La Tienda

When I say Spanish Cuisine.... what comes first into our minds are paella, gambas, salpicado, tapas..... then comes Casa Armas and then Alba. But little did we know that there is this cozy Spanish restaurant situated in Makati along Polaris St. near Jupiter St. called " LA TIENDA". Now this is what I call authentic Spanish Cuisine. The food is very delicious and very impressive as well.

We celebrated my mom's birthday in this restaurant. It is her choice and she wants us to try and have a taste of what spanish cuisine really means and La Tienda clearly explained it to us.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I will make this entry a little different from all the other entries that I made with regards to the restaurant I tried. I don't need to say much! Try it and you will see!

Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino

I remembered reading the papers 2 or 3 years ago that there is this certain chef that cooks exquisitely well. This chef really knows what fusion is. I also remember that he can cook for you in the comfort of his very own dining room, but of course you have to reserve and its expensive. The reservation list is so long that you will have to wait for months before you can actually experience this chef's extraordinary talent. I haven't experienced this pampering because luckily he opened a restaurant named "CHEF LAUDICO BISTRO FILIPINO" in Fort Bonifacio, Global City Taguig. This is also the venue where my very good friend from CSB celebrated his birthday with us.

We ordered heaps of food because I wanted my friends to have a taste and experience what does fusion cuisine really means. And so our adventure started at Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino.

For starters, we ordered the Fried Lumpiang Upod served with an iced spicy vinegar. I forgot what do they call this special sauce for this friend lumpiang ubod but it is definitely worth a try. Everytime I eat here, I always see this dish being ordered by almost everyone.

Salad - we ordered the Smoked Milkfish Souffle. It is a very delicious salad. It is beautifully done and the flavours though fused but still you can taste its ingredients distinctively. Truly, a magnificent dish, a work of art and very very mouth-watering.

Main Courses - we ordered the Adobo Overload with Foie Gras (Goose Liver). Imagine how can an adobo and a foie gras have some harmony right? Well, this dish truly proved that our native simple and humble adobo can in fact be mixed with the high-class social status symbol of the Foie Gras. We also ordered the Seafood Mixed Grill. At first, I was really hesitant to order this because this restaurant is well-known for its fusion cuisine and why in the hell will I order a plain mixed grill. But when you taste how they grilled each and every seafood in the plate. Indescribable. Totally fantastic. Remember to try its 3 sauces. Next stop is the Slow-Cooked US Angus Beef with Kare Kare Sauce (Native Filipino Peanut Sauce). Now this is one of the most fantastic creations Chef Laudico ever created. Mixing Angus Beef that is slowly cooked in our very own native peanut sauce? Who can imagine such blend. But the taste, again, no words can ever describe it. Last but not the least is the Crispy Binagoongan Pork, this is sliced fried and crisp to perfection pork leg with cream sauce on a bed of Bagoong (Shrimp Paste) Rice. Wow!

Dessert - we ordered Banana Cue with Langka (Jackfruit) Ice Cream and also the Molten Chocolate Cake.

Everyone that has an appetite for great fusion cuisine must try Chef Laudico. One of the best restaurants here in Manila.

Terrazas de Punta Fuego

Beaches are very famous here in the Philippines. Imagine yourself lying in the sand frolicking, the hot humid tropical sun scorching as you bathe yourself in saltwater. Life's little pleasure that you can't live without. Stay for a night or just a day-trip with friends as you enjoy each other's company is a blast already.

Terrazas de Punta Fuego is one of the two Punta Fuegos, one of which is Peninsula de Punta Fuego. Both of them are located in Nasugbu, Batangas. It is 120 kms south of Annapolis, Greenhills, San Juan and around 2 - 3 hrs drive. Pass EDSA and South Superhighway. Exit at Sta. Rosa in Laguna. Turn right after the exit and just follow the road, it will lead you up to Tagaytay. Follow the signs on the road at it will lead you to Nasugbu, Batangas.

Terrazas de Punta Fuego is an exclusive five-star beach resort/paradise for its members and lot owners. Guests are welcome to stay and enjoy provided that they must be accompanied by a member or a lot owner. Towels and an air-conditioned locker is available but with a price. Cabanas are available for rent for the day. Depending on the size of the Cabana, it is around Php 800.00 - Php 1,500.00. Cabanas are like gazebos. There is an electricfan, mattresses, table and chairs for you to relax, dry-up, drink and enjoy each other's stories. The motif used in Terrazas is of Mexican and Spanish style. There is also a beautiful pool waiting for those people who doesn't want to go to the beach. A jacuzzi is also waiting for you to relax. Massage service are available too.

If I will rate Terrazas de Punta Fuego, out of 10, I am going to give it a 9. Perfect scenery, Five-star service, private beach, great food, complete ammenities. What more can you ask for. So if you have friends who happens to be members or lot owners, invite them and experience the beauty of Terrazas de Punta Fuego.

Terrazas de Punta Fuego and Peninsula de Punta Fuego are owned and operated by Landco Pacific.

Latizze Restaurant

Fusion restaurants have grown popularity here in Manila. Fusion cuisine has become an art. Imagine you are the chef of a restaurant and you get to experiment on which ingredients from what cuisine when mixed will result to a better tasting dish. Sounds fun huh? And if you are a guest in that restaurant, you are excited on how to dish taste like.....

BUT!!!!

Latizze isn't one of those fusion restaurants. I would call it a "mixed cuisine" restaurant. Why? Mainly because when you open its menu, you will notice that they really serve different cuisines. Not fuse them but mixed them particularly Japanese and Western (Italian, French). Have you experienced eating salmon sashimi as the appetizer and a steak with a french cheese as your main course? I did! The food is exquisitely delicious. The only problem that I can see eating in this restaurant is the after feel. Again, just imagine yourself eating salmon sashimi and having prawns thermidor for main course. You can get used to it though.

It is owned by one of Dad's rotarian friends. It is located in Pillar St., Mandaluyong City. It is very close to Shaw Boulevard already. When you pass Pillar head to the direction of Shaw, and there you will see the restaurant. You won't miss it.

Respect is Earned.... I pity you....

DUE TO A GOOD FRIEND'S ADVICE, I AM SORRY BUT I HAVE TO PUT THIS ENTRY DOWN FIRST. THIS ENTRY IS SO CONTROVERSIAL..... IF U WANNA READ IT, I CAN SHOW IT TO YOU PRIVATELY.....

ALDO Shoes

I bought my very first pair of ALDO shoes in Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center, Makati, Philippines. We are just strolling with some of my officemates waiting for the showeing of X-Files, all of a sudden, I spotted a huge SALE 50% OFF sign on the show window display of ALDO. I really am planning to invest on a good pair of leather shoes for my office wear. I currently have an SM Milano Brand which costs Php 699.75, it is synthetic leather, it droops and it is slightly uncomfortable. That shoes lasted me for almost 8 mos already but I grew some calouses from that pair. I still am going to use that as an alternate to my new Aldo pair to avoid wear and tear. My new pair of leather shoes originally costs Php 4,495.00 after sale it is down to Php 2,195.00 which is a very very good price for a nice geniune leather shoes.

ALDO in the Philippines are located at the following branches:

1.) Powerplant Mall - Rockwell Center, Makati City

2.) Trinoma - North Triangle, Quezon City

3.) Shangri-La Plaza - Mandaluyong City

4.) Bonifacio High Street - Taguig City

5.) SM North EDSA - Quezon City

6.) Robinson's Galleria - Quezon City

** ALDO is owned and operated by Suyen Corporation., owners of Bench, The Face Shop, Celio to name a few. ***

Crab Mentality

Crab mentality is a negative way of thinking wherein other people, majority colleagues in the workplace, tries to pull someone else down in order for them to achieve the glory and the victory. It is a prevalent attitude among Filipinos. For me, it is considered as one of the major sins that every Filipino has.

Crab mentality as explained by Wikipedia, describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot. For Filipinos, crab mentality is the tendency to "outdo another at the other's expense" or to "pull down those who strive to be better."

That alone is a clear explanation of what Crab Mentality is really about. Well, as I said, it is very prevalent in the corporate world as well.

In my office, there are numerous people/colleagues that I believe has this mentality and way of thinking. The most evident person who I believe is very experienced in this way of thinking is a manager. I am not going to name names to avoid any issues but thankfully, this person is not my direct superior. Even the people who works for this person feels the same way. How can you earn the respect and build the trust if the people who works for you feels that way? How can you sleep at night when all you do is spread bad news and issues about someone who you feel is a threat to your existence? Why can't you perform better at your work, show some results, earn the respect by doing good. Do you really achieve something and feel great about yourself when you actually let someone else down without any basis and without any proofs just to be able to be acknowledged by our boss? Well, I pray for you! May your soul rest in peace. You know who you are.... so if you happen to read this blog entry, please have the guts to admit it to yourself that you are the one that I am pinpointing. I pity you!!!

Zao Vietnamese Bistro in Serendra

Just by uttering the name of the restaurant, there is this certain feel of uniqueness and ingenuity behind the creation of Zao Vietnamese Bistro located in Serendra. Just imagine how can a vietnamese restaurant be a bistro? hehehehe! Well, all I know is a bistro is synonymous to a restaurant. They call is a bistro in other parts of the world.

For starters, we ordered the ever-famous vietnamese spring rolls. There are lettuce leaves wherein you will wrap the spring rolls in the lettuce leaves, add the famous spring rolls sauce and the carrot as well as the turnip shavings. This dish is so delicious! I recommend it to everyone who will dine in this restaurant. If I am not mistaken, if my memory serves me right, this dish is priced at Php 185.00

And then came our main course. We ordered barbeque spareribs. Their barbeque spareribs is grilled into perfection wherein you will savour the delicious sweet and salty mix with a strong hint of charcoal. Very very appetizing indeed. We also ordered chicken and the beef tenderlion.

The highlight of the evening is its Zao Fried Rice topped with Salted Egg. I am really sorry I forgot what are the ingredients and the composition of this fried rice. It is sticky. Very very very delicious. Its flavour is not strong and will not fight with the other dishes that you will order. Its definitely worth ordering.

Gatherings are always fun. It is even more fun when you and your old friends meet again after a few months of not seeing each other. Share stories, share laughter, share problems, hear each other out, gather lessons, learn from each other. Having the company of true and good friends that knows you inside and out is one of the best things in life. Great company, wonderful bistro what more can you ask for?

Cinderella is Lea Salonga

We watched yet again another spectacular and superb performance of Ms. Lea Salonga as Cinderella in CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) main theater.

The production was very nice, the set was wonderful, the cast were international. There was a share of some funny lines through out the play. Though personally, I find the middle part a bit draggy and boring. But overall, I would give an 8/10 rating for the play. Job well done Ms. Lea Salonga, you make every Filipino proud.

To all those who haven't watched the play, Hurry up! This will run I think until next Saturday. It started July and will last til middle of August.


Impossible.... Possible.....

In my own little corner, in my own little chair....

Fish & Co. Philippines

Before we head to CCP to watch the play of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella played by Lea Salonga, mom and I first headed to Mall of Asia for an early dinner. We decided to eat at Fish & Co.

We ordered Baked Oysters in Cheese and Spinach for starters. It was yummy! The oysters were fresh, the way they baked it was nicely done. It was very appetizing and very delicious. It costs Php 335.00 (tax exclusive) which for me is quite expensive but nevertheless, the taste was really really yummy. I'll definitely

order another serving when we go back to eat at Fish & Co.

After that very appetizing starter, mom ordered the Baked Salmon. It has a creamy mushroom sauce on top and some friend chopped garlic garnish. The taste is very very delicious indeed but the downside is that it has a heavy pricetag of Php 575.00 (tax exclusive) again, which for me is very expensive for a small piece of Salmon.

I ordered their pride dish which is why they called it "The Best Fish & Chips in Town". It is the typical fish and chips but this has a bigger serving. The chips were delicious it has a sprinkle of maybe chili or paprika. It gives a kick to the fries. The fish though friend is stil very soft and juicy. It even melts in my mouth when I eat it. It costs at Php 405.00 (tax exclusive).

The restaurant has a nice interior. It has a big plastic shark hanging in the ceiling. The place and the atmosphere is nicely done and decorated. It really gives you the feeling of being under water.

DOWNSIDE: The fish and chips, though soft and juicy is also very very oily. So after eating 60% of the fish, you will feel bloated because of the oil. It is the type of restaurant wherein you may or may not come back depends on how much oil can you muster. If ever you decide to come back, it will not be for another quarter. The last time I went a little over 10 mos already I think. I tried Fish & Co. the first time in Shangri-La. I know about Fish & Co. from Singapore, the country where it was originated. Over-all rating for the restaurant is 6/10.

8.08.08 Beijing Olympics 奥运会北京

奥运会 北京 08.08.08 at 08:00pm starts the 29th Olympiad in Beijing, China. The opening performance was magnificently done showcasing the manpower China has. Every motion is participated by an individual. They showed the history of China, the greatest inventions of Ancient China to the modern advancement China gained.

And for all of those who are wondering why they picked 08.08.08 at 08:00pm as the date and the time of the start of the olympics, well.... 8 in Chinese tradition depicts luck and prosperity. It shows harmonious balance. As you can see, no matter how you cut the number 8 symmetrically (whether horizontal or vertical), you will get equally divided portion.

Watching the opening ceremony and how wonderful it was made and organized by China made me proud of me being Chinese.

Watching team Philippines parade inside the Olympic Stadium in Beijing displaying the Philippine Flag made me proud of being a Filipino.

Go Team Philippines!!! Bring home the gold!!!!

1.5 G A/T Toyota Vios '07

I would like to thank my dad for giving me this brand new car. I bid farewell to my old companion and I say welcome to my new one. This is my first brand new car. I am totally excited and thrilled.

It is the new Toyota Vios 1.5 G A/T.

Private Sale of Topman II

This only happens once a year. It is one of the events of Topman that I will never miss. It's annual private sale. The sale is up to 50% off, some goes on sale at 30% and the new collection at 10%. What separates the private sale to the sale that is open to the public is that in the private sale, all new collections are on 10% off.

The private sale lasts for one day only. It is strictly for the invitees only. If you didn't receive an invitation thru mail or at least an SMS from RSSI (Robinson's Specialty Stores Inc.) then you are not allowed to enter the shop.

I went to Podium branch at first and bought myself a pair of dress pants (colored medium grey), one long-sleeved polo and one short-sleeved. Spent around Php 4,500.00 for the sale which is not bad, that is around USD 100 only.

So for everyone out there who would want to taste the sale of Topshop, Topman and Dorothy Perkins, it is now open to the public so lift those lazy feet out of bed and head to your nearest branch.

Link to my previous post regarding the invitation that was sent to my thru mail by Topman:
http://jonas321.blogspot.com/2008/07/private-sale-of-topman.html

Goodbye Old Friend....

It is time to say goodbye to an old friend who has been my companion wherever I go since my college days. Its been a wonderful 8 years. You are my first and I will never forget you.

- brought me to my college and back at home safely

- joined me in my weekend getways (Subic, Clark, Angeles, Batangas)

- partied with me in Embassy, Sambos, Wherelse, Fiamma, Warehouse and etc.

- ate with me in all the restaurants that I went to
- waited for me when I went to Singapore and Australia

- serviced my brother when his car is still being fixed by Mitsubishi

- watched the latest flicks with me in Powerplant, Promenade, Eastwood, Greenbelt

- rode with me all the way to Alabang to visit some friends

- shouted with me while I ride the Space Shuttle and Log Jam in Enchanted Kingdom

- cried with me whenever I have problems and I need a get-away.

You've been always there when I needed you. You never gave up, never failed me whenever I am going to use you. Never let me down. You were there on every occasion and every event. Gave me comfort, security and enjoyment. There were times when others hit you but you still manage to smile at the end of the day. I know as much as I enjoyed driving you, you also equally enjoyed serving me. I miss you and wherever you are right now, with your new master. I know that you will be well taken cared for.