I just got home from a fun evening with my brother Ming, his girlfriend Seryl, Jenny, Ming's high school friend who eventually became one of closest girlfriends. Of course, she and Noy have become good friends, too.

It was spur of the moment, but Ming happens to be a very big fan of Periperi chicken, he can't wait for Seryl to try it. Seryl is a nurse who's leaving for Saudi in a few days, that's why Ming is in town, too. Jenny hasn't tried Periperi until tonight, and she liked it, too.

The mandatory after-dinner coffee took us to Caffe Firenzo after realizing the more popular places are just packed on a rainy Saturday night. I was instantly attracted to the serious ambience inside. It wasn't packed, but it wasn't empty either. There was an empty spacious "booth" lined with soft leatherette-covered couches that are neither too firm nor too comfortable. It was perfect for us.

I tried their Iced Latte and was happy with the robust Lavazza flavor. My companions are not big coffee drinkers but found themselves half-wishing they could drink more. The star of the evening was their Mocha Green Tea cake - it was so good we forgot to take a picture of it! It was light with the just the right amount of creamy mocha between slices of superb chiffon covered with friendliest luscious green tea crumbs. (I say friendly because I was never a fan of green tea except of its liquid form. Oh, and green tea latte just tastes like grass.)

Finally - a discreet, cozy and comfortable place that serves good coffee without the noise and hoopla. I'm happy I discovered it with people I just love.

I hope your weekend was delightful, too!

Soothing Sunday: Movie Date at Home

This afternoon, Noy set the TV and his laptop up so we could watch Sherlock Holmes more comfortably together. We haven't had this much time together in a long time, so we decided to whip up a few simple dishes to munch on while we watched. He cooked kung pao pasta while I made corned beef pandesal.

Okay, I bought the salad because I was too lazy to prepare all the ingredients (not to mention expensive) - peaches, grapes, mandarin oranges, kiwi, and almonds. See the large chunks of onion on the corned beef? I was just too lazy. Buying the ready-made salad turned out to be a good idea anyway because Noy almost didn't leave any for me - he loved the strawberry vinaigrette very much! He can't stop telling me how much he loved it.

As for the movie, it wasn't the best we've seen, sadly. I actually fell asleep for a few minutes, what with the comfortable, cool, and cozy bed and weather! But the best part is I got to spend a few stress-free hours with the husband. I guess that's what Sundays are for, really.

Soothing Sunday: My Payag

Good Sunday afternoon, everyone! It's a bright sunny day, just about the right time to start having a regular blog feature - the Soothing Sunday. I'm all about relaxing and just taking it slow on a Sunday (read: hospital duty barred forever!), so sharing anything relaxing on a Sunday is one great way for me to relax on a Sunday! This is so exciting for me, so I hope you'd all take some time to check my blog out.

There's no better way to start this feature than showing off one of my treasured things in this world - my payag. Payag is Visayan for "small hut". I asked my parents to build one in Mama's garden as a place for us to sleep in the afternoons. It started as a very small sitting room until we had enough funds to build a two-storey structure with a bedroom and a balcony. From then on, we stayed there more often that inside the house. We have breakfast there sometimes. The fact that the payag is surrounded on three sides by fruit-bearing trees and flowers and a rice field on one side is a real treat - the wind that breezes through is always fresh-smelling and definitely sleep-inducing.

Every time I come home to my parent's house in Aklan I always looked forward to having an entire day spent in my payag - reading my favorite book, pouring through old family photos, having merienda of kumbo (Aklanon for maruya, banana fritter) and fresh buko juice (just picked from one of our coconut trees), chatting with Mama, and of course, sleeping!

With that I'm off for some cheap airfare hunting - I wanna come home soon.

Have a soothing Sunday,

In the Heart of Coron

I'm blogging about Ralph's Pension House in the town of Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan, not because the owner requested me to, but out of sheer satisfaction that I feel is worth sharing to anyone who reads this.

Despite the fact that we're celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary by going on this trip, Noy and I decided to stay practical. The search for a suitable place to stay ended when I stumbled upon Ralph's website. I was convinced by the testimonies at trip advisor, and attempted to make reservations five months prior to our trip. Here's downside #1 - their boxbe thingie can be a big headache. I cannot download and read their messages because of boxbe. Two weeks to the trip Noy made a call to Mr Oscar Gutierrez - Mang Jun - the owner, and our account was settled in two days. If you'd like to avoid downside #1 then, just call - it makes everything clear - fast.

For Php 9,800, Noy and I got:

• to & from airport transfers
• 3d/2n accommodations
• meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner where applicable)
• guided tour on days 1 & 2.

Airport Transfers and Other Transport Means

Ralph's hired a freelance driver to pick us up and other guests (staying in a different hotel) from the airport. We didn't mind the company at all - it was nice to travel with other people. The van was relatively old but it was clean and the airconditioning was sufficient.

For the afternoon tour on Day 1, we were brought to Mt Tapyas & Maquinit Hot Springs by a large, clean and colorful tricycle. For Day 2 tour, it was a banca that felt large because Noy and I were the only passengers. The bangkero, who brought his 8 year old son, also cooked our lunch on tour.

The van that brought us back to the airport was newer with more comfortable seats, but it was packed. It picked up a lot of people around town so it took almost an hour before we actually headed for the airport. I would have worried about the gates closing had I not known that the van driver worked for the airline company we booked our flight with.

Best thing #1 - Absolutely no ripoffs! Not a single driver asked for a fee.

The Pension House

The place is first and foremost...a house. We kept this in mind so we won't expect inappropriately - like room service and luxurious amenities. But the girls at Ralph's do try to be of service, and we appreciate it.

It used to be a house, it sits right in the middle of town near EVERYTHING (best thing #2), and it was obvious they have just recently expanded to accommodate more guests. We booked Kristian's room. It was on the third floor with a balcony offering the best view of Coron Bay in the entire house.

It was quite small and meant to provide just the basics - a large comfortable bed, cable TV, airconditioning & fan, and an appropriately sized bathroom. Water flow was less than adequate, but the water was clean. Here's downside #2 - not enough storage space. Our bags were on the floor and there was no place to hang our dry clothes. Hooks on the wall would have been okay just so our stuff won't get wet.

The entire house was clean. Hot and cold water was available 24/7 and anyone can make coffee anytime. Internet was okay - we had no problems. There was an hour-long power shutdown on our second night - the temperature was bearable but the mosquitoes were crazy! That's downside #3.

Mang Jun was a very hands-on business guy. He welcomed us, chatted a lot at meals, made us comfortable, asked a little about our lives in an attempt to practically know all of his guests. He's a guy who can and will talk about a lot of different things, which other people may find annoying. We didn't get that impression though. For us, he's simply doing what he can to satisfy his guests. That's best thing #3. Specifically, he personally brought us to his seafood suki so Noy & I could buy huge crabs for our families back home.

At the house, Roma and Angel happily volunteered to buy ice and pack our crabs for us. How's that for service?

Meals, Glorious Meals

I don't think I really need to expound on this. I've got pictures that will get you salivating in a bit -

However, here is downside #4: there was not enough rice on our first breakfast, so Noy had to buy some from the restaurant across the street. Other than that, we always had a little feast in the large and airy dining area.

The Tour

Best thing #4 would be Jordan - a freelance tour guide Mang Jun had booked for us. At 24, he's had quite an experience. He was very serious at first, but I guess no one ever resists our warm antics - he was like a friend in a matter of hours. He's very quick to offer a hand and take our pictures - he knew the best angles to take. He's a gentleman, and was very kind to just pull me by my life vest whenever I got tired of swimming. He insisted on setting the table for lunch even when told we won't really mind if he just placed the stack of food containers there.

On Day 2, we went to Siete Pecados, Twin Peaks, Kayangan Lake, Atyawan Beach, and Twin Lagoon. That's about the basics for first time travelers to Coron. We were done before 4 pm, so we stopped at another spot where there were a lot of fish to feed, so that was an extra 15 minutes or so of sheer thrill. Best thing #5: they make sure you enjoy!

We had a good time. There are a lot of other places to see, such as the shipwrecks and the other tiny islands, but that really depends on how long one intends to stay, not on the hotel or tour guide you'll be booking with. Will I come back to Coron? Definitely, hopefully with our families. Would I be staying in Ralph's still? Yes, because it's practical, comfortable, convenient, and I don't want to limit our families to commercial hotel food in "standard" portions. Will I recommend Ralph's to friends? Yes, but only to those who understand the differences between a hotel and a lodging house, and those who'd appreciate simple people and the simple things in life.

Something New

Today is the start of something new. No more stethoscopes, no more white coats, no more pap smears. I'm shedding the old stuff because I've decided to turn my passion into a bigger, more profitable and hopefully fulfilling achievement, without shedding my knowledge and experience.

I'm nervous and I'm having palpitations. But I'm not sweating because it's just too cold out here.

I hope I make a good impression.

A Beautiful Day

I'm 32 today, and I had a great day.

Finally had the chance to actually dine in Corniche. I have been dreaming to do this since it first opened in December and I am just thrilled to have lunch there with my favorite person in the world.

I've been taking a peek at its interiors every chance I got, and it's undeniably chic. They have a lot of metal fixtures now, serving as dividers to softly delineate one area from the other. The pattern is just delicate, muting the hardness imparted by the shiny steel.

I love the entire modern updated feel of the restaurant, but I also love the fact that they contrast it every now and then with traditional cushioned heavy wooden furniture. There's a little bit of native flair from the wooden panels and bamboo-ish place mats.

The buffet counters go tres chic with convection warmers. Now we don't have to worry about getting food in a way that we won't burn or that the warmer doesn't topple over the side with the unconsumed contents. It's just so convenient and stylish.

Of course, food is still divine and plentifully varied. This and the most courteous and friendly hotel staff in the metro make for a splendid experience. I just wish it wasn't so expensive. =D

Noy wanted a massage so badly, so we headed on to Lotus Spa to try their signature massage. It's a combination of three massage types - lomi lomi, tuina, and one other type - that left us satisfied, as usual. It was nice to come in on a weekday afternoon; we were the only clients and we had everybody's attention.

We heard mass at the Greenbelt Chapel with my brother and his girlfriend. It was my first time to be in church with Seryl, and I think it was high time we spent some time out together. It was really warm as the church isn't air-conditioned, but we all had a lovely time nevertheless.

Finally, we had dinner at Big Buddha Roast Kitchen. We didn't really plan on going there, but since we were all craving for Chinese food it was a runaway winner. Moreover, the place was recently revamped and it definitely looked better inside and out. The menu was decidedly minimalist both in content and presentation. I was a bit sad that they didn't have Birthday Noodles so we got Crispy Noodles instead. We also had Hot and Sour Soup, French Beans with Pork, and Yang Chow Fried Rice. Everything was delicious.

Over sugar free ice blended drinks at Figaro, I thanked everyone for a wonderful day. I don't remember spending a birthday when everything went on as I wanted them to, and for that I think God rewards those who do not complain very much. Life is tough and it gets tougher when you least expect it. But if you let God be with you every single time, it gets better even when you don't ask for it.

Cheers!

Folk Food. Fearful Fun.

When I learned that my Mom-in-law was going to celebrate her birthday at Balaw-Balaw in Angono, I reminded myself to munch on some Jollibee burger on the way there. If you haven't heard of Balaw-Balaw, you probably haven't been watching Andrew Zimmern's Bizaare Foods . The restaurant is famous for its exotic cuisine - Kamaru (crickets), Cow’s Balls Soup, Palos (fresh water eel), Bibingkang Abnoy (aborted duck eggs), Adobong Baboy Ramo (wild boar), Bayawak (monitor lizard), Sawa (python), Tapang Usa (cured deer meat).

As usual, Noy and I were late despite the place not being too far from Ortigas, so the family had ordered and eaten when we got there. On the table:

Inadobong Uok (larva of coconut beetles) - I ate one piece. It tasted like isaw that has not been cooked properly, with an exoskeleton. The sauce is tasty. I personally think the dish would be more acceptable without the crunchy covering of the larvae.

Nilasing na Palaka (deep-fried frogs that have been marinated in wine) - When they said it tastes like chicken, they weren't lying. It's delicious and crunchy. Had it been served in smaller pieces I would have munched away. Notice that only three frogs were left for us? It must be good.

Ulo ng Lechon - This one is sadly forgettable.

The other items were Pesang Dalag (mudfish in light soup), Beef Caldereta (Filipino stew), Ginataang Itik (duckling in coconut milk), and Laing (taro leaves in coconut milk). I felt bad there wasn't enough left to take photos of. I don't eat dalag, but the soup was really good. The vegetables in the soup were delicious as well, and that made me full already - rice, soup and vegetables. No Jollibee! The caldereta was not good at all, the itik was too rich, the laing was okay.

Which leads me to conclude that people come to Balaw-Balaw for the experience - more for the art and the house itself and not so much for the food that's supposed to satisfy the everyday hunger. The tall ancestral house is packed with artwork by its owner, Perdigon Vocalan, a painter and a sculptor.


One will see various religious art, paintings of people that look so real they seem to come out of the canvas, murals, really old household items and furniture that give an initial creepy hint, but later just take the breath away.


The stairs are stringent yet vulnerable-looking, and as one is led down the hall to the second floor, it almost felt like a vacuum sealed within the era of Spanish reign.


It's the ultimate venue for a horror thriller scene. It was dark, the sun-rays that filter through the multicolored capiz windows provide the only illumination.


A personal favorite is the sunken dining area adorned with huge jars. I could imagine it being a cocoon of sumptuous comfort food for the dwellers during its heyday.


If it tickles your fancy just a wee bit, or if you're looking for a quick change of dining scenery, give Balaw-Balaw a visit. Whatever your experience unfolds for you, I only have one word - feast. It's what it'll provide for your stomach and your senses.