Club Paradise Resort – A Piece of Paradise in Coron, Palawan

It started a couple of years ago when Ken and I made a pact that on our birthdays, we have to celebrate by traveling some place we’ve never been. Our 2014 birthday celebration was not as spectacular as we wanted so we vowed to make up for it in 2015. And, boy, that we did… in an island paradise in Coron, Palawan – Club Paradise Resort. 🙂

Club Paradise is under The Discovery Leisure Co. (TDLCI) We planned a 4D3N vacation in Coron, but due to unforeseen circumstances – my flight with nanay got cancelled, so we had to fly out early on our supposedly Day 2 – it was cut short by a day. Ken’s flight had no issues so he was there already. Thankfully, our stay in Coron and in Club Paradise made us forget all that happened on Day 1. They gladly made adjustments to our accommodation, and we had an absolutely amazing time. Nanay was particularly amused by the VIP treatment we got from the moment they picked us up until the time they dropped us off the airport to fly back to Manila.

We were picked up from the hotel where Ken stayed on his first day and we were taken to Club Paradise’s own private port where a speed boat is waiting to take us to Dimakya Island. The speed boat ride was exciting, and we had the whole boat to ourselves. They offered us some snacks – bottled water and a sandwich. It’s a 30-minute boat ride, I think. I can’t remember ’cause we were busy taking photos and enjoying the windy ride. 😀

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Celebrate Christmas Early at Vask Tapas Roomâ€™s Sunday Brunch Buffet

Only in the Philippines can you witness people embracing and celebrating the Christmas spirit as early as September. And itâ€™s not unusual at all to see decorated Christmas trees and hear joyous holiday jingles in homes, malls, and anywhere else in the country. Joining in with the Filipinoâ€™s contagious holiday vibe, Vask Tapas Room in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig has opened their doors for people who wish to celebrate Christmas early with their â€˜Comida de Navidadâ€™ SundayÂ Brunch Buffet.

Comida de Navidad Sunday Brunch at Vask Tapas RoomÂ

Vask Tapas Room launched their â€˜Comida de Navidadâ€™ Sunday Brunch Buffet last November 15, 2015 and it will run until the 27th of December, making Vask the perfect venue for a pre- or post-Christmas celebration with your friends and family.

Allow us to walk you through the delectable spread of holiday favorites you can enjoy at Vask this Christmas season.

After making ourselves comfortable in our seats, our server asked us to choose between their free-flowing white or red wine sangrias. Since Mhelâ€™s palate is more familiar with the flavors and tannins in wines, she went for the red wine sangria, while I played safe with the white.

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6 Reasons Why the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser Is a Foodie’s Best Friend

Being active food bloggers, it has become more important than ever to own a reliable, fast, and feature-packed smartphone that can help us create better content and connect easily with our readers. Weâ€™ve discovered 6 compelling reasons why the new ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser is exactly the phone foodies like us are looking for!

6 Reasons Why the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser Is a Foodieâ€™s Best Friend

#6 – Incredible Design and Grip

When it comes to modern smartphones, the exterior is just as significant to whatâ€™s inside. ASUS is one of the phone companies who were able to incorporate incredible design with powerful software and hardware into an affordable smartphone. The ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser, with its ergonomic arc design and thin edge of only 3.9mm, lets users hold the phone comfortably in their palms. Its hairline design and metallic finish give the phone a premium look and feel, without being overly priced as compared to other mid-range phones in the market.

What this means is you can comfortably hold the Zenfone 2 with one hand while you’re taking photos of your food without worrying you’ll accidentally drop itÂ and ruin your shot. 😀

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Gandiva CafÃ© Archery Range Reopens in Ortigas, Pasig City

Archery has suddenly boomed in popularity, all thanks to the bad-ass bow-and-arrow-wielding book and movie characters like Legolas, Hawkeye, and Katniss Everdeen. Iâ€™ve been seriously curious of trying this sport since Iâ€™m a huge fan of the Hunger Games Trilogy! Good thing I was invited to attend the grand re-opening of Gandiva CafÃ© Archery Range in Ortigas, Pasig City. It was the perfect time to bring out my inner Fatniss Everdeen! Haha!

Gandiva CafÃ© Archery Range

Named after a mythical bow in the Indian epic poem, Mahabarata, Gandiva CafÃ© Archery Range has brought new meaning to archery as a sport and as a hobby in the Philippines when they opened their first branch in 2009 at SM Mall of Asia. It didnâ€™t take long before they were able to put up another branch in Ortigas, Pasig City, to cater to the growing interest of Filipinos in archery.

Their Pasig branch had to close temporarily because the management has decided to transform the area into a fully air-conditioned international standard archery gym, which can accommodate up to 18 meters of shooting.

Itâ€™s not just the archery range that went through a major overhaul. Theyâ€™ve also added an Archery Armory, where people can avail archery equipment and get repairs or servicing.

In case you didnâ€™t know, they also have a vegetarian cafÃ©, serving meatless food choices and an array of refreshing beverages. I particularly enjoyed their vegetarian buffalo wings. They were made from gluten, which had the texture and consistency of chicken meat. If faux meat dishes are this good, I wouldnâ€™t mind going full vegetarian. I swear!

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Master Garden: Authentic Filipino Food in Malabon City

In the 8 years that weâ€™ve been living here inÂ Malabon City, we witnessed it transform into one of the hottest foodie spots in Metro Manila. What this city lacked, however, was a casual dining restaurant that we can proudly call an original Malabon food concept, until Mr. Ernesto Chan, the genius behind the Master Siomai dynasty, has decided to establish Master Garden Filipino Specialty Restaurant, with the ultimate goal of putting our humble city on the Philippine culinary map.

Last week, we were invited by the Master Garden team to visit their restaurant and try their sumptuous dishes. Of course, I said yes! We only live 15 minutes away, so I would be crazy to turn down that offer!

Their spacious dining area blends natural furniture and design pieces with modern architecture, creating an inviting and cozy place to enjoy authentic Filipino food. The similar design concept can be observed at Master Gardenâ€™s second branch, which has recently opened last October 9th in Tomas Morato.

We began our lunch with a plate of their PinakbetÂ (Php 175) with a generous mix of vegetables sautÃ©ed in their homemade bagoong and crispy pieces of lechon kawali, making it the perfect dish to jumpstart anyoneâ€™s appetite.

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Kuya J Restaurant Names Jericho Rosales as Their New Celebrity Endorser

Kuya J Restaurant, formerly known as â€˜Ang Kan-anan ni Kuya J,â€™ has started as a modest family business in Cebu, which quickly blossomed to becoming the Cebuanoâ€™s favorite restaurant. And now theyâ€™re finally taking over Metro Manila with the help of the new â€˜Blockbuster Bida ni Kuya J,â€™ Mr. Jericho Rosales!

Blockbuster Bida ni Kuya J

When I arrived at Kuya J Restaurant in SM Megamall for their event and saw a standee of Jericho Rosales outside, I initially thought the restaurant was owned by Echo. That assumption was put to rest when our host, Sam Oh, called in Mr. Winglip K. Chang, the President of Kuya J Restaurant, and Chef Sheena Koseki, their Executive Chef, to present us Kuya J Restaurantâ€™s newest celebrity endorser.

Jericho Rosales, Chef Sheena Koseki, and Winglip K. Chang

Putting a face on Kuya J has two main criteria: one, his first name should start with the letter J (obviously hehe); and two, he must be someone people can consider as the â€œkuya ng bayanâ€ for his good track record and his irresistible charm. With those two things in mind, Jericho Rosales was definitely the perfect choice!

Kuya J Restaurant proves that they know the recipe for the next viral TV commercial by putting Jericho Rosales together with some pretty girls, catchy music, and Kuya Jâ€™s mouth-watering dishes! By the time youâ€™re reading this, you might have already seen their new TVC, but if you havenâ€™t, well, you can watch it below:

Kuya J Restaurant

Kuya J Restaurant is definitely one of the fastest rising Filipino restaurants in the country that offers delicious and authentic Filipino food in a simple yet relaxing locale that will surely make you feel right at home!

Their SM Megamall branch has just recently opened in June. And as if their 18 branches in operation are not testament enough on how successful the Kuya J Restaurant is, they surprise us by announcing that they are opening 50 additional stores nationwide before 2015 ends!

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5 Quick Tips for Cooking For One

I’ve been living away from my family for over a year now. I got used to our nanay and Ken cooking our meals at home, so I had to go through a big adjustment when I decided to move out. I’m now staying in a studio condo unit that has a small kitchen with not much wiggle room. In this tiny kitchen, I surprised myself when I realized I can do a lot even with such a tight space.

As much as I hate to admit it, when I first started living solo, most days, I relied on food delivery and frozen / processed food. I realized, after a few weeks, that I need to change this because 1) it’s not healthy for me, and 2) it’s been causing a big dent on my expenses. I’ve been wanting to learn more about cooking, but I never took it seriously. I have bookmarks upon bookmarks of different recipes, and yet I’ve only tried making around 10 of them in the past 5 years. Last July, I decided I needed to do something about that, so I’ve been cooking more and enjoying the goodness of home-cooked meals ever since.

I decided to share with you some quick tips for foodies who are like me, living solo, with this desire to cook and eat good food in their own homes. And, maybe soon, Iâ€™ll start sharing my own Mhelinamnam recipes. 😀

TIP #1: Invest in quality kitchen tools.

For me, this is vital. You’ll be using your kitchen tools for a long time, so better invest in quality products. Also, look for kitchen tools that will help you come prep time and washing up afterwards.

In my opinion, a non-stick pan is crucial. It doesn’t matter what your cooking skill level is, you must own a non-stick pan. It not only beautifully cooks dishes like fish, meats, eggs (oh my goodness, eggs!) and sauces, but you also minimize your use of oil, making your meals healthier. 🙂

Thankfully, I found a non-stick pan that works on my induction stove – the newly-launched Lock & Lock Hard & Light Black & SilverÂ non-stick pan. It’s lightweight, and it promises improved resistance to scratch and corrosion with its 3-coating Dupont Teflon. You can find this in Lock & Lock boutique stores and in leading stores nationwide. Trust me, this is a lifesaver! I am #LockedInLove with it. 🙂

I can now pan-fry meats and seafood without worrying about food sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cleaning up is also easier with this non-stick pan.

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San Marino Premium Spanish Sardines : A Newfound Favorite

Ever since I started living on my own, I’ve made sure to stock my little kitchen with different groceries, ranging from meats and vegetables for when I’m in the mood to prepare special meals, and ready-to-eat food items for times when I’m exhausted from work and have no energy to cook. Just recently, I added a new favorite: San Marino Premium Spanish Sardines.

Sardines have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. I can polish off 1 to 2 bowls of rice in one sitting with just one can of sardines. When I was in high school, I got exposed to Spanish Sardines for the very first time and I got hooked ever since. 😀

I love San Marino’s Corned Tuna, and I use it in my sandwich spreads, pasta dishes (I love it spicy!) and tuna omelet. So when I found out they also have their own Spanish Sardines, I just had to try it!

Upon opening the jar of San Marino Premium Spanish Sardines, I felt my mouth watering as the aroma of the sardines inside tickled my senses. I was surprised to see that there were more than 10 pieces of sardines inside. I can enjoy 1 bottle for lunch AND for dinner. Indulge yourself to a luxurious dining experience without breaking the bank – Php 95 for a 240g bottle. Sulit, right? 🙂

I emptied the jar of sardines onto a plate. Inside, you’ll see slices of pickled cucumber, carrots, hot pepper and peppercorns soaked in corn oil. They don’t use preservatives, so you should refrigerate the bottle as soon as you open it.

Their Spanish Sardines are made with select freshly-caught herring fish, with intact scales that you won’t even feel when you eat them. I love spicy anything, and this Spanish Sardines had the right amount of kick and flavor that made me eat more rice than usual. 😀

Our nanay actually haven’t had sardines for quite a long time. She said she didn’t like them ’cause of the scales and they taste too malansa for her. I asked her to try the San Marino Premium Spanish Sardines, and she loved it! She even asked me for extra serving of rice. We both agreed that it’s the best-tasting Spanish Sardines we’ve ever had. 🙂

I especially love the fact that it has Omega-3 that helps lower one’s blood cholesterol level, which aids in reducing risks of heart problems. It’s also a good source of protein and energy; perfect for someone like me who usually eats quick dinners when I come home after a tiring work day and needs the energy to head to the gym or work on my other hobbies afterwards. 🙂

Have you tried San Marino’s Premium Spanish Sardines? Visit their Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/SanMarinoCornedTuna – for more information. 🙂

Our #ClaraOlePotluck Fiesta, Boodle Fight Style!

We’re from Malabon, and if you know anyone from there or you’ve attended at least one fiesta or party hosted by someone who lives in our hometown, you know how festive ourÂ celebrations could be. And if you’ve been to one of our parties at home, you’ve seen how lavish we are when it comes to preparing food for our guests. We did just that when we hosted our own Clara Ole Potluck Fiesta party a couple of weeks ago.

The party took almost a month to prepare. The Clara Ole team gave us one task – to prepare a menu showcasing the wide variety of dishes you can make using their products, and how convenient and easy it is for anyone to serve delicious dishes, whatever level your cooking skills are and however small your kitchen is. We personally use Clara Ole products in my little kitchen in my Makati condo, and I tell you, everything I cook with their products come out perfect. 🙂 My favorites would be their pasta sauces and marinades.

Going back to our party, Ken and I thought of hosting a boodle fight, and we all agreed on the Pinoy Fiesta theme for our friends. Since it’ll be a boodle fight, Ken knew serving a couple of dishes won’t be enough. So, he came up with a menu composed of 14 dishes + the punch, which serves as my only contribution. 😀 All of the dishes were made using Clara Ole products, as listed below.

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Highlands Prime Steakhouse Now Grilling at Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons

â€œIs this the same Highlands as the one in MOA?â€ asked one of the four undecided women who walked into the restaurant while I was busy taking pictures for the blog. After the server who opened the door said yes, the ladies promptly requested for a table for four. â€“ Well, thatâ€™s the kind of marketing no money could ever buy!

Highlands Prime Steakhouse at SM Mall of Asia has already established its name as one of the best steakhouses in the Metro, so it’s no surprise that expectations were ridiculously high when they decided to put up a second branch. Fortunately, their newest branch at Estancia Mall in Capitol Commons, Pasig City did NOT disappoint.

Highlands Prime Steakhouse at Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons

The new place is not as spacious as their MOA branch, but they both sport a laidback country house vibe. It has no direct entrance from inside the mall, so you have to brave the heat outside to get to their restaurant â€“ a minor inconvenience easily compensated by their great food and service.

Their dining area is divided into 4 sections. Coming in from the main entrance, you will be welcomed by tables with cushioned seats on the left and a big display of imported wines on the right. At the far end of the room, stands a fireplace that adds to the modern cabin theme of the restaurant. If you take a left turn from the main entrance, youâ€™ll find a small dining area where the restroom and the kitchen are located. The wall leading to the kitchen is made of glass, which gives you a good view to leisurely watch the chefs in action.

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