COFFEE CUPS & GARDENS =)

It was a particularly crisp February morning. We were on our way to Tagaytay to celebrate Panet's birthday (our tita who hosts Sunday lunch for us every single time at Eduardo's).

Traditionally, the cousins come together and plan her birthday surprise (which is never really a surprise, I suppose, because Panet has come to "expect" it). We usually hold a special dinner in one of the Metro restaurants, and was even crazy enough to plan a lunch birthday party at McDo Fort once just to throw Panet off our usual birthday surprise track. This year (and this is a much delayed post--2 years delayed, I think, haha), Lolo Art kindly offered to arrange it with the Tagaytay Royale clubhouse and simply have the cousins foot the bill. Go. =)

Now, I've always liked roadtrips, but this one, in my mind was special. I don't go on roadtrips very often with my parents, and really wish now that I could. During the Wander Years, I was too independent-minded, and I suppose with much to prove, I would much rather go through things alone or with my, uh, other friends who also felt the need to prove that they were finally adults. Not so these days. More settled and with nothing more to prove on both sides, my relationship with Father and Mother has evolved to include easy friendship.

It was a particularly crisp February morning, and as soon as we got through the Rotonda, we decided to shut off the car aircon and roll down the windows instead. It was early enough; no car fumes yet on the usually busy thoroughfare. Just as well. We don't get "fresh air" that often in Manila, and Mother really prefers fresh air to the aircon. Father was wearing a crazy grin. As usual, I suppose he is just happy to be on a car going somewhere. I highly suspect I inherited my highly-developed wanderlust from him. Haha. =)

It was just Hubby Sweet, Mother, Father and myself in the car this time. Sister Pusjing and family--who usually rides with us on roadtrips--has decided to celebrate her own birthday in advance by spending the night in Tagaytay. We will just be meeting them there.

When you go on a roadtrip with Mother though, you have to be prepared to leave early. She hates traffic, and really, in everything, she'd rather be an hour early than 10 minutes late. (I realize now that I inherited my highly-developed need for punctuality from her! Haha. =)) Which is why, before 11:00 am, we were already in Tagaytay, much too early for Panet's birthday feast. No biggie.

"I suppose we can just have coffee somewhere," I suggested.

"Bag of Beans?" Hubby Sweet asked. It was almost our default coffee place in Tagaytay.

"Yup," I nodded.

Father's grin grew wider. =)

I discovered Bag of Beans years ago. BFF Marts and her then-BF-now-Hubby-BJ introduced me to it. We were a group of about 6 or 8, and had just come from a volunteer Habitat-for-Humanity housebuilding activity. We were all young and single, and in no real hurry to get home. I remember going down a flight of stairs into a garden, illuminated by candles--an attempt to help dispel the darkness that will soon follow dusk. I fell in love with the garden then; it was enchanting. The coffee was good. Their own home-baked bread even better. The image of BFF Marts fighting with the resident monkey who took revenge by throwing nuts (I think) at then-BF-now-Hubby-BJ still makes me laugh to this day.

A few years ago, on another roadtrip, I introduced then-BF-now-Hubby Sweet to it. That was my best visit ever to Bag of Beans. It was early morning. The garden, even without the twinkling candles, was just as enchanting. I was just set to have coffee, bread and butter then, but when we walked in, we found a buffet table laid out with beef tapa, tocino, fried fish, rolls of every-kind, coffee, tsokolate-eh, etc., etc.! P250 per person, the waiter said. Sold! Haha. (Click here and here to read my past blogs on it. =))

The buffet has since been discontinued. Just as well. We were not here for the buffet this time anyway. I just thought Bag of Beans would be the perfect place to take my parents to. Father loves coffee. Mother loves gardens. Bag of Beans is all about having coffee in a beautiful garden. =)

We walked down the stairs, under a canopy of floral ivy. Mother smiled. She likes gardens, and usually picks a thing or two to apply to her own in House Better.

The cabana were Hubby Sweet and I usually sit was already occupied. We looked around and decided to stay under one of the "umbrella-covered" tables in the middle of the garden.

"Pa'no ginagawa yung leaf imprints?" Mother asked as we sat down, clearly referring to the leaf marks embedded on the walkway.

"I'm not sure, but I saw it on TV once," I replied, "I think they press real leaves on concrete that is relatively stiff, but not yet fully settled. Then once the concrete hardens, they just take out the leaf and the imprint stays on the concrete. Then they paint."

"Oh," she said, smiling, an idea clearly forming in her head.

"Eh yung mga nakasabit na lamps, sa'n kaya nila nabibili?" she asked.

"I think they sell it in the country store next to the bake shop. We can check it out later," I replied.

"Sige," she said. (NOTE: We did, but it was still sadly closed when we got out.)

"They actually sell the plants," I volunteered, thinking that she might want to bring some back home to Manila.

"Nah," she said, shaking their head. "These kinds of plants thrive here dahil malamig. Sa Manila, malalanta lang sila. Or kailangan silang i-water several times a day. Eh, sa atin pa..." she trailed off, referring to the fact that in Paranaque, water from the regular pipes is scarce, and people have actually made a good living out of delivering water to homes.

The waiter approached us, menu in hand.

"I'm not hungry," Father said.

"Ako din," Mother seconded.

"We can just get coffee or hot choco," I suggested, "and bread. You have to try their bread!"

"Kuya, dalawang kapeng barako," I ordered, "Chaka bread basket with butter and marmalade."

"Hot choco sa'kin," Hubby Sweet piped up.

"Orange juice lang ako," Mother said.

The waiter nodded and smiled, then turned around back to the kitchen. He was back in no time with our mugs, and quietly set the bread basket in the middle. It was freshly-baked, crusty but soft. It still felt warm through the cloth bread basket liner.

We all dug in. The butter melted as it was spread on the warm bread. The marmalade spread just as easily on top of it.

Father took out the newspaper he had brought along for the trip. Mother continued to survey the garden from where she sat. It was a scene right out of House Better, actually, except that we were in another enchanting garden, about an hour away.

Regular life is often complicated and chaotic. Not so that day.

It was a crisp, easy Sunday morning with family.

Hot drinks on hand.

Warm bread on the side.

In its utter simplicity, I found perfection.

I would be so lucky just to have more days like these.

*Sigh. =)*

A TASTE OF SINGAPORE =)

During our late high school and early college years, Father was based in Singapore. For practical reasons (mostly so as not to disrupt our schooling), Mother deigned it better for us to stay in Manila. Consequently, long weekends would find Father flying back home; summer and Christmas breaks would find us flying to the Lion City.

Now, I've always loved the city. Never mind that some people find it boring.

I suppose it had a lot to do with the fact that the first time we landed was in December 1988--when all of Orchard Road looked like some Christmas Giant threw up sparkles, lights and decors all over the buildings and trees. It was so festive, you'd think the primary religion was Christianity when it was really not. Never mind that Singapore did it for the tourists, I do remember the scene automatically dispelling the melancholy I felt about being away from the clan on a holiday that we, as a family, usually spend with them.

I suppose it also had a lot to do with the fact that Singapore was, for lack of a better term, efficient. And clean. And orderly. And green. And smoke-free. And everything else that I wished Manila could be--if only we had the political will and commitment to do it. It's not from a lack of trying. I'm not sure if you actually noticed that, with every change in administration, trees inevitably get planted along the main roads, and signs are put up proclaiming the "Greening of Metro Manila"--only to find the same trees wilted and covered with dust a month later. The thing is, we treat the trees as decor, when we ought to treat them as a commitment. (Sidenote: I'm glad that they actually passed a law that requires people to pay extra for shopping bags every Wednesday; it's, at least, a good start.) To say that I was fascinated with the city transforming itself from an urban jungle into a garden state was an understatement. I suppose though, it is really much easier to focus on "aesthetics" when one does not need to worry about having to feed practically 80% of its population.

I digress.

The other thing I loved about Singapore is the food. I have yet to eat anything there that I did not like. Weekends would inevitably find us in one of the Hawker's Centers each downing a bowl of Hainanese Chicken Rice and wolfing down Chili Crabs like there was no tomorrow. Good food. Good price. =)

Which leads me to the point of this post. Good Chili Crabs, one can find in Manila. Good Hainanese Chicken Rice is not as easy to find.

I serendipitously came upon really good Chicken Rice at the old Philippine Plaza coffee shop, but I don't think they retained it in the menu after they renovated the coffee shop into Spiral. People tell me that there is this restaurant in front of Pan Pacific in Malete where they serve authentic Chicken Rice (the Chef is Singaporean), but they said it's quite pricey. Besides, I no longer have the patience to weave through Malate traffic, much less the patience to find a decent/relatively safe parking space--at least no longer at the levels I used to have during the Wander Years. I also tried the Chicken Rice at Makansutra at the Manila Ocean Park, but it was only "OK lang" and failed to live up to my high hopes. During one stop at Edsa Shang, Hubby Sweet and I also decided to try the version at Penang Hill. Two words: STAY AWAY. Variation to the two words: DON'T TRY. I wanted to cry after trying that version. Naku! =D

Father has since moved from Singapore to Glendale then back to Manila, and yet the family's craving for a decent Chicken Rice has remained. I mean, it is not really too big of an expectation really. Our thinking was that we used to eat good Chicken Rice in the hawker's centers (which is a levelled-up version of the local carinderia). How can the local restaurants not get it right?

Well, someone finally did! =)

Cousin-in-law Mi was the first person who asked me to try it. I think the owner was a personal friend. Admittedly though, I have not gotten around to it, until last June when we were originally supposed to go out for Father's Day, but had to cancel because Mother was not feeling well the entire week. It was a sort of Eureka moment when the idea of ordering Hainanese Chicken Rice for take-out danced around like a lightbulb in my head.

Stevie's Hainanese Chicken Rice to the rescue! =)

I had to scramble around the internet to find the contact details because I couldn't find Mi's original email, what with all the junk in my inbox. I did not have a hard time because, apparently, in the time between Mi's original email and me finally getting around to actually trying it, most of the leading bloggers in Manila have already had their fill and were singing high praises to it. (Click on the link for the posted reviews on Dessert Comes First and Market Manila.) All the reviews got me even more excited. Yey! ^_^

Calling was easy enough. With the entire family (including yayas) descending on House Better for Father's Day, we ordered four orders. On the side, Sister Pusjing decided they will also drop by Pixie's to get several orders of their much-raved about inihaw na bangus. I gave them an 11:00 am pick-up time, and asked Sister Pusjing to pass by for it on their way to House Better. All set. =)

Except that come Sunday, it was already way past 11:30 am and Sister Pusjing and family were nowhere near House Better. I gave them directions to Stevie's (go to the Bel-Air gate near Shell Buendia), but apparently they did not need it. There was a looooooong line outside--about 20 cars or so--all waiting for their orders! Naku. =D They finally got to House Better at 12:30 with 7-year old Patita declaring as soon as she stepped through the front door, "That Chicken Rice is sheer torture!" Hahaha. As Sister Pusjing explained, it soon became clear that she wasn't referring to the long line and the long wait. Apparently, the entire trip home, the scent of the Chicken Rice wafted through the car and Patita had to endure the entire trip smelling it, but having to wait to get to House Better before she can eat it. Haha! ;D

Stevie's did not disappoint (although, when I first saw it, I thought, "Ay, mas maraming chicken kesa rice!" Haha. How plebian. =))

The chicken was moist and flavorful. I was a bit surprised to find it "swimming in broth" as I was used to the Hainanese Chicken already being served "dry" on top of the rice. Still, no biggie. We all used the broth as "soup" of sorts to top our rice. Haha.

Oh, the rice. Fragrant, flavorful, jasmine rice. None of the cheap kind that comes out either hard or clumpy. Good Hainanese Chicken Rice lives and dies by the quality of the rice, and Stevie (naks, parang kilala ko siya, haha) made sure that their rice lived up to expectations.

The entire set came with traditional dipping sauces: smashed ginger in sesame oil, chili sauce (which was not to spicy actually =(), and the sweet-salty soy sauce mix.

It also came with a glazing sauce which we were supposed to pour over the chicken if we wanted to reheat it. It was supposed to prevent the chicken from drying up (which also, by the way, explained why the chicken was set in broth still).

Reheat? We did not. We did not even re-plate. Haha. The entire thing (aluminum trays, plastic cups and all) were placed on the lazy Susan soon as it arrived. Game na ang lunch agad.

I will keep a secret how long it took for us to finish the entire thing. Haha! ;D

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If you want to try Stevie's Hainanese Chicken Rice To Go, call 0906-5084155. It's P950 per set (at the time we bought anyway), good for 4 people. =) Go. Now na. ;p

HAPPINESS IS....=)

Being able to sleep peacefully.....

....next to the people you love. =)

Shhhhhhh.... =)

DOS PALMAS TWICE OVER / 2006 & 2009 =)

I fell in love with Puerto Princesa the first time I went there. I suppose it had a lot to do with the fact that I was starry-eyed-looking-at-love-through-rose-colored-glasses-in-love the first time I went there.

It was soon after Hubby Sweet and I got married, back in 2006. Having separately travelled to different places with other people during our individual Wander Years, we had decided to go someplace neither of us had been to before. Given time and budget constraints back then, it was quite serendipitous that we discovered Dos Palmas.

The resort was, at that time, reeling from a series of unfortunate (high-profile) incidents. With the Abu Sayyaf and Rico Yan fresh on everybody’s minds, Dos Palmas, I suppose, was bent on dispelling the jinx image that had been seared onto everyone’s minds. Php 12,000 per person, inclusive of airfare, transfers, use of facilities, accommodations and full-board meals for 4D/3N. We checked out the website. Nice. =)

Hubby and I discussed it, and decided that we were not really superstitious people. Still we had a good laugh over whether we should stay in one of the Bay Cottages (where the folks kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf stayed) or in one of the Garden Villas (where Rico Yan unexpectedly died). In the end, we decided that the probability of a second Abu Sayyaf outing is likely much less than the probability of a moomoo sighting. Bay cottage, it is then! Haha. =)

Dos Palmas is not for the impatient. After landing in Puerto Princesa, one needs to take a 30-minute road trip to the port, after which (depending on the speed of your assigned boat), one needs to take an hour to 1-1/2 hour trip to the island. It was so remote, it was easy to understand how bandits could speed away with a horde of tourists without the authorities managing to catch up. Legend has it that the Abu Sayyaf were actually targeting the posh island of Amanpulo, but took a wrong turn and ended up in Dos Palmas instead.

Times have changed.

Since then, Honda Bay security has been beefed up, and on one morning during which Hubby Sweet and I woke up particularly early, we walked out of the cottage and realized that the super friendly security staff were actually Marines-in-disguise. (Truth be told, when we first got on the island, we both thought that their security was much more fit and disciplined—despite their amiable personalities and their perpetual smiles—than the average Manong Guard. =))

That said, the security details are masked and actually blend well with the resort feel of the island. Dos Palmas is all about relaxation and being in a world far removed from the urban jungle.

It is all about spending quality time with the people you’re with.

You can have long conversations while stuffing yourself silly at their fabulous buffets. You can lounge around by the pool. You can go snorkeling. You can hike. You can bike. You can play billiards or pingpong. You can sing your lungs out at the videoke room.

If you think you have either the stamina or the courage for it, you can even kayak through the mangroves and row around (yes, around) the island. Hubby Sweet and I actually tried it, and it goes down in our personal history as our first-ever-fight ever as a married couple. Halfway through, I had a panic attack and wanted to turn back. He, on the other hand, reasoned we would row the same distance back as we would if we just kept going forward! I, of course, retorted that if we turned around, we would be going through a route that we already know. Usually, I'm the more adventurous one between the two of us, except when it comes to anything that involves deep water. Naku, stalemate in the middle of Honday Bay. Hahaha! We ended up going forward only because I realized that I cannot row all the way back by myself, whereas he can actually move the kayak forward without any help from me. Haha. Ngyah. =D)

That said, what you cannot do on Dos Palmas is watch TV. There are none—at least not in the rooms. The lone concession is the TV hanging over the bar (which actually has a complete set of free TV and cable channels), but you sit there only if you happen to like the TV taste of the first person who asked the bartender to put it on. Haha!

GARDEN OR BAY: WHERE TO STAY

Back in 2006, we stayed at one of the the Bay Cottages where most couples usually stay. I suppose there’s something to be said about having the bay as your view and about sitting out on your veranda to find schools of multi-colored and multi-sized schools of fish below. We even had sightings of baby stingrays (or were they manta-rays?).

The Bay Cottages were meant to provide more privacy, being situated away from the “main island” where most of the activities are.

In 2009, I had wanted to book the Bay Cottages (never mind that we were a group/family), but every single one was taken. Besides, the beds were not enough to fit all of us. Haha.

So we decided to stay in the newly-renovated Garden Villas instead.

Not bad, really. Not bad at all. =)

WHAT TO DO

There are enough activities to go by if you’re not expecting the vibe of Boracay. One can actually choose to be marooned on the island and not leave its premises during the entire stay. However, if you decide that you want to explore the world beyond the island, the resort can actually arrange for other “Puerto Princesa” activities.

Honda Bay Island Hopping would always be tops for me. When you arrange it with Dos Palmas, the trip usually starts with lunch at Isla Puting Buhangin (or is it Isla Puting Bato? I forget. Haha).

There’s something to be said about having lunch on a sandbar in the middle of a tranquil bay.

Oh, that, and feasting on a buffet of freshly grilled fish, liempo, shellfish, along with servings of manggang hilaw with bagoong. Down it with ice-cold softdrinks and you’re pretty much set for an afternoon of swimming around, running after (or, in some cases, running from) schools of fish of different shapes, sizes and territorial temperaments.

I’ve been to many snorkeling spots and the diversity of the types of fish one can see on Honda Bay is impressive. I won’t elaborate further. I did write about it in a previous blog though (during a different trip to Puerto Princesa). Read about it here na lang. =)

When you get tired of snorkeling, the island hopping trip ends with fishing. Now, Dos Palmas is a marine sanctuary so fishing would have to be done a good distance away.

Now, I’ve never fished in my entire life prior to Dos Palmas. Come to think of it, I’ve only attempted fishing in Dos Palmas. I say “attempt” because, whether in 2006 or in 2009, I did not actually catch a single fish. Still, there is something quaint, I suppose, about being able to say “I tried fishing”. Haha. (The picture below is with Manong Security Detail who actually reeled in the fish while I was sitting next to him so I decided it...uh...counts. Haha.)

When you do catch a fish, if it’s too small, you have to throw it back. If it’s big enough (and I use the term “big” loosely here, haha), you can actually choose to throw it back OR bring it back to the resort and have it cooked. Manage your expectations though. Both times, we’ve only managed to catch “bisugo” which I know only as the kind of fish you make paksiw. Haha. ;p

While it is not practical, Dos Palmas can also arrange for trips to the now-famous St. Paul Subterranean River Park (more popularly known as the Underground River). I say it is not practical because one would have to take the 1-1/2 hour boat trip back to the mainland, then take another 2-1/2 to 3 hour road trip to another port, after which you take another 30-minute banca ride to the island where the Underground River is. Now imagine that you have to do the same thing to get back to the island. Naku!

This was “manageable” back in 2006 (it just means you kill practically an entire day travelling to ride through the Underground River for 30 minutes), but after the site zoomed to the top of the updated list of Seven Wonders of the World, I’ve been told the lines and the waits have increased to box-office proportions. (As one of my officemates once said, albeit she said it about the long lines during an S&R sale, “Hindi Titanic ang katapat. Pang-Avatar ang level!” Haha.) For perspective, my other officemate, last December, had to wait 5 hours just to hop onto a banca that would take them to the island where the Underground River is!

That said, if your primary intention for going to Puerto Princesa is to go to the Underground River, it would be best to just stay in one of the city hotels instead of staying in Dos Palmas. (Two more tips: First, be careful of the "monkey snatchers". You'll know what I mean once you get on the island. Second, if you do manage to get to the Underground River, maneuver your way to the front seat of the kayak. That way, you get to hold the floodlight that will allow everyone to see inside the cave. After all, he who holds the lamp gets to focus it on whatever he wants. Haha! ;p)

THE FOOD

The food is what makes Dos Palmas—more than anything—worth it. Usually, if it’s a full-board meal, I have learned not to expect much. At Dos Palmas, “much and much more” is what they give! I suppose they realize that with no other option to go to, they better give their guests good food, lest they grumble and complain for 3-4 days. Haha!

The breakfast buffet usually has a Filipino station (with the usual tapa, tocino, longganisa, danggit, fried rice, egg, etc., etc.). On the side, there would either be a vat of lugaw (with the usual condiments of fried garlic, spring onions, calamansi, etc.) or mami. For the foreigners, they also have an American breakfast station (with the usual ham, bacon, sausages, eggs, French toast or pancakes, cereals, dried fruits, etc., etc.). A separate table would contain native kakanins for dessert in addition to the fresh fruit platters. That said, on a daily basis, we would have a Filipino AND an American breakfast with kakanins AND fresh fruit for dessert. Haha! The usual joke after one comes back to the table with a heaping plate is, “Hindi ka naka-decide kung ano gusto mo?” *Insert sheepish grin here. =D*

The lunch buffet is decidedly much simpler as most guests opt to do their off-resort activities. Still, the buffet would have a good mix of native salads (sometimes lato or seaweeds with tomatoes and onions, dipped either in calamansi or vinegar or diced manggang hilaw with bagoong), grilled fish and meat and a soup viand (sinigang or nilaga, etc.).

The dinner buffet, however, is something else. It could be set within the usual café or on the beach with sulos providing light or by the pool with a small band playing. The dinner buffet is usually themed. One night, it was Japanese. Another night, it was Mongolian. Usually, if there’s a big group leaving the next day, the dinner buffet even has different stations. On our final night during our last trip, there was a steak grilling station, there was a Japanese station, there was an Italian Station, there was a Mongolian Station. That dinner, di din kami naka-decide. Haha! ;D

OVER-ALL

Staying at Dos Palmas provides good value for money. Actually, that’s a wrong statement as it makes staying Dos Palmas seem like ”it’s pwede na for the amount that you pay for it”, when what I meant to say is that, “you actually get much, much more than what you pay for”.

What is not worth it, though, is for you to go on a Day Trip to Dos Palmas (I found out that such is actually included in the day tour packages of some of the city hotels).

To truly appreciate Dos Palmas, you have to stay in it. So that, for a good 3-4 days, you can forget that the hurried life you lead in the urban jungle is, technically, only a boat ride and a plane-hop away.

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You can arrange for the plane trip and the resort stay separately, but both times, I found that PALakbayan actually provides a simpler option (book everything once) at good value. Click on the link for more details.

P.S. - The photos are a mix of pics from my 2006 trip (with Hubby Sweet) & my 2009 trip (with Mother, Father, Tita Doy, Rhae, Dooders and MJ). This would explain why, in some pictures, I'm payat (yey!), while in some pictures, I'm...uh...pleasantly plump.

Haha! =D

BEACHED WITH FATHER AND MOTHER / BORACAY, SEPTEMBER 2009 =)

This post is one year delayed. I know because Cousin Dooders and Special Girl MJ celebrated their first wedding anniversary yesterday (which reminds me, today, Banzo has officially been with us one year). Yey for both occasions!

Still, I know this post is a year delayed because it was soon after their wedding that I chaperoned my parents, Tita Doy and Cousin Rhae (the latter being Cousin Dooder’s mom and sis who can home for the wedding).

Now, cousin Rhae hasn’t been on Philippine soil since they migrated to the U.S. in the mid-80’s when she was three. Over the years, as Dooders flew to Manila for different weddings, she has had to live with his photos in Boracay, Palawan, etc., etc. She therefore came home with a mission. To see as much of the Philippine beaches as possible.

Thing is, September is NOT really the best time to go to the beach. It is, after all, typhoon season—which also means that all the parties and events that happen regularly on the Boracay shores are practically non-existent. She will not be deterred. Haha.

That said, we can only do so much for this visit and so the choices were narrowed down to Boracay (required) and Puerto Princesa (which, if statistics continue to hold, has never been hit by a major typhoon in decades).

The last time I went to the beach with Mother and Father was way back in 2001, soon after the wedding of Sister Pusjing and G-Genius. Both Ate Babs and Dooders had come home to Manila (one from Canada, the other from LA) so an out-of-town family trip seemed to be in order. We stayed at Pink Patio then--which was perfect for me—never mind, that it wasn’t right on the beach. At that time, I was passionate about wall-climbing and Pink Patio not only had its own pool (a rarity for a Boracay hotel at that time), it also had the only “wall” on the island. Beyond the hotel amenities, however, what I do remember most from that trip was the joy of walking barefoot on the sand, wind on our faces and sitting on the shore, sipping fruit shakes from Jonah’s when it was nothing but a small, makeshift stall on the far end of the shore. As adults, we used to go a lot on out-of-town trips with friends. I suppose when you're in your early/mid-20’s, it never really occurs to you that going on an out-of-town trip with your parents could also be just as fun. That was the first time such a realization hit me.

“This is the life,” I remember Father murmuring, a Cheshire cat grin planted on his face as he sat on a lounge chair facing the ocean. It was their first time on the shores of Boracay.

Fast-forward to almost a decade later. Times have changed. The wall has since been transferred to D’Mall (which has since replaced the talipapa as the “eating and shopping destination of choice”). Jonah’s is no longer a makeshift stall, but a full-fledged restaurant. Hotels along the beach have since been upgraded from nipa huts to concrete structures—each with their own pool / bar / restaurant.

We arrived in Boracay mid-afternoon, having had to take the road trip/sea trip route from Kalibo after flights to the more convenient Caticlan airport were temporarily prohibited. Earlier in the month, two planes overshot the runway and authorities were still investigating whether the planes are too big for the runway or whether the runway is too short for the planes. Haaaaaaaayyyyyy...So it cost us half-a-day. Whatever. After a protracted route, we were finally on the island.

For this trip, I thought maybe it would be good if we can stay in a reasonably-priced beachfront hotel. At the PALakbayan site, they gave several options, and I stupidly chose La Carmela. I had often heard of it on TV being thanked by all those artistas, haha. I figured, Boy Abunda may be showbiz, but he does have expensive taste, so it couldn’t be that bad. (*Cringe, I know. =D*)

What I did not realize, of course, was that there was that La Carmela had an “executive wing” where they all probably stayed, while the rooms at the PALakbayan site referred to the rooms on the regular wing. As soon as we entered the hotel lobby, I realized, “This is not a hotel. It's a dorm!” Gr. Haha. Think youth hostel as opposed to a real hotel. It was good enough, I suppose, if you were on an out-of-town trip with your barkada, but I always adhered to the idea that for an out-of-town trip with the family, a higher level should be called for. Still, it has been pre-booked and pre-paid so we had no choice but to live with it. Ngyar. (Sorry, guys! Next time, we're staying at the Regency. =D)

We left the sunshine in Manila and arrived on the island to texts from Sister Pusjing and Tito Bie checking if we were OK and asking us to be careful. Apparently, it was announced on TV that there was a tropical depression headed our way. Yay! Haha. Oh, well. Worst case, I figured, I’d get to experience my first typhoon on the beach. Naku! =S

So the winds were strong (clear indication was that bamboo windbreakers have been set up along the shoreline, and all the kiteboarders have transferred to White Beach from the kiteboarding site on the other side of the island).

So the waves were huge (big enough to cause an accident at the far end of the beach with one fatality).

So it rained incessantly.

So what the heck.

We swam anyway.

We lounged by the shore.

We walked to both the talipapa and D'Mall in heavy downpour, keeping our purchases in water-proof plastic sando bags (very effective kahit di sosyal, haha).

We ate.

We talked.

We enjoyed Boracay anyway--despite the rains and the gloomy skies.

Still, more than the activities, what I would remember most from this trip would be the smiles and the peace that came with temporarily being away from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila (or of L.A., in the case of Tita Doy and Rhae). Being on opposite ends of the globe is not easy; the trip also gave us the opportunity to catch up on each other's lives.

“This is the life,” Father once said--on these same shores, almost a decade ago.

Except for the La Carmela booboo, I suppose, it, indeed, is. =)

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Dos Palmas, next! =)

GOING DOWN THE SPIRAL / JULY 15, 2010 =)

We arrived at 6:00 p.m., despite the horrendous traffic we had to wade through along Buendia, way too early for our 7:00 p.m. reservation. For our fourth anniversary dinner, Hubby Sweet had wanted to try out The Goose Station, Rob Pengson & Sunshine Puey’s new restaurant at the Fort, but degustation (get it?) did not really appeal to me. Midway through it, I envisioned myself pulling at my hair and screaming, “DAAAAAAAAARRRRNN!!! Can you please just set everything down so I can eat what I want at the pace that I want?!” Hahaha. How plebian. =D

That said, I also thought it was ridiculously expensive. P2,500 for a 9-course set, P1,500 for a 5-course set. I mean, of course I know Rob and Sunshine from all their TV and magazine exposures, but I don’t think they have established themselves enough in my mind as culinary gods worthy of such price. So I told the Hubby, what if we eat in Circle or Spiral instead? I mean, it’s practically the same price and there’d be different stations pa?! I mean, come on!

It didn’t take much for him to change his mind. Haha!

So there we were, an hour early for our reservation, but no biggie. Apparently, the buffet opens at 6:30pm. We would have to wait it out.

“Can we sit out on the deck?” we asked, thinking that the temperature in the then relatively empty restaurant was too cold.

The hostess looked up at the sky. It was relatively blue, but the gray clouds looming in the horizon seemed to worry her. After all, it hasn’t even been two full days since Typhoon Basyang battered the Manila Bay coastline.

“You may sit outside, Ma’am, if you wish. I can just retain your original table inside for now—just in case it rains.”

She walked us out and told us she’d be back shortly with a complimentary bread basket.

“It’s OK,” I stopped her. “No need. We want to reserve space for the buffet.”

“Beer for me, please, “ Hubby Sweet piped up, “Beer na lang. Chaka, meron ba kayong….roasted highland legumes?”

She smiled, recognizing the joke, “Meron, Sir. Sandali lang po.”

We kicked back on the deck. Despite the fact that we were not quite beside the pool, and that the air was not quite as fresh as if we had driven out-of-town, the wide-open space looking out to coco trees and blue skies still provided a different vibe. It was a well-appreciated pocket of calm within the metro, especially coming from work stress and the traffic gridlocks we were immersed in practically just half an hour earlier.

6:30 came soon enough. And then, the feeding frenzy began. Haha!

Actually, frenzy wouldn’t be the correct term to use as we actually took things SLOW. While waiting for our turn to be seated, Hubby Sweet made the rounds of the different stations. There was an oyster bar, a cheese station, a grilling station, an Italian station, a Japanese station, an Indian/Mid-Eastern Station, a Chinese Station, a Thai Station in addition to the dessert buffet.

From the range of food that he saw and reported back to me, we realized that the only way we will survive this dinner is if we: (1) choose wisely, (2) eat slowly, and (3) walk around a lot. Hahaha.

Choosing to dine al fresco—while more inconvenient because it meant being seated farther away from the buffet stations inside—quite serendipitously proved to be the strategically correct move. Now, I didn’t want to keep lugging my bag around while going through the buffet so we also decided that only one of us should stand at any given time so that the other can stay with our stuff while the other one was away. While he was still unwinding with his beer and peanuts, I decided to go inside. (Unfortunately, taking pictures of the buffet was not allowed, so I would just have to resort to listing them down.)

Early on, I decided on a strategy. From light to heavy. From bland to spicy. Oh, and yes, I thought I’d skip those that I already regularly eat somewhere else. We also decided to just go for different things and taste each other’s buffet pick. We figured it’s the only way we can actually taste everything.

FIRST ROUND: MINE!
Three Types of Breads: whole wheat dinner roll, pretzel, crusty bread
Different Types of Spreads: hummus, baba ghanoush, yoghurt, olive tapenade, etc., etc.

FIRST ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Kalimutan ang appetizers! Haha! The Hubby, apparently, decided to go straight for the jugular.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Jelly (which turned out to be worthy enough to be declared Top of the Heap, the Best of the Bunch, the kind that we continue to dream of to this day….haha! ^_^)
Grilled Fish (also, reeeeeeeeeeallllllly good, although we continue to debate whether it was gindara or local “salmon”) =)


SECOND ROUND: MINE!
Pork Siomai, Beef Siomai, Sharksfin (Ack! Bad. =S) Dumpling, Cuchay Dumpling
Raddish Cake
Mini-Asado Siopao
Fine! I know I said I’d skip those that I can eat somewhere else but curiosity got the better of me. With memories of Emperor’s Court at the Renaissance in my mind, I needed to know if it will be soooooo much better than all the other siomai I can buy for P25 in all the kiosks that seem to have sprouted all over the metro. Haha! (For the record, it was. Then again, it was much smaller and much more expensive so dapat lang. Haha. =))

SECOND ROUND: HUBBY’S!
A Platterful of Crab Claws
Raspberry Vinegar

THIRD ROUND: MINE!
A small bowl of Sukiyaki
A ramekin of Edamame
A ramekin of Chawan Musni (My winner discovery of the day! Yey! It tasted strangely like balut soup—yes, the duck egg—except that it was all about steamed egg white with a treasure of sliced mushroom, chicken, fish cake, etc. at the bottom. I dishes that provide multi-layered texture and tastes in a manner that combine almost effortlessly into a simple, comfort dish. )

THIRD ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Prime Rib (end-cut) with Demi-glace

FOURTH ROUND: MINE!
Chicken Tandoori
Lamb Curry
Roti
Mango Chutney

FOURTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Four Slices of Fois Gras with Fruit Confit

FIFTH ROUND: MINE!
Nahilo sa fois gras at naumay sa tandoori and curry, so I decided to go for something relatively neutral (walang kokontra, haha).
Crab Claws
Steamed, then iced Mollusks (a.k.a., tahong! Haha. Gigantic, succulent ones. ^_^)
Oysters (Wooooooooooooow….more…I want more….@_@...haha!)
Raspberry Vinegar

FIFTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Chawan Musni (he was so intrigued when he got to taste mine, he decided to get one for himself)
A ramekin of Edamame
Several Yakitori sticks

SIXTH ROUND: MINE!
Still reeling from the fois gras (and I actually only ate half a slice!), I decided to defer taking from the Thai buffet . Instead, I got these.
Several Crackers

Slivers of about Ten Types of European cheese (the names of which I no longer remember—except for the plain goat cheese and the goat cheese with ash, haha. ;D)

SIXTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Thai Prawn-Pomelo Salad
Two other types of salad whose name escapes me now


SEVENTH ROUND: MINE!
Fresh Fruit Platter: Pineapple, Melon, Watermelon
Japanese Green Tea
Yes, I was still reeling from the Fois Gras. It’s either I’m really no longer as young as I used to be. Or I shouldn’t eat Fois Gras in quick succession after Lamb Curry or Chicken Tandoori. Haha!

SEVENTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Mango Sorbet
Green Tea Sorbet

EIGHTH ROUND: MINE!
Yes, humirit pa ako ng eighth round. Bakit ba! Haha.
Cold Stone Ice Cream with marshmallow bits, M&Ms, plus white & milk choco chips

EIGHTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!

Japanese Green Tea

NINTH ROUND:.....

Wala nang ninth round! Wala nang space. =D

Hubby Sweet looked at his watch. 9:45 p.m. By the time we surrendered (yes, "surrendered" seems particularly apt, haha), we have been eating three hours straight.

BAD NEWS:
Three hours! But still, not nearly enough time (and stomach space) to try everything. =(

GOOD NEWS:
Oh, yessssssssssss......we left with reason enough to go back. =D

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For reservations, call 551-5555 or 832-6988.

My personal tip. Go easy on the drinks. Not only did they take up stomach space, they actually took up about P800 of our bill. Wah! Lesson learned. Next time, tubig na lang. Haha! =p