Super Salads at Cafe Georg

I'm a big salad fan, if you know where to get the good stuff. Now I've found a great place to get hearty salads whenever I'm in Cebu, and it's not a secret to the Cebuanos.

Cafe Georg

Located in Banilad in Cebu City, Cafe Georg is a cutesy coffee shop-cum-meeting place for a lot of the locals. Many tourists would have a hard time locating the restaurant, but any well-fed Cebuano will lead you to Cafe Georg if your looking for easy eats and hearty meals.

Dear PAL: You Suck... unless you fix this.

This weekend was supposed to be an exciting weekend for me. Roomie aka Chants, my college roommate back in Santa Monica and schoolmate at Pepperdine U., was supposed to arrive today so spend 4 long happy days with me and the Choobear in Manila. I had everything planned, fashion shows, dinners with friends, spa-dates, movie-marathons (Indonesia has a ban on Hollywood movies), and a lot of girly bonding time with my long lost roommate.

But all that planning and excitement and anticipation is now wasted energy because some airline decided to be a Debbie Downer.

Her flight in Jakarta was supposed to leave at 12:55am today, and arrive at 6am. She arrived 1.5 hours early, just enough time and within the limits of an international flight schedule. She had a CONFIRMED ticket. 

When she arrived at the counter, Philippine Airlines (her airline to Manila ) told her that they had OVERBOOKED her flight and that they would BUMP her off. She had a confirmed flight, she was there 1.5 hours before the flight, and they fucking decide to bump her off. 

They didn't offer her anything, and when she took it to twitter PAL responded with : Hi! Everyone Does It. On Twitter.

Hotel Elizabeth Specials for the Rainy Season.

Hotel Elizabeth is chockful of goodies for the coming monsoon season.

(click on picture to zoom in)

• Happy Hour : Buy 2 Get 1 on cocktails w/ Free Nachos + 15% discount on Ala Carte Menu
• 4+1 on Friday and Saturday Buffets
• Get up to 50% off on room rates *
• Mongolian Buffet is P445+ for Cebu branch

Whether you're in Baguio or Cebu, Hotel Elizabeth will provide you an experience on its own.

For inquiries, please contact:

(MNL) +632 912 2691/911 2161

(CEB) +6332 231 8000

(BAG) +6374 619 0367

reservations@fersalhotelgroup.com
www.hotelelizabeth.com.ph

(*subject to room availability)

Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao at HK's Wang Jia Sha

The Holy Grail of XLBs: Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao

Wan Jia Sha

In a city with enough Chinese restaurants to make you feel no need to pay well for it, sometimes it is worth it to leave the hole-in-a-wall establishments in Hong Kong and venture to somewhere more, well, established. Wang Jia Sha is another import from Mainland China since 1945 offering traditional Shanghai Dim Sum favorites, and has even ventured out as far as California, making this dining spot internationally known.

Let's Make Something Clear... RESOLVED

- UPDATE: Scroll to the bottom of the post for the other blog's response - 

Now let me just say this, it took me a lot of thought before deciding to begin this post, because I want to get my thoughts in order, my references in check, and my talking points accurate. I have been privy to biting peoples' heads off every now and then, but I figured that's just part of my charm. I don't think I'll be needing that charm right now.

Sometime last year I chanced upon this blog that was oddly identical to mine. Not by look or by writing style, but by the simple fact that this blog's name is just one letter more to my blog. THIS blog. ToT. For sheer refusal to promote said blog, we won't name it out loud, but my readers are smart enough and can probably do a Google search to figure it out on their own.

I didn't make a big deal out of it, even if I had an initial reaction to its striking correlation to ToT. But this past week there were several instances which now force me to make this admittedly passive-aggressive jab at said blog in hopes that, well, the blogger will get my drift. 

First, I met an acquaintance in Cebu who said, "OMG I'm a follower of Trip or Treats! (Me: Yay!) I'm excited to try Ukokkei Ramen, Nihonbashi Tei, ..." Then she proceeds to tell me about this buffet that I blogged about. I gave a quizzical look and said that's not me. Then she did some tinkering on her IPhone and said "Isn't your blog ___?" And I said. NO. Then she's like "Oh Trip or Treats, diba?! You know, I thought that was the same blog!" I calmly replied that there have been several mentions of its similarity, but that it's not connected.

Then, I receive a BBM from my brother, which was a link to the blog and its post on the buffet. Then he adds "Sino yan? Awayin natin!" (Who's that? Let's start a war!"

After my own brother surfaces with the similarity, I became quite agitated because so many people were commenting on why I wasn't commenting on its existence.  So I went on Twitter to get some healthy feedback, and I got several reactions which supported my case, such as:

Bliss'd Out in Baguio

This is the Bliss Buddha Belly

Since I am in Baguio right now, and getting very motivated to get back to blogging, let me re-introduce you to the wonderful world of guilt-free vegetarian eating. Yes, the above dish is meatless.

The World of Bliss (menu)

Welcome to the wonderful world of Bliss Cafe, at the Hotel Elizabeth in Baguio.

Sunday Stovetop: Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Feta & Olives

Shrimp Scampi Pasta w Feta & Olives

Last Sunday I realized how much I had missed whipping up something in my kitchen. My S-i-L called me up and requested I make my Shrimp Scampi for a get together at her place, and I was all excited to be able to flex my cooking muscles. Here's the recipe, it's super easy and I'm sure you guys will love it as much as everyone at the party.

To make the Scampi you need several ingredients available on most supermarkets, nothing fancy over here... but I do have a secret weapon. I'm also not very keen on actual portioning since I usually eyeball things, so it's up to you how much or little you wanna add on some of the herbs.

 

Shrimp

To make Scampi, first you need some... well, scampi, otherwise known as Shrimp. I like to buy the shell-on kind so that the flavors are still intact. You need to peel them but you can use the shells and head as seasoning for another dish. Or for "Ginisa". Buy about half a kilo to a kilo, depends how generous you want to be with the shrimp.

HK Boutique Chic at Lanson Place Hotel

This is SO Hong Kong.

This, in no way, resembles HK. And that's the way I like it.

 

On a recent business trip to HK, I convinced the big boss to veer off our normal accommodation in HK, which is The Parklane in Causeway Bay, to stay at one of my favorite boutique hotels: The Lanson Place Hotel

Backblog: Spetses, Greece

I said I would only backblog after 5 successful new ones. I've gone to some pretty intense places, and what a shame to not relive it once in a while. This was during a summer when I lived in Firenze back in the collegiate days. I found an old blog post I did, and decided to repost because I heard Spetses was one of the places Prince William & Princess Kate thought of spending their honeymoon at. Comparing my early writing style to my current one, I realized I had just as much mental and verbal diarrhea back then as I do now, I just sounded a little more giddy and perky... like a valley girl. HAHAHA!

06.07.05

This is bad. I have, for the past hour, tried unsuccessfully to nap. It is 20:03 and it's not working. I decide to f-it and just go to Liberta to get my Humanities over with so I can at least study for the midterm tomorrow.

Lo and behold... it begins to rain... in Florence... during the summertime.

Ever since my forced return from Greece yesterday.. my body has just been screaming tired. Study hard and party harder is wonderful. I haven't had grades this amazing since I stepped at Pepperdine...and of all subjects... I ace my Religion midterm. Of course, I haven't experience this much fun since... well, I just haven't. But yes... I am making the most out of this experience, without sacrificing my studies... to prove that, indeed, I can self motivate without the help of shopping. I'm just tired.

The BIG Outlet Sale 2011 + Goodie Giveaway!

 The best sale event is starting the summer season right!

The BIG Outlet Sale 2011!!!

Up to 90% Off!

April 15-17, 2011, 10am-9pm

The Megatent, 30 Meralco Ave. Ortigas Center Pasig City

Free Entrance for all BPI Cardholders 

+ additional perks for BPI Express Credit Edge Cardholders!