we’re off

It’s our first major out of the country trip (hopefully not the last), and we’re all very excited. We have two other good friends joining us for this adventure, and it’s going to be a blast!

We’ll be leaving tonight and will spend two days in Singapore and three full days in Kuala Lumpur. But I’m most excited about the food. I’ve read great reviews for the hawker stalls with cardboard display from various sites and I even have a list of what to order and where. Chili crabs here I go!

Needless to mention, Riza and I are ecstatic!

rolling him in

Here’s a really funny picture of Yuan when we were getting ready for my sister’s wedding last December. After taking a bath, he was playing and jumping on the bed, and we were struck with the idea of rolling him in the towel (sort of like dental implants Plano). We thought he’d cry but he ended up laughing and was even calling the attention of other people to look at him.

We’d really miss him. About two more weeks and he’s leaving.

coming together

It’s exhilarating to see how we as a people come together when the going gets tough. What happened in Haiti was devastating, but what we should all do is not point fingers and put blame on anyone or anything, and start helping. The Philippine National Red Cross accepts donations via cash or check, and even text, just look at the details here. They need all the help they can get, from medicines and prenatal vitamin to food, water, clothes, etc. Be wary of bogus organizations asking for donations though.

Help Haiti. NOW!

glimmer of hope

Like most folks, Riza and I have also been keeping up with the developments of rescue efforts being done at Haiti. The city suffered so much destruction from a recent earthquake that it is in ruins. Their officials are trying to hold some form of government, but with so much destruction and very little resources, they can only do so much. There’s chaos and anarchy. Armed with broken bottles and machetes, People are fighting for whatever food (from canned goods and rice to rum and beer) and medicine (whether it’s for mild bruises, treatment for hemorrhoids, or anesthetics).

(Photo Source: Members of the Filipino peacekeeping troops treating injured kids.)

But this morning, when all hope seems lost, a small glimmer and some good news from Haiti surface. An 18-month-old baby girl was pulled out of the rubble. She was covered with dust but was nevertheless healthy despite being stuck for six days. There was an eight-month old baby pulled out of his collapsed house after five days. With no food and water, and with the kind of heat that they have, it’s a miracle that they babies were able to survive.

It’s now a week after, and we hope and pray that more and more survivors can be found.

Paseo de Sta. Rosa

If you think the flower stall along the road was our last stop, well, it wasn’t. Not long after that, we reached Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Specifically, Paseo de Sta. Rosa. We didn’t stop there just for allergy relief; we want to check out the outlet stores too. They have Crocs, All Flip Flops, Levi’s, Benetton, Sisley, Gas, Speedo, Adidas, Nike, and Haviannas. But their newest addition was our prime target, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer.

We had a hard time finding these two new stores. These new stores are actually located at the back, at the new phase 4 of Paseo de sta. Rosa, and they are just beside each other. They have huge discounts but the selections are very limited. Still it’s worth checking out. You never know, you might just find a good bargain.

Tagaytay greens

After a short rest and some coffee at Taal Vista, we decided to hit the road and go home, but not before a stop at one of the numerous vendors of plants and flowers along the Tagaytay road. My MIL would rather have pots of beautiful plants and flowers for her garden than anti aging products.

So after a lot of haggling (you know moms), we were able to get four pots of flowering plants for just Php150. I think we bought two sets. At just Php300, my MIL was happy. And true enough, the minute we got home, she didn’t even bother changing clothes and went to arranging and putting her new plants in place.

Taal Vista

Also on our itinerary was a visit to Tagaytay’s famous Taal Vista Hotel. We primarily went there so Yuan can walk, run, and play on the huge spacious lawn at the back overlooking Taal Lake and Taal Volcano.

When we went in, there was a beautiful bride having a pictorial with her equally beautiful bridesmaids (none of whom had hormonal acne). And when Yuan saw her, he pointed at her and said “Danda!” I wonder where she’ll have her wedding ceremony and reception. The ballroom wasn’t prepped for anything. Whenever I see and/or attend weddings, I can’t help but reminisce about our wedding too.

Anyway, Yuan had a great time slowly going up the slightly steep slopes on the lawn and would get excited running down. We would hold his hands while he runs down or else he’d fall. A few more months and maybe his legs would be strong enough so he could run down all by himself. But at the moment, he still needs support. It was fun and tiring because the moment we’re down the slope, he’d say “Up” so we can climb and go down again.

One note though, there is a parking fee of Php100 per hour. So to get your parking ticket validated, just order coffee and/or juices and ask the wait staff to validate it.

secret garden

To burn more of the comestibles we consumed in LZM, after a short shopping trip to Ilog Maria, we went all the way to Sonya’s Garden, in Barangay Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite, which is another favorite spot.

I was quite surprised when I entered the parking lot because there were a lot of cars. Of the many times that we’d been there, that was the only time that I’d seen it that packed! After parking, we saw this sign at the entrance.

We burned a couple of hours exploring the garden and taking lots of pictures. Yuan especially enjoyed it. He liked running around exploring every single nook and cranny. We loved the soft cool breeze under the shade of the plants, which is perfect for reading differin reviews or maybe a good book. I could almost sleep on one of the benches if not for the huge throng people passing by. It would have been deathly embarrassing being caught off guard sleeping, with a bit of saliva oozing out, and people pointing and gawking at me.

Anyway, we drop by the Panederia to buy another favorite, cheese hopia. My wife’s cousins also bought an assortment of freshly baked breads and chocolate cookies. Of course being Pinoys, there was more kodakan as we prepare to leave and do last minute bathroom breaks.

Ilog Maria visit

With our tummies fully satisfied and most of us feeling sleepy, and for fear that my in-laws would fall asleep sitting on LZM’s comfy outdoor cushions, we next went to another favorite stop a few minutes away.

In case you didn’t know, Riza and I are advocates of going organic. As much as possible, we try to buy organic products. This means not only supporting organic produce but also other organic stuff like soaps, shampoos, vitamins, etc. Ilog Maria Honeybee Farms carries organic products, which explains why Riza and I are huge fans.

We bought our soap supplies, a lavender scented hand soap that was out of stock the last time we were there, and a bottle of healing massage oil. One more thing we like about Ilog Maria’s soaps is that it caters to different ailments like skin asthma and other skin infections. Some have anti-aging properties with doses of beta-carotene and vitamin A, and some others have whitening effects.

Read more about Ilog Maria here.

Riza’s birthday

For Riza’s birthday, we decided to treat the family to a trip to Tagaytay. So after hearing an early mass, we drove straight to Tagaytay. Since we barely had a bite for breakfast, and because it was almost lunch time, we stopped for an early lunch in Silang, Cavite, at one of our favorite restaurants on the drive up. It’s called LZM Restaurant, which is near the Riviera Golf and Country Club.

We ordered boneless bangus, which is their specialty. It’s quite huge and fat. It is covered or breaded with a special something that makes it’s outside skin crispy but really succulent meat inside. No amount of appetite suppressant is enough to stay away from this. We never fail to order this whenever we dine here.

Another favorite that we had was their Hot and Spicy Squid. One order has two squids stuffed with onions, tomatoes, and cheese and cooked to perfection. This is actually Riza’s favorite.

We also had sisig served on a sizzling plate. It was crispy and crunchy and very tasty. Very much what I want my sisig to be.

There was also an order of pinakbet to have more veggies in our meal. Of course what’s a trip to Tagaytay without sampling bulalo right? While I don’t eat beef, I did try the soup, which was tasty and doesn’t have that beefy smelly scent I so hate. This was beef that I could eat.

It was a wonderful satisfying meal to nourish our bodies as we start our trip to Tagaytay.