a date at Cafe Juanita

"So, you haven't answered me yet. What do you want for dinner? Casual which means burgers somewhere or fine dining?" Funny man drops this on my lap while I was happily sipping my Moonleaf drink. Hmm ... I pondered and took into consideration that we were both not really dressed for casual dining, the rain, and comfort and I answered, "I don't want burgers."

I asked him where we were going and he didn't really give me an answer. I was intrigued and a bit apprehensive. It all disappeared soon as I saw this sign and I had to stop a fangirl scream from coming out.

This place has been on my bucket list because a lot of people kept telling me to try it. However, I had no idea what the inside looked like so I was in for a very WONDERFUL surprise.

This is the entrance and this was were the smile on my face started and never disappeared. It was heaven for someone like me who is into kitchy items and colorful things. In my head, I was framing things already and envisioning what it would look like. I think I had too much fun taking photos though that I neglected my date for about 20 minutes. =( He was very understanding about it though. I hope.

The server called me to tell me that dinner was ready. After apologizing and explaining that there were just so many great things to take photos of, we started to eat. He was ribbing me about the soup getting cold and I started to worry. However, I thought that if he would get upset about it, then it means that he's not as calm looking as he presents himself to be. Luckily, he was still chill and laid back but I did make a mental note to limit photo time next time. Lesson learned.

He ordered for us and it was kinda cute seeing a guy who was confident about doing the ordering. He told me that I would like everything that we'd have and guess what? He was right.

pork binagoongan

sinigang na CORNED BEEF

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

You're probably wondering why there is Vietnamese food when its all Filipino. Well, I wanted pakbet salad as appetizer but it seems he doesn't eat pakbet so I remembered we had this at Johnny Chow and figured it was a safe bet. 

I honestly could have eaten the entire pork binagoongan by myself with two bowls of rice. Since I didn't want to appear patay gutom, I held myself back. It was funny though because he was telling me to finish everything because he doesn't want me rushing to McDonalds after. This was a reaction he had to my stories of dates where I wasn't too happy about the food and had to run to McDo after said dates.

The sinigang was cooked exactly the way I liked my sinigang. If you visit, it will be cooked exactly to your taste. Trust me on this. How? Visit the place and find out. 

As with any date that I have, booboo's are inevitable. This time, the chair fell when I stood up because it seems that the chair was not sturdy and my bag was too heavy. I thanked my angels that I wasn't sitting on the chair when it fell. I managed to laugh and brush it off.

The best part of the evening was the pianist playing songs. We had live music and it was just really ... dare I say ... romantic? Haha. I really appreciated it and when I knew the songs, I'd sing to it and he'd encourage me to sing out loud which I didn't. He requested that I sang with the pianist but it didn't push through. I wasn't too confident about my voice because I had a scratchy throat and didn't wanna scare away the patrons with my possibly off key singing.

However, I would sing for him if given the chance  and my throat isn't scratchy. Promise.

To end the night at Cafe Juanita, we had our photo taken. I asked him and he gamely posed. Plus points for the funny man.

This ends part 2 of the pre-Valentines date that I had with the funny man. :) Part 3 to be posted in a bit.

Happy hearts day everyone! Remember, love yourself before anyone else for how can someone love you if you do not love yourself?

a date at Moonleaf Tea

Anyone who has followed me on my Twitter or has been subject to my long-standing ranting about milk tea will know that I have been obsessing over Moonleaf since someone first mentioned it to me. The name intrigued me, the planner intrigued me, the milk tea intrigued me, and the Twitter updates and constant reminders on Facebook updates intrigued me.

Finally, that curiosity has been killed today courtesy of the funny man. He picked me up today and took me to Moonleaf in Kapitolyo. I couldn't get a shot of the exterior because it was raining. Truth be told, I was worried that he would cancel coz of the rain. I'm glad he didn't.

Notice the red pearls? I actually asked them why it was red since I remembered that it was black pearls. The answer is, "it's Valentine's Day!" FTW! :) Hahahaha!

So there I was, sitting inside Moonleaf, and I realized that I was really thankful to funny man because he made one part of my wish list come true. Best part? I also got to take home the Moonleaf Planner I won through Twitter.

This is part 1 of my pre-Valentine date with the funny man, where #6 of my date wish list got scratched off today. Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3.

better, not bitter ...

This is going to officially be the first year that I won't have a Valentine. Last year, I was with someone albeit unofficially and we had a late dinner at Bon Chon. This year, I will be with no date and honestly, I don't mind. It's the way it is and I am not bitter at all.

It's just funny because most of my friends can't believe that I am without a date. I tell them that no one asked me out and they're like "ows???" Well, its true. No one asked me out on Valentines Day and I am not ashamed to say it.

Yes, it would be nice to be with someone and to receive flowers and gifts but its not the end of the world simply because there is no one. Seriously. I've had my share of bouquets and dates on previous Valentines Days so its not like I don't know how it feels. I do. Do I miss it? Yes. I don't mind though that there's no one this year.

It's a novelty. Ask me again next year when there's still no one. I might just post a "woe is me I am so bitter" Valentine post. Hahaha. Doubtful though.

For this year ... I choose to be better ... not bitter ... after all, when one is bitter, one is ungrateful and for all the wonderful things happening in my life, bitter is something that I do not feel at all.

I am loved ... not just by one but by many. I am loved.

Buffet 101

Since it first opened, I have wanted to try this place. Unfortunately, its always been a miss for me since people I was supposed to go to with would back out at the last minute. If it wasn't the last hurrah of Team Oli, I think I would still not have eaten here.

It was a good thing that I knew the manager of the place and so we were able to get the best seats in the house; right next to the buffet place. :) Team Oli and I trooped over on a Saturday night and ate to our hearts content. What I really love about the place though is that it gave you that distinct 5 star hotel feel while allowing you to come in wearing casual clothing.

There was a huge selection of food and I was able to take photos of it. I love the Chinese area the most. I may be biased though since I am half Chinese.

They have over 250 viands for you to choose from, enough to make you go crazy because you can never taste them all in one go. It's just not humanly possible. I stuck to one of the areas that I am most comfortable with and this is the Chinese cuisine area. I also got around to the desserts after I was done and overindulged once more.

Given the chance, I would bring my family to eat here. I'm sure they will love it just as much as I did.

Mongolian Rice Bowl

I have wanted to try this place ever since I first passed by it. I was supposed to eat here with a friend but the friend has disappeared and so I decided that I would eat here with B and family.

Last Friday, it happened. After a major epic fail with B's school that I do not want to elaborate on lest I cuss at the sisters, we decided that we will fix B's broken heart by eating out.

It worked.

K and I had buffet while the rest of the family ordered a la carte. It seems K and I will never really lose weight since we both love to eat. Haha. It's a good thing we're pretty. LOL.

We tried out the sweet version of the mongolian rice bowl simply because we have a sweet tooth. What I liked is that they have a guide on how to create your own. This is helpful especially for people like me who have no idea to cook mongolian style.

After it has been cooked, it looks like this.

I like the taste of the food. It was fresh and the combination that they recommended was perfect. I had the sweetness I wanted and the mix of the pork, chicken, beef, and squid was just right. There wasn't a taste that overpowered one and you get to enjoy everything in moderation. In fact, I had two bowls of this. Teehee.

For those who do not have such big appetites, they also have a sampler of the rice bowl and different rice toppings.

sweet and sour fish

chicken teriyaki

Overall, it was a pretty good dinner that we had. My family and I enjoyed and I think I could do another visit to this place after I am  done trying out the other new places here in our area.

signing off for now ...

So many stories waiting to be told ... so many entries waiting to be posted ... so many thoughts waiting to be sorted ... but for now, I need to rest.

I am sick. =(

Hong Kong Roast

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to another Eats a Date event. I almost didn't make it to the list because it was already full when I found out about it but fate was smiling on me and it wanted me to have a Chinese feast for the night.

Hong Kong Roast can be found at Jupiter corner Galaxy Street in Makati. The big sign in front is a dead giveaway and makes it pretty easy to spot. I love it because I am geographically challenged and enormous signs like this are a life saver.

Upon getting there, you'd have a taste of what restos in Hong Kong are like because the restaurant is actually located downstairs.

Upon entering, the place looks like a typical Chinese eatery but with a dash of panache. The lamps add a bit of elegance but the overall look is very casual chic.

After taking time to enjoy the simplicity of the place, we got down to the business of indulging ourselves in Hong Kong food. Some of the food that stood out for me are the following:

beef ho fan

I can honestly say that this is one of the best ho fan that I have ever tasted. The noodle was cooked just right and the combination of all the ingredients was perfect. It didn't leave an aftertaste ... what it did leave was the wanting to have 3 more plates that I could devour in one sitting.
 

yang chow fried rice

The Yang Chow fried rice was FRESH. There, it was FRESH. The taste was crisp, delicious, and it made me go "hmmm!" but in a good way. It wasn't like the typical yang chow fried rice that was bland and dull. If yang chow fried rice could dance, this one would be doing the samba while the others would be doing a boring waltz.  

Black Sesame Ice Cream

This was one hell of an ice cream. It is made from beans and had crushed beans on top. Sounds yucky right? WRONG! It was oh so yummy and trust me on this because I hate beans and yet I wanted to have 2 scoops of this ice cream. It was THAT good. No, it was really really good.

What I like most about the night was the banter between the bloggers and the owner. John was such a delightful host that I found myself not noticing the time as it passed by. Jokes and opinions were handed out and though the owners were smiling, I knew that they were taking note of all that we have told them. This makes me feel good because I know that our opinions mattered.

Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. The service was great because the staff was quick and efficient. I didn't have to call anyone twice and they took care of my every whim. I'd definitely recommend this place to my friends and family.

To anyone who would like to have a taste of authentic Hong Kong food without leaving the Philippines, Hong Kong Roast is the place to go.

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* I was invited to review the food. I did not pay for my meal. However, the free meal did not in any way sway my opinion and everything you read here is MY PERSONAL OPINION. 

Pao Pao Milk Tea

I was passing through Enterprise on my way to check something at National Book Store. I saw a man passed by and he was drinking milk tea. As we all know by now, I am addicted to Milk Tea. With this sighting, I went on to hunt where he got his milk tea and this is what I found.

I've never heard about Pao Pao Milk Tea but I wanted to give this a try. The server was very friendly and had me try a couple of shots of the different milk tea they had to offer. I ended up ordering the Taro Milk Tea.

I like the pearls that they had. It was chewy and not hard. It slides inside the mouth and can be chewed with ease. The milk tea was just right and it didn't leave an aftertaste which I like. However, it didn't leave much of an impression either. It was good but it lacked the kick of other milk tea places.

I'll definitely order if I pass by it but I won't make much of an effort to go visit.

if these walls could talk ...

.. .what would they say?

The walls of my room would probably tell you stories of a woman who tries to be strong when she is outside with the world but breaks down in the haven of her room. It would tell you the dreams and heartache, the songs of love and longing it hears, and the laughter and tears it witnesses.

If the walls of Intramuros could talk, what would it say? How many stories can it tell? Would it say anything at all or has it become mute because of the many horrors it has seen?

It would say, visit me. Spend an afternoon with me and get to know my untold stories. Walk with me and hear me whisper the stories of families who had happy moments here. The children ran around and dreams were made.

It would say, wait with me. The man I love is just biding his time so we can be together again. Hear the sweet words he whispered in my ear while we stood here at the stairs looking out into the sky. We formed our lives here, the one we want to have together. Weep with me as I hold him, bleeding and dying from a shot from my father's gun.

It would say, hide with me. The conquerors are coming and we not safe anywhere. Hear the sound of people dying and being bludgeoned. Hear the screams of the people who have lost loved ones. Hear the moans of the people suffering. Hear all of this and amidst all that, hear the sound of my heart breaking.

It would say, can you see me? I am not here anymore. They dropped a bomb on me and I am now gone, lost forever. Where there is an empty space, I used to be a school full of young men with ambitions and their lives ahead. Where there is an empty space, I used to have a school full of sons, nephews, cousins, friends, and lovers. Can you see me? Can you hear us? Do you even want to remember us?

Walk with me. Visit me. Hear me. Know my stories and spread the word. I have a million stories to tell. One afternoon is not enough. I promise you won't be bored. You will however cry, laugh, reminisce, fantasize, and feel strongly for me at the end of the day.

Walk with me. Walk this way.

Afterwards, lets have coffee at Starbucks in Intramuros. They, too, have stories waiting to be heard.

This is a Travel Write-up entry to the Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012 organized by IntramurosManila.Asia. 

IBC 2012 is fully supported by the Intramuros Administration, Barbara's Restaurant, Celdran Tours, Mabuhay Guides, Pilgrimage Pilipinas, Castillan Tours, Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation, Inc., DigiEntrepreneur, DigitalFilipino, Third Team Media, Payless Pancit Shanghai, Ruthilicious, Ruthilicious Fanpage and GadgetGambit.com.

and the Prom King is ....

He champions hearts. He makes sure that when he meets someone, she is left with hearts fluttering and butterflies in her stomach. She will be giddy and blushing. After all, he is the Prom King and he can choose any girl to be his Prom Queen.

This is his persona. This is not what I met.

The person I met was a simple guy who had a disarming smile. He was jolly, nice, and he was the winner of the 1st ever Life is Kulayful contest. Yey!
 

what he won

he looks pleased right?

So there ... he's the first winner of my 1st ever Life is Kulayful contest. I'm glad that I got a chance to meet him and hand over his prizes. :)

To know more about him, visit the Prom King on his blog.