The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Mondays Made Better is Back

Monday is the least favorite or most dreaded day of many. It marks the end of weekends and it always feel like it was the longest day as we have to drag ourselves back to work (or reality). But Monday isn't so bad when your favorite drinks are at prices as sweet as its taste at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf! And yes, Mondays Made Better is back!

Hello, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. 

Mondays Made Better is one of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's popular promotions that would make anyone look forward to Mondays. With different drinks highlighted every Monday, one would be left excited for work week to start. 

When in Davao: Sea Green Café + Boutique Rooms

I rely on two things when looking for a restaurant while traveling... TripAdvisor and Instagram. I check TripAdvisor for the ratings and the latter to find out how Instagram worthy the restaurants are. And more often than not, I rely more on TripAdvisor's rating more than how appealing a dish would look on my feed. After all, wasting hard earned money on pretty but terrible food is never a good idea. There might be fashion over comfort but I don't agree with Instagram over taste. It's a jackpot though when I discover a place that offers good and pretty dishes. And that's what I thought when I saw Sea Green Café + Boutique Rooms. 

Hello, Sea Green Café + Boutique Rooms. 

This bed and breakfast joint is one of the popular foodie destinations in Davao. Known for its healthy dishes and Instagram worthy place, I figured that we could have an early lunch here one Saturday morning. 

Davao's First: Apo View Hotel

Just when I thought August was crazy, I was greeted by an even crazier September. With three trips lined up, two for Davao and one for Shanghai, I could count with one hand how many days I stayed at home. I'm not complaining though as it's also nice to have a change of scenery from time to time. And speaking of change, R and I decided to try out another accommodation during our third visit in Davao. 

Hello, Apo View Hotel.

Apo View Hotel is one of the most popular hotels in the city of durian. It opened its doors to the public in 1948 with only fifteen rooms and one restaurant, making it the very first hotel in Davao. 

Throughout the years, Apo View Hotel expanded to 100 guest rooms and is now recognized as one of Davao City's landmarks. It has also won several prestigious awards and recognition such as the Datu Bago Award (highest award given by the City of Davao to its outstanding constituents) and being recognized as a Pioneer Hotel by the Department of Tourism. Just reading those made me feel so excited towards my three nights stay in Apo View Hotel.

McSpicy is Back and Now Available in Garlic Parmesan!

McSpicy is back! This is not a drill. I repeat, McSpicy is back! And it now comes in two flavors. 

Hello, McDonald's. 

I got a sweet message from M last week mentioning that they will be launching something spicy last Friday and they'd like to send some over for me to be one of the first foodies to taste it. And of course I said yes. But there was one problem... I was out of town last Thursday to Monday. Thankfully, McDonald's was very accommodating and without any hesitation, asked me where they could deliver it instead. Sweet! It was my first time to have something delivered to me while on a vacation (sort of). 

When in Davao: Paradise Island Park & Resort

Mindanao used to be a place I was afraid to visit. With media and elders saying that this part of the Philippines as an unsafe place, I didn't even consider to travel and spend my vacation down south. Sure, there are cities that are considered safe like Davao. But it being a few miles away from NPA surrounded areas and even a war zone made me feel even more afraid. But all that changed this year when I visited President Duterte's hometown not just once but thrice. And for this trip, I got to enjoy Paradise Island. 

Hello, Paradise Island Park & Beach Resort. 

When in Davao: Bluejazz Beach Resort and Waterpark

I've been going to the beach quite a lot these past months. Thirty shades later, I found myself basking under the sun at Samal Island again. But instead of going to Paradise Island, R and I opted to try BlueJazz Beach Resort with some of his colleagues.

Hello, Bluejazz Beach Resort and Waterpark.

When in Davao: Saging Repablik

I'm always on the lookout for good food. I usually check apps and ask for recommendations whenever I'm somewhere I'm not familiar with. And when ForkSpoonManila recommended Saging Repablik to me when I was in Davao, I made sure that I drop by the place. After all, Forkie said the magic word... bibingka. 

Hello, Saging Repablik.

I've read a few reviews about this place on TripAdvisor before visiting. Most reviews say that service is slow and that the serving size of the dishes are not that generous. All reviews agreed though that this place offers delicious meals. It's just lacking in some aspects. Reading these made me expect a bit less from the place. 

When in Davao: Tiny Kitchen Creations

I was so scared to visit Davao again after what happened and still happening in Marawi. Knowing that the war zone is just 5 hours away from this smoke-free city doesn't make me feel very comfortable. But after hearing great words about this Spanish restaurant along F. Torres in Davao, I got excited more that worried.

Hello, Tiny Kitchen Creations. 

This beautiful restaurant is known to be one of the gems of the city. It is often packed for lunch and dinner and unfortunately, they do not take reservations. But they do accept pre-order as some of their dishes take an hour to prepare. We got to the restaurant around 6:30 pm and the place was full at 7 pm! It was a good thing Uncle R decided that we leave the hotel early for dinner. 

First Bite: Blue Post Boiling Crabs & Shrimps

I have a love-hate relationship with crabs and shrimps. Though I love eating these delectable sea creatures, I dislike peeling or cracking off the shells. But I simply could not say no to the grand opening of a new seafood joint in Greenhills. 

Hello, Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps.

This well-loved seafood restaurant started in 2013 and was established in Davao city by a group of friends who were looking for a place where they could hang out, relax and have a few drinks. They decided to call the unwinding spot Blue Post. Fast forward to 2017, Blue Post Boiling Crabs & Shrimps have grown and expanded to Manila. 

With a whopping 2,000 kilos of crabs sold per week just in its three branches in Davao, it would be hard to deny Blue Post's success. And this is why Blue Post finally gave in to its distant patrons requests and opened its first company owned and stand alone branch in Manila (with SM North Edsa and Mall of Asia as franchises).