More ToT Trip Teasers!

Too delirious to blog right now... so will leave you all with tidbits from my extended trip! ToT will be back in one week! I PROMISE!

Wet Carne Asada Burrito = MEXICALI!

Brunch in Santa Monica

Driving by the 10W all the way to... 

PCH!

My daily commute for 5 years

One of the men I love...

Eclectic Sushi Rolls

Third Street Promenade on a Sunny day

Santa Monica Beach

Santa Monica Pier... my home

Next Attraction: ToT Eurotrip

Where has ToT been lately?

Sunday Lunch Bunch Meets Angel's Pizza

Sunday Lunches are a ToT family staple. Usually we head over to Choi Garden, Nihonbashi Tei, Cyma, or Chelsea for these meals since those are our usual haunts and the staff knows us by heart. There are also times I enjoy playing the hostess hat and (when time permits) I cook the lunch menu all by myself.

But I've been crazy busy, and a bit lazy lately, and I've psyched myself that my culinary abilities won't come out until I move into the new house with an awesome kitchen designed by yours truly, so I've been guilty of shortchanging my meals. Especially last Sunday, when I was forced to come up with a menu for  my extended and immediate family members comprising of 10 adults, 7 crazy kiddos, and an equal amount of yayas + a Jimmy Choo. It's time for reinforcement. Who You Gonna Call??? No. Not the Ghostbusters.

 I call for DELIVERY!

Boracay Bound: Food Finds Around the Island

Apologies for the radio silence, been preoccupied lately with work as well as preparations for a big trip I will be taking soon. Watch out for that one...

Well to continue the Boracay journey we had a few weeks back, after our great dinner at Dos Mestizos we figured we had to continue the good food trip all the way to day 2&3. So our first stop for lunch?

Two Seasons Hotel, which has a fantastic blended Mojito. I had 4, well, technically 7 because one was a regular and then I had 3 buy-1-get-1s... so yeah...  I heard great things about their food, which has really improved a lot since the last time I stayed at the resort. I saw an interesting special on the menu, and just had to try it out. What was it?

Boracay Bound: Hit & Miss Meals on Day One

We arrive in Boracay a few hours shy of noon, and we were famished, so we ran to the trusty go-to Boracay restaurant for some early lunch before we began our trek for Loco Frio.

We ate at Aria, a staple dining establishment by D'Mall's entrance from the beach side at Station 2. Serving up pastas and pizzas, it's pretty up there with Cantinetta in Manila. Plus the ambience is very Mediterranean and relaxing, so this was the perfect setting to bring ourselves to beach mode.

Boracay Bound: The Wonders of Loco Frio

Here's some more tidbits from my Boracay Trip last weekend. When my roomies and I finished our lunch, we went out to search for this hidden gem that Cay had seen at some TV show. We had  (pictured above) made preparations to ensure our sloshness, but Cay was adamant that getting your hands on one of these "thingies" would guarantee a fantastic alcoholic vacation.  

 

We asked tricycle drivers and alcoholics until we found the holy grail: Loco Frio

Boracay Bound: Astoria Accommodations

People often wonder how it is possible for ToT to find time to travel while working and racketeering at the same time.  My secret? Before the New year even begins, I procure the official holiday list for the entire year and start planning my vacations in advance. It helps save on airfare, gives your friends time to be pressures to join, and it maximizes those long weekends that "happen" to creep up too late for plans. This is how I know that Labor Day weekend would be a 3-day travel extravaganza way before anyone else did or before the news announced it, alongside other weekends coming up later in the year. All you need to do is ask your lovely HR lady for a copy of the holiday calendar, and you are now well-prepared for those "last minute" Friday or Monday off.

Destination: Boracay! 

Back to 05.06.07

After watching Spiderman 3, I took the subway heading home. I got into a car, put my earphones on, and drowned out the world to the beat of Nouvelle Vague. trying to be nondescript as I didn't want to make eye contact with anyone. I had my hoodie on with my bag close to me looking straight ahead at my reflection on the window. There was a sense that I did not want be bothered. I'm beginning to get the whole New-Yorker-subway-act down pat.

 Then I look up, I look around me, and i see that the majority of the passengers also had their earphones connecting their ears to some artificial sound attempting to sweeten the usual subway ride. I was not alone. We were all trying to drown out the world around us... choosing only that which we wanted to hear.

Memories, Meetups & Mangoes at Mario's

Last Thursday I was invited to my first ever foodie/blogger's event by a longtime online pal. At first, I was hesitant because I don't know anyone who would be there, and also because I haven't really validated ToT's position as much of an influence to be hobknobbing with seasoned bloggers who know much more than basic html. Heck, I don't even know html! I just eat a lot, and I spit out words as fast as they come out of my head.  

But I knew I'd feel right at home once the DSLRs and the LX3s came out of the purses and messenger bags, all laid out on the table next to the drinks, and people began standing up taking pictures of every imaginable subject. I was one with my people!

Sublime Sea Scape

My Roomie sent me this link. I don't think she understands the magnitude of all those amazing underwater creatures as well as its emotional link to all divers. It's like Palau or Tubbataha reef, but all in one big tank!

Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Sharks, and all the creatures that drive us to save up for dive trips. No wonder I didn't see a whale shark in Sogod Bay, they transported them all here!

SIGH. Who wants to go to Okinawa with me???

Taken from the site:
Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona) from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo.