Isdaan in Gerona Tarlac

I've been getting disappointed on planning to go some places but not going anywhere. Months and months of staying at home made my feet itch. Good thing my office mate Mark reminded me of this place in Tarlac. Vanjee and I passed this place from our trip to Vigan. I remember seeing those gorgeous Buddha structures along the high way. It's like you're in Thailand. Mark knows the place very well and I didn't think twice of going there even just for a day. Tarlac is a good choice for a day trip since its just a few hours away from Manila.


On the night of our trip it was raining hard. But the deal is rain or shine we are going. The next day it's still raining. I texted Mark and he said the sun was shining brightly in Tarlac. Okay, that's good news. But the bad news is the heavy traffic not to mention very few public utility vehicles passing by that morning. Tapioca and I was suppose to meet in Cubao at 7am but at that time I was still waiting for buses. After waiting for some time I was able to get into a bus. The usual 15-minute travel time to get to the nearest MRT station took me almost an hour. Finally I made it in Cubao at 9pm.



We headed straight to Five Star bus terminal and boarded the bus going to Dagupan City. The trip going to Gerona, Tarlac took approximately 3hrs. We arrive at 12:45pm just in time for lunch.



When you see this sign, you know you're in Gerona where Isdaan is located. Outside you would think Isdaan is a resort and not a restaurant because the place is huge. Some parts are still under construction.




First thing that greeted us were the koi fishes. Lots and lots of koi and tilapia all over the place . As we go further, I almost forgot I was hungry. I mean the place has so many photo ops here and there and I can't help but click my camera away. Oh yeah, I'm using my phone camera for the first time so you know how excited I was. And then we finally see this...

...happy, happy, joy, joy ^____^

Coolness. There's a lot more of that around Isdaan but that Buddha in the picture is the grandest of them all.

another one here...

...chased by the dinosaur

wooden pathway...

We took some more pictures until we get tired and settled at one of the huts. Did I mention that Isdaan is a floating restaurant? The water around the floating huts is around 6-9 feet deep (Yikes, mas mataas pa sa akin).

Isdaan is a Barrio Fiesta sister company so expect Filipino dishes. They also serve Japanese dishes like sashimi and tempura. Prices are reasonable, good for sharing. Here's what we ordered...

...sinigang na hipon

inihaw na liempo...

...pinakbet ilocano style

grilled tuna with butter sauce...

...fresh watermelon juice

mango juice for Kit...

The sinigang has the right amount of sourness on it and the shrimps are cooked perfectly. We loved the liempo because it was soft and very tender. I'm not sure what's the difference with the ilocano style pinakbet and the regular pinakbet I know of but what I'm sure of is I enjoyed the pinakbet because the veggies were not over cooked and its not malansa. The grilled tuna on the other hand was just okay. I liked the grilled tuna we had in Boracay better than this one. Probably the tuna wasn't fresh. Since the weather was hot I wanted to drink something refreshing like melon juice but not available that time so we had watermelon juice instead.


While eating, these guys serenaded us. Minimum tip is 20 pesos.

After eating, we went to the infamous Tacsiyapo wall and tried to smash some plates and cups.

...tacsiyapo wall

the san kilo bridge...

We tried coaxing Tapioca to cross the san kilo bridge so we can get 1 kilo of tilapia for free but he just wouldn't do it. I know I am very bad with balancing but maybe next time I might try it. And that means I'm definitely going back here.

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My new baby!!!!

I've been lusting for this baby since last year after I saw Hephaestion's G700 Sony Ericsson phone. Until I saw this candy red phone, G900. Complete with all the features I am looking for a phone. Touch screen, FM radio, expandable memory card up to 8GB, and most importantly with 5 mega pixel camera and built in WIFI. Perfect for blogger like me. I sooo love it. Finally I got it in my hands and am lurving it!!!!! Love, love, love, love.....

dream come true.....

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Doll Domination

I cant remember the last time I watch a concert. Was it the Hanson's Concert? Gee, that's like 5 years ago!!! Prolly not. But seriously, I can't remember. The Doll Domination concert would be a good start for this year.


I can't believe I missed the Pussycat Dolls' first concert here in Manila. Well, I have an excuse for that. I have a night shift on the said date and I needed sleep more than anything. Yeah, right. It sucks when you live only to go to work.



By the way, PSD is back with a new album and all the songs are pretty darn good just as the first album. This time I totally made sure I'm not gonna miss it. Thank God there still are people na kahit pang-gabi eh may social life pa rin. Thanks you, thank you, thank you to my office friends for watching the concert with me. And of course big thanks to Clear shampoo for bringing PSD back to Manila with matching 50% off on ticket. Nicey!

... Jellybean, the 6th Pussycat Doll?!?!?

Melona, Cheryl, Cristy and the 6th PSD.... hahahaha!!!!!

We had so much fun at the concert. They sang all their hit songs, as in! Name it, you got it, every songs they released. It's like watching the first concert because they sang all their hit songs from the first album and songs from the new album plus every one's fave Jai Ho (from the movie Slum Dog Millionaire). We thought Jai Ho's going to be the finale song but we were wrong. It was When I Grow Up extended version.


The show ended with a big bang. Wonderful fireworks display. It was so amazing. It's like the time stop and we just stared in awe at the colorful sky. Sorry, no pics of the fireworks.


When the fireworks ended we realized how tired and exhausted and hungry we were from standing up all night. Unbelievable Melona was able to endure all this despite the fact that she is very pregnant. We tried to look for a place to eat but it seems like all the restos around the MOA Concert Ground are fully packed. Mark suggested to go to Cubao but its late and we were starving and too tired to walk and too tired to think of what and were to eat.


I swear my feet never got this tired before. I think its because of lack of exercise hehehe! I feel like having a foot massage then. We ended up at Shakey's in Bluewave. Again, sorry no food pics :-(

...jellybean with preggy but still pretty melona

Over all, the concert was great except the standing ovation part. I mean I've watched outdoor concerts before but this one made me sooo tired due to all the walking. If you want to go from point A to point B it would take some serious walking. I'm not sure if I will watch another concert in MOA ever again. Not unless it's Hanson, why not?

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The Blair-ish Project

Last night, I got the saddest text message ever. It came from a very emo friend. He was whining about his mom forgetting to greet him on his very special day. Upon reading his text message I felt so bad and feel the need to do something.


Then this morning an idea dawn on me. I remember having his mom's number on my phonebook and decided to give her a call. I have no idea what to tell her. All I know is I have to come out with something that will make sure emo friend would realize how wrong he is about his mom. I mean come on, the last person on the entire universe who would ever forget your birthday is your mother, right?


So there I was calling his mom. Never even meet her or talk to her before. Not sure how to start the conversation but somehow it went well. Uhm, not really well cos his mom was not feeling very well that time. She said she felt a little hurt cos it seemed that her son don't like her. Ouch. I told her the purpose of my call and the plan that I was thinking. She said she had a headache and not sure if she wanted to do it. I was like, it's ok I totally understand and apologized for calling at the wrong time of the day.


I called emo friend and told him my conversation with his mom (but did not go through the entire details of course). Plan A didn't work. Moving on to Plan B, I got ready to hit the mall and, lo and behold, I got a text message from his mom saying that they were game to carry out the plan. Yay!!!


His mom picked out the place and we all meet up at SM Makati. So, I finally met his mom and brother and they were... not what I was expecting. Emo friend always tells me that her mom is evil and really really scarry or something like that but he was obviously exaggerating. Ok, I'm expecting the worse but it couldn't be that bad since she agreed with my plan. She was really nice when I walked up to her and greeted me warmly. She has a really good sense of humor which makes me feel comfortable while chatting with them. On the other hand, his brother seemed a little shy and timid as oppose to what he said about him.


I was able to talk to his mom more thoroughly than our conversation over the phone earlier. I found out that she's like your normal/typical mom who's mostly concern with their children's well-being. It's amazing how she copes up with taking care of two teenagers and working at the same time. Somehow, in some little ways I found things that are common with her and my own mother. Quite unnerving as it was, it raised questions on me. If time comes and I become a mother as well, I wonder what would I be like? How hard would it be raising teenage children in the future? Would my children think of me as a bad or a good mother? I saw my mother struggled with me back then same as with emo's mother only on a different level. Prolly because of the difference in time/generation? *shrugs*


Anyway, after a few minutes of talking emo friend finally arrived. He's got that confused look in his eyes like saying "what the f*** is going on?" Hahaha!!!! Surprise, surprise he was. He did not know what to say or whatever he just looked at us and..... I'm sorry. Not sure if I should write that part but don't worry guys, I made sure emo friend had a very memorable and pleasant Birthday to date.

To emo friend.....many more birthdays to come!!!! Love you much!!!!

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Fashionista - How do we look?

One rainy day sa office, Josh brought this uber nice black leather trench coat. I so like it and didn't waste time to try it on. Nice debah?

...mga feeling fashionista hahahaha!!!

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Stackers Burger Cafe

Before watching Terminator at Eastwood , we had dinner first at this newly opened burger house called Stackers.The place looks nice and casual but not your usual burger store. Service was fast. Our orders arrived in a flash.

...philly cheese steak sandwich

I think it's too small for its price. Nevertheless, Tapioca said it's good.

chicken fingers w/ fries...

Fries was good. The chicken however was super dry.

...Lemonade

Lemonade somehow tasted like they're made from fresh lemons but the after taste tells me its just one of those powdered-mix drinks.


Lookey, lookey here...

...a very nice ketchup bottle

Not a very good first impression but what the hey, this is a burger cafe so we should at least try their burgers. This place certainly needs another try. I remember seeing that burger in a bowl and the mozarella sticks. Very interesting. They also serve coffee. Coffee and burger? What a combination. By the way, they're open 24/7.

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Chicken Lollipop

I gave it a try at home and was very satisfied with my family's reaction. They need not to tell me what they think of my cooking. By the way they fight over each pieces of the lollies, I knew it's a hit.


I fell in love with chicken lollipop from Red Ribbon not so long ago and was overjoyed to find a recipe from Connie of Pinoycook.net. It's very easy to prepare except for the deep frying part. I hate hate hate doing that. Thank God my brother was around to do the annoying part :-P


They said it's easy to make the wing parts of chicken into a lollipop but why bother when you can get them done at supermarkets. I bought mine at SM Makati. A kilo is approximately 25-30 pieces.




First, I seasoned the lollies with some salt and pepper. Then marinated in milk for about an hour. The milk will make the chicken very tender when its cooked.




The recipe calls for cornmeal. Tried looking for that but not available at the mo. So the next best thing is corn flakes. Crushed it very finely, then mixed it with flour and some more salt and pepper...




...now you will have the breading to dredge the lollies into then deep fry for few minutes. If you got the temperature right, these babies should be done in 3 minutes or less.




Ta dah!!!! Finished product. Super crispy on the outside yet still moist and soft on the inside. Yummy!!! Now, now, I want my lollies with some gravy but I don't know how to make that yet. Until I learn how to make gravy, let's make tiyaga muna with this instant gravy mix.

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Happy Hanson Day!!!

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 6, 1997 was declared "Hanson Day" by then-governor Frank Keating after the release of their album Middle of Nowhere. It was intended to be a one-time occasion but many Hanson fans including myself still recognize May 6 as Hanson Day every year.


Also on this day, I am celebrating my being a Hanson fan for 12 years. Can you believe that? Yeah, that long and still counting. Though I can say I'm no longer a freak just like those days (talaga lang, ha?). People who knew me knows how a freak I am when it comes to Hanson. Anyhoo, the groupie side of me has toned down completely (are you sure you know what you're talking about?) but that doesn't mean my love for them ever faded. They will always be a part of me and it will remain forever in my heart. (syet, ang drama!)


After 12 freakin' years, what happened to the Hanson brothers? Sad to say but I have no idea. Seriously, I'm no longer updated. But since this post is all about them, why don't we try to get some updates on the hottest brothers on the face of the planet (bawal kumontra!)


Here they are complete with pictures.

Yes, they're all married with kids.

It's crazy how time flies.

Why can't it be 1997 again?

*Isaac*

He's 28 now and married to Nicole Dufresne. They met at one of the many Hanson concerts and the rest is history. They have 2 children namely Clarke Everett Hanson (April 3, 2007) and James Monroe Hanson (July 1, 2008).

...Nicole, Ike and Monroe

Ike with Everett...

...very cutesy photo of Monroe and Everett

*Zachary*
The youngest of the three is now 23. Married to Kate Tucker, best friend of Natalie(Taylor's wifey). They have son a named John Ira Shepherd (May 27, 2008 ).

...Zac, Kate and Shepherd

Zac with baby Sheperd...

Is Zac's hand too big or its just baby Shepherd who's too small?

*Taylor* (my fave)
Turned 26 last March. After being married for 7 years with Natalie Anne Bryant, they have a total of 4 children now (Oh la la). Jordan Ezra (October 31, 2002), Penelope Anne (April 19, 2005), River Samuel (September 4, 2006), and Viggo Moriah (December 9, 2008). Do we expect more kids to come, Taylor?

...Isn't this picture toooooo cuteeeee?!?!?!?!

Nat and Tay with kids (L-R )Penny, Viggo, River and Ezra... what a beautiful family. I'm so happy for them. But it should be me!!!!!!!!!!

Quoting Perez Hilton: Taylor Hanson is a Babymaking Machine!!!!

The guy has good genes and some very potent sperm! Taylor Hanson and his wife, Natalie, have a total of four children."After two kids, you’re outnumbered,” says the former teen heartthrob. “So once you cross having three, having four is not such a big deal.”Unless you've hired a good nanny, that is!!!The couple have potential baby models Penelope Anne, 4, Viggo, 7 months, River Samuel, 2, and Jordan Ezra, 6!!!!We're tired just thinking about it!!!! "I never saw myself having this big family at a young age,” says the 26 year-old Taylor. “But I can’t imagine anything else now. It’s just the greatest.”Also, he gets to escape!!!!Taylor is going back on tour with his brothers in September to promote their new Hanson EP and upcoming album.Our thoughts go out to Natalie while home alone with four children!
Posted: July 17, 2009 at 5:15 pm
http://perezhilton.com/2009-07-17-taylor-hanson-is-a-babymaking-machine

...another cute photo...
Tay with River holding drumsticks

So that's all folks. Hay! Sigh! Life, oh life, ohhhh life, ohhh life, doo doot doot dooo....


Peace, love, and a bullet-proof marshmallow to all the Hanson fans!!!!

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Queen of Jollibee GC

Yesterday, the queen of Jollibee GC striked again. Yes, and its none other than Joshua himself! It was a rainy Thursday afternoon. No idea what and where to eat so it was Josh who decided to have takeouts from Jollibee. As usual it's going to be at his all time favorite food chain.


Here's the routine everytime Josh ordered from Jabee. He will take our orders and write it down on his handy-dandy notebook. He will call Jollibee delivery hotline and the order taking from the customer rep will lead to a nasty arguement making Joshua's day (as usual). After placing the order, we will wait for 30 mins for our food to be delivered. If they're late we will sure get to have 200 pesos worth of gift checks.


Alright, they're late (as usual). Expectedly we got 200 pesos GC. When Josh checked our orders, his food were missing. So the queen bee called Jollibee hotline again and made some more ranting about his order being left out. Of course that means another gift check. And surely he got it after talking to numerous supervisors and blah blah blah! His tagline : "Hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi nalulugi ang Jollibee!!! " Yeah, right.


Now this 400 GC was spent for desserts. Yipeeeeee! Good job Josh. *Cheers* for more GC's to come. LOL!!!

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Sanuk = Happy

Flip flops have become the most common and widely used footwear for years. Not only they're comfy, they also give so much freedom while walking. They're used to be cheap too. But as time goes by these footwear evolves from being simply tsinelas to flip flops to the expensive crocs and the likes. Even Gucci has their own flip flops lines and I'm not going further than that.


So what's my point? Actually, I don't have any. I'm just wondering what's all the hype with all those expensive flip flops/sandals? What's so special about them that people are actually patronizing or wanting to get every pair of it? Do I really need to buy myself one of those so I'll know what it's like wearing them? My curiosity got the best of me. To end this wondering I finally gave in. I just bought a pair of sidewalk surfer from Sanuk. And this is what they had to say...


These are not shoes. They're sandals. Sidewalk Surfers from Sanuk. The sandal revolution continues! Featuring a shoe upper on a sandal bottom, Sidewalk Surfers combine the year-round style and protection of a shoe with the natural comfort of a sandal. Sanuk likes to call this Barefoot Un-Technology. This sandal-shoe hybrid allows your foot to bend and flex the way nature designed you to walk. The loose upper allows your foot to spread so it can absorb shock naturally. This strengthens the small muscles which support your arch and encourages you to walk correctly. Sanuk is sorry to say that there are no strings, coils, pumps or airbags, but after walking naturally you won't want to wear anything else


Sanuk, whick means "happy" in Thai, was started by a Southern California surfer with a whacked out taste in footwear. His goal was to design unique sandals that would survive jungle treks looking for surf or just keep you smilin' and stylin' at your local beach break.


Sanuk Sidewalk Surfers are sandal lowers with a decontructed shoe type of an upper. What is unique is that Sanuk has a patent applied technique for attaching the upper to the lower in such a way that none of the components of a shoe are used: no shanks, stitch boards or other inhibitors of walking naturally. The outcome is a piece of footwear that mimicks the natural function of the foot. Sanuk calls it "Barefoot Untechnology".



The loose upper allows your foot to spread so that it can absorb shock naturally. This encourages you to walk correctly. The shape of the sandal/shoe bottom is key as well: unlike many shoes which slant your body forwards, Sanuk's flat bottomed Surfers allow your posture to remain naturally erect. The outcome is what some people think these hyrids may be the most comfortable footwear product available.


... but then again, what do they know? They're just a bunch of surfers in sandals.

... my very own pair of Sanuk side walk surfer

Verdict: It feels good and looks good on my feet but nothing beats my good ol' tsinelas.

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