Core Biwon Korean Restaurant

It's the time of the year again to be merry and joyous. The holiday festivities and pig out sesh just started for us here at Core One Biwon Korean Resto. This is the same Korean resto my friends and I loved so much. It's been 3 years since the last time I dined here.


Korean Nationals flocked this resto and that's always a good sign. If you've been watching Korean telenovelas you will notice that there's always a scene where the characters are seen eating with the use of flat stainless steel chopsticks. Here at Core Biwon we got the opportunity to try out these chopsticks. And man ang hirap! Whenever I try to pick up the food it just slides out. Ang dulas. Still you shouldn't miss this experience. Anyway, may spoon and fork naman if in case di na carry ng powers mo magchopsticks :-P

. . . the banchan

What I like most from any Korean restaurants I've tried are the free banchan or side dishes. At Biwon, they serve the most numbers of banchan. I think more than 10 different kinds. However, on this visit, I was surprise to see only 6 banchan served on our table. And my fave like the egg rolls, spicy dilis and baby potatoes were missing. I asked our server why we only have 6 side dishes. He said their side dishes changes everyday. And I was like, "okay, bat anim lang?". And ayun dedma na lang si kuya. But thinking about it, six is still a lot, right?

Another thing you shouldn't miss . . .

the soju . . .

Moving on to the main dish we had . . .

. . . samgyeopsal

with some lettuce . . .

We also had a huge hot pot of everything seafood . . .

spicy yet flavorful and piping hot. yummy!

. . . just for the 3 of us!


Now, Tapioca wasn't satisfied at all with our food so he ordered some more.

. . . bibimbap and a bowl of rice on the side

This was probably the biggest bibimbap bowl I have ever seen. Nakaseparate pa yung rice jan ha. Anyway, Tapioca said it was just okay. How he wish there was more meat.

We couldn't help but notice how Korean people eat so fast. I think several groups came after us and left before we even finished our food. Grabe eat and run ang dating. And I was like do they even enjoy their meal? Well, I guess they do. Imagine kahit nasa ibang bansa na sila they still eat the same food.

Overall, the place still remains the same. Like the interiors and the menu. But there were also noticeable changes which na miss ko ng bongga. Like the overflowing banchan na sa sobrang dami yun na lang nakakapuno sa table and also the free pineapple dessert. They don't offer any desserts at this place but if you ask for sweet endings they will be happy to serve you fresh pineapples and it's unlimited. Duh, jellybean! As if you eat fresh pineapple eh di naman. LOL. Wala lang, namiss ko lang talaga. The experience was never the same as before but still we had a good time. Party rock!

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Kor One and Kor Delta Hydration Vessels

It's finally here. Thank God.

Sunshine orange for Tapioca and orchid pink for Jellybean

Aren't they pretty? These vessels are really gorgeous not just in pictures but also in real life. Compared to regular water bottles they're on the heavy side because of the materials used. It gets heavier when full with water. That was Ivy's complaint but me, I didn't mind. The look, the feel and the experience drinking from the vessel was great. I so lurved it. We use them at the office and they're eye-catchers. Someone even said "Ang ganda naman nyan parang aquarium. Pwedeng lagyan ng mga isda" Hahaha.

On a busy day, I tend to forget to drink enough water. But with just one look at my vessel and I feel the need to hydrate again. It was like begging me to drink more water. Surely it served it's purpose.



Time to say bye bye to disposable plastic bottles. Hello hydration vessel!

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From Notebook to Netbook

Meet my blogging apparatus. A good old Acer notebook, my comrade. We have been together for almost two years. Some people name their gadgets, I don't.


Here's the Acer notebook on a CD-R King foldable table/cooling pad. And yes I blog on bed and it's the best! Relaxing and very comfy.

This was a hand me down from Tapioca's mom. I never own a notebook ever so I was thrilled and excited. I loved it to pieces. And because it's portable, I was able to blog wherever and whenever I want. It's an old notebook so it's quite heavy. Whenever I tote it around with me it's like I'm carrying an entire desktop computer on my shoulders (portable and heavy, contradicting words aren't they?). Parang mas mabigat pa cya sakin.

Buti naman I survive but the poor thing didn't. Overtime it became sluggish. Worse, the hard drive was attack by the nasty ants from our previous house (we used to live in an old house pestered by ants). Tapioca was able to recover most of the files but the notebook's performance was never the same as before. Tapioca suggested to buy new parts but I refused. I would rather put the money on a new netbook. So I made tiyaga with the existing condition of the Acer notebook while trying so hard to find the designer netbook.

Alas, the Acer notebook finally gave up on me. It won't respond, boots up for 20 minutes and takes hours just to open up a single application. It caused me so much headaches, troubles, and constant fights with Tapioca. My tantrums would doubled, worse tripled especially if I'm PMS-ing. Para akong tino-torture. I almost gone mad and thought of smashing the poor poor thing. Until Tapioca could not take my tantrums anymore. He said I should give up na on the Karim Rashid netbook and move on with another computer. And I was like ok, fine. I want this!

. . . Sony Vaio C Series with crocodile skin

Haha, that's the spoiled brat in me talking. But of course that's not gonna happen. A big fat NO. Siya nga di pa nakakabili ng dream PC nya and here I am demanding for a Vaio. Anak ng tipaklong.

Asus EeePc Seashell by Karim Rashid

Remember the hot pink Asus netbook by Karim Rashid (see it here)? I was so smitten by the fabulous design and the hot rockin' color. I've search high and low and even contacted Asus directly but nadah. Well I guess we aren't meant to be together (magdrama daw beh?). It's time to move on. And cyempre pa time to shop around for my next new blogging buddy!

Tapioca and I went to SM Cybermall and spotted these cute little netbooks.

The Acer Aspire Happy 2

Since my old Acer notebook served me (and Tapioca's mom) so well, I can now put a trust on the brand. I especially like the one in strawberry yogurt. Happy na yummy pa ng color. Me likey! And for such a small computer the specs are excellent. Tapioca was able to convince me to get this netbook.

Now I have a workmate who's also looking for the same netbook. We were able to compare prices and found out that it was much cheaper to buy these netbooks at Gilmore. It's the place to be where you can get great deals on computer stuffs. So I suggested that we go there together to get a better deal.

On the day of our netbook shopping, we were informed that the Happy 2 series has been phased out/out of stock because a newer model came out. This newer model turned out to be way out of our budget and they don't come in pink. Sadness. Another dream computer went out the window. Whatever happen to my lucky charm? Please come back. Come baaaackkkk!!!!!

I was getting upset na and my tantrums, I feel them coming. I told Tapioca we should go somewhere else and try to look for the Happy 2. Tapioca insisted that we stay since we're already at the place to be, why not look around? I have no choice. My mind was not working anymore due to lack of sleep and the stress of going through all the stores in Gilmore. At this point also I didn't care what brand I was going to get as long as it's pink and it's a netbook and it's within budget. Period.

After 5 hours of looking around, we finally settled for this . . .

MSI U135DX in pink

This netbook was cheaper than the Acer Happy 2. Since we bought two of these, the store gave us a discount (yay!) plus a free Cherry Mobile cellphone (yay again!) which will go to my Nanay as a Christmas present. It was a stressful shopping but we ended up happy and satisfied with our purchase. I will write more about this netbook on another post.



Presenting our twin netbooks. Pardon the haggardo versoza look. More than twenty four hours na kaming walang tulog when that picture was taken. Hehehe!

Photos from:
aspireoneuser.com
techarina forum
mocoloco.com
mycomputershop.co.za

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My Hanson Shout It Out Tour Concert Ticket

I can't believe I almost forgot the date when the tickets are going to be released. So there I was watching some TV shows with Tapioca until we got sleepy and when twelve noon hit the clock I realized I missed it. The Hanson tickets were out! I wanted to scream in disbelief. I forgot them. I totally forgot about them. I was like, this is not happening. This is what you called an epic fail. My plan to call TicketNet from the moment they open failed miserably.

Before it gets any later I immediately dialed TicketNet's hotline. O cge late na kung late but I still tried to check. Maybe there would still be front row seats left. Ya know baka sakali lang. Wala namang mawawala if I try to ask, right? So I popped the question to the guy on the other line. And the answer came in as no surprise. Parang sinagot ko na rin yung tanong ko. Pakak. Asa ka pa.

According to the sales guy, the closest seat I can get along the aisle section was at row H (8th row). Don't want a seat na nasa gilid. Gusto ko sa gitna ako. So ayun I reserved na lang that seat. The guy said I had until the following day to pay for my reservation or else it'll get forfeited. I was kinda disappointed. I really wanted those front row seat and if I'm really lucky, maybe a meet and greet pass na rin (teehee!). Still I didn't lose hope. I'm praying that there would be someone who will give up his/her front row seat.

After our shift I told Tapioca that we should go straight to TicketNet and again magbaka sakali na may front row seat or if not at least closer seat than row H. Alright, I'm not gonna make you think that I actually got front row seats. Ako na yata ang pinagpalang fan sa balat ng lupa if that happens. And whoever will get those seats kayo na, kayo na ang mga anak ng Diyos. Hay, I'm sounding so bitter.

Yeah no front row seat for me but truth be told I'm really thankful and felt so bless for the ticket I got. I'm still lucky somehow I managed to get a seat closer to the stage. Again I'm grateful I was able to afford the ticket. And more than ever, the fact that they're coming back to Manila is already enough to make me the happiest. It's an early birthday/Christmas present for me. Thank you LORD!!!! Thank you so much!!!!

Anyhoo, let me continue the story. At TicketNet, I was expecting we're gonna be the first customer of the day. Oh well we got there 30 minutes after opening time so there were already people in line. When my turn came, I asked the girl in the counter for the VIP seats available. She said the closest seat available was at Row C but it's at the farthest left. Sorry me no likey (choosy ang lola mo!). As I said I wanted a seat near the aisle. Then lo and behold, she said there's one available at row E and it's near the aisle. Whoa! 5th Row!!! And that means I will move 3 rows forward. Not bad. 3 rows makes a whole lot of difference (if you have been in a concert at Araneta you'll know what I mean). Without batting an eyelash, I handed to her my cold cash.


Tantararan . . . . Behold my VIP row E ticket. This was the first shot I took from my camera and I was very pleased with it I did not bother to take another shot. Moments like this calls for a celebration.


And I celebrated this accomplishment by eating a cake. Since I already splurged on the ticket I figured the cake need not to be fancy or expensive. As long as it will make the celebration the sweetest and memorable.


Breadtalk sells expensive yet super yummy breads but their cakes are cheaper just like the cake above. Sorry I forgot its name and the price. Prolly around 60 bucks(?). Despite the price you've got to hand it to Breadtalk for the effort in packaging and presentation. Doesn't look cheap at all. Taste wise? Well, you get what you paid for hahaha. And in fairness this cake stayed moist even if it was left in the fridge for a week. The wonders of preservatives :-)



And that's moi trying so hard not to show how happy I am for this accomplishment. Heck, this is such a long post. Cencya na ha. First time kasi. The last time Hanson had a concert here in Manila I wasn't a blogger yet. I just wanted to document everything in details. Kung pwede nga lang magcountdown ako dito sa blog na to but it's just gonna flood my site with non substantial blog posts (duh, as if I'm blogging things that are sensible for man-kind).


Here I am finally with a smile. I look so sleepy because I am! I got the ticket in hand so I can sleep well na after this.


Okay, okay. I really can't help it so let me go through this na nga. It's now 4 months and 1 day before the Hanson Shout It Out Tour. Yay! Peace, love and a bullet-proof marshmallow!

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Hanson Shout It Out Tour Philippines 2012

OMG. I just got a text message from Ivy saying that Hanson will be coming back to Manila for a concert. And as of today it's confirmed. Dayly Entertainment and HNet made it official. It's all over the net. I'm so glad that the tickets are amazingly cheap. I don't really have a budget for this thing. Funny I even say that. Back then I always have a Hanson fund which I dare not touch (but not anymore). Tapioca and I have already made plans for an out of the country trip and this came all of a sudden so technically this is out of our budget. But my guy loves me so much he lets me get what I want. ***hugs and kises*** I also wanted to fly to Cebu and watch the 2nd show. Okay, I'm asking too much already. Certainly Tapioca won't allow that to happen. I love these guys longer than I love Tapioca. Now things have change I love Tapioca more than I love Hanson. But still they will always be a part of me. I can still talk about them with giddy and talk non stop like I'm doing now. It's a fan thing ya know. It makes me feel like I'm back to my teen years all over again. I thought last their concert 6 yrs ago was the last time I'm gonna see them in our country. But a miracle has come and they're coming back. Peace love and bulletproof marshmallow. Hanson fans unite!!!

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Vanj's Birthday at KBOP

We were so happy when we found out Vanjee has returned from China. That means we will be able to hang out and celebrate her birthday here in Manila. My friends were eyeing this deal from Metrodeal. It's a deal for a four-course meal from a Korean resto in Venice Piazza. I remember bringing them to this oh so fine Korean place in Pasay and we totally had a great time. I think they wanted to revive those moments and that's why they chose KBOP. I purchased 2 vouchers and we setup the date.

On the 5th of November we all gathered at KBOP in Venice Piazza. We were expecting a restaurant but found ourselves at a Korean fast food joint.

. . . the fast food ambiance

The voucher we got from Metrodeal was for a 4-course set meal good for 4 persons. Original price was Php1,000 but we only paid for Php499 per voucher. They have 4 different set meals to choose from. Now I'm not sure how to name the dishes here as they were not explained to us. For reference, I've used the voucher to check the name of the dishes based on what they looked like.

Chapchae - Korean glass noodles.

Kimchi dumplings

Tuboo Chorim - Braised silken tofu

Korean Chicken

Samgyupsal

Our server said this is already 2 servings of samgyupsal. Can you image kung single serving lang ang dish na itech?

Korean Pancake with soy dipping sauce

From all the food served to us, the only dish that striked the most was the Korean dumplings. It was spicy as expected on Korean food. The pancake was also good. Now the rest of them are on the sweet side. There was no oomphs and zing. It's like they're catered to suit the Pinoy taste buds.

Portion size of the dishes were too small. I'd say not good for 4 persons specially if you're a big eater. Yeah, the rice serving was ga-bundok but the dishes? Well, the pictures speak for themselves. So konti and so bitin. Honestly, I'm not willing to spend one grand for this 4 course meal. Enough lang sa Php500. And you know what, during our lunch we saw that they have this 4 course meal promo on going. No need to get a voucher because you can avail of the 50% discount direct from the store. Hay, wala lang. This was a learning experience. At least it killed our curiosity for this Korean resto.

Not so satisfied with the meal, we decided to go somewhere else. Vanj had pre-ordered some cupcakes from Sonja's so off we went to Serendra.

. . . jellybean at Sonja's cupcake shop

sisters anj & mel . . .

. . . ivy taking pictures of the pretty and delish looking cupcakes

Check out the Smeg fridge behind the counter. It spells a-w-e-s-o-m-e. I'm still dreaming of my red Smeg (see it here) *lol*


Tapioca and Jastin patiently waiting for us while we took tons of pictures and cupcakes at Sonja's

. . . little Rhian playing in the rain with our now broken umbrella

Next, we headed to Timezone in Market Market for karaoke. This was another thing we really missed a lot (remembering our providence days) and we have to do this before Vanj leaves the country.

While waiting for our turn at Timezone, we indulged into these artisan cupcakes by Sonja's. They're so pretty to look at I was trying to resist not to eat them but I did it anyway. The icing was too sweet for me. I feel sorry for them. Such a lovely design but have to go to waste. Awww.


The wait is over but Anj, Joy and Rhian have to go. In the end it was just me, Tapioca, Ivy, Jastin and Vanj left. We loaded up our cards with over a thousand bucks to spend on the karaoke machine. Yay!!!


Turns out one thousand was too much pala. We only spent half of it and yun suko na kami hahahaha!!! If Glenn (a.k.a. Videoke King) was with us, I'm sure kukulaning ang 1 kiaw.

. . . Tapioca's time to shine *lol*

Happy Birthday Vanjee!!!!

Wishing you all the best. Good health, successful career and . .. and .... a new boyfriend :-P Love you friend!!!

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Some Time Off and Stories About My Tatay

So how was your Halloween? Me, nothing special. No we did not go to parties and don some customs. Before Halloween, my family and I went down south to grant my father's last wish. I thought it's going to be a chance for some R&R. I mean, it was suppose to be some time off work but turned out to be a stress I wasn't expecting. Nanay refuses to take the airplane so we have no choice but to take the 12 hour ride in a non air conditioned bus. Oh the agony, I swear I will never do that again. Ever.

Because of the travel time, we're left with so little time in Bicol and not much to do but to focus on the main purpose of us being there. On the day of my father's burial we were expecting only close family and relatives who will join us. I was surprise because dami pala namin kamag-anak. It was an emotional moment again for us. I was thankful for their presence. It felt like we had another wake for him. A wake with people who knew my Tatay really well.

They told me stories about Tatay that I never heard before. Like Tatay do magic tricks when he's drunk. And that he was the town's Dennis the Menace for his mischievousness and playing tricks on town's people. There was this one story they old me about Tatay pretending to be a dancing ghost which was pretty hilarious. We were all laughing crazily when my aunt mentioned what my Grandpa did when he found out about my Tatay's antics. They were good memories and I enjoyed hearing stories about him.

When we left Bicol, I was finally able to enjoy the vacation. I know, it's weird. When everything was all over I was glad that my mind's finally free from worries. I can now think of other things. This time we did take an aircon bus (Thank God!) with enough leg room and comfy seats. I dreaded the 12 hour ride but did not feel so bad about it anymore. For the first time, my mind fully opened up to the positive aspect of this so-called vacay. As the bus started our journey back to the city, I was enjoying the ride and the sight-seeing which really helped me relax. Nature has it's way in making you realize how awesome this planet we are living. It makes you appreciate all things around you and the greater power who created them. And in my head I started planning my vacation the next time I go back in Bicol. Let me show you the amazing sights I've seen along the way. I will be borrowing some pictures as I did not bring my camera with me during this trip. Bad me.

photo from http://fyi09.wordpress.com

The majestic Mayon Volcano. It was our view for about 2-3 hrs though we cannot really see the tip because it was covered with clouds. Nevertheless, it was a sight to see. I promise I will be back and I would like to take my picture with the volcano as the background.

photo from www.harleycam.com

Lamon Bay and the Baywalk in Gumaca, Quezon. This was another cool part of the sight seeing. I'm not sure how long is the baywalk but I think it was a good 5-10 minute drive (or maybe longer) and we can still see the bay.

photo from http://www.voxbikol.com

Railroads. When we reached Naga, I kept on seeing the railroads going the same direction as the bus. I was like where are these railroads leading to? Then I remember something. When I was in high school this was my mode of transportation. Cheap and fastest way to go to school. Also I have this uncle who likes taking the train going to Bicol. Then it hit me. The PNR's last Station was in Naga. That's why there were several railroads that we kept on passing by. Remember physics, Snell's law? The fastest way to go from point A to B is thru a straight line. Well the railroads going to Bicol are not exactly a straight line but it somehow shorter travel time compare with the bus ride. Hah. Additional info for my next Bicol road trip. I can't wait to be back. But next time I'll make sure Tapioca will join me.

Happy Halloween!

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Young House Love

Hello there guys. I was on hiatus for some time and hasn't been blogging lately. I salute those people who can always keep their blogs updated. Anyway, what has been keeping me for blogging? Oh well, the answer is blog hopping. I think it's a great way to get some inspirations and keep my creative juices flowing. I was very happy to discover new and not so new blogs out there. And while blog hopping I stumbled upon this blog which I will be sharing on this post.



I can't believe I have almost forgotten this blog. It's actually one of the first blogs I love and adore back then when I was still starting my own site. The blog owners Sherry and John are certified DIY dorks (from their own words). The first time I hopped into their blog they were just a couple living in an old house. Their post are mostly on house improvements and DIY projects. Believe it or not even their own wedding was a DIY, too.

Two years after, since the last time I visited their blog, the couple has now moved in to their new home and are also proud parents to a baby girl named Clara. I was very surprise! In that span of time, I definitely missed a lot so I updated myself onto what's up with these guys. And then I read about Clara's birth story. At first, I was so happy knowing that Sherry was actually going to share the entire story (it was pretty long). Never did I expect nor image what the both of them went through. It was an incredible, terrifying, sad but happy ending story. Boy, I was in tears. It was tears of sadness and then happiness. I can't even imagine what it feels more to them. Giving birth was suppose to be a wonderful and beautiful thing. I have learned then that it's not always the case. What happened to them was a miracle and a blessing.

Check out Young House Love here and Clara's birth story here. Be warned, though. It's a pretty loooong and emotional story. I suggests get your napkins/tissue ready *wink*.

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Little Nuh

photo credit from izzahsazahly.com

Meet Evita Nuh. She may seem like you're ordinary little girl from the neighborhood but ya know, looks can be deceiving. I think this is the only time I've seen her in a picture with a big smile (and I liked it). Anyway, this kid happens to be one of the most influential kid and teen blogger. Say what? Yep, you read it right. She has been featured in several fashion magazines worldwide and she's just 12 years old. This kid is surely blessed with awesome talent and she never fails to surprise me. If you read her blog you'll be blown away with her cool fashion style and she definitely has an eye for photography that is unbelievable for a 12-yr old. But to see is to believe. I have great respect for her and I consider myself a fan. Some people think she was rob of her childhood but I think otherwise. I think she's very happy with whatever she's doing and it shows on her craft. It's like she was born to be that way (sounds like the lady gaga song teehee!).

What's even more amazing? She has now started her own label called Little Nuh and most of the clothes are designed by no other than Evita herself. Galing talaga! *clap clap*

Go check out her website here

P.S. I'm loving the song playing on her site. It's very soothing and calming and nice to listen to kahit paulit-ulit pa. I told Tapioca to play that song to me if he's getting annoyed na from my tantrums or if I'm PMSing. I think it will help me calm down hahaha! Anyway, the song is called Quelqu'un m'a dit by Carla Bruni. It's part of the OST for 500 Days Of Summer. I-add na yan sa playlist.

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Night Out At Elbow Room + Stackers Brekkie

Our team won the spelling bee competition which earned us a few thousand bucks to spend. And what better way to spend those moolah but to celebrate and have a night out... at the Elbow Room in Metrowalk Ortigas. Time to release the frustration thru videoke and some pool sesh hehehe.

Tapioca and I came out late. I doze off and almost forgot we had to be there by 8pm. We arrived past 11pm (Pa-VIP!!!). No more chibog but there were still some booze left. Here are the kodakan moments.

. . . da boyz

da gurlz . . .

. . . da songer

da drunken master . . .

. . . da billiard attendant

da gamblers . . .

. . . da team and the pluses

And what to do after a big night out? Eh di magmidnight-slash-early morning breakfast! Our search for a good breakfast place that's still open late Sunday night (or should I say early Monday morning) led us to Stackers. We have been to Stackers several times already (see here, here, here and a lot more that need not to blog dahil same-same lang naman order namin) but this was the first time we've sampled their breakfast offerings. The choices didn't entice me so I've decided to stick with my staple. Then I noticed the new items on their menu. They're now serving pasta and soup. Yay for the soup. Ako na, ako na ang adik sa soup hahahaha!!!!!

clam chowder . . .

. . . BBQ burger bowl

Now this is what Tapioca had for breakfast:

omelette sandwich . . .

And some extra stuffs:

. . . sad looking bacon

. . . sorry looking beef patty and slice bread

for the coffee - milk in a shot glass with a tiny spout, cute cute little thing . . .

Tapioca was not happy with his food. It's obvious on the picture how the food looked like they're in grief. Tapioca said he can taste the grit from the grill on the bacon and burger. As if they don't clean their grill at all. Yikes. He's that maselan and he can really tell I mean taste it.

The soup was okay. Why do I have this feeling that clam chowder soups are cream of mushroom soup in disguise? (LOL!) I know I might have sounded stupid with that statement and I'm fine with that. I mean this was the 2nd time I had clam chowder and it's hard to tell the difference until you dig in to the soup. Still I'm on a quest for the best clam chowder soup. Actually, I'm on a quest for the best soup ever! That's gonna be tough as I'm bias. I love soup especially if they're piping hot.

Click here to view more pics from the night out.

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