Another Yummy Mercato Centrale Weekend + Goodie Giveaway #10!

Congratulations CANDISHHH & LUCKYFINDS! You each win a Mercato Centrale Shopper Bag!

Will email you for DETAILS!

Here's your chance to win one of TWO Mercato Centrale reusable shopping bags I'm giving away!

This weekend, I tried my damnest to wake up earlier (9am is early for me) to revisit Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City. I was pleasantly surprised to find 2 new tents put up for new merchants and food finds. I got soooo excited I wanted to scoop up goodies immediately!

College Days, Cupcakes & Chicken Wrap at Malibu Kitchen

Aside from attending my Bestfriend's wedding, I had other important points on my Cali Agenda... one of them being to revisit my old haunts, aka Santa Monica and Malibu, the two cities I lived and studied in during my formative college years.

 Everyday for a good year or four, I would drive up and down the Santa Monica incline to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) to get to the beach, erm, I mean to class.

 Who else would be perfect to take this trip down memory lane than my lovable college roommate!

A Very ToT-ful Thanksgiving Dinner

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! (My sad attempt at Wall Art)

Dinners at home are a major deal for the family. We pull out all the good (Holiday China and make sure things are perfect for everyone. Which means, when my eldest brother announced that HE would prepare the holiday Turkey, everyone panicked. Because, ToT ALWAYS cooks the meals! We were wary, and had a feeling we would go hungry this Thursday.

Proud Chef

I go home from the office, and find my oven PREHEATED (for 30 mins) to 400 Degrees. Hello are we starting a fire here? NO NO NO!  And then my Brother arrives with the bird all dressed, then asks for olive oil n salt. I'm like FTW there's no butter inside and ON the skin? waaaah... I smelled disaster.

Haute & Healthy at Seasons 52

Key Lime Pie, Mocha Macchiato, Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie with Double Gingersnap Crust, in a shot glass and less than 300 calories each? That's what I, and Seasons 52 Fresh Grill, call "Mini Indulgences".

 After my best friend's yacht wedding, I took a nap to kill the jetlag and woke up feeling hungry for some fresh flavors. Since I stayed at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, we decided to hit up Seasons 52 Fresh Grill & Wine Bar, a brand new branch in the Orange County from its homebase of Florida.

 Magic in the Menu

Seasons 52 is best known for its seasonal menu, which changes every season to highlight the produce and fresh catch from local farmers' markets. Alongside that, each one of its dishes is only 475 calories and below, which reflects their motto of "A fresh dining experience that celebrates living well."

ToT Out to Sea for a Ceremony

If you've wondered where I disappeared off to for a few weeks, I went out to sea for a bit. I hoped my October manic blog posting would help alleviate the separation anxiety, but it didn't really help me. I'm now agitated at the endless list of blogs I need to spit out. And to think I'm not even done with my Summer Cruise extravaganza! 

I flew out to good old California (via Hong Kong, with a stopover for some dimsum) to attend a special day for someone very dear to me.

My highschool bestfriend Kristine's marriage to her long time love.

Hello, I'm ToT and I'm a Lace Cookie-holic

Damn it. I've been cookiefied.

So last week I Tumbler'd that I had spent PhP15k (almost $350) on these cookies. The responses were borderline vulgar, but it was a big order, and I had to share it to the world!

Would You Rather Win...

I'm having a bit of a Goodie Giveaway Crisis...

 I'm thinking if I should give away delectably crunchy Tate's Cookies

 Or sensual sweets from Vosges Chocolates?

Commenters' Choice gets the vote! Let me know which shouts at your sweet tooth!

Sunday Brunch at Chelsea & Mercato Centrale

 I haven't been spending a lot of time with the Choobear, so I decided to have a little play date with the critter at Bonifacio Global City.

 First stop was the much awaited Mercato Centrale @ BGC, brainchild of good blog-buddy, and Our Awesome Planet's Anton Diaz,

 It's the newest Farmers' Market on 32nd St & 9th Ave at The Fort, offering everything from  fresh produce, organic products, cooked food and other yummy goodies. I came in a bit late due to a mega HANGOVER from a bachelorette's party, but there were still people and produce to try and buy.

Goodie Giveaway #8: Cebu Pasalubong Gift Hat!

THE WINNER HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED BELOW!!!!

 This weekend was Hotel Elizabeth Cebu's Grand Opening!

 Each guest was welcomed into their room by a delectable Pasalubong Gift Hat Basket filled with Cebu local delicacies! And ToT is kind enough to bring home a goodie bag for one lucky follower!

Contents are especially picked by discerning Cebuano locals:

Triple-E Banana Chips

Shamrock Otap

Titay's Rosquillos

Cebu Best Dried Mangoes

Orchard TaMango

Nunie's Chicharon

Philippine Brand Mango Juice Nectar!

Here's how you can win:

Hotel Elizabeth Has Arrived in Cebu

 Baguio's 3-time Hotel of the Year has finally Arrived in Cebu and is extending its Soft Opening Promo of 50% off til December 15, 2010.

Welcome to The Hotel Elizabeth