Mom & Dad Food Trip: New restaurants you need to try now!! Like, Really.

Since my youngest turned 2 years old, it's been easier to leave the kids at home without having that feeling of guilt since my youngest can pretty much play on his own or with his siblings already and therefore, does not miss mommy that much anymore (or at all!). haha.

I love to eat good food and discover new yummy places from referrals from friends. Over the past few months we've been adventurous with our food, meaning we've been much more open to trying new restaurants other than our usual hangouts. Some were disappointing, while others are worth writing about! The type that it makes my mouth water and want to plan my next visit just thinking about the meal I had there. HAHA.. can you say Fatness?

Anyway, here's a run down of my top newly discovered restaurants in the Metro. PS- I know some or most of these aren't "new restaurants" but they are new discoveries to a cautious foodie like me!  haha Enjoy planning your next meal outing and comment below if it was good for you as it was for me! Like, seriously, I wanna know how you guys found the food in the places I love! :)


El Chupacabra - Poblacion, Makati

Now I don't normally frequent myself in the "red light district" area haha, but apparently there are a lot of hidden gems of restaurants in that strip! Who would have thought! This restaurant is a small, run down, literal like a hole in the wall place. Felt so authentic like I was in Mexico lol. The food was well worth the trip there, and considering there was no air-conditioning... it was worth it! I absolutely LOVE Mexican food. I ordered the soft chicken taco and OMG it was so good. If I was there on a normal hungry time I think I would be able to eat 3 of those. haha. We also ordered the nachos which was yummy as well. Love also the different sauces they had to add to your dish. Planning on coming back and trying other awesome dishes. BTW, I had so much fun wolfing down my meal that I was not able to take a pic. haha.

Soft Tacos. Photo grabbed from PhoneBooky

B&T Mexican - Tuscany at Mckinley Hill, Taguig

Did I mention that I LOVE Mexican food? haha. So, we live in the area and we still have yet to try all the restaurants in this area, but I recently decided to eat here (like maybe last month?). I was previously wary of trying it out since it was not so aesthetically appealing. Haha. So happy I did because I've been ordering from this place at least once a week for the past month now. I've tried like almost half the items in the menu and I must say that my favorites are the classic nachos, cheese quesadilla, chimichanga and the chicken burrito! A bit heavy on the stomach though so it's better to eat here for lunch than dinner! I took snaps of this before (Please follow me on SNA
PCHAT!! Username: vaneeya) but forgot to save it to my camera roll.

Nachoooos. Photo grabbed from Burpple.com 

Earth Kitchen - Bonifacio High Street, Taguig

I'm all for the "healthy eating" kind of food as long as it tastes good! Well since I tried Earth Kitchen, eating healthy DOES taste good. In fairness. I have yet to try the other items on the menu since whenever I go I always order the same thing because it's that good. Get the mushroom soup and the mushroom spring rolls!! Add on a fresh fruit juice to compliment the meal. I also really love the ambience of the place. It feels as if I'm dining in  a fab garden. Plus the prices are very reasonable.

Ahhh so yum. My favourite mushroom rolls!

Ally's All-Day Breakfast Place - Sikatuna Village, Quezon City

If you love breakfast like me, then it's simply heaven to eat at a restaurant that serves breakfast food ALL DAY LONG. In come this quaint little restaurant in the north that does exactly that. Now I don't frequent that area as often, but heading out to eat here sure makes it worth the trip! Everything in the menu is yummy and very reasonably priced. I had the beef tapa the last time. Sarap with egg and tomatoes and vinegar... but my all-time favourite are the banana caramel pancakes! As in. I don't know how they make their pancakes, but it's really not like your normal pancakes. So fluffy and malasa or tasty! You hardly need much syrup even!

Ahhh this makes me wanna go there now. haha.

Charlie's Grill - Kapitolyo, Pasig

Since we used to live in the Pasig area, I would always frequent Kapitolyo and would always hear that it's a great place to find amazing restaurants to try. I've gotten rave reviews from friends about Charlie's but never got to trying it out since, again, the appearance was not that appealing. Haha.. (guys I swear I'm not superficial). The small restaurant is right beside a car wash! I guess the owner of the restaurant owns that as well, and looking back it's a pretty good idea since you can eat while you have your car washed. haha. So anyway, tried this place 2 weeks ago and I have been back 2 times since then. Always go back for the same thing. What can I say, I'm a creature of habit! The house fries... OMG so yummy and cheesy like all over your fingers... and my favourite burger the Black Angus cheeseburger with shrooms!!! Aaaahhh. If you're looking for a burger fix, thats the way to go. A bit pricey though at P450, but so worth is bec you can really taste that the meat is really good and with that portobello mushroom... O. M. G... then add pa ketchup and mustard FTW!  PS- the last time we went, we had the car washed for only P150! Niiiice.

My fave burger!

Juju Eats - Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati 

My hubby and I chanced upon this place while on the way to pick up our daughter. We were still bit early and hadn't had lunch yet and we saw this resto along Pasong Tamo ext. and decided to try it out. Now, I've seen people post about this but again, it was one of those healthy eating places so I was not so eager to visit since I thought it might not have that much choices and be horribly overpriced. lol. To my surprise, I was very much happy with the rice bowl I ordered. Although I picked the quinoa as the base, since you can mix and match ingredients for your healthy bowl. So I mixed quinoa (i am in love with this grain.., it it a grain?) , hard boiled egg, strips of chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, corn and cheddar cheese! WHAT? SO YUMMY! My husband got one of those teriyaki bowls that have fixed ingredients already and he was happy with his also. Picture doesn't look like much, but it was seriously yummy. Plus didn't feel so bloated and heavy after but I was definitely full and happy. I also had a fresh slush drink, calamansi I think... it was so good also. Will definitely come back to try a wrap or just order the same thing again! hehe.

Our orders!

Feeling any cravings yet? haha. Well I certainly am!!! Hope you guys will enjoy these places as much as I do them. Let me know what you think? :)

As my Ysabella would say... Happy Eating!

Santino's 7th Birthday: His Dreamplay Adventure

My eldest son, Santino was approaching a milestone... his 7th birthday! And just like any parent, I was scrambling to find the perfect "party" that he would like and that would fit in our budget! :) Since  we weren't planning on having any huge bday celebration, and Santino did not know exactly what he wanted to do, I had to present options for him to choose from to which he would invite his closest friends to join in not the fun.

Now, thinking of a place for a 7yr old and friends to enjoy, when I started thinking hard about it, is a challenge! haha.. but luckily, we were able to come up with options. For those in a similar dilemma, will share my full list since the option we decided to go with may not be your son/daughter's top choice.

The final list of possible birthday places to go to:
1. Kidzania (The Fort)
2. Dreamplay (City of Dreams)
3. Enchanted Kingdom (although logistics of this would make it a challenge)
4. Laser Tag (Greenhills)
5. Active Fun (The Fort)
6. Swimming Party at home (in our clubhouse, haha)

Now, I guess from the title of my blog you know which one we went to. Since I can't share a full experience on the other ones, will just focus on Dreamplay. Sanction ended up inviting a total of 11 kids. Some his classmates from school, cousins and siblings. There was a pinch in the wallet, but in the end, all the kids had a fantastic time so it was worth it. OK, Im getting ahead of myself.

First off, Dreamplay is located in City of Dreams which is near the area of SM MOA and SnR (haha).  It's open everyday by 10am. I wanted to be first to avoid the rush of people so we were all at the venue by 10 and it was a good decisions since the place was nice and clean since it just opened and we had the whole place to ourselves with just a few other people for a good 2 hours maybe... considering this was a Saturday. The rates vary for weekdays and weekends/ holidays. Obviously it's more expensive on weekends/ holidays. We went on a weekend so we got the more expensive rate (weekend rates are cheaper, and for the more full list of fees, you can check their website (cityofdreams.com.ph/dreamplay) For Adults it's a rate of P400, Kids (17yrs old and below) P880 and Toddlers (below 100cm) P100. These rates are all for 4 hours of play, which for me is more than enough time to get around everything since the place is not that big. You can also get an unlimited day pass for more. I would also advise buying tickets online since it would save you the hassle of lining up at the venue to buy. The website has a built in ticket purchase that redirects you to SM tickets. NOTE that they only email you a voucher, so you still have to go to a SM ticket net outlet to redeem the tickets.

The great thing about Dreamplay is that it brings to life great characters created by Dreamworks, which are all familiar to the kids. You have the penguins of Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and Shrek.

Santino and Friends at the entrance to Dreamplay

The place is very interactive. It has a lot of activities that kids, especially hyperactive boys can do. Run, run, run, slide, climb. There are a lot of long slides, places to climb, hands on activities to do. Each "area' inside is dedicated to a specific movie that is designed to take you into the actual movie set where the kids can pretend to be part of it.

Inside the airline of the Penguins of Madagascar

Climbing up, up and up

Slides that look like your moving inside a snake.

With hyper 7yr olds, this was the ideal place. Not too big that I couldn't keep tabs on them, but packed enough with activities to keep them busy.

The only downside  was the expensive food. Obviously, you are not allowed to bring any food or drinks, so you had to eat at their facility, how else will they make money? haha.

There are a lot of things to do for young kids, but there are also other activities that are preferable for bigger kids like 10/11yrs old and above like wall climbing or wearing a harness and climbing the steep poles like in Kung Fu Panda.

Not for the faint hearted!

Instructional activities to teach kids

Baking class

My daughter particularly enjoyed the baking class since she got to make her own gingerbread man. NOTE: you have to sign up in advance for the classes since you have to reserve a slot.

All in all I would say that is was a success since my son said it was "The Best Birthday Ever!" haha (he says that every year by the way). For first timers, would definitely recommend coming for the 4 hour pass. Would I come back again? Hmm.. maybe not since when you've gone once, you've pretty much seen it all.. unless they would add on new activities, then that would be worth going back to. But do give it a try, I think it's worth the entrance fee to see your kids favourite movies come alive and they can interact with.





And the best thing about this, to my surprise, FREE PARKING!!! hahaha...

Oh and of course you HAVE to pass the gift shop on your way out.. so naturally... we ended up getting a toothless cap for the birthday boy. :-)

Happy Birthday, Santino! <3

Summer Activities For Kids

While summer is something all kids look forward to, it's also the time most parents with toddler aged kids and up dread because it means having to fill up days with activities that will keep kids busy and active as opposed to have them just sit around and watch TV or iPad the whole day.

There are so many activities you can get your child in to.. sports, art, music, etc. As a first time summer activity parent, things can get overwhelming and super exciting at the same time. I remember  the first year my son was "eligible" to attend summer sports, I signed him up right away for a sport that turned out to be something he was not interested in. I guess you could say I was one of those "photo mommies" that just wanted that 1 great pic to upload on Instagram and FB. haha! But now I know much better. This time around, my kids are , 4 and 1 respectively and I more or less have an idea already of what they want and what is worth spending on (these activities are not cheap!).

Depending on what your kids interest is, you will be able to find something for him/her. In my case, I'd like to share the activities that either my kids are in or that I think are worth trying out this summer.


SPORTS
A good sport to try for beginners are Basketball, Soccer/ Football and Taekwondo. Futbol Fanatics for Football or in your kids school, they usually offer summer classes. For Basketball, there are a number of summer clinics you can enrol into or go for the bigger ones like Milo best. Schools also offer summer classes for all kids of sports. For Taekwondo, there's AAK in Megamall and I heard Monsour del Rosario also has a Taekwondo school.

Personally,  my 6yr old son too shy to be part of a big group. So we did not enrol him in any summer class, but what my husband does is that he brings our son with him during his weekly basketball games with friends and allots some one-on-one time where he teaches our son the basics. This way, Santino develops confidence and there's no pressure. :)

Not to mention it's a really good bonding experience for my boys. :) Excited to wear their basketball outfits. haha!

BALLET / DANCE
Now for all the little girls out there, it's definitely either ballet or gymnastics! Although there are older ones that also like other alternative dance classes or hip hop. And for those in the middle school age, you can usually try piano or voice lessons too. There are numerous places that offer these activities.

For my daughter, since she had gone to baby ballet the previous year and she still expressed interest in doing ballet again, I felt like it was time for her to attend a real "ballet school" which had more structured lessons and would also have a culminating activity such as a recital at the end. After searching, I chanced upon the Ballet Philippines newly opened school in the Fort, SM Aura.

There are a total of 15 of them in their class. A bit big, but still manageable. I've sat through 2 classes so far and Belly has been very dedicated and follows instructions to a T. haha. Although if there was something I would want, it would be that the teacher have an assistant ballet teacher to manage the class better. Let's see how the next few sessions progress. This is also more structured in a way that it's a regular MWF class so it feels much more "serious" and official... plus I love her cute little pink ballet tutu! <3


ART / WORKSHOP
If kids are not that into sports or dance, there is also art! This is pretty universal since for kids, you don't need to be an expert or know how to draw so well. It's just another great way to express their creativity! Last year, I had an art teacher come over. I gathered friends who wanted their kids to join some sessions and we put up "a class". This is another alternative to sending kids to art class where there are so many kids vying for the teacher's attention.

For my son, I noticed that he always likes to make and build things. So imagine my joy when I chanced upon this workshop beside the Gymboree place my youngest would go to. The place is called BEME and it's basically a workshop where can kids can pick which "projects" they want to do.  Then each session is them completing the project. No time limit and no minimum number of kids/students necessary. at your own pace.

Here Santino picked a plane. He was given the different parts. He used glue and a hammer (under supervision) to put it together. Then he got to paint it in any color he wanted. Pretty cool, right?


SWIMMING
An all time favourite! Perfect for kids of all ages and such a good skill they should learn! So many places to enrol for this. Basically may be any venue with a pool will most probably be offering lessons! For me, I contacted a swim coach and ask her to come once a week to our village pool where she does 1-on-1 sessions with my kids. It's logistically easier and more focused for my kids.

There is really so many things that kids can do. At one point I was even considering enrolling my kids to be part of a fast food kiddie crew. but my son backed out. haha. It all just depends on what your child wants to do or is interested in. There's also no need to rush them into an activity if they're not really into it because it will just end up being a waste of money!

Reflections on All Souls Day: Reasons why we hang out in cemeteries

I've always been aware of the Filipino tradition of loved ones spending the night and into the wee hours of the morning hanging around in the cemetery during the eve of November 1, but have never really experienced it or fully understood why. For the past years, as long as I can remember, my side of the family (before I got married) had always had the tradition of celebrating mass together and then blessing crypts of those who have passed. Even when my son Giovanni passed 2 years ago, he was cremated after the funeral and we would always just do a quick visit to the crypt and say a short prayer since crypts are not really conducive for "hanging out."

But since my mother-in-law, mom Marilyn passed last month, the family had honored her request to be buried in the cemetery and not cremated. This November 1 was the first time for me and my kids (my husband and his family would always have this tradition before we got married) to actually spend hours literally hanging out by my mother-in-law's grave.

Let me talk about my experience. Upon arrival at Manila Memorial, I was still in awe at how many people were there, setting up camp (literally with tents) by their loved ones graves. Some bigger families with their own mausoleums would even go to the extent to have catered food and big portable fans to keep family fed and cool. Others had their own portable devices-- I even saw one spot with a TV!, while others (like us), lit candles and had a flashlights. For some that didn't have the time to bring their own food, there was a vast array of food stalls lining the streets, including well known food establishments selling food 'til the wee hours.

This is me and my husband, Santi with our eldest, Santino.
We walked a few minutes to the nearest pizza station where we had the option to "dine in or take out"

I swear if I wasn't aware of the graves, I'd think I was in some kind of outdoor festival. There were even vendors selling toys and things that lit up… which of course were jacked up prices since I ended up buying my son a battery operated fan (hardly any air coming out) that lit up for P90!

My family and I were there (with the rest of my in-laws) from 7pm-12mn, while some other relatives were even there much earlier. We put out a mat, umbrella and foldable chairs and just hung-out. I always wondered why. What was the reason for people to brave the traffic and the heat and the bugs and the hassle and just hang out.

I googled possible answers but words like tradition, honoring and culture popped up. The best way I could understand this was finally being able to experience it first hand. It all just boils down to being with family. Even though you are there to "celebrate" someone who has passed and someone who you can no longer be with, it's keeping their memory alive through sharing the stories and just really bonding with the people who are still in your life right now. If there's one thing that death has taught me, is that it brings family closer. In the end, when money, career and popularity fade, all you have is family. As the saying goes, friends fade, but family is forever.

Thank you Giovanni, and thank you Mom Marilyn for loving me and my little family unconditionally, and for teaching me what it is to be more loving, kind and generous to the family that we still have here left on earth. Until we see each other again.

Raising a safety-savvy family

I regularly contribute to SP online and one of the most recent articles they asked me to write was about safety. In this day and age, it has become so alarming for parents with all the news about kidnappings, modus and all the bad things that SHOULD NEVER happen to our families, especially our children. Making this article was also a refresher course, like a checklist for me to make sure that my family is safety-savvy. Read on and let me know out of all the tips, which one is your family practicing?

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It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Here are some helpful tips on how to be safety-savvy. (Published on Smart Parenting online)

IF you turn on the television, listen to the radio or browse the Internet and social media sites, you would definitely notice the alarming increase in kidnapping and untoward incidents involving children. As a parent, you not only feel for the children and parents involved, but also pray that such an instance may never happen to you and your own child/children.

Prevalence of unscrupulous characters should not, by any means, hinder children from enjoying life to the fullest. Instead, parents, guardians, family members and our trusted kasambahays must equip themselves with the knowledge and know-how in keeping our children safe.

Please read on for some very helpful safety tips that all members of your household should be educated with.

1.    Trust only the people you know well.

It’s important to teach your kids to know who to trust. Constantly remind your kids that even though other people may seem friendly and nice, this does not mean that they should, by any means, go with them. Encourage your kids to let you know right away if someone is trying to talk to them or is staring at them.

2.    Keep a list of emergency numbers in your home.

Often times when both parents are working parents, children are left home with our trusted kasambahays. We must then equip them with the knowledge and quick thinking when it comes to emergencies. Having a list of important numbers they can call is essential. *Note: Talk to your help also about the popular dugo-dugo gang modus. Stress that in times of emergency; they should call you or a close family member to verify.

3.    Be involved in all your kids’ activities.

Get to know the other children your son or daughter spends time or plays with. Attend school activities, events and extra curricular activities your child is involved in. Be a hands-on parent as much as possible.

4.    Have a listening ear.

Ask your child how his/her day went. Pay attention to the stories they mention or talk about. For younger kids, this is the best way to learn about what happens when mom or dad is not around, be it in the classroom or in other school and extra-curricular activities. If your child starts making kwento something that is disturbing to you, set an appointment with the teacher to discuss.

5.    Keep mum.

Some things are just best left private. This most especially goes for our yayas. Oftentimes they take the kids out for a walk or to play in the park or a common area where other yayas and kids also frequent. Remind your househelp not to divulge any detailed information like a child’s school, schedule/routine, places that the family frequents, recent material purchases or talk about upcoming days that no one will be home and the like. This is to avoid any possible “temptations” to others who may be listening.

6.    Always hang around well-lit areas or populated areas when waiting.

Often times it can’t be avoided that there is idle time waiting. Always pick a place where you and your kid won’t be alone or in a badly lit area at night. Instead of hanging around a deserted street corner, opt to wait at a nearby 7-11, coffee shop or even gas station.

7.    Limit what you share on social media.

Click, Upload…. Wait! Take a moment to think before you click that share button for the whole World Wide Web to see. How much information do you need to divulge? I know you’re proud of your son’s achievements in school, but maybe you can opt to not include a picture of his section or ID number in the photo. You can also check your privacy settings. Most social networking sites provide this feature. This way, you can share away to family and trusted friends.

8.    Never ever leave kids unattended.

Everything can happen in a blink of an eye. Parents and guardians need to be alert and aware at all times, especially if you are in crowded areas. It has become very alarmingly rampant for abductions to happen in malls. Always have an eye on your children. Nothing is ever more important than your child’s safety.

9.    Be accessible incase of emergencies.

If you can, provide your kid’s yaya with a mobile phone for easy contact for you both, anywhere and anytime.

10. Teach kids how to say their name, age, phone number and address.

At an early age, you can already train your kids to know important information about them. This comes in handy when they’re lost or need help.

11. Talk to your child about the dangers of abduction… in a non threatening way.

Never hide the truth. Parents should always be open to their children especially when talking about the dangers “out there.” What’s important is that it is explained in a non-threatening way. Do not, by any means, instill fear in your child. Empowerment and knowledge is key.

12. Always double check locked windows and doors.

Be it at home or in the car, always make sure all doors and windows are locked. Don’t make it easy for intruders to get in your home or car.

13. Remind your kasambahays not to entertain anyone they don’t know unless you left word about it.

There is no excuse for ignorance. Even if it takes constant reminders, always tell your kasambahays or whoever is left at home with the kids, to never entertain people that are not expected.

14. Invest in CCTV.

The best “eyes” you can have when away while being so convenient since you can check on it from any mobile device.

15. Be social media savvy. It’s good to be on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Be up to date on important service announcements or issues that may be of good use to you and your family. Learn from the experience of others. Stay safe and informed.

16. Don’t hang out in deserted areas after hours.

You are not a leading character in a horror movie. Stay out of deserted areas.

17.  Never go near someone in a car asking for directions.

Stay a safe distance away from anyone asking directions from inside a car, especially if it’s a heavily tinted one. Raise your voice to be heard, or if you feel uncomfortable, don’t say anything at all. You are not obliged to give directions.

18. (In another perspective) When asking for directions, no need to open your window all the way down.

The inside of your vehicle is your safe zone. Don’t let anyone cross into that zone.

19. Carry handheld or pocket-sized pepper spray.

Your family’s best defense is a quick and reliable one. You can purchase a pocket pepper spray at any local hardware store (try Ace or True Value).

20. Pray and always ask for the Lord’s guidance and protection.

There’s nothing stronger than divine protection.

Heaven is indeed for real.

I recently got invited to a special screening of the movie "Heaven is for Real" by PLDT Home DSL. This was one of the movies I was really watching out for since I read the book it was based on a few years ago. It's a story about a child who had an out of body experience and got to spend some time in heaven. Isn't that just amazing? What I wouldn't do to spend time in heaven (hopefully forever when my time comes :)).

After reading the book and watching the movie based on the real-life events that happened to the Burpo family, it just made me appreciate and work on having stronger connections within my own family. I was able to watch this screening with my husband and eldest son, Santino (5 1/2 yrs old). It's really a different feeling when you're able to connect with a child who can sit through a movie (non-animation) and understand the story and message behind the movie. :)

Heaven is something we talk a lot about in our family. It's one of our favorite subjects actually. :) What it would be like, how to get there and how one day, we can all be complete as a family with their brother Giovanni... one day in heaven.

I was really amazed at how my son understood the whole concept of heaven and how much he enjoyed how heaven was described and shown in the movie.. plus of course all the free popcorn helped in putting him in a good mood. ha ha.

Kudos to PLDT for arranging this special screening. I was equally entertained when the Ledesma family from the "Ask Diego" TVC spoke a bit in front since Diego himself reminded me so much of Santino. That stage where they're curious about "girls" -- sometimes they live them, sometimes they hate 'em. haha. When Diego was talking about "how to get a girlfriend" I couldn't help but nudge my boy and told him to "listen to Diego's advice." To which my son replied, "he said treat her like your mama! That's you, mom!" Good advice, Diego!

So thanks, PLDT Home. Fun night, great movie, good advice for my son and a strong, reliable family-sized connection allowing me to post this blog post. Not to mention, limitless family sharing makes this blog soooo easy for my family to view, share and like! :) hooray!

Ps: have a love question for Diego? Ask him here- facebook.com/askdiego

Foodie Diary: Entry #1

Okay. So I don't consider myself a certified foodie. I'm just someone who enjoys a good meal, and I want to share these yummy food finds with you. I guess you can say that I have a sort of discriminating taste, so trust me when I say that these dishes are worth discovering! Check it out below... my favorites.. as in I could eat this all day everyday! #medyobaboy

Happy Eating :)
PS: this list is is no particular yummy order.

#1 Family Mart's Twirl-All-You-Can ice cream.

Yes you read that right. TWIRL. ALL. YOU. CAN. Well, twirl all you can at one go that is. But still WHAT A DEAL for P25 pesos!! Trust me, get the mixed flavor. Green tea (although I never was a fan of green tea because it always seemed "mapait" to me, but this is so good) and salted caramel are my favorites! Family Mart likes to mix it up in the different branches. This one (pictured) is green tea and vanilla. At another branch I saw dark chocolate.

For those who are notaware, Family Mart is like a high-end 7-11... but still affordable. I also love their selection of Japanese food and have been wanting to try their coffee slush!

#2 Press Cafe's Chicken Boulade.

I've always been interested in food "wrapped", wether fajitas (Chili's is always a favorite) or burritos (Silantro's is good too). This one is yummy but does not feel guilty at all. I feel healthy eating this dish. haha. Basically it's chicken and leafy greens with honey mustard dressing wrapped in a lightly toasted thin pita-like/ soft shell. Not to mention it has drizzles of balsamic vinegar which makes it even yummier! Definitely can gobble this up in like 5 minutes! ha ha.








#3 Silantro's Beef Nachos

I recently discovered this mexican resto in Kapitolyo (would you believe I've lived in Pasig for almost 3 years now and have not yet explored the vast restos in Kapitolyo yet), Silantro. OH EM GEE. Thank you to whoever owns this place because it's SUPER YUMMY. Not to mention easy on the wallet. My favorite is the beef nachos. My Gawd, just look at that photo? Does it do the dish justice? If your mouth is watering right now, then yes. The nachos are super light and crispy and the shreds of beef are so soft! Capped with melted cheese (seems like 2 kinds) and that garnish just makes it the perfect bite.


 For those who aren't into beef, they also have a chicken version and that's equally good.



#4 Cafe Mary Grace's Beef Tapa.

I will say this to whoever will listen. You MUST TRY the Cafe Mary Grace Beef Tapa!! OMG i love it!! As a breakfast food lover, this takes the cake!! The tapa is not so sweet and not so spicy, tender and yummy. Paired with their special rosemary rice and your choice of sunny-sideup or scrambled eggs.. heaven!! And as If that wasn't enough, they have this amazing vinegar sauce and sides of green mango strips and cubed tomato with onions that are just mouthwatering! Makes me want to go there right now. haha. YUM.




#5 CBTL's Classic Cesar Salad (with extra chicken)

When I'm in a "healthy mood" or am on the-go or rushing from one place to another, this is my favorite go-to dish. A lot of times people don't really think the food in known-coffee or tea places are SO GOOD, but this IS. Light, crisp, crunchy and very tasty. Ask them to add on Chicken to the salad and have them "toss" it already. I especially love the think slices of queso de bola on top.











I hope this simple post made you as hungry as I am right now. haha.
Til the next Food Diary.


xoxo,
Vania

My life update: mother of 4.

So here I am again, such a delinquent when it comes to my posts... I've been so busy that I always forget.. but today I got my first ever fan email! Still #flattered... ha ha.. so that got me back to blogging. I promise after this "update post" I will go back to doing what I love to do, which is reviewing things and giving my suggestions and opinions about anything and everything. Kinda like the "top 10" girl, but not.

So anyway, update on my life... I am now a happy (and harassed, haha) mommy of 4! Here's an updated family photo:

So so very happy we have a semi-decent pic. This should hold up for a few months. haha. There's my 3 month old baby boy, Nico. So far, the fairest of them all!

That's it, pancit! Here's to more often posting (promise!).

A Mom's reflection on Mother's Day

I've been feeling kind of blue the past few days prior to yesterday (May 12), Mother's Day. It's that same feeling you get when your birthday is about to come up and you get the birthday blues. Never thought I would feel this way about yet another special occasion. Christmas and New Years since my Giovanni had passed was difficult enough... now I have to add Mother's day as well? :( Sigh. I guess it's just that feeling that I'm "less of a mom" since I lost one child. I can't explain, and I don't think I really fully want to understand either. I guess add that to the fact that I'm 7 months along (with raging hormones) and Giovnni's 2nd bday and 1st death anniversary is fast approaching as well. Overwhelming would probably be an understatement. Yet I do know that God does not give us challenges without giving us the graces to overcome it as well. I can only pray for much more grace and strength for the coming months. Don't even get me started on when D (as in Delivery) day comes.. have not processed that yet. I may be bawling the whole time.

I do understand that this blog might be a bit depressing to read.. sorry for that. :) Just need an outlet for everything. And maybe help other moms (or none moms) coping with something similar to get through each day. That's all we can do anyway, get through one day at a time.

I am not however, a grouch or a scrooge. I still do appreciate all the greetings, and most especially, my other 2 kids plus one more on the way. I would also like to share my mother's day message...

To my 4 greatest treasures, Santino, Ysabella, Giovanni & Baby Dominic, my life is infinitely blessed because of all of you. My biggest achievement in this lifetime is to be your mama. And to my angel Giovanni, I look forward to the day I will hold you in my arms once again. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful, strong & hardworking moms out there. 

And to my ideal superwoman. A pillar of strength that my family and I can always lean on. Thank you for putting up w all my craziness (w/c are probably from u anyway) and for being just a constant presence in our family esp through the most difficult of times. For the unwavering support & unconditional love. I love you, mom!!!