Yuri's Birthday at Acuatico Beach Resort

Just a couple of hours ago, we were chillin' and taking it easy at a small chunk of paradise in Batangas called Acuatico Beach Resort.

You see, two weeks ago, I was determined to plan something special for Yuri's big 3-O.  Yep I thought that it was only right that we celebrate this milestone in a stress-free and work-free environment.  I knew for a fact that it was just not gonna happen if we spent it in Manila.  We still had to do a bit of work in between naps and swims but hey, that is completely tolerable when you're at a place like this.  My hubby's birthday needed to be celebrated properly, and we needed a vacation really badly!  The resort was DI-VINE.  Here, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

View from the restaurant.

On my  way to the beach.

The view from the bar is spectacular!

Beach front.

I could live here.  Seriously.  Yuri and I fell in love with the place the instant we stepped out to the pool area.  The rooms were up to par too with high thread count linens (yep I'm a linen geek), a flat screen cable TV, and each with an individual porch.  The bathroom could be a tad roomier though, but other than that, all the comforts you could expect from a high-quality resort was there.  It was definitely a lot better than what we expected.  It was a fitting setting to celebrate my hubby's uber special day.

On the first day, we just kind of lazed around and swam for a bit.  That didn't last for very long since the sun was out with a vengeance that day.  We eventually set up camp at the bar instead.  It was too hot to do anything else anyway.  I had a couple of drinks and made friends with the bartender, or bartenders rather since we were there so long they had to change shifts.

Tequila Sunrise.

Come evening, me and Anne (the evening shift bartender) were the best of buddies.  It was a good thing too, because she was in cahoots with a little something I had planned for Yuri.

Somehow I managed to convince Yuri to have dinner at the bar instead of the main restaurant.  I figured it would be easier to plan his surprise at the bar since Anne would be there to help me execute everything.  It didn't hurt that the we ended up having the whole bar to ourselves so it was quite romantic.

The bar at night.

Anne came up with the birthday pancake idea which they gave to Yuri for free.  That was really nice of them.  I told her to do whatever she thought was appropriate since I couldn't talk with her for too long or else Yuri would be suspicious.  After serving us our dinner, she busted out her "Happy Birthday" CD and gathered a few other staff members to sing Yuri a happy birthday.  They came complete with party hats and all!

They came at him from all sides!

Yuri was so shocked that he didn't even notice the Barbie party hat they had put on him.  LOL.

My birthday boy.

We were both really touched and I was relieved that they managed to pull it off so smoothly.  What a fun night!

The service here is impeccable.  The staff is professional and oh so accommodating.  I honestly don't have a single bad thing to say about my stay here.  In fact, we're looking forward to going back.  Hmmm I'm sure I'll come up with an excuse when the need arises.

We had a grand time at Acuatico.  The three-hour drive from Manila to Laiya, Batangas was more than worth it.

Happy birthday Yuri! <3  Here's to a lifetime of adventure and awesome food together! :))

Tel. #: +632 892-7577 to 79
Website: http://www.acuaticoresort.com.ph

Booty Shakin' in Aklan

I'm finally back in Manila with a working internet connection.  Yes that's my excuse for not writing a single entry in four days.  Or maybe I was just enjoying myself too much.  We were at the Ati-Atihan Festival (in Kalibo, Aklan) for 5 days and 4 nights.  The deafening drum beats seem to follow me everywhere even in my sleep.  It was literally two 24-hour days of non-stop drumming.  People were just dancing, drinking, and partying like crazy on the streets.  Sleeping, apparently, was a foreign concept.  I am completely blown away by their devotion to the Sto. Nino and their stamina.  Although to be honest, I think half of the people that were there showed up just to party and drink.  I find myself still tapping my fingers to the hala bira beats in my head.

It was a unique experience and I'm glad we went.  I've picked up some nifty dance moves to add to my arsenal.  Harhar.  NOT.  Arguably their signature feet shuffle and booty shake would probably get me kicked out of any reputable club.  Then again that's what's fun about this festival.  You can shake and shimmy any which way you like.  Nothing is too "uncool".  I think that's why my dad was hell-bent on going.    My dad decided to unleash all of his signature dance moves that usually had me cringing and melting with embarrassment.  In the ati-atihan setting he just blended in.  Whew.  Thank God.

Oh my parents had such a grand time!  They were swaying and waving their hands like there was no tomorrow.  I couldn't keep up with them but I was happy to see them laughing and enjoying themselves.  With hundreds of colorful costumes parading past me and bodies painted in every color possible dancing fervently and passionately to the marching bands, it's pretty hard not to get carried away and join in.

I can't possibly put into words the festive mood and the electric air of celebration.  I'm better off letting my pictures do the talking.

We marched with them to the plaza.

Dancing their hearts out.

One of the many kids who participated.

Mom, me, and the Sto. Nino.

The plaza.

The plaza was the final meeting point of all the ati-atihan "tribes".  This was also where the judges looked them over since a winner is chosen on the last day of the fiesta.  Here they went round and round the plaza square dancing with the Santo. Ninos and displaying their colorful attires.  This would go on for two whole days (believe it or not).  They were tireless.

Here are some of the amazing costumes we saw.

Neon colors are the fashion.

Heavy headdress with capiz accents.

A combination of grease, paint, and or charcoal.

Orc.

There's another way to go about it.  Here are some of the non-traditional ways of dressing up for the ati-atihan.

These two are usually seen at the D'Mall in Boracay.

Mr. Fabulous.  :)

Awesome!

A family of reptiles.

Organized chaos.

There were probably more than ten thousand people squished in that plaza.  Yuri says it was a hundred thousand.  We're really bad at estimating as you can see.  The point is that there were A LOT of people.

It got wilder as the day progressed.  The young people and big fraternities started making their appearance in the afternoon spraying people with beer and such.  By 7 PM almost everyone participating in the parade was drunk.  Red Horse was generally the beer of choice.  The locals told us that alcohol allowed them to march and dance for that long.  We got to join one of the groups in the parade and shots of brandy was being passed around and offered to everyone.  Luckily the people of Aklan are extremely friendly and hospitable so it was all relatively harmless.  I think.

I have to thank our host family in Aklan.  They graciously fed us for the good part of the two whole fiesta days.  The famous Cebu Lechon (whole-roasted pig) , Inubarang Manok (an Aklanon dish composed of native chicken, lemongrass, ubod),  Pork Ribs, and Lengua were some of the dishes that they'd usually cook for us.  They also served an abundance of fresh oysters.  Yummmm.  I wolfed down a whole plate.  Nothing new there. Teehee.

Lovely and buttery.

We also hoarded our fair share of goodies from the Biscocho Haus, a popular bakeshop with a scattering of branches in Iloilo.  Lucky for us, they had a store at the Gaisano Mall in Kalibo.  We loaded up on the biscochos (toasted bread with milk and sugar) and the butterscotch squares, which they're also known for.

The trip could not be complete without a bit of sightseeing.

Dela Cruz House of Pina.

Top-of -the-line locally made products.

Here I bought a pretty set of coasters (6 pieces) for just Php 204.00.  Half of what it would cost me if I bought it in Kultura or Rustan's, since the Dela Cruz House of Pina is one of their major suppliers.

All in all a tiring but unforgettable trip.  All the beliefs and traditions inherent in the ati-atihan, both pagan and religious, were exciting to see.  It's one of the best ways to see and understand the Philippines.  Plus, Boracay is just a bus ride away from Kalibo.  A viable option if you'd like to get away  from all the noise and have better accomodations.  Yuri and I might consider going back next year if our budget permits.  Until then I have my pictures to enjoy and to remember these four days by. :)

Hongkong and Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan.  The highlight of the Hongkong part of  HK-Macau honeymoon back in September 2010.  You may have heard of this place since it's the famously affordable Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant in Mong Kok.  Incredible 5-star fare made accessible to the masses.   Who could possibly pass up on that??? Nuh uh not me.

For the life of me, I would not have been able to find this restaurant on my own.  A hole-in-the-wall eatery with no English on it's signage whatsoever.  It's owned by Chef Mak Pui Gor, who was formely the chef of the Four Seasons Hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant Lung King Heen.   

If I took 5 long strides down Kwong Wa St. I could have easily missed Tim Ho Wan because that's about how narrow the store front is.  Only it would be pretty hard to casually walk past Tim Ho Wan especially with the crowd of hungry locals and tourists taking up the whole of the sidewalk in front of the resto.  If you can't read their signage, then this would definitely clue you in.  Thank God we had our friends with us to lead the way.  Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Diplomat for this amazing experience!

Mr. Diplomat met us at our hotel.  What he initially described as a 5-minute walk from our hotel to Tim Ho Wan, turned into 10-minute walk because me and Yuri were slowing our friend down.  Apparently it was a "5-minute Hongkongese walk", and they can walk with the best of them in New York.  People over there, as I've observed, walk EVERYWHERE.  They can walk really fast too.  We Manila city-folk are not a walking people.  Or it could be just me.  My excuse is that the pollution would probably do me in, what with my annoying allergies and asthma.  My walking is confined within the filtered and AC comforts of the malls and the semi-fresh air of the Academic Oval in UP.

Back to the program.  When we got there Mrs. Diplomat was already in line outside the store.  They'd given us a copy of their menu, which had English translations, to hasten the ordering process.  It was a little after 7pm and we had to wait for 30 minutes which is a relatively short waiting period.  The air was rife with anticipation and impatience.  Yuri and I didn't know what to expect, but we kind of knew it would be awesome just by looking at the amount of people in line and the faces of the exiting customers.

It was a tight squeeze inside.  I was already on elbow-to-elbow terms with diners seated at the table beside us.  There was definitely a method to the madness.  The servers just whizzed by with a don't-mess-with-me-glare from table to table in an extremely efficient manner.

Please do not judge me by my poorly taken pictures.  This was pre-LX5 and my old camera was not the best with low-light settings.

Feast your eyes on these!

Hakaw (Steamed Shrimp Dumplings) & Steamed Egg Cake

Steamed Beef and Mixed Vegetable Dumpling

Cha Siu Bauu (Barbecue Pork Buns)

Between us four we probably ordered 2 sets of 9 different dishes.  The hakaw and cha siu bauu was to dieeeeee forrrrrrr.  In between bites I could not stop raving, giggling, and drooling.  The steamed shrimp dumplings were delicately encased in translucent melt-in-your-mouth pastry.  When you bite into them they just burst in your mouth the most beautiful way possible.  That was arguably the best hakaw I've ever eaten.  The cha siu bauu was such a treat too.  This dish is usually steamed but at Tim Ho Wan they serve it fried.  It's light and fluffy with a delicate caramel crisp on top.  Other dishes that really stood out for me were the Steamed Egg Cake and the Pan-Fried Turnip Cake.   The couple from Amsterdam seated beside us were trying to strike up a conversation but I was too distracted by the food to contribute anything useful to mix.    

My senses were on overdrive.  The artistry with the pastries and flavors was intense. And to think that each dish costs only 10 to 20 HKD.  You can't get that at any other Michelin-starred restaurant for sure.  We owe it all to our gracious hosts. 

Tim Ho Wan I shall return. 

Address: Tsui Yuen Mansion, 2-20 Kwong Wa St., Mong Kok, Kowloon
Hours: 10am -10pm (but I heard that they stop giving out tickets at 8:30pm)

Chocolatey Choco-late de Batirol

Choco-late de Batirol.  A cozy garden hideaway.  It's the perfect place to enjoy a cup of freshly-made choco-late done the traditional way.  This cafe has always piqued my interest but this is the first time we actually stopped to take a look.  It's easy to miss since it's located right before one of the exit gates (Scout Hill) of Camp John Hay in Baguio City.  I think this sort of look and concept would be hard to pull of at any other location but the hills and climate of Baguio make it look like some sort of fairy cottage ensconced in a pretty rainforest.   

Quaint signage.

We caught them 5 minutes before their closing time so we weren't able to sample any of their hearty Kapampangan fare.

Wooden artifacts and ecycled materials.

It's really enchanting at night... or creepy depending on how you look at it since the surrounding area is pitch-black except for this place.  It really calls out to you.  They usually have sprigs of fresh flowers on each table but they cleared them out before I could take a picture.  No biggie.  We were there for a cuppa choco anyway.

Barista with his"batirol" and "molinillo".

Part of the menu.

I had the Kahlua Choco-late, Yuri (hubby) had the Traditional Blend, and Ku (brother-in-law) had the Baguio Strawberry Blend.  I got to taste all three.  I should've tried theirs before I drank mine because mine packed quite a punch and was on the sweet side because of the Kahlua.  Yuri's had the most balanced flavor.  Ku's was similar to Yuri's Traditional Blend except it had the wonderful aroma of fresh strawberries wafting up from the clay mug.  It added another layer of flavor in the most subtle way.  Ku's was the best out of the three.

All in all their their choco-late is thick and earthy.  It's perfect for the cold weather since it warms up your insides real quick.      

A word of caution though for lactose intolerant sufferers like me.  I wouldn't go there on a first date if you know what I mean.  It doesn't help that the mixing process with the use of the "molinillo", which acts like a whisk, incorporates A LOT of air into the choco-late mixture. ;-)

'Tis the Season for Love Handles

This year's really special.  It's my first Christmas with my husband and my brother-in-law.  A new family calls for new traditions.

So we made one up.  We decided to spend Christmas Eve on the beach!  How cool is that?  When I was younger, my family spent a few Christmases in Boracay and Pattaya so I definitely loved the idea.  This time we went to Montemar Beach Resort in Bataan.  As expected, there were only a handful of people there.   We had the whole place to ourselves... well us, Mark Gil, Cherry Gil, and Gary Granada. Harhar.  I digress.

    
We had an awesome Christmas Eve!  I finally got some much needed R & R.  How could I not with a view like this??  It's the perfect place for some meditation, a little soul-searching... and a bit of drinking.  Teehee.

Whisky...

and chocolates.  Thanks Ku for my Christmas gift!  I'm a Twix fan so this chocolate by Marks & Spencer was a delightful surprise.  It's definitely an upgraded version of Twix.  It works even without the caramel in between.  

That was our Noche Buena. :)  Christmas without the usual ham and Queso de Bola, which we intentionally left at home, was kind of liberating.

Lemme fast-forward to Christmas day.

I started my day right with this...

MMMMMMM.  The breakfast of champions.  Bacon, sinangag, and scrambled eggs.  Bacon rocks my world.  It really does.  Yuri knows how to cook awesome bacon.  A man after my own heart.  He cooked me this same breakfast when he was still courting me three years ago.  

Fast-forwarding again to Christmas Day Dinner.

We checked out of the resort at 1 PM and then drove straight home.  We napped for an hour and then drove off to my parents house.


This was the main event.

Curacha crabs flown all the way from Zamboanga.  All 20 kilos of it.  I had been waiting for these crabs for weeks now.  So yeah, I had hairy crabs for dinner.  LOL.  a.k.a. Cockroach Crabs according to my dad.  I apologize for this hastily taken picture.  It was too mouth-watering.  I had to get my hands on it as soon as I could.  My mom served 10 kilos of Curacha crabs.  Each crab weighs at least half a kilo.  By the end of the night, I managed to stuff myself with 5 kilos-worth of Curachas.  Oops.

Oh and you absolutely cannot eat this without the famed Alavar Sauce.  It's a thick coconut gravy made with aligue (crab fat).  For me, aligue is the end all and be all.  It's like crema in a well-made cup of espresso.  It's the only reason why I go through the trouble of picking through these crabs.  Erm especially since I'm allergic to them.  So imagine how mind-blowing it is to have the Alavar Sauce drizzled on top of the fresh aligue.  *sigh*  Words fail me.   

On to the Best Supporting Roles.

I'd have to nominate my all-time favorite Royce Champagne Nama Chocolates.  Read more about Royce here.

My second nominee would have to be the Leche Flan Cake.

It's basically a chiffon cake with a creamy leche flan topping.  A nice balance of lightness and creaminess.  This cake sort of reminds me of Estrel's Caramel Cake.  Estrel's cake is waaaaay better but the Leche Flan Cake makes a decent substitute.

My holiday pig-out season is far from over.  Today we cooked up a decent dinner feast for some relatives who came over for a belated Christmas day dinner.  We had Assorted Cold Cuts,  Fresh Garden Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette, Roast Chicken ala Yuri with Oregano and Old Bay,  Mashed Potatoes, Mushroom Risotto ala Michelle, and some Pan-Fried Dory in a Sesame Thai Sauce.  In a few hours my hubby and I will be driving to Baguio for an extended vacation.  Strawberry Taho here I come!  I swear I'm gonna get back to biking after the New Year.       

The Best of Boracay

Last year, around this time, I was lazing around in Boracay thinking only of what to eat, when to swim, and where to get drunk.  I swore that I'd be back in Boracay this year, but that would be impossible to do now since work is insanely hectic.  Instead I'm reposting this piece that I wrote last year to commemorate the early death of my December beach trip.  Oh and it’s BORACAY not “Bora”.  Let’s not mess with the name people.

On this particular trip, the beach was absolutely pristine and beautiful.  There were less people so that immediately made for a relaxing atmosphere, and the food… oh yes the food was quite memorable.  I’m never ever going back to Boracay during the summer months again.

MY TOP 5 FOOD FINDS: 
[AMAZING photography by Ku Manahan and Ruelo Ramos! :)]

1.  The Original Hawaiian Baby Back Ribs by Hawaiian Bar-B-Que

I want my baby back RIBS.

This was the aftermath!  Melt-in-your-mouth, fall-off-the-bone kind of ribs.  Php392.00 for the half rack and Php560.00 for the full rack.

We also got to try other dishes like their Chicken Katsu, Mussels in a Bamboo Trunk, and the Chunky Monkey (ice cream blended with banana, and chocolate sauce).  I’m looking forward to trying the Simply Chicken Coco (which they ran out of the two times we ate there) and the Waikiki Honey Mustard Ribs next time.  I heard they’re best-sellers too.

2. THE Mojito by The Tides

The happy juice!

Ok so I know I said this would be my list of “food” finds but hey, what’s a beach trip without a Mojito?!?! Lemme tell you they make a mean Mojito at the The Tides, which is right smack in the middle of D’ Mall.  Best thing of all is, if you catch their happy hour, which is from 4pm-7pm, then it’s buy 1 take 1 for almost all of their cocktails and beers.  Can’t beat that.  Average price is about Php110.00 per glass.

3. Crispy Calamares by Cafe Del Mar

Crispy and oh so tasty.

 Simple yet well executed.  The squid was really fresh and the batter was perfectly crisp.  The spicy salsa sauce also went really well with it.  Partner it up with a cold bottle of beer and you’re good to go.  It was a bit pricey for the portion size but well worth it.  This cost us about Php300.00.  Major points for the view and the music.  Wonderful ambience.  Great spot to watch the sunset.


4. Oysters-all-you-can!

The aftermath!

 Doesn’t matter where you get em’, but I say no beach trip is complete without having me some fresh oysters.  We had ours at some beach-side buffet in Station 2.  It’s horrible that I can’t for the life of me remember the name of that restaurant we ate at.  Their buffet was so-so, BUT at least they had some good oysters.   We paid about Php200.00 per head and I just binged on the oysters to get my money’s worth.  Almost all of the restos near Station 2 set up their own beach-side buffets at night so you can get your oyster-fill pretty much anywhere.

5. Jonah’s Fruit Shake

Ku and... nipples.

 Jonah’s Fruit Shake & Snack Bar.  Located at Station 1.   We almost always seemed to end up here after lunch.   They’ve got really good fruit/milk shakes.  They have all the possible fruit combinations you could think of.  When it’s too hot to swim and/or sunbathe, and you’re still stuffed from lunch, go have a shake.  I love how these shakes effectively remove the guilt of excessive drinking and partying from the night before *ahem ahem Juice Bar*.  Makes you feel all healthy and fit again. LOL.  Seriously, try it.  You can even have them in to-go plastic bottles and bring it with you while you swim.  Just make sure you throw them away properly like you’re supposed to.

Good food, good drinks, and good company.  The beach was seaweed-free and crowd-free.  Definitely the best beach trip I’ve had in awhile.