Sun, Sea, Sand, Surf … Repeat (Late Post)

 At the beginning of the year I listed down as one of my goals for this year was to experience 14 new things in 2014, whether it be a major achievement or a tiny triumph. So far I’m in ninth. My ninth experience happened during this summer vacation.

Just before the week of going back to work, yes it’s my second year of work already, I had a chance to spend three days and three nights with my family in one of the newest (in my opinion) tourists’ spot in the Philippines. This was Baler (in Aurora region, north of Manila).

A welcome view from our room

Different Shades of Blue

waves!

My trip to Baler was actually a bit of a surprise since it was unplanned. My father just happened to come across a magazine article featuring the place where we stayed while in Baler (will tell you more about this in a while). He called up the place, made reservations, and the next thing we knew we were in Baler. During our vacation in Baler, we stayed in Costa Pacifica. It was such a beautiful place. And we had a great room! It was facing the Pacific Ocean. The staffs were very accommodating even when there were a lot of tourists. The food was also wonderful. They served both local and international cuisines. They would also have specials from Baler. I particularly enjoyed their waffles, pizza, and suman (rice cake).  Well, my family and I didn’t just stay in the hotel. Of course we went out and explored the different sights in the area. We were able to visit the Museo de Baler (if you want to know the history of the place this museum would be perfect), House of Aurora (mother of the past president of the Philippines), and the Baler Church. All these three are very near to the hotel. You may walk or ride a tricycle since it’s just in the town proper. Another place that we were able to go to was the Millennium Tree.  There were still more sights that we were not able to visit due to the time constraints of our trip. But I highly recommend that you visit the Mother falls. These are all for adventure and nature junkies.

Museo de Baler

Baler Church

Sunset by the Church

Millenium Tree

a really big balete tree

 Now going back to my 9^th experience, the 9^th first time thing that I did was to learn how to surf. One morning, my brother and I decided to give surfing a go. A little backstory, I just watched the movie Chasing Mavericks, so I was inspired to try surfing and besides it looked easy in the movie. Boy was I wrong! It was hard work. I had to learn to stand in time to ride a wave. I had to learn to balance to continue staying afloat on the board.  Lastly, I had to learn to keep on trying even if I would fall every so often. I have to say it was painful, tiring, and somehow a little humiliating (there were pro surfers and fast learners in the area), but it was all so worth it because after an hour of surfing lessons… I WAS ABLE TO SURF! I was able to ride a few waves and it felt so wonderful and so exhilarating! At first I hesitated and doubted myself, but surfing taught me to just do it. I thought that you had to be a great swimmer to surf, but my surfing instructor said that even a person like me, very poor swimmer, could do it. And I did! So if you’re in doubt, don’t be afraid to try. Just make sure you have the right instructor. Along the coast of Baler you will be able to see different surfing instructors. You may hire them to teach you. For me and my brother, we opted to seek help from the surf instructors situated beside Costa Pacifica (sorry, I forgot the name). The instructors were very patient and helpful. I really enjoyed this new experience even if it involved tons of fails. Definitely a check to my imaginary bucket list. 

Cowabunga!

So that’s that! I definitely enjoyed my short but SWEET (cliche surfer tone) vacation at Baler. Till Next time!

-DOT-

Photos are personally owned by writer,  if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

Bonus pictures:

Sunrise at Baler (I woke up at around 4 am and watched the sky and scenery change.... twas such a beauty)

nautical dawn

what a view from my bed

hello Mr. Sun

Sunrise

One Short Day in the Emerald City

It’s been a month and three days since I watched Wicked the Musical. It was a dream come true! I have and will always love the story of the Wizard of Oz, so I fell in love with Wicked.  

To those who are not familiar with the storyline of Wicked, (ALERT! ALERT! SPOILER AHEAD!) it is a story behind the happenings in Oz. It explains why there are different witches, why Elphaba (the wicked witch of the west) is green, why the Lion is Cowardly, how the Tin Man came to be, how Dorothy came to Oz, and so much more. I love the story so much because it not only is a background and a revisit to the real Oz, but it also tackles issues that are commonly seen today; such as the influence of power and fame, truth versus relativity, being unique and different to a square world, and others. It deals with so many issues and different kinds of relationships. And this makes Wicked appealing and relatable.

My other reasons for loving Wicked are the songs and scores. Who has not heard “Defying Gravity” or “For Good” and have not felt goose bumps or have not melted. The actors were flawless when they sang the different songs. Partnering their great singing was the equally great choreography.  It had more modern influences and was beautifully executed.  The cast and crew certainly placed their best foot forward. The cast were so endearing (I even got a picture with one of them J ).  

I would definitely watch Wicked again and again if they come back. Gahhhhhh… I’m still gushing over my experience. I just feel so ecstatic whenever I relive that two and a half hour of tragically beautiful artistry. Kudos to the Australian Wicked company!

Below are pictures of my Wicked experience. Enjoy!

Ticket to a Magical Afternoon

“Happy is what happens when all your dreams come true.”

"Changed for the better"

We signed (lower right)

“It's just life, so keep dancing through.” 

With the Wickedly Talented Ali Calder (plays Elphaba)

-DOT-

Photos are personally owned by my Wicked buddies Jamey and TJ (thanks!), if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

Struck Down, BUT Not Destroyed

I have been in a blog hiatus for a couple of months now because I wanted to direct you, my readers, to focus in praying for and helping the Philippines, specifically the islands in Visayas, who were gravely affected by typhoon Haiyan. I would like to formally thank everyone who remembered the Philippines in their prayers. And I would also like to express my gratitude to those who went the extra mile by donating things or by coming to the Philippines and help rebuild communities and lives.

Below are some photos of areas affected by the typhoon. (All these photos were taken by my father, thanks Pa!)

Tent Houses

rubles all over the city of Tacloban

washed out houses in Leyte

a fishing village now destroyed

aerial view of Leyte (white things are tent houses) 

let's continue to rebuild lives!

Once again thank you! Please do continue to pray for the Philippines as reconstruction of homes and lives are ongoing. The Philippines might have been struck down but the Filipino Spirit is not destroyed.

In the coming weeks, please stay tuned for exciting blogs coming your way. J

-DOT-

Photos are personally owned by my father Zee A., if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

The title of the blog is inspired from the song Trading My Sorrows

Slice of Life

Hello! Hello! Happy July everyone! I am now part of the labor force. J So, I might have lesser time to blog, but be rest assured that I am still exploring different places and tasting different food to share to you all. J

To start of July, here are some sweet treats to munch on. If you have been following my blogs you would get a hint that I love sweets. Just recently my mom brought home cakes by Heny Sison from Victorino’s. Side info: Victorino’s is a restaurant located at 11th Jamboree St. corner Scout Rallos. It is a restaurant devoted to Ilocano (member of a people inhabiting northwestern Luzon in the Philippines) dishes. Also found there are pastries and cakes from Heny Sison.

So who is Heny Sison you may ask….only one of the best pastry chef and cake designer in the Philippines!!! J So tasting cakes from Heny Sison was such a joy and a treat. My mother brought home five cake slices namely, strawberry shortcake, red velvet cake, apple pie, blueberry cheesecake, and carrot cake. May I just gush that ALL the slices were scrumptious. I loved the strawberry shortcake and the red velvet. I enjoyed the shortcake because of the real strawberry fillings between the yummy chiffon and topped with whip cream (I think that they made their own whip cream because of the light consistency that married well to the whole cake. I also loved the red velvet slice because of the yummy cream filling. It was like eating a very good red velvet cupcake. The apple pie, carrot cake, and blueberry cheesecake were also good! I liked them because they were made with the real deal balanced with the right amount of sweetness. Tasting slices of Heny Sison cakes were so good!  Will definitely try more.  

slice of life :)

strawberry shortcake

apple pie

red velvet cake

blueberry and carrots <3

- Dot-

Photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

Cup + Cake = Love

       

            Well hello again everyone! This post is a Back Blog (meaning it’s a backlog blog that should have been posted earlier) J. I decided to continue to post this because I believe that this deserves to be shared J.

            Well last month (February), I decided to bake cupcakes for my birthday, since I love love love cupcakes. I also wanted to use a gift before it expires. My cousins from Canada gave me a Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge mix. Because I did not have the proper pans to make a cake, I went on in making my birthday cupcakes. The instructions were easy breezy… and in no time I was done mixing the batter. I popped it in the oven for a couple of minutes and Voila! CUPCAKES! I did add my own twist to the batter. I added dark chocolate nuggets from Goya, for added Choco lateness, and sprinkles, to make them colorful. This was my first time to make cupcakes and they turned out pretty good. Next time, I will bake cupcakes from scratch! J

Le Ingredients :)

Chocolate Batter 

:)

Ta da!

Cute cakes

            In line with my cupcake baking experience, I also would like to share about one of my newest favorite cupcake bakery, Vanilla. Yes, Vanilla is its name and cupcakes are their game! First of all, I fell in love with their store display because it looked pretty and dainty. It was cozy and inviting. It’s as if you were off to a tea party.  Second, I fell in love with their take home containers that were shaped like tea pot (so kawaii!). And last but definitely not the least is their cupcakes!! Vanilla’s cupcakes are so beautiful and scrumptious. I forgot the names of the cupcakes, but I did enjoy the chocolate cupcakes and the cupcake that was strawberry with Oreo bits on top. They have a variety of cupcakes that would surely tickle anyone’s taste buds.  

love! 

an army of cupcakes :)

^__^

Vanilla Chocolate

scrumptious 

yummy!

Vanilla Love

-DOT-

Photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

March March March

Hello everyone!

So, you might have noticed that I haven't written a recent entry. This is because I am focusing on finishing my thesis requirements, so that I will graduate this April. So till the end of March, I will be on a writing break. :) for the mean time, enjoy back reading, commenting, and others. If you would like for me to visit or try new dishes, places, or events just leave a comment of email me (email add. if found on the About page). 

Some updates:
-New cupcake shop opens around Metro Manila. The name of the cupcake/bakeshop is Vanilla. Their cupcakes are a must-try. I will be blogging about them soon.
-Solaire (a new resort) just opened! You might want to check it out! :)

Till the end of March! Blog you soon guys!
-DOT

Whozits and Whatzits Galore!

Whozits and Whatzits Galore!

Finally I’ve been to a 10A Alabama's Handmade Arts and Crafts Fair! For months (literally) I’ve been planning to visit it because I have heard and seen a lot of good things about the place and the arts and crafts fair. I love trinkets and small knick-knacks. I also make small quirky things so going there was really a treat for me.

Welcome!

For those who are not familiar with 10A Alabama, it is the address and the name of the place were handmade things are sold by various artists and crafters. I would say that this place and the fair is a celebration of art and creativity. I would describe the fair as warm and cozy because you get to see different the art pieces and you also get to talk to the artist themselves. I believe that there is something for everyone there. From dolls to jewelries to bags to sculptures to furniture, they have all things cute, colorful, creative, and delightful.

During my visit there I gravitated towards jewelries particularly earrings (I have an earring fetish… if there was such a word) J. I saw A LOT of beautiful earrings studs, dangling, and more. I couldn’t buy all that I wanted because I was working on a budget and I had to restrain myself J. So I went over all the booths and found one booth, booth owner was Jaime, that sold these cute food jewelries. No, the jewelries were not made from real food, but they looked like tiny versions of well-loved dishes. There were fruit earrings, burger necklaces, and pasta rings. Well, I have been looking for these types of jewelries for so long and I found them!! So I choose to buy two cake earrings one for me and another for a friend. J Oh! My dad came with me and he too found something to buy. He bought paintings… and he bought me and mom earrings J (sweet).

one of the booths that sold notepads and paper crafts

another booth that sold felt crafts and jewelries

food jewelries from Jamie

yumm!!

<3 

Hopefully 10 A Alabama would have another fair on December because I would surely love to visit again. For those interested, they would also be having a gift wrapping workshop on December (which I won’t be able to attend…BUMMER). For more information about this workshop and more information on 10 A Alabama visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/10aAlabama 

-DOT-

Title inspired by the Little Mermaid song. :) Photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

Yabu…dabado

Yabu…dabado

When you think of Japanese food, you might immediately think of sushi, sashimi, and tempura. Well, Japanese food is more than those things… and that’s a great thing! J Japanese cuisine can also be composed of rice bowls or donburis. One of my favorite rice bowl dish is katsudon and I’m so glad I found a restaurant fully devoted to katsu… and this place is called Yabu!

Katsudons are one of my favorites because it’s one of the Japanese dishes that don’t require soy sauce to be used. (I am allergic to anything soy). In other words, you can alter the dish without sacrificing the taste.

Ok back to Yabu.

My family and I were able to dine at their Robinsons Magnolia outlet. (Visit the new Robinsons Magnolia Mall it’s so pretty and uncongested there J). The place was full! The ambiance was great. It did not look like your traditional Japanese restaurants. As we were seated, I was intrigued by the food being served to the other tables beside ours. The food all looked the same. When I flipped thru the menu, I found the same thing. I was used to lengthier Japanese menus because of all the different types of sushis, appetizers, and others. BUT it was a good thing because it just shows that this is Yabu’s forte. So I ordered chicken katsudon set, my brother ordered the pork katsudon, and my parents ordered pork katsudons which were either Rosu or Hire. Roso and Hire were variations to the pork katsudon. MAN! The food was YUUUUMMMMYYY!!!!  It was the best Katsudon I have tasted to date. It was crispy, and not oily, on the outside and tender in the inside. It tasted best when drizzled with Yabu’s sesame-mayo or sesame-oil dressing. The set that my brother and I ordered had free miso soup, Japanese pickles, fruits, rice, and cabbage salad. Ohhh… did I mention that rice and cabbage in Yabu is UNLIMITED! J

Dad's food

おいしい

<3 <3

UNLIMITED! :)

Yabu was great! I would definitely return to Yabu soon! J  

-DOT-

Photos are personally owned by writer and some were taken from Yabu’s Facebook page, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J For more information check out: http://www.facebook.com/yabuhouseofkatsu