Binondo Girl

Last weekend,  my GALZ business partners and I went to Divisoria in Binondo, the bargain shopping mecca of Manila.  Aside from fashionable finds,we also checked authentic Chinese diners in the Ongpin area.

Our incessant walking led us to Maki Place along Salazar street.  It's not really a posh diner, but we're so surprised to have found a hole in the wall eatery in the side streets of Binondo.

Here are the pics of our food trip in Binondo:

complimentary tea is soothing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

kiampong and regular siomai (yes, regular. i can't imaging how big the other siomais are)

dumpling mami. P90 only, good for 2 pax, with 6 dumplings. yum yum

yangchow fried rice

goyong aka pork embutido. yummy!

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Vigan in my mind

Our Vigan trip was cancelled. It was so much awaited but we had to postpone it because of a strong typhoon (signal number 4) and the center was the Ilocos region and Cagayan.  How sad.  It took us more than a month of preparation: booking with our travel agent,  filing our vacation leaves, finishing our deliverables ahead of deadline, shopping and packing our bags.

But just like attracting what you really want the most, an Ilocano diner recently opened near our office.  Wow! Authentic Ilocos empanada and bagnet just a few steps from where I am working.  Here goes my food trip at Empanada nation:

Bagnet meal: Fried rice, bagnet strips, itlog na pula and KBL kamatis (tomatoes), bagoong (fish paste), lasuna (onion) for only Php100

 

Vegan empanada: veggies and egg for only Php50

would you like to try puqui-puqui (eggplant) and adobong utong (string beans)?

Empanada Nation is located along Sgt. Esguerra Ave in Quezon City, just a few steps from the GMA Kamuning MRT station.

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sweet tarts

Anyone here Tagaytay-bound? I'm craving for blueberry tarts!

Rowena's Blueberry tarts: a box of six for only P120

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Shop for a Cause

Here's the first benefit vintage bazaar I am organizing. See the details here. :)

poster number1 for the first wave

poster number 2

Wee! I'm so excited.  This is the first wave of our fund-raising activities for our beneficiary Baby Yzrael Benedict. Also, I really pray that he'll get ok soon.  Looking forward to seeing him grow up a healthy kid.

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to iPad or not to iPad

I had to delay my enrollment until the next term due to unforeseen schedule conflicts. *sigh*  So to make up for the depression (well, not quite), I thought of getting myself a gadget I so covet. But I don't want to do it on impulse so I listed down the pros and cons.

photo courtesy: http://store.apple.com/ph/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad

 Reasons to get an iPad:

- lightweight gadget perfect for my presentations

- can be my catalog for Bits of Beads that I can always bring along

- bigger screen for movies (compared to my iPod touch)

- my iPod's battery is not working properly anymore

- can be my organizer for 2012 (and the years to come)

- games and apps galore

What holds me back:

- I just bought a netbook early this year (her name's Blushie)

- I can do more with Blushie (edit slideshows, watch movies and games)

- I've got so many books to read (more productive than spending time playing games)

-  mac upgrades every six months

- I already have my trusty iPod touch

- I can use the money for something else, say, investments or start-up capital for my business.

What are your thoughts? Should I, or not get an iPad?

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Quest for the Best (mami)

I am on a perpetual quest for the best mami to satisfy my taste buds.  And this search led me to one major contenders for the title.

Along Timog Ave., just a few minutes from where I work, is a quaint Chinese diner named San-seh Hand-pulled Noodles.  The name itself stirred my interest as a lover of noodles and pasta.

The location is quite intimidating, being at the hub of posh restaurants in the Tomas Morato-Timog district.  But it is a surprise to find out that the food is quite cheap, considering the generous serving.

My friend and I had Beef Wanton noodles, split into two big bowls for only P150.  It's heaven, I swear!  The sweet and salty taste of the mami is just the right mix.  Dumplings cost around P50, and 3 siopaos for only P55.  There are also rice toppings, the best seller is a big bowl of rice topped with Chinese adobo for only P120.

Beef Wanton mami

Chinese adobo rice toppings

The interior of the resto is quite simple, similar to Binondo mami houses.  So if you want to experience a Chinese gastronomic treat that's affordable, San-seh is the place for you.

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More than a Hundred Wonders

Hundred Islands and Lingayen Heritage Tour

I seldom blog about the places I go to, but this time I feel this certain urge to do so.

Last July, I was made to experience a breathtaking beauty that is Pangasinan.  Pre-conference, I arranged a Hundred Islands day tour for my friends in SFC.  

From Cubao, we took a Victory Liner bus heading to Alaminos, Pangasinan.  Tickets cost around P380 each.  We got off the Alaminos terminal and took a tricycle (P50 for 3pax) going to Lucap port where we hired a medium-sized boat good for 10pax.  Upon reaching the port, guests must register in the Tourism office, pay the P20 entrance fee and the staff will helpfully arrange boat transfers for you.  For day tour, a boat costs about P1.5K and that will take you to all the islands in the vicinity.

The Hundred Islands is truly interesting with the caves, rock formations and white sand pocket beaches.  We ate our brunch at one of the big islands: Quezon Island. We had sinigang na bangus and inihaw na tilapia freshly cooked for us.  It was quite pricey, though. We paid P200 for a medium-sized bangus.

From Alaminos, it took us around 2hours van ride to reach Dagupan where our conference took place. Our chapter stayed at the Value Star Inn along AB Fernandez Ave.  We paid about P600/pax for a quadruple sharing room for two nights stay.  The hotel's in the downtown district of Dagupan, a 10 minute ride away from CSI Stadia.

After the conference, we availed of the Lingayen Heritage tour offered by the Pangasinan Tourism Board.  Each of us paid only P150 for the half-day tour that made us see the freshly-renovated Pangasinan Provincial Capitol Bldg., world-class Sison Auditorium, the FVR Museum and the Lingayen beach front.  Plus, as a bonus, we even got to take the Dawel river cruise for free.  The relaxing river trip is similar to that of Loboc in Bohol, only sans buffet lunch.

There are still so many sights to see in Pangasinan.  Traveling from end to end will take around 13hours, just like going to and from Manila.  On my next visit, I'll surely go to Bolinao to see it's pristine beach and rock formations.  I just can't wait for the summer break to come!

Here are some helpful contacts and links for this trip:

www.100shores.com
+632.433.7532 , +632.928.2101   

Pangasinan Tourism Board

www.pangasinantourism.com

+6375.542.6853 

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