be his Daddy's decision.

Mister Santiago Turns 33

I had tons of things to do during the whole month of December thus the late post.

This year, Mister Santiago turns 33. I admit I am older than him but just 2 years older. We celebrated it in one of our fave restos in UP Ayala Technohub, The Kanin Club. When we're still dating, we used to frequent this resto but since Johan came, we had to save and cut down on eating out so we just eat here occasionally. But since it's his special day, we decided to treat our family there.

Of course we ordered their best-sellers like the crispy dinuguan, seafood kare-kare, crispy binagoongan, crispy liempo, squid in salt and pepper, calderetang nueva, and mango with sticky rice.

I have been a fan of the food of Kanin Club so I will just give you a biased review. But those foods I ordered are their best-sellers and taste heaven so if you happen to pass by in the area, try it.

But more than food, this day is the celebration of hubby's birthday. I thank God for this and for letting him come out of his mommy. Me and Johan are just so lucky to have him in our lives. He's been what I have prayed for for so long. I just wish him the best of everything. I love you bebeko and may all your dreams come true. We cannot truly thank Papa Jesus enough for giving you to us. We are just happy that our lives have crossed and we are now a family. Happy birthday!