Love is in the Air at Resorts World Manila

Things are starting to look rosy with Coronavirus cases finally going down. And for the longest time, it seems like we're on our way to the old normal. I get all giddy thinking of all the stuff we can do with Sam. From traveling to a simple dine-out, these can all be possible soon without heightened fear and paranoia. But you don't even have to wait as there are several trusted establishments that you can visit with the whole family to celebrate milestones and this day of Love. One place you can count on to make Valentine's Day special is Resorts World Manila. 

Hello, Resorts World Manila!

Resorts World Manila lined up several amazing deals for everyone this Valentine's. From its signature restaurant, Casa Buenas, to La Cupula (which offers private dinners), you, your loved ones, and your taste buds are sure to have a wonderful time.

Overdoughs Now Offers Cookie Cakes

February is my favorite month! I love seeing everything turn into hearts. From traffic lights to burgers and pancakes, things get extra romantic every February. And it got even sweeter when I received a huge heart-shaped cookie cake. 

Hello, Overdoughs Cookie Cake!

Overdoughs is one of my favorite dessert brands in town. My love for Overdoughs started with its delectable beignets and dips. And it became stronger when it launched its rich and flavorful cookies. Its commendable support for the deaf and mute community makes it an even tougher brand to beat. 

A Taste of Buwan: Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Southeast Asian Tasting Menu

Celebrating Valentine's Day differently can be challenging if you've been with your special someone for years. R and I usually take the practical route and celebrate it another day. But there's this new dining concept that would make braving the Manila traffic worth it. And that is Buwan's tasting menu.

Hello, Buwan.

Buwan is the newest dining concept of Chef Julius Neccor and the group behind BOA Kitchen + Socials.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas: Snake River Farms (SRF) Gift Box

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and many are stressing out on what to give their significant other. Thankfully, R and I are not too big on buying each other gifts and prefer to spend time with each other. And there is no better way to spend quality time than over a good home cooked meal. 

Hello again, Snake River Farms. 

My favorite steak brand came up with the perfect Valentine's Day gift idea. It bundled several favorites--Wagyu Strip Loin, Wagyu C. Cut Sirloin, Wagyu Flapmeat, Wagyu Ground Beef and Wagyu Frankfurter. Each pack weighs 330 grams with the exception of Wagyu Ground Beef which weighs 500 grams and Wagyu Frankfurter with 454 grams. 

Saying I Love You Sweeter with Cadbury

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite occasions to celebrate. It is the day when I could be super cheesy and not be shy about it. But as I grow older, I learn that overly sharing one's relationship status online could be a bit too much. So I downplayed it this year and gave a simple yet heart-felt gift to R. 

Knowing that R is a big fan of anything sweet, I thought of giving him chocolates. And when I found out that Cadbury came up with a special Valentine's box where your message is creatively hidden, I didn't think twice and got one for R.

Be More Imaginative with Toblerone this Valentine's Day

I still remember those younger years when I dream of being pampered by my prince charming with flowers, balloons and all those grand gestures to show his affections. But as I grow older, I become more and more practical and I found myself telling R not to buy me anything inedible. Defining myself as a scrooge would be too harsh as I still enjoy other forms of gifts. And my favorite to date is when R prepared a lovely steak dinner for us in Tagaytay. But with us being so busy these past months, we could barely even celebrate each others birthdays. Thankfully, a thoughful brand came up with an easy yet thoughtful way for us to express our love.

Hello, Toblerone Valentine's Limited Edition Sleeves!

First Bite: Siglo Modern Filipino

R and I decided to avoid the Valentine's Day mayhem in Manila and went to Tagaytay for a nice short break. We arrived in two hours on a Friday night and enjoyed the cool breeze of the city. Thinking that most people will celebrate Valentine's on Saturday, we decided to head back to Manila early afternoon of the 14th but we were stuck in traffic and Waze said that it will take us a long time before reaching Nuvali. Without hesitation, we made a U-turn and opted to head back to R's apartment. But since we were hungry, we made a quick stop at this Filipino restaurant called Siglo. 

Hello, Siglo Modern Filipino.

I was a bit iffy to stop by this place as I couldn't find reviews about it. But hungry people stuck in crazy traffic cannot be choosy. 

The restaurant serves typical Tagaytay specialties such as Bulalo (PHP350) and Tawilis (PHP150). We opted to get those as well as Chocolate Milk Shake and Strawberry Smoothie (PHP125 each) from its neighbor Adam's Cafe. 

Our drinks arrived in 15 minutes or so and both were very sweet. In fact, too sweet. It was like slurping dessert on a hot day. Not exactly something ideal to be paired with our meal but it was okay to battle the early summer heat.

After almost an hour, our dishes were finally served. The waiter apologized and said that it took them a while to make the bulalo as they had to make sure that the meat's tender. (True enough, it does take at least 3 hours to make really good bulalo. But the long wait was not acceptable.)

Black Day 2014: Master Bee Chinese Restaurant

In Korea, Valentine's Day (February 14) and White Day (March 14) are pretty important for couples. Valentine's Day is when the girls give gifts to the guys they like and White Day is when the guys give sweets to the girls they fancy. But the 14th of April is also celebrated and it's called Black Day. It's the day those who did not get anything gather and eat black bean noodles together. I like wearing black too on Black Day. And I was so happy that my Black Day dates wore black too this year! 

I have a set of friends who I bug for anything related to Korea simply because we met there. T and K are two of my dearest friends who are game for almost anything Korean and they were both game to celebrate Black Day with me. We also invited two Black Day newbies F and W. (Wow, K and I were with FTW! Anyway...)

We decided to have dinner at this Chinese restaurant named Master Bee Chinese Restaurant  that serves Jjajang-myun (black bean noodles) and then sing like crazy after.

When I arrived, K and F were already inside. T soon followed and we ordered the following: Jjajang-myun (PHP220/bowl), Jjin-Mandu (PHP200) and Tangsuyuk (PHP800).

Love At First Bite: The Tuileries Confections

Macarons. This has been one of the biggest food craze last year and it seems like it's here to stay for a bit longer. I must say, I am one of the crazy foodies to shell out money for these small (but yummy) desserts. If you think about it, these are very expensive. But if you crave for something beyond your typical chocolate bar or ice cream, this is a good choice.

I have been a big fan of S's baking and when she flew to Paris to further enhance her skills, I just want her to finish her studies ASAP just so I could have more of her delectable brownies. But I guess I have to wait.
She didn't disappoint us though as a few weeks after she came back, she started her business The Tuileries Confections.

Image from The Tuileries Confection Facebook page

It was her post for Valentine's Day that convinced me to to order a box of macarons. 

Budget 101: Valentine's Day

It’s finally February, the month of love… my favorite month! Here’s the thing, I have this weird thing for Valentine’s Day since I was young. Come college (a.k.a. bigger allowance), I managed to convince my friends to have a “Valentine’s Barter Day” where we each buy something such flowers, chocolates, heart shaped balloons and the like and give it to everyone in our group. It was actually fun and we all felt that we all had dates that day. But once you enter the realm of the “real world” or what people usually call as corporate life, sending gifts is a bit more expensive (okay, a lot more!). So here are some tips to avoid spending waaaay to much.

1.)    Buy flowers months in advance.

Prices of flowers go wild on the 14^th and hey, those are still flowers and do not sing like the ones in Plants vs. Zombies. Save extra bucks and call that flower shop now if you plan on giving your special someone flowers. (Plus, I heard on TV that there might be shortage in flowers this year.)

2.)    Why not make some homemade chocolates?

Yes, it might not look like a perfect heart or the “Will you be my Valentine?” lettering will look like a hundred year old man did it. But guess what? This is still way sweeter compared to store bought ones. (Well, maybe a huge box of Ferrero is also a good idea. *slaps glutton self*)

3.)    The no gift gift

Ever heard of serenade? Yes, that still works. Want to make it extra special? Sing an original. Even if you are tone deaf, the effort will surely make her (or him) smile. [Group of friends? Visit the nearest KTV and sing your heart out! And I~~~ will always love you~~~~]

4.)    Cook a meal for your special someone or friends

Instead of the usual dinners outside, why not whip up a dish at home? With a budget of PHP500, you’ll have a decent meal for a group of 4.

5.)    Celebrate the day after

I heard someone say, if you love someone, everyday should be Valentine’s Day. Good point. And nothing’s sweeter than giving flowers or whatnot on a regular day. Talk about surprises. (And flowers will be cheaper again too!)

What's so special about 11-11-11?

I would have never thought that the number 11 will make me so happy this year. 

I’m sure that most of you saw several posts about 11-11-11. Some would go like this, “Happy 11-11-11!!!” or “Don’t forget your 11 wishes at 11:11am and 11:11pm this 11-11-11”.

So what’s so special about 11-11-11? 

For one, it is one nice date to remember. You could tell your grandchildren, “Kids, during 11-11-11, I was at… doing… eating…” Hey, it sounds like a cute story to tell.

But for some of us, 11-11-11 means… ULTIMATE PEPERO DAY. (Pepero huwaat?)

Familiar with Pocky of Japan? Well,  Pepero is the Korean version of Pocky. 

Pepero Doughnut from Mister Donut, Korea

I heart you Papa John's

Ever since Papa John’s released its heart-shaped pizza, so many other pizza restaurants (and even pastry stores) came up with their own versions. But my eyes (and tummy) are set on trying Papa John’s version. It was a good thing that the heart-shaped pizza was still available today. I was a bit worried that it was a Valentine’s Day promo. I guess we celebrate Valentine’s a tad longer here as well (just like Christmas).

Anyway, my friends and I had a post-Valentine’s day celebration and ordered that Papa John’s heart-shaped pizza (with 2 glasses of cola). The lovers’ pizza is available in four flavors: Hawaiian, Cheese, Pepperoni, and Margherita. Since we were worried of getting hungry later, we also ordered potato wedges.

Yey! Our thin-crust heart-shaped pizza is here… wait, is this heart-shaped? Why does it look like a butt-shaped pizza? For some reason, if it is viewed at a different angle, it does not look romantic at all. Instead, it looks like a lewd shaped pizza. >.<

*Operation destroy the heart-shaped pizza began. One piece of the heart for you, and another one for you and one for me.*

It was quite crispy because of the slightly burnt thin-crust. I find the pepperoni a bit oily and spicy. The cheese does not have a strong taste and it is not the type that stretches when you try to slice through the pizza (am I making sense?).

As for the wedges, it was also a bit crispy… just the way I like it. It was not very tasty though compared to other potato wedges I had. We were also puzzled with the dip. It was butter. Melted butter. We still tried it though and it was GOOD (or at least for me).

The pizza was not something I will rave about and say it freakin’ good since it wasn’t. It was good but not something I will want to eat again for the next weeks or months to come. I find the butter dip very interesting though but it was something I could do at home.

Nonetheless, I will still visit Papa John’s sometime next month and try the pasta. I wanted to try the Seafood Carbonara but I was trying to leave space for another trip to Happy Lemon.

Verdict:

Ambiance: The set-up is a typical casual dining restaurant. We managed to get the table with semi-circle couch. But the couch was quite hard and not comfortable at all.

Service: The service was quite good. The servers were very quick and accommodating to our picture taking whims.

Price: The pizza and other meals were quite affordable. Of course, it is not on the price level of Greenwich but it is not as pricey as Yellow Cab or Sbarro.

Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. But I might stick to thick crust pizza on my next visit. Long live thick-crust pizza!!! (What???) J 

The effect of Valentine's Day to the economy

I find it interesting that people act like bees during the day of romance. They go all the way to Dangwa to buy flowers at a “more” reasonable price while those who are very busy and just buy flowers from the nearest flower shop find adding a few hundreds a “convenience” fee. Nonetheless, flower shops’ business boom on this day (and probably also a few days after since it is payday the following day).

Chocolate shops and supermarkets’ sales also rise on this occasion. People turn on their sweet “teeth” and drop hints to their loved ones that they want chocolates or sweets in general to have a proof of their sweet relationship.  

Same boom is experienced by restaurants (may it be fast food or fine dining). Couples and families eat out and take this as an opportunity to catch up or get to know each other better.

Hotels and other places offering accommodations also experience an upsurge in sales for most couples would like to have an alone time with their loved ones (well, it is not really alone time since there are two people involved but hey, that’s what they call it).

Cinemas also have higher ticket sales during the month of love since this is a typical activity during dates.  

Telecommunications companies also benefit from this occasion as several people call or send SMS to their loved ones.

Moreover, bookstores and stationary shops also experience higher sales with people buying love cards, heart-shaped balloons and cut-out boards, and even fake flowers (which will last forever but could also be perceived as a symbol of PLASTIC love).

And if we think further, even salons and spas earn more on this special day as people are more motivated to be their prettier and more handsome selves for their special dates. Interestingly, pharmacies also earn more on this day because of the increased demand for you know what.

If we think about it, Valentine’s Day could be deemed as Victory Day for the economy for people are inclined to spend money… lots of money. Then again, are there businesses negatively affected by the V-Day?

A fun Valentine’s Day for the loveless

People say that Valentine’s Day is also known as Single Awareness Day which is SAD for short. BUT, we can make this F.U.N. (well, I could not think of three words for that yet). Here are some ideas on how to turn S.A.D. into F.U.N.:

1.  Learn a new sport (or at least try)
You will feel more accomplished on this special day for lovers if you have done something you have never done before. There are several sports to learn: biking, skating, bowling, swimming, diving, snorkeling, playing basketball, soccer, and much much more. BUT, if you do not have money, well, you can turn a seemingly ordinary activity into a sport like catching flies with chopsticks. Now, you have a new talent!

   2. Treat yourself and your friends to dinner

So what if you do not have a romantic dinner with a special someone? Friends are special. J Dress up and go to a fancy restaurant and enjoy. You might also want to go to a karaoke after. BUT if you do not have (again) money, invite your friends over and have a chocolate overload instead. Remember, chocolate is love. J No need to splurge on Ferrero Rocher. Munch on Goya or even Milo powder. Buy some cheap chocolates, melt it and dip marshmallow on it. TADA! A chocolate fondue party!

3.  Buy your best friend or mom flowers

Just because you are loveless does not mean that you have to turn into a scrooge. SHARE THE LOVE or else I will be singing “Where is the love… where is the love, where is the loooove?” Okay, maybe you do not deserve such corny lines. But, the mentality that Valentine’s is just for lovers is wrong! BUT, if you do not have money, make paper flowers. It’s the thought that counts anyway.

4.  Be inspired

People-watching is probably one of the best pastimes ever. Get in touch with the photographer in you or sketch the busy malls filled with lovey-dovey people. Who knows, it might be a masterpiece. BUT, if do not have money, ARE YOU CRAZY? THIS DOES NOT COST MUCH! A pencil costs less than P10 while a sketch pad from Best Buys cost less than P50. No need to buy oil pastel if you really do not have money.

5.  Have a Valentine’s pictorial

Create FUN and HAPPY memories and capture them on camera. Have a theme. You can all wear red or take pictures in such a way that it narrates a story. If it turns out good, it might inspire writers to turn it into a play or even a movie. No room for “buuuut I have no money” excuse here either.

6.  Visit the World of Butterflies in Marikina

Not only will you be surrounded with probably one of the best looking insects in the world, you also get to sharpen up your science knowledge. Best of all, entrance IS VERY CHEAP. Entrance fee is only P20 for students, senior citizens, and Marikina residents while P40 for visitors and tourists. It is open from 8am to 5pm from Mondays to Sundays. :)

        7.  Write a letter to a random person (preferably snail mail)

  This is something unique to do. Stalkerish, yes. Fun, YES!

8.  Take advantage of the “everything love-related becomes more expensive”

If you know how to bake, sell cookies as an alternative to chocolates. If you are the person who frequents Dangwa, use your sales skills and offer services to buy the flowers for the lover boys and girls. But if you do not have any skill that you could use, start learning a skill NOW and use it next year.

9.  Watch a horror/thriller/suspense movie

Nothing beats horror/thriller/suspense movies to make you realize that it is so good to be alive. This will make you forget that you are in fact loveless during the hearts day. Also remember that it will be more fun if you tag your friends along because watching any movie genre alone in general is just plain sad. BUT if you do not have money, pray for HBO or Starworld to air a good romantic-free movie.

10.SMILE

Well, at least it brightens another loveless person’s day. :)