Meet 'The Reyes' Part 1

Tapioca already met my parents last year and now it's time for me to meet his parents. I can only meet one parent at a time since Tapioca's parents are separated. His dad is living in Isabela while his mom is in Singapore. I don't know what to expect or what to feel but I'm pretty much excited to meet his father and relatives in Isabela.


It's going to be an 8-hour bumpy bus ride from Manila to Isabela. After a year of travel abstinence, I'm back on the road again. Yay! We took the last trip bus going to Isabela at Victory Liner in Cubao. Each ticket cost Php444.



We slept the entire time on the bus. When we wake up the following day it was raining hard. Perfect weather for a vacation.



Good thing when we arrived in Alicia the rain already stopped. His dad picked us up from the main road and showed us his new house which was still under construction but livable. This is where we stayed.





This is Beaver. This dog likes me a lot. He always wanted to be near me all the time even when we sleep, he stayed at our room. He's such a friendly dog and I like him, too. Someday Tapioca and I will have our very own dog and of course a cat. I'm still a cat person, ya know.


On our second day, Tapioca and I attended the opening of a new tennis court in Alicia. Did I mention Tapioca loves to play tennis? In fact he used to be a varsity player back in his college days. When he heard the news of the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new tennis court, he giddily prepared his outfits and tennis racket which has been in the storage room like forever.

. . . dedication

the members . . .

And here is Tapioca in action . . .

hit that ball, baby . . .

. . . one more time

And here's his Dad who just passed by the court, who can't help but play tennis as well.


We spent the entire day at the tennis court. That explained how Tapioca missed playing tennis so much. Anyway, there's nothing much to do in Alicia. It's just a small town where everyone knows everyone. We planned to go to Banaue because it's just a few hours away from Alicia but they were busy and no one can accompany us to get there.


Next post are the food and a mini field trip at a farm.

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First Christmas

Our first Christmas together, Tapioca and I decided to spend it at Star City. I had a shift on a Christmas Eve and so we went to Star City past 10pm, just an hour before they closed (darn). We so wanted to try all their rides especially the roller coaster but we just got a few minutes left. We just decided to get tickets to Snow World and that's it.


By the way, cameras are not allowed inside Snow World. Even for a few minutes stay inside the Snow World we both still enjoyed it a lot especially the giant ice slides! Perhaps we can go back here next time and spend an entire day. Come with us?


We checked the roller coaster and the line was super long so we headed to the arcade sections where Tapioca tried to win me huge stuff toys.


In this photo, Tapioca's trying to catch those orange balls. Each ball has a corresponding points. The higher the points, the higher our chance of winning those big Winnie the Pooh stuff toys.


Lookey, lookey, his net was full of orange balls. Too bad the first five balls were the only ones counted :-(


We didn't get the Winnie the Pooh but he still got me this mini Santa, anyway :-)


He tried to win this time at the shooting game (where he's good at). He was so close to winning me the big Sylvester stuff toy. Nevertheless, he got me 3 mini toys in one night, not so bad.


On to dinner, we don't have any reservations. It was strange roaming around Manila on a Christmas Eve cos most of the establishments were closed. We went to Malate instead and still had difficulty finding a place to eat. When we reached the fabulous The Pan Pacific Hotel we spotted several Chinese and Korean restos opened 24 hours. It was hard to choose and we're not sure which serves if not the best at least better food. And we ended up here . .

Bug Kyoung Korean and Chinese Restaurant

. . . freebies

This is what I love when dining in Korean restaurants, free appetizers!!! And if you get bitin you can ask for another serving :-) We got served with 2 kinds of kimchi, sweet and spicy and crunchy anchovies, baby potatoes in sweet sauce and radish. The numbers of appetizers fall short compared to what we had before in Bi Won. Our table was overflowing with free appetizers then. But the prices of food in Bi Won were a bit steep so better enjoy all the free appetizers.


I had been to Korean restaurants before but when we checked Bug Kyoung's menu I was so clueless on what to order. We asked our friendly server that night for any recommendations and she suggested some spicy stew and pan fried meat with veggies, their best sellers. It was Tapioca's first time to try Korean food and one thing's for sure I wanted him to try my fave . . .

samgyeopsal . . .

. . . fresh lettuce for the samgyeopsal

Tapioca cooked the samgyeopsal over the grill. Once it's cooked we dipped it in sesame oil and salt mixture then wrapped it in lettuce with kimchi. Yum! Too bad Tapioca don't eat kimchi but he still enjoyed the samgyeopsal minus the kimchi.

pan fried meat and veggies . . .

I forgot the Korean name of this dish but I cannot forget how delish it was. There was a lot of meat and veggies but the angle of my pic showed more of veggies hehehe. It was spicy and very flavorful. I don't know but I think there's something special with Korean spices. Once you get a taste of it you'll know it's definitely Korean.

doenjang jjigae . . .

This is a winner. We both loved it. Tapioca ordered this dish because he loves tofu and me loves soup. This was super spicy but surprisingly, I can manage the heat. There was a lot of shellfish on it and we liked that it was served on a clay pot making the stew warm til our last spoonful. This stew is perfect for the cold weather of Christmas.

. . . soju

We paired our spicy meal with soju, a Korean alcoholic beverage. My first shot was very nasty. More nasty than a vodka but after a while, I kept on taking shots after shots. Now I understand why those Korean girls in telenovelas make faces when taking shots of soju but later on ended up drinking the whole bottle. It was no acting pala. It's the real deal LOL!


We had a wonderful dinner and we went home with big smile on our faces. Thanks to our server for the great suggestions on what to order. And the prices were reasonable. I would sure go back here for the doenjang jjigae, now my new fave.


And here's my souvenir for our first Christmas . . .

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2010, A new decade

Another year has passed and it has been a year that opened a new chapter in my life. I would like to thank my family and friends for all the love and care, for understanding and respecting all the decisions I've made and things I've gone through. For letting me know how great I am though sometimes (or most of the times) I am not and accepting who I am and who I've become for the past years.


To God almighty who constantly showers me with graces and blessings I couldn't ask for anything better and more. Thank you Lord. Thank you so much.


This 2010, a new journey is waiting for me. The road is uncertain but I'm glad I have someone who will hold my hand and together we will help and encourage each other in this trip full of test and trials. I am not on my own anymore.

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BBSC Christmas Party

I know it sucks not to have any team outings but at least this Christmas, the BBSC team made all efforts to have a grand Christmas party. Everyone in the team contributed ideas on how we can have a memorable celebration.


Click here to view all the pictures from the party (forgot to take group pictures, though). And here's what we had for Noche Buena in the office. Pancit malabon, macaroni salad, baby back ribs and mocha cake roll. Good job everyone and Happy Christmas!!!

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MTICS 2K2 Christmas Party at Dampa Farmers

December once again and the gang of MTICS 2K2 held another get together/Christmas Party at Dampa Farmers. It's our 10th year anniversary of being together ever since college days and we were so glad because inspite of everything that happened, good or bad, the MTICS family is still here and kicking asses. Hahaha!! Well, not everyone was able to attend but at least most of us tried to get there just so we can spend some time catching up with each and everybody's lives. Even those of our classmates who are out of the country were present via video conference. Thanks to the power of internet.

... the early birds

We celebrated the party in a place that offers fresh produce from the market so it's just fitting we feasted on seafoods. Yay!

buttered shrimps ...

... sinigang sa miso, maya-maya

baked tahong ...

... calamares

king and queen of videoke, can never be part from the microphone :-) ...

All the food we ordered above including rice and drinks cost us around two thousand pesos! It was pretty cheap. But we have to leave the place after 11pm so we need to change venue and continued the party somewhere else. It was a Saturday night so the entire place was packed with party goers. We ended at Elbow Room in Ortigas. My camera's battery died so no more photo ops. I tried using my phone's camera but the lighting was so bad it can hardly capture anything but the light coming from the flash :-(


Over all, it was fun-filled party and hopefully this tradition continues for as long as we live. Amen.


P.S. Click here to view more pics from the party.

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Celebration 2 Times

Yesterday, we welcomed baby Rhian to the Christian world as she was baptized at St. Michael's Church in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. And it also fell on the day of my birthday thus a double celebration.


Traffic this time of the year was so bad. Tapioca and I missed the ceremony at the church so we ended up at the reception, in Anjee's place for lunch.

(from L-R) Sherwin, Ivy, Anjee with Rhian, Gen and Jellybean

Ninang Vanjee and Mara were present, too.

This is Mara's girl. Her name is Alyna.The last time I saw her, she was just a new born baby but look at her now, all grown up at 4 yrs old :-)



After lunch, Tapioca and I went to my place for a very simple birthday celebration with my family. It was actually his first time to meet them. As my birthday cake, I had a blueberry cheese cake from Conti's


and pancit malabon for long life.



On my day, I decided it's about time my parents meet Tapioca. We've been going out for months and I believe it's the best time for them to meet him. The first person Tapioca met was my father. He was sitting on the wheel chair, watching TV when we came in. My father was all smile and for some reason he was able to talk and we were able to understand most of his words. My father had a stroke 2 years ago and half of his body got affected as well as his speech. So for us to be able to understand a bit of what he was saying was amazing. Then he met my brother and sister-in-law and lastly my mother. They seemed to be pretty okay but when Tapioca's out of sight they would ask questions, silly questions and would make fun of me (especially my brother). They all thought we're bagay because of our chinky eyes :-)


Now, now as for the most funniest comment, they all thought Tapica was my gay officemate!!! It's because of the way he was dress and the way he talk, they said it was so gay. Oh well, even at the office they too had an impression he's gay. I'm not sure if it's suppose to be a compliment or what but truth is... he is so NOT gay. Take my word for it. LOL!

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An Early Birthday/Christmas Present

As the saying goes... "expect the unexpected", well that’s exactly what happened last night. On our way home, we were so happy chatting when Tapioca made a remark that totally pissed me out. Next thing I knew, the air got thicker and colder and we were all quiet and uneasy inside the cab. I decided to go back to the office but Tapioca protested. I was very emotional then and I lost it and started to cry. I was really, really upset and I wanted to be left alone.


Tapioca then looked troubled and pleaded for me to go home with him. When we got home, I stormed the room and went straight to bed and continued to cry. He then tried to hug me and told me things to help me calm down. And then something popped out in my head. Alright, I think I wanted a peace offering. Since I’m upset I knew just what I wanted. I told him I wanted Haagen Dazs. He said he’s got something better than Haagen Dazs. I raised an eyebrow. He then pointed at a box on top of the laptop.


It was supposed to be a surprise but I thought I already knew what’s inside. Earlier, I was having a hard time using the mouse for the laptop so my guess he probably bought a new one for me. But then my presumption was WRONG. As I ripped the top portion of the wrapper, there in front of my eyes the letters DSCH20. As I read the letters one more time, it occurred to me that maybe it was a joke. So I ask him, “Is this just a box or what?” He laughed while shaking his head. He could not believe I actually doubted it was real. I unwrapped the box completely and there it was in my shaking hands, the digital camera of my dreams. Tears kept falling from my eyes but this time they were tears of joy. What a big surprise. I was speechless for a moment.


And here goes the very first photograph from my Sony DSCH20 . . .



To the love of my life, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. *hugs and kisses*

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Buffalo Wings ‘n Things and Jalapeno

We’re going to have take outs from Buffalo Wings ‘n Things and Jalapeno Mexican Cantina for tonight’s dinner. While waiting for our orders at Jalapeno, Tapioca and I hanged out at the bar and watched the bartender prepare drinks. He ordered a San Mig Light and I had a Mojito.

The bartender was very nice. When we asked him what kind of drink he’s preparing, he would reply then gave us a free shot to try. I think I got 3 shots of different Mojitos for free. *wide grin*



Then I spotted something on the shelf where the liquors are displayed. Lookey, lookey… Patron tequila, one of the most high end (read: expensive) tequila.



We got home a little tipsy from the free shots then eat our take outs while watching How I Met Your Mother.



Chili cheese fries from Buffalo Wings ‘n Things. This was kinda sad. Serving size was small for its price.



Another sad looking dish from BWnT. Buffalo wing in barbecue sauce. The last time we had buffalo wings from them, they were huge unlike this one on the photo. I wonder what happened. Good thing we ordered other stuffs from Jalapeno and they did not turn us down.



Burrito – It was huge definitely worth every peso. And its full of rice, meat, beans and everything its supposed to go with. Tapioca had a great time eating this.



Quesadillas – This was also huge. I’m not sure what to get at Jalapeno so Tapioca order this one for me. I so loved it. Soft tortilla, lots of cheese and soft beef pieces. And I can’t get enough of their sour cream. The best I’ve tried so far.


I was all worried whenever trying out Mexican food based on my previous experiences but with Jalapeno around I'm back to my food loving adventure and would definitely be back to try more of what they offer. As for BWnT, I'd say they still worth the second chance.

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Love At First Bite.

I just feel so low today not even Tapioca can cheer me up. While grocery shopping at Shopwise for our dinner, we passed by the ice cream section and Tapioca suggested buying some ice cream. Perhaps this would help, he said. I though, yeah perhaps the ice cream would help. But deep down inside I don’t want just any ice cream. I wanted something I haven’t tried before. Then in front of me a Häagen Dazs ice cream, a new flavor I haven’t tried before, is lulling me to buy it. I swear I can hear it chanting in my head; “buy me, buy me, buy me”. And there was Tapioca, saying “Jellybean are you sure you wanted to get this? Its almost 500 pesos for such a small size. You can buy a gallon and a half ice cream for that amount”. Then he started pulling out ice creams of different flavors that I already tried before. The chanting goes on until I can’t take it anymore.


We rushed to the counter with the 400+ pesos ice cream in my hand hoping to get home soon before it started to melt. My paycheck won’t arrive till next week. Thank God for inventing the credit card. On our way home I can hear Tapioca saying “that ice cream should better tastes really good or else…”


We got home soon enough. Judgment time. I hurriedly get a spoon and open the lid. Amazingly, the ice cream did not melt. I think we got home in ten minutes or less. Then, there I was making my first bite. Then another. And another one. Ahhh-Mmmm. The label on the ice cream did not lie. It was total rapture. Caramel so subtle with a hint of apple sauce. Luscious creaminess. I will never look at haagen dazs the way at look any ice cream before. This is the one for me and no turning back. See for your self. It’s worth the 400+ pesos. Totally

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Food Critics for the Day...

Three days after the adjustment of my braces, I braved the challenges of being a food critique for the UTT (Ultimate Taste Test) 3.0 held at Ballet Philippines in The Fort, Taguig City. We were very fortunate to be part of the biggest taste test event this year organized by Anton of Our Awesome Planet. Tapioca and I were lucky enough and made it to the 300 guests list. Thanks to Anton and his wife Rache for the invite. We sure had an awesome time tasting whatever we can consume until our taste buds can no longer handle it.


FYI , there were only 30 food suppliers who joined the event and about 260+ types of food to try ranging from appetizers, main courses, desserts and drinks.


We started off with the home made ham from C. Cravings. The ham was paired with some rolls. There’s nothing special about the ham and it could have been better if they used fresh rolls.


Then we had these from Divine desserts. I say their desserts were worth calling divine cos it’s truly divine. For a non-caramel lover like me, I was amaze after tasting their caramel crunch cake. Not to sweet and the cake was very moist. We loved it. Their chocolate cake was a hit, too.


Next were the canapés from the Canapés Chef. I liked the taco flavor, the one topped with cheese, and disliked the one with mangoes. My taste buds can’t comprehend the spices they added to it.

Mr. Food Critique busily writing his comments.

...lechon, lechon and another Lechon.

There were 3 food suppliers for lechon and we just got to vote for the one we liked most. Out of the 3, the one with the fugly looking booth and no sauce to dip their lechon with, knocked us out. It’s none other than Ulcing’s Cebu Lechon(Letter A). Their lechon was succulent with flavors. Definitely no need for sauce. Highly recommended. Letter B (Sabroso) and C (Leonardo's Lechon) fell short of the taste required for lechon and that's probably why you need to add some sauce on it.


More more food to taste. . .

1. Dulcelli's choco mallow fluff – I think it's too sweet.

2. Cookie Monster Cheesecake from Symphony of Flavors – super rich because of the cookie and cheesecake combo but I can hardly distinguished the cookie from the cake. Anyway, substituting a cookie as a cheesecake base was a nice idea.

3. Cheesecake from Sugarhouse – The usual cheesecake but we though they got the appropriate portion for food sampling, small enough so we can still make room for other food.

4. Original cream puff and crushed almond cream puff from Happy Cream Puff – these were good. Not to sweet unlike cream puffs from Beard Papa.

5. Dulcelin's cannelloni – I'm not sure if cannelloni was supposed to taste like it was but I did not like it and I thought it was bad.

6. Belly roast beef from Dulcelin's – soft and very flavorful.

7. Lola's chicken relleno also from Dulcelin's - nothing special. Though we never knew we were eating chicken pala.

8. Dulcelli's avocado sansrival - it was soggy because it was hot that day but still this dessert stands out. This made me say wow. Ingenious. Incorporating the avocado flavor to this desserts made it more yummy.

9) Wagyu tri-tip - a bit oily but super delish.

Sawrap by Minnie Puno - true to its name definitely sarap yet healthy.

3 different flavors of home made savoury meat by Tina Raines. Beef and mushroom pie, bacon potato pie and callos. They looked unappetizing cos they're in sampling portions. These were just okay for me but Tapioca said these were one of the best meat pies he ever had.


That was a lot of food and we were so full we weren’t able to try all 260+ foods/drinks. Now, another thrilling thing happened on this event was being able to see in person the bloggers I follow like Spanky of Manila Boy, Ivan of About Town, and Fran of FrannyWanny. I was really star-strucked seeing them and too shy to approach anyone of them.


Before we left, we were given these freebies.



We had fun tasting all those food but after some time I thought our taste buds got confused and all. Hahahaha. This was some kind of experience for foodies indeed.

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