Love at First Sip: Up in the Clouds Ice Cream & Milk Bar

With Manila's crazy heat getting worse and worse, it's not surprising to see milkshake shops and ice cream parlors to pop here and there. Though I've had my fair share of horrible experiences with new dessert places, I always keep an open mind and tummy for new ones. And this time, I tried Up in the Clouds Ice Cream & Milk Bar. 

Hello, Up in the Clouds.

I decided to reward myself after a smooth shoot with something sweet. Given that I haven't had lunch yet and it was already past 6 p.m., I figured that ice cream will just cause an upset stomach. I then zeroed in on the shop's iced tea variants. 

Unagi Festival at Izakaya Sensu

I think Izakaya Sensu is out to make me fat. It wasn't enough for them to rollout delicious and bang for the buck rolls so they released its mouthwatering wagyu sukiyaki. And now, they released an unagi line for its Unagi Festival. Izakaya Sensu, you have already won my heart and tummy so why do you keep making me drool?! Well, not that I'm complaining or anything close to that. 

Hello again, Izakaya Sensu. 

I got an email from the lovely Mela of Raintree Restaurant inviting me to its Unagi Festival last August but I was out of the country that time so I missed its launch. Thankfully, the unagi festival is until the end of the month so I got my unagi fix as soon as I got back in Manila. 

National Gem: Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

This year has been a crazy year packed with travels to different provinces. And I started the year visiting one of the places I've been dying to visit... Puerto Princesa's Underground River. Hailed as a World Heritage sites on December 4, 1999, this gem has been one of the must visit destinations when in Palawan. 

Hello, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.

R and I booked a tour to this beautiful site and paid PHP1,800 per head which covers round trip van transfer to and from the underground river, buffet lunch, motorized boat transfer, fees and permits, tour guide and audio device you'll use while on the underground river tour. 

First Bite: Teppan Okochi

We've been searching for good wagyu places for almost a month now ever since our favorite Buta + Wagyu closed. We've been to Wagyu Japanese Beef which was said to be very close to our love but we found it different and underwhelming. This time around, we decided to go with Teppan Okochi, a new Japanese teppan restaurant raved by many. 

Hello, Teppan Okochi. 

It was a sudden decision for us to dine here as we originally planned to have dinner at Edsa Shangri-La's Senju. However, R's dad suggested that we try something new so I thought of Teppan Okochi which is just two months old. 

When in Bohol: Chocolate Hills

I'm definitely no mountaineer but I can climb hills. Well, sort of. Okay, it was far from what could be called a hike but I did witness one of the most popular tourist spots in Bohol... the famous Chocolate Hills. 

Hello, Chocolate Hills.

I visited Bohol for the first time last December and one of the places I was dying to visit was Chocolate Hills. Though I've heard that it has lost its charm throughout time, I still wanted to take those few hundred steps up to see the famous local Kisses' inspiration. 

First Bite: Crosta Pizzeria

Aged pizza dough? It's something I've heard in the US but I haven't really tried anything like it here in Manila... till a few weeks ago. A pizza stall at Social on Ebro offers scrumptious premium pizzas at reasonable prices. And what sets it apart from fancier savory pies is its 48-hour aged dough. 

Hello, Crosta Pizzeria. 

First Bite: Charlie's Pritchon

One of the things I love about the Philippines is the long celebration of Christmas. As our Facebook and Instagram pages become filled with Jose Mari Chan's face and recycled memes, I only think of one thing... lechon. Though lechon is a staple in all kinds of celebration, it is more associated with the festive Christmas where the crispy roasted pig is shared by the whole family (and more). And Christmas sure came in early when I was invited to sample Charlie's Pritchon. 

Hello, Charlie's Pritchon. 

Beauty 101: Clarence launches PicoWay, a Revolutionary Solution to Skin Pigmentation

I never considered having a tattoo for various personal reasons. Growing up with people who never even tried henna didn't help me become more open minded to getting inked. I guess, aside from my fear of a cute heart design turning wrinkly after decades, the lifelong commitment to it made it impossible for me to even think about it. But technology sure can change someone's perception on things. 

Hello, Clarence Anti-Aging, Slimming, and Dermatology Centre. 

It's interesting to visit dermatology clinics as you learn a lot about how to take care of your skin. I have to admit, I was once a victim of wrong information. I thought that weekly facials can help address my intense acne problem. But it took a very pricey dermatology session than made me realize that it had to be addressed differently and what I was doing was just aggravating it. 

This time around, I've already "graduated" from acne breakouts and my biggest skin concerns now are fine lines and age spots. Though I swear by a famous moisturizer known to combat these, it seems like age (and reality) is catching up fast.

I've learned though from my visit at Clarence that there's another effective way to combat these signs of aging and that is through PicoWay. 

PicoWay is the "latest and most advanced laser solution for benign pigmentation" and could be the easiest way out to those fine lines. It is also said to have less discomfort and you'd see improvement in fewer sessions. This means that you get to save time and money. 

During our visit, we were lucky to witness how one guest had her tattoo removed in less than 5 minutes! (Of course, that excludes the prep time of putting topical anesthesia cream on the inked area.)

The head of Clarence, Dr. Joan Clarence Morallo, was the one who facilitated the procedure and told us that the PicoWay machine used for tattoo removal and skin pigmentation is the same. It just uses different laser heads (if I remember it correctly). 

It would seem like Dr. Clarence Morallo did magic and just waved a wand over the tattooed finger as the ink disappeared in no time. Though the patient said that it was painful, it was not as painful as the usual tattoo removals available in the market. Though it would create redness, this procedure ensures that it won't leave scars. 

This first in the Philippines technology sure is impressive. And having an international beauty expert like Kristi Burns to vouch it says a lot abot this one of a kind technology. I can't wait to try its PicoWay Facial soon. I just hope that it won't hurt that much. (Then again, no pain, no gain.)

Clarence Anti-Aging, Slimming, and Dermatology Centre is located at 2nd Floor, Mila Holdings Building, 28 Jupiter Street corner Astra Street, Bel Air, Makati City.

When in Korea: Raccoon Café Kkukkune

I've been to various kinds of cafés. There are the common ones like dog and cat cafés and more interesting ones like owl café. But on my trip to Seoul, Korea, I chanced upon another quirky cafe. A raccoon café! 

Hello, Raccoon Café Kkukkune!

Apparently, raccoon cafés are now the craze in Korea and we were lucky to experience this one of a kind trend during our stay in Seoul. 

First Bite: Wagyu Japanese Beef

I hate it when one of my favorite restaurants suddenly close without any notice. It felt worse than a break up text message. And Taylor Swift should definitely compose a song about this kind of heartbreak. One should be named "Buta Wagyu, Why You". Okay, perhaps that won't make it to Billboard's Top 100. But I was devastated when I found out that favorite wagyu restaurants closed. Then again, it gives me an opportunity to explore and find new loves. And I finally have a reason to visit Wagyu Japanese Beef in Forbestown. 

Hello, Wagyu Japanese Beef.

Birdhouse Launches New Exciting Chicken Wings Flavors

I usually don't get excited to eat chicken wings. I find it messy to eat and too scrawny to be enjoyed. But all those changed when I had a bite of something different. 

Hello again, Birdhouse.