When in Baler: Costa Pacifica

I was never a beach person. In fact, I was the typical Asian who avoids the sun as much as I could. And no, it's not because I fear getting dark. I was quite sensitive when I was younger and a short exposure to the sun leaves me with a bloody nose. Thank goodness though that I'm out of that phase as frolicking by the beach is fun! And when R's mom wanted to go to the beach, we decided to drive to Baler and stay in Costa Pacifica as we chase the last days of summer. 

Hello, Costa Pacifica. 

Costa Pacifica is regarded as one of the premier resorts in the surfing destination Baler. Located right in front of Sabang Beach, this resort is surrounded by several small resorts and inns. 

First Sip: Chachago

I’m so hooked with milk tea these past few months. I always grab one or two whenever I see a boba shop (with manageable line). And two weeks ago, I was hoping to swing by Macao Imperial to finally try Masarap Ba’s recommended drink. But R changed his mind about having his haircut at Capitol Commons and opted to go somewhere in Kapitolyo instead. And it must be my lucky day as the barber shop we went to is right beside another milk tea joint, Chachago. 

Hello, Chachago.

I’ve seen several posts of Chachago’s milk tea when it opened its first branch in Quezon City. As much as I would love to swing by and check it out, it was way too out of the way for me to just grab a drink. But milk tea gods were good to me as the barber shop R chose is right beside Chachago's newest branch. Needless to say, I was right in front of Chachago as soon as R parked his car. 

Summer Must Have: Cara Mia's Mango Cream Pie

I'm not a big fan of summer. With the sun at its meanest, just thinking about being sweaty and sticky as soon as I leave an air conditioned space makes me want to book the next flight to wherever cold. But if there's one thing that consoles me is the fact that this is the season when mangoes are at its best. And nostalgia hit me big time when Cara Mia launches its Mango Cream Pie. 

Hello, Cara Mia. 

If you are a big fan of Red Ribbon's Mango Cream Pie and got your heart shattered to pieces when they removed it from the shelves, then your summer is just about to be happier! Cara Mia is bringing sunshine back to our lives with its Mango Cream Pie (PHP985, whole | PHP150, slice). And yes, this is the original creamy goodness we all love.

Makati Chronicles: Bench Café

Bench Café is one of my favorite restaurants in Bonifacio Global City. Aside from its pocket friendly prices,  its great selection of Filipino food make it one of the best places to dine in this blooming business district. And when I visited Greenbelt 3 for an event, I made sure to swing by Bench Café.

Hello, Bench Café. 

Its Makati branch is relatively smaller compared to its pioneer branch but continues to keep its warm tones and stylish interiors. I was also impressed how some of the staff remember me. 

First Sip: Hui Lau Shan

Summer's here and it seems to be way hotter than before. Thankfully, there are several refreshments to choose from to keep us sane. One new addition to the list is Hui Lau Shan.

Hello, Hui Lau Shan. 

Frequent Hong Kong visitors would be familiar with Hui Lau Shan's inviting yellow signage. Though its cutesy mango illustration may seem like this is brand is just a few years old, it actually has a long history under its belt.

Beat the Heat: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Fruity Treats

The scorching heat of the sun and our intense desire for anything cold only means one thing... that summer is finally here! Thankfully, there are a lot of refreshing treats out there in the market to keep us stay sane. And one of my favorite coffee shops The Coffee & Tea Leaf has something to help us beat the heat.

Hello, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

R and I decided to pay its picturesque Crosswinds Tagaytay branch a visit two weeks ago and figured it would be a great idea to try its newest drinks since the cool breeze disappeared on our third day down south.

Eco-Luxury at its Finest: Pangulasian Island Resort

El Nido is one of my favorite places in the Philippines. Just thinking about basking in the majestic beauty of the limestone rock formations surrounding its islands makes me want to book the next possible flight. And just when I thought I had a great time at El Nido, a resort showed me how to best enjoy this wonderful vacation spot.

Hello, Pangulasian Island Resort.

Hailed as one of the most luxurious resorts in El Nido (with rates at par or slightly higher compared to the more popular Lagen Island Resort), Pangulasian is managed by El Nido Resorts.

First Sip: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Pink Guava

Just when we thought we could finally enjoy some cool holiday breeze, the intense and unforgiving summer heat is back. Thankfully, we have all sorts of refreshments to keep us from getting a heat stroke. And one new favorite of mine tickled my taste buds pink!

Hello, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has been my go to place for chai and all sorts of tea. As a brand that continues to innovate and come up with new beverages (and dishes) for us to try, its newest offering is my favorite yet. 

When in Boracay: Discovery Shores Boracay

I've been so excited to go back to Boracay after hearing that the island is back in shape. As a place I associate with relaxation and good food, R and I decided to celebrate our anniversary there. And to make things a bit more special, we stayed at Discovery Shores Boracay. 

Hello, Discovery Shores Boracay.

Hailed as one of the best luxury resorts in the island, Discovery Shores Boracay is usually fully booked with local and foreign tourists alike. I can't blame travelers though as this place offers top notch service and its pandan water is something else!

Beat the Heat: Malumpati Cold Spring

I'm used to traveling like a tourist. I would always find myself visiting tourist destinations (and traps) that I'd miss several hidden gems only locals know. But exploring the country with R gives me a refreshing view of the Philippines. He'd always bring me to places I hardly know or even consider to spend a day or two. And more often than not, I would have a blast! True enough, my trip to Malumpati Cold Spring was memorable!

Hello, Malumpati Cold Spring!

I've never heard of Malumpati Cold Spring till a friend recommended this place when she found out that we were visiting Antique for a few days (a day and a half to be exact). In fact, I wasn't even familiar with cold springs. I know that there are several hot springs in the country and I've even visited the one in Coron, Palawan. Needless to say, I got excited, especially since it was scorching hot when we were there. 

When in Negros Occidental: Punta Bulata

We've seen people crashing weddings and bachelor parties in movies but never in my wildest dreams would I consider doing it myself in real life. But I did. And before you start thinking of The Hangover or anything similar, it's far from that. After all, the dad of the bride was at the pre-wedding bash too. 

Hello, Punta Bulata White Beach & Spa.

Our very spontaneous trip to Punta Bulata all started when we were asked what our plans were the weekend we were in Bacolod. Since we had a loose schedule to follow during our first week in Visayas, we had time to relax and unwind in the City of Smiles. And when we were invited to hang out by some good friends in the city, we quickly said yes. But what was originally planned as a trip to Lakawon turned into us crashing a bachelor's and bachelorette's party at Punta Bulata. 

Summer Barbecue Party: The Plaza

The summer heat this year is unbelievably insane! We are now hitting highs of 37 degrees Celsius and that's even different from what we're actually feeling which is about 5 degrees higher. But one thing that could make the sweltering weather bearable is The Plaza Catering's mouthwatering barbecue spread!

Hello, The Plaza. 

The Plaza is known as one of the most reputable catering services in the metro. Having hosted the likes of Pope Paul VI, U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as well as local stars like Vilma Santos and Susan Roces, it wasn't surprising that The Plaza turned into a household name. And over 50 years later, its brand is a strong as ever. 

Beat the Heat: Bonchon's Ube Macapuno Bingsu

There's only one thing in my mind during summer. Cold desserts. I seriously think of ice cream, halo-halo and bingsu pretty much the whole time I'm awake (not counting the times when I dream about it). And one yummy and cool treat that caught my eye a couple of weeks back is Bonchon's Ube Macapuno Bingsu. 

Hello again, Bonchon! 

Visiting Bonchon is starting to become a habit. But this time around, I wasn't there for lunch or dinner-- I was there for dessert! 

First Sip: CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice

My love for milk tea started when I was in my early years in the corporate world. An office mate would always shoot an email asking for our orders, if any. And of course, I'd reply with my favorite complete with sugar and ice level as well as my go to sinkers. Eventually, we all had that health is wealth phase where we all decided to lessen our milk tea runs and stick with healthier beverages. But there are still days when I find myself sipping a sweet drink just because I feel that I deserve one. And a few weeks back, I found a new favorite in CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice. 

Hello, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice. 

I didn't really had plans to drop by this place after my burger run as I already had iced tea and sundae to cap my lunch. But I'm weak when it comes to peer pressure and soon, I found myself in front of CoCo. 

Beat the Heat: Elait

This year has redefined the meaning of summer heat. It's just too hot to go out lately. Actually, it's too hot to even step out of the cold shower. But there's one word that makes me wake up in the morning with a big grin plastered on my face. Ice cream. And The Foodie Station sure knows how to make me happy when they tagged me along to sample this new rolled ice cream treat in Century City Mall. 

Hello, Elait! 

Named after the words elate and au lait (or happy milk when put together), Elait aims to provide its customers a delightful dessert experience. After all, aren't desserts meant to make us happy? But Elait is one notch higher by making us feel good in a different level. 

First Sip: La Lola Churreria

I had to visit a few showrooms a few months back and booked an Uber before things become chaotic. I got a call after getting in my Uber car and was informed that I could use the company car and have one of the guys drive me around. Sweet was the first word that came to mind. But it turned really bitter, salty, umami… anything but sweet, when things became crazy. And let me explain why.

Since the company car was finally available, I decided to be dropped off at Uptown Mall and wait for the car to pick me up. I was told that the driver was on his way but it will take him at least 15 minutes to reach me. It’s such a waste to just sit inside the mall and count the number of flies that pass by so I went up to La Lola Churreria and bought Iced Mocha (PHP130, large) to go. 

There was a bit of order back log so I had to wait for a while before my drink was served. 

But the servers do not seem to be proactive as they did not trigger my number to activate (or vibrate and light up) when my drink was ready to be served. I noticed my drink, alone on the counter, yearning to be loved. I asked the server if the drink was mine and true enough, it was my iced mocha. The server apologized though after I told her that I wasn’t sure if it was mine as my number did not light up. 

Not sure if it was because this La Lola branch was new but these servers needed to be trained. They also kept on chatting with each other making the preparation time longer. 

Anyway, my iced mocha drink was lovely. It wasn’t that sweet and it had a nice chocolatey and tinge of caffeine taste. The texture was slightly rough so try not to order this if you have an itchy throat.

*Continuation of bitter, salty, umami story: The driver eventually managed to pick me up after half an hour and we had to go back to the office to change cars as the car he brought was coding that day. We quickly switched cars and went out again. But the driver got a call from an irate colleague and demanded the car to be returned as his bike was in the trunk of the car. In short, I ended commuting again and wasted almost an hour and half from this mishap. :(

La Lola is located at 3rd Floor, Uptown Mall, 9th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. It is just a few steps away from the Uptown Cinemas. 

First Bite: Kozui

I have heard of Kozui before and it seems to be a go to place for matcha lovers. I just never braved the traffic to buy a soft serve ice cream especially since Family Mart is a lot closer. But with C in our group and with her love for matcha, we headed to the well-loved (and pioneer) matcha joint for some cold treats. 

Hello, Kozui Green Tea!

The place was a lot smaller and worn out than I pictured. The place actually looked… sad. 

Anyway, I decided to go with Green Tea Anmitsu with strawberries (PHP150/bowl) and shared it with C as we were trying to save space for other dishes.

Our bowl was served after a few minutes and the first thing I looked for was the strawberries. Apparently, it was just some sort of strawberry jam-slash-jello. 

Beat the Heat with Carousel Creamery Handcrafted Ice Cream 101 Flavors

Several reviews have been raving about Carousel Creamery's delightful customer service. They are also very active and interactive online and today was not an exemption.

Hello, Carousel Creamery! I NEED YOU! Save me from melting!!!

The crazy heat makes me picture the sun with a smirk on its face while looking down at us while we desperately look for ways to cool down. One of the quickest ways I could think of is to buy ice cream. 

After a great lunch at Dohtonbori, we decided to get some cold treats at the well loved ice cream parlor. And when we got there, the place was packed with other melting human beings. 

The order system seemed to have changed as we didn't have to pay first before sampling some flavors. There were also no tokens given. The cashier also told me to just approach any of the servers when I have decided on what I would like to order. 

I roamed around and squeezed my way from one display chest to another and sampled a few flavors namely--mango sorbet, green mango and a few more I could not remember the names but the tastes were a bit too sweet and heavy hence the reason why I didn't get those flavors. The mango sorbet was pretty good as it had a refreshing flavor. The green mango was a tangier version of mango sorbet but I was not in the mood for anything sour. I then asked for a flavor that has a nice light taste yet refreshing... and weird. He quickly recommended Olive and Basil. Weird enough. Game!

I sampled it and true enough, it had a nice light taste and it tasted weird at first. (It had a tinge of herby taste and it reminded K of pesto.) But I eventually grew fond of it. I found the one out of 101 flavors! 

Beat Summer Heat 101: Hot Star Soft Serve Ice Cream

Global warming. Climate change. El Niño. Crazy summer heat.

There are times when I just want to be indoors and not to leave my air conditioned room for days. And then I'll realize how expensive that will be. (I hate being an adult.) So a cheaper alternative is to head out and buy ice cream. Make that a gallon or two.

I remember one instance when I felt like my skin was melting and it was just January then! I was in Eastwood that time looking for a place to have dessert. I spotted Hot Star and remembered that they sell really affordable sundae cones. I dragged my sister with me and we immediately ordered a cone each. I got Black Gulaman while my sister got Almond (PHP15 per cone).

I loved mine! It definitely tasted like black gulaman. It had that sweet syrup and jello taste. *yum*

My sister on the other hand hated hers. I try to avoid almond flavored desserts or drinks because of its medicine-y and aiiiieeee-what-the-heck-is-this aftertaste. And my sister forgot that she also dislikes almond desserts and drinks. She ended up throwing hers. Some of my cousins who followed threw their almond sundaes too. (Such a waste but I wouldn't want to eat something I do not like.

I'm really happy with my sundae though and I would love to go back for more. 

Remember, get black gulaman! 

Hot Star is located at 2nd floor, Eastwood City Walk 2,E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Eastwood City, Quezon City.

Summer Must Have: Razon's of Guagua

Summer is here and I am (except my fats) melting! How I wish I could have something cold to drink or eat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without getting fat or sick. But noooo, I get fat and sick. Oh cruel reality. But there's this place I simply could not resist even when I'm about to have lunch.

Hello, Razon's of Guagua!

I saw Razon's Eastwood branch while waiting for Big D's Smokehouse to open. Since my EQ is pretty low when it comes to food, I lured my mom and aunt to the halo-halo place for some sweet appetizer. 

Oh sweet air conditioned restaurant. I was instantly refreshed! (Please do not let me go back outside!)

I ordered a halo-halo (PHP105) for myself while my mom and aunt  decided to share. My aunt also got one plain silvanas (PHP35).

The silvanas looked sad being plated solo. It tasted sad too. It wasn't cold. It was hard and not the chewy type hard. It was also bland. The House of Silvanas is way better (and cheaper).

The halo-halo, as always, was a winner. Finely shaved ice and the basic yet best ingredients for halo-halo. I sparingly ate the leche flan. Save the best for last.  


I didn't want to leave the air conditioned place but after finishing my glass, we had to leave and check if the ribs place is already open.

Goodbye cold paradise. See you again!

Razon's of Guagua is located at 2nd Floor, Eastwood City Walk 2, Eastwood, Quezon City.