All about Green Mango with Bagoong ice cream

I get all giddy and excited whenever I hear that a weird dish is available somewhere. Uok, crickets, frogs, Soup No. 5, you name it, I’ll try it! So when Frannywanny and Misslovelytan talked about Sebastian’s Ice Cream’s weird flavors over Frannywanny’s despedida dinner (*sob*), I was all ears. 

Green Mango with Bagoong ice cream. *drooooool*

Okay, that is really different and I would have never thought of it being an ice cream. Thus I didn’t order it right away and asked to sample it first. I was torn between Sapin-Sapin and the Green Mango with Bagoong since the bagoong (shrimp paste) was just placed on top. But when the server agreed to my request of putting bagoong on the cup as well, I was convinced. *One scoop of Green Mango with Bagoong please!*

I noticed that the server heated up the bagoong first before putting it on the green mango sorbet. It was a good contrast of saltiness and warmth of the bagoong with tanginess and coldness of the green mango sorbet. I love it!

Again? Maybe not.

It’s my favorite month in a few days. I just love Valentine’s Day and of course, my birthday (hihi). So in preparation for the day of L-O-V-E, two of my friends and I thought of giving each other something. I decided to order online as there’s an enticing promo that I just have to get it! Hey, it was 30% off.

Most of my friends know that I am not a fan of online transactions as it scares me. I only did it once and tried buying something for N but it ended up… wrong. *sigh*

So when I came across this promo, I chose to pay in cash. Since the order won’t be delivered till the 14^th, I made sure that I ask for a receipt just in case. So let me narrate my online shopping experience.

It was the typical process of choosing what I want, entering the details, choosing your preferred payment method and wait for an email or call for verification. Smooth. Easy. Convenient. Well… not really.

The delivery company called me three times.

One was to confirm my order, billing address and that I have to email them again the delivery address and my little note as it was cut in their system. Not much of a hassle.

Call number two was to tell me that the price on their site was discounted and final and that I need to pay on or before February 1 to get the special rate. Sure, no problem. I told the sales representative that I could pay the following day but I will need a change for PHP1500 as I might be out of change. She noted that.

Call number three was to confirm the best time to get the payment and I said on or before 11 a.m.. She confirmed by saying that their guy will be in my office at 10 a.m..

So, “the following day” came and no one came to get my payment. No call. Nothing. I was a bit busy too that day so I wasn’t able to call to follow up.

Little Denmark: Solvang

Going to San Francisco via bus is no joke. It sure was a looooong ride. Good thing N and I packed a lot of snacks to keep us… well, with happy tummies. On our way though, we passed by this lovely area that made us feel like we were in another country. Plus, The Little Mermaid was there to greet us!

Hello, Solvang!

Such a pretty pretty place!

 

It was starting to feel a bit chilly so out goes my first “shield” a beanie.

 

We were all given a few minutes to stroll around and have lunch but since N and I bought a lot of snacks, we thought of looking for a bakery instead for bread or something light to snack on. 

 

While walking, we (or at least me) can’t help but be thrilled with everything we see. There were a lot of nice houses, stores and even telephone booth! 

San Francisco Food Stop: Boudin

A trip to SanFrancisco would not be complete without visiting the Fisherman’s Wharf. Best dishes to try? Clam chowder and sour dough. And it was just perfect as our faces were turning into some stone figures due to the cold fall wind. (Note: FALL, it was not even winter then.)

 

Hello, Fisherman’s Wharf! I’ve heard a lot of stories about you!

 

It was past 12 then when we arrived and since we were part of a tour (meaning, there’s a schedule to follow), we decided to ride the ferry first that will go under the famous Golden Gate Bridge (which happens to be red and not gold… anyway) and Alcatraz. We got a great view of the skyline of San Francisco and got quite close (too close at times) with some seagulls.

Tasty Dinner: Pho Tasty

I’m a sucker for the word “tasty”. If the restaurant has that word as part of its name, I’d most likely try it. I also go for the “chef recommended” and the dishes with hearts beside it. Thus after the chilly San Francisco trip, N and I decided to have dinner at a pho restaurant and guess what, the name of the restaurant is… Pho Tasty.

Hey ho, Pho Tasty!

 

The place was packed when we arrived and it was already a bit past 9 p.m.. It must be one popular pho place.

 

We managed to get a table after 15 to 20 minutes and we immediately ordered two bowls of pho with assorted meat and a plate of spring rolls. I also ordered a glass of Iced Jasmine Tea and N ordered his all-time favorite… Taro (shake version with pearls). 

Restaurant Love: House of Prime Rib

I had a blast during my US trip last October-November as I was able to visit San Francisco and New York. The San Francisco leg was tiring but lots of fun and I found one place that made my heart skip a beat.

 

It was already a bit past 7:30 p.m. when we headed back (from the Golden Gate Bridge) for dinner. J managed to reserve a table at the House of Prime Rib. I wasn’t really super excited as I have no idea of what to expect but I heard that it’s pretty difficult to book last minute reservations there. We just got lucky.

 

We arrived a bit too early for our 8 p.m. reservation and we were already famished. Actually, I was already feeling sick and feverish that time as well as the cold weather got me bad. Nonetheless, we distracted ourselves with some chit chat as it has also been a while since N and J last saw each other.

Restaurant Discovery: Marufuku Japanese Restaurant

Eating out. It’s always fun especially when you go out with your loved one/s. Since I have been going out less and less these days (as I am really saving up and at the same time trying to trim down the holiday happiness stuck somewhere in my torso), I get stumped when asked where to eat. 

I had a lunch date with my dad a few Saturdays back and it was a day full of… well, revelation.

First, we need to secure a place that isn’t noisy so that we could actually have a conversation. Second, we need to make sure that the place can cook its food in healthier oil (for my dad’s sake). And lastly, it’s somewhere near.

After a few minutes of driving, we finally decided to eat somewhere along Pearl Drive and my dad remembered that there’s a new Japanese restaurant that used to be an Italian restaurant. We decided to give it a shot.

 

Konnichiwa, Marufuku!

 

The place is quite spacious and it exudes the Japanese restaurant feel. It felt though that we reserved the entire place for ourselves as we were the only diners when we arrived.  

Without any hesitation, we ordered Shoyu Ramen (PHP250), Salmon Sashimi (PHP450 for five slices), Salmon Onigiri (PHP100), Shrimp Tempura (PHP400), Japanese Style Fried Chicken, California Maki, Chicken Teriyaki and Wafu Steak (PHP780).

Restaurant Discovery: Burger Bar

Lunch out! I always get giddy when there’s a lunch out as I get to see something else aside from our office pantry. Today, we had a group lunch out to celebrate our Group Publisher’s birthday, Christmas (better late than never!), and Frannywanny’s bon voyage (*sob*).

‘Sup Burger Bar? (Barney Stintson voice)

We left the office quarter to 12 and got stuck in the Makati traffic. Yes, I got grumpy (not because of the traffic but because I was really hungry). We finally arrived 45 minutes later and were really famished.

We were handed a single sheet of paper which we assumed was the menu till we saw a better looking one. It made me wonder why they handed that in the first place. It practically had no information whatsoever. (Grumpy diner here.)

2013 Resolution #1: Get fit!

I'm excited and this time it's not even about food! 2013 started weird. 

It all started with a talk on fitness and ended with me feeling "flabby as a jelly". Fitness, you will be MINE this 2013.

So right after lunch (yes, right after having a hearty meal), I decided to call Urban Ashram Manila and inquire. But of course I did a bit of homework before calling. It's more of verifying the following:

-The very enticing 15-Day Unlimited Pass for only PHP1000!
-Available yoga mats for absolute beginners (as I do not want to invest in a PHP3000 mat if I won't be dedicated to yoga)
-Best yoga class for a beginner like me
-Soonest possible time I could start attending