i am re-reading the revised anniversary edition of The Bone Season septology and then i came across this Irish song, and I JUST CRIED buckets of tears because it reminds me so much of Arcturus Mesarthim and Paige Mahoney. my roman empire; my Orpheus and Eurydice; the loves of my life.
it reminds me of their legendary bond, their affection, their understanding that what's happening between them cannot last. the slowest of slow burns, the truest of true loves. THEY'RE EVERYTHING TO ME, YOUR HONOR.
There’s a tiny restaurant in Marikina called PiPa House that we once visited because it promised cheap pizza and pasta goodness that tasted like they were cooked exclusively for the most celebrated Hollywood stars, despite them being affordable.
Update: PiPa House actually relocated and can now be found at Madison Commons Food Park in Kapitolyo.
To be perfectly honest, the goodness or the taste of their food is quite arguable. Some worked while some didn’t. But what we found really good and interesting about PiPa House was the name of their food on the menu.
The names of their food were creatively derived from the names of famous Hollywood personalities. They were incorporated on the names of the meal hilariously that deciding on an order would even take time.
It’s also evident from that picture of PiPa House’s menu that most of their offers only cost P99. Yep, really affordable.
After a good laugh over those names, we finally decided on our orders. Being a lover of all things bacon, I made sure that both my pasta and pizza dishes were heavily smothered with bacons.
BACONor McGregor
Only to be disappointed. This dish’s name was inspired by Master Obi Wan himself, the always-dashing Ewan McGregor.
As melodramatic as this sounds, it really seemed like something died inside me when I saw my pizza. It was so badly lacking in bacons and cheese that actually finishing the whole thing proved to become quite a chore. I felt like an upset, angry Anakin when I saw this pizza arrive at my table because it’s deflating and didn’t really look appetizing.
WHITEney Houston
My cousin ordered this white pizza that was ironically named WHITEney Houston (only because Whitney is a known gorgeous black woman).
This tasted wayyy better than Baconor. The Whiteney Houston was creamy and flavorful that I had to stop myself from prying one off my cousin’s tray. It had a decent amount of cheese, cream and other toppings that I wished this was actually my order.
Katty PEPPERY
Inspired by global popstar Katy Perry, this pepperoni pizza had a good enough amount of cheese but could still use more pepperoni and maybe a bit of seasoning just for a burst of flavor.
Amanda SeyFRIED
Another interesting thing about PiPa House was that they serve fried pizza. Because their pizza dough was almost paper-thin and could almost pass as tortilla wraps, they could very well fry their pizzas for customers who wanted to be a bit more adventurous and pass on the usual JusTHIN Bieber pizza.
My cousin tried their fried pizza and it didn’t really strike us as exciting once we got to taste the dish. It was almost bland and again, lacking in flavors and toppings.
David BACHAM
Just your typical carbonara. It was named after my favorite athlete David Beckham. BacHam stands for bacon and ham.
For me, it needed more salt just to balance that bit of sweetness in the sauce.
TUNA Turner
Just the same with the David BacHam carbonara, this pasta dish needed a bit more seasoning in the sauce and maybe more tuna because my cousin mentioned that the dish was lacking in that familiar tartness of a tuna.
I wouldn’t really say that the food in PiPa House are made for royalty since most of the things we tried weren’t even up to scratch with my mom’s standard pizza and pasta dishes. However, I do think that’s something you’d have to expect from their prices. Their meals were really affordable and very student-friendly. If anything, I’d like y'all to try that Whiteney Houston pizza because that was the real star for me.. Just like the dear beloved Whitney!
Low key Underwater Dining Experience at Café Aquatica
I love everything “sea.” I consider beaches as one of my happy places because I love the waves and especially, the marine life. I’m probably a turtle or a dolphin in my previous life that’s why I’m naturally drawn to the ocean. At Promenade, Greenhills, there is a restaurant that allows customers to have a low key underwater dining experience called Café Aquatica.
Café Aquatica houses several aquariums (some with tiny fish, some don’t), big and small, that instantly give the restaurant that “under the sea” vibe. Although the lighting is more mellow than cerulean, it still gives customers that rusty “I’m at Poseidon’s den” atmosphere.
The menu at Café Aquatica surprisingly offers more meat than seafood. I think the only food that came close to “aquatic” that I saw from their menu was the calamari. However, everything I’ve tasted from their menu so far was satisfyingly good.
Homemade Pork Patties with Rice
This was my order, which I so loved. The saltiness was just my taste and the tenderness of the patties was to die for. The sauce and the accompanying rice were good, too. I love that they didn’t crimp on the serving of the patties as well. It was more than enough to satisfy my hungry tummy. I paired this one with their Cucumber Lemonade, which was good too.
Bagnet Chips with Rice
This was my friend’s order and unsurprisingly, the cafe’s bestseller. “Bagnet” and “chips” were just music to foodies’ ears so it comes as no surprise that customers would love this. This meal was heavenly. It was like eating a breaded bacon or a compressed chicharon that was oozing with local flavors. I thought the meal could do fine without the accompanying sauces because the chips were already salty. This one is worthy to be hailed as Café Aquatica’s bestseller.
I would definitely go back to Café Aquatica to dine and just get lost in the fluid movements of the water and the fish in the aquariums. Aside from their rice meals, the café also serves pastas, sandwiches and frappes. It’s such a good place for foodies who just want to casually hang out and bask in tranquil quietness, which is a far cry from busy food parks everywhere.
For my birthday last June 6, me and my mother decided to attend the mass at Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish in Antipolo. Because it’s a lifelong tradition for me to eat cake on my birthday, just like a good kid lol, we decided to try this cafe near the church called Cake Draft Cafe.
Cake Draft Cafe is located across the Antipolo Church, which makes it a perfect hangout place for families and friends who are into casual dining and bonding after hearing the mass.
The café serves an array cakes and cheesecakes, as well as coffees and savory meals that are finely “drafted” using Cake Draft Cafe’s very own recipe. Another cool thing about the café is the interior, which boasts of minimal yet striking displays and inspirational quotes. Lowkey Instagram-friendly, it is.
Because we only discovered the place after we’re full from dining at a famed fast food restaurant, my mother and I just decided to have our desserts here, since it’s also my birthday and I need my sweet fix.
Vienna Fudge Cheesecake
So yeah this is my birthday slice. It’s hard for me to find a false note in my cheesecake because literally each one of my faves are in here. The Vienna Fudge Cheesecake is basically a double brownie fudge cheesecake with caramel butterscotch and a drizzle of caramel syrup. That’s already three of my favorite calorie-packed guilty pleasure. Add to that, the perfectly baked cheesecake and voilà! It felt like I was actually in cruising Vienna.
I’m glad that I ordered this particular cheesecake because it made my day extra special and sweeter.
Cashew Sansrival
This is my mother’s order because she’s a sucker for sansrivals. This one is extra significant because it has more than the usual amount of nuts found in the usual sansrival.
Having said all that, my mother didn’t exactly go gaga for this cake. She said it didn’t live up to her standards, whatever the hell she meant. I didn’t dare try taste this because I hate nuts in general.
Still, our Cake Draft Café experience was neat and satisfying. I loved the place for its cosiness and for the lack of rowdy people, lol. It’s a good hangout place for when you want to just calmly chill and catch up with friends.
Also a P.S. for lovers: they have a love lock stand outside the café, if you’re into the belief that literally keeping your love locked tight can make your love stand the test of forever. HAHAHAHA! (Triple B here: Basic Bitter B)
Bon Iver, Death Cab for Cutie Headline The 2016 Wanderland Music Festival
Wanderland Music Festival recently announced the first four bands that are included in the line-up of their annual indie music celebration. Joining the list of the planned 16 bands are American newcomer in the indie scene LANY, Australian indie act Woodlock, and two of the best, established Filipino bands, Urbandub and Wanderland staple Up Dharma Down.
I’ve only been to two Wanderland Music Festivals. I was present for the first Wanderland in 2013 that was headlined by Temper Trap and for this year’s space-themed Wanderland that was made supremely amazing by two of America’s pioneer indie bands: Bon Iver and Death Cab for Cutie. I know, right? “Supreme” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Bon Iver and Death Cab for Cutie were joined by a slew of indie bands that really complimented the whole intergalactic vibe of the Wanderland Festival scene. International acts like Blackbird, Blackbird and The Naked and Famous giddied up the crowd with their upbeat sounds while acoustic crooner Chad Valley serenaded the crowd with his laid-back hits.
Local acts CRWN and Jess Connelly, together with the Saab Magalona-led Filipino band Cheats also performed for the eager crowd of the Wanderland Music Festival 2016.
Before I look back on the good things that happened at the 2016 Wanderland Music Festival, I will just allow myself a little overdue rant here because of the no-nos that transpired at the said event.
WanderBAD
1. Long Queue
There is nothing new here since previous Wanderlands have been pretty notorious for welcoming long queues when it came to their food stalls and other concessionaires. However, this year’s long queues were so bad that some concertgoers even opted to pay out other people just to get to the beginning of the lines. These long queues were made excessively worse by the…
2. …WanderTap/Electronic Bracelet Payment System
This is something that I’ve never encountered at Wanderland before. In order for you to enjoy a good meal or a drink or whatever, you need to load your e-bracelet that was strapped on every concert attendee at the registration gate upon entering. The sad thing was that some of these electronic bracelets were malfunctioning that people had to wait at the lines just to have their wristbands fixed.
Just imagine the hassle you’d have to go through just for a single bottle of water. This is the reason why the queues clogged up and why the people went berserk.
3. No Water Station
The absence of proper water stations left a lot of people parched and fuming because some wouldn’t even dare go through the long queues again. The event was a bit disorganized if only for this minor mistake.
If the organizers had only eliminated the electronic wristband option, things would have gone a bit smoothly. Not perfect, obviously, but at least a bit tolerable.
Now on to the good parts. Even if this year’s Wanderland Music Festival, in my honest opinion, was disorganized and messy, there were still a lot of good things that salvaged the festival
WanderLALALAND
1. More Activities
This year’s festival was packed with activities that concergoers could dive into for extra fun in between sets. New installations like The Black Hole (seen in the picture below) allowed festival attendees to complete their astronomical experience. Live art installations, sunflower stalls, and bungee jumping were also available for the enjoyment of concertgoers.
2. On-time Sets
If there was a delay (which probably was ten minutes tops) I didn’t even notice. The bands were all quick to fix their instruments and there were no unnecessary prologues. Just imagine Justin Vernon and the rest of the Bon Iver band members suddenly amp up the crowd with Perth. It was wild.
3. BON IVER
The most spiritual concert of my life, as I’ve always said, was Jimmy Cliff’s enlightening set at the 2013 Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival. Bon Iver’s performance comes a very, very close second. Might even be a tie, to be perfectly honest.
Bon Iver’s performance brought me to different dimensions that I didn’t even know I could step into prior to that magical night. That sounds awfully poetic but, damn, let me tell you, I was a changed girl after Bon Iver’s set. Their performance was celestial, electric, spiritual, ethereal, the sound of fucking gods and goddesses singing.
The main reason I attended this year’s Wanderland Music Festival (even though I was hella broke) was actually Bon Iver. I was a HUUUGE fan of the band since 2009 when I first heard them on the New Moon OST (no Twilight mention here please!!!) singing Roslyn with St. Vincent. Just imagine my delight and excitement when Wanderland announced Bon Iver as a co-headliner to DCFC for this year’s festival.
Bon Iver performed with unfazed self-possession and abandon. They were unflappable with their energy and influence. They will take you into their worlds and make sure you’re transformed once you return to your own world. It was mind-blowing, one that I could definitely say was better LIVE than on record. There were a few artists who I’ve seen was better LIVE than on record; Bon Iver was undoubtedly at the top of that list.
Bon Iver sang their hits from their album For Emma, Forever Ago and from their self-titled album Bon Iver. They started their set without any preambles, immediately moving on to open their set with Perth after a no-hassle band set-up. I almost missed this opening because I was on my way to buy drinks but when I heard those transcendent chords of Perth, I immediately rushed back to my place.
The crowd went erratic when Bon Iver performed Skinny Love, the imperturbably trippy Woods, The Wolves, and the Grammy award-winning crowd favorite Holocene. I was surprised that they even performed Roslyn for the audience. No one near me seemed to know the lyrics but I sang my heart out because why the f not. It was the most ethereal performance I’ve ever witnessed.
4. The Staves
This trio of amazing folk-rock sisters from England that performed as the back-up vocals of Bon Iver. After I heard them singing those heavenly back-up notes for Bon Iver, I instantly made the transformation from curious listener into a full-blown fan. I even went on a YouTube binge after the festival just casually memorizing their song The Motherlode. Thank you Wanderland for introducing this incredible folk-rock band to us!
Overall I rate my 2016 Wanderand Music Festival experience 4 out of 5 stars. It was a good event despite the shortcomings. In my opinion, the only way you can ever truly deem an event successful is when you’re 100% guaranteed of the enjoyment and satisfaction of the event attendees. Because how can people even have fun when they’re thirsty and hungry, right?
The activities and especially the line-up were all A+ in my opinion. The best one yet without a doubt. I’m thinking how next year’s Wanderland Festival can possibly outdo this year’s line-up. But with the promised 16 bands about to rule the Wanderland stage, I’m starting to think they’ll outdo themselves with wild flying colors.
All-Day Breakfast Meals at Rustic Mornings by Isabelo Garden
It’s one of my endless gastronomic conquests to find the best breakfast restaurants near my area simply because it gives me great satisfaction to inhale butter-heavy breakfast foods. I am lucky that one of my dearest friends is also a huge bacon/egg/breakfast fan because I was able to drag her to Rustic Mornings by Isabelo Garden in Marikina.
Rustic Mornings is every vintage enthusiast’s dream because the house-turned-resto is adorned with old school rustic finds such as paintings, old photographs, vintage lamps, clay vases and a lot of pottery masterpieces. Rustic Mornings also has that romantic old school charm that’ll make you feel as if you’re dining at a rural pub in the English countryside. It’s modern yet very traditional and laidback.
We were charmed as soon as we got situated into our booth because of all the vintage collection displayed around the restaurant. Every corner holds a special piece that you can tell has seen many years and touched by many hands. It can also be considered a millenial’s happy place what with all those dainty and romantic stuff that can give your Instagram feed instant #feedgoals supremacy.
One of Rustic Mornings’ bestsellers is their crispy golden waffle that comes with different side dishes. Actually we skipped the waffles because we already know they’re good from all the blog listicles that hailed Rustic Mornings as a top-rated breakfast restaurant in Manila. Here’s a rundown of what we ordered:
Meat Lovers 3-Egg Cheese Omelet
That is obviously my order haha! I can never say no to eggs, cheese, bacon and Hungarian sausage ever. This meal also comes with two slices of crunchy ciabatta bread, herbed butter and fruit jam. There’s nothing particularly new about this meal, but it still tasted good and traditional. The ciabatta bread went amazingly well with the butter and jam, and all the meat were fried to perfection. This is just great for my all-day breakfast desire.
Bacon, Eggs and Herbed Hash Browns
This is my friend’s order and it’s a mouthful. It’s definitely satiating and the herbed hash browns are golden and crispy.
Cafe Americano (with free refill)
This is my friend’s choice of drink. I skipped the coffee that time because it was quite humid that day, especially inside the resto because the booths were located in the garden and they used natural ventilation, which was quite admirable for Rustic Mornings tbh.
Iced Tea
Plenty refreshing and frothy on top. Made me wish it came with a free refill as well, lol.
Frozen Brazo de Mercedes
We ended our afternoon breakfast meal by finishing this beauty, and really, what a sweet way to end our feast. I looooved this Frrrozen Brazo! It’s sweet but not overwhelming, and it has the right amount of creaminess and caramel flavor.
If you’re looking for a nice place that serves breakfast meal till the afternoon, which is also an accessible place for family outings or for a hangout with a big group of friends, you can try bringing them to Rustic Mornings by Isabelo Morning in Marikina. You can choose to dine inside the restaurant or in the garden. It’s also a perfect date place for brunches.
Rustic Mornings by Isabelo Garden is open from 8am - 4 in the afternoon.
Contemporary Filipino Artistry On Display At Pinto Art Museum
I greeted the start of my 2016 by visiting the highly appreciated Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo along with my cousins. We’ve always wanted to visit the place and see if we would mesh well with the art-loving public but the circumstances didn’t allow it then.
We finally made the trip to Pinto Art Museum and we were happy with what we’ve discovered about the place and within ourselves. First, Pinto Art Museum is a staggering (immensely staggering) sanctuary that houses several locally made and produced art installations varying from paintings, wooden and metal sculptures, and other contemporary mixed media.
All these hefty creations are proudly displayed around Pinto Art Museum’s blanched stairs, walls and balconies that can give Santorini a run for its money. Okay that is a poor joke, but seriously, the white surroundings of the museum seem strategically designed to allow the colors from the artworks to sing. The high ceilings and lit, naturally ventilated galleries are also carefully built to give the artworks (the paintings especially) ample lighting and ventilation.
The museum gives a new meaning to the term “arthouse” because it is truthfully a shelter to some of the best Filipino-made artworks (yay Rizaleanos!) that could healthily rival the works of internationally acclaimed postmodernist artists around the globe.
Pinto Art Museum is owned by Dr. Joven Cuanang, who is generous enough to share his art collection with artists, spectators, historians, and others who find joy at the sight of PAM’s art display. I’m not quite sure about this but Dr. Joven might also be the one curating the artworks that are installed all over the museum. The pristine staircases and galleries, on the other hand, are the creation of architect Antonio Leano, who also has some of his artworks on display around Pinto Museum.
Aside from the seven art galleries that shelter the paintings and the sculptures, Pinto Art Museum also has an in-house café, chapel, and swimming pool that are sought-out mostly by couples looking for a cool, creative venue for their prenuptial pictorial.
Our second discovery was that, as awful as this sounds, we’re more a part of the “artsy” crowd than the legitimate art-appreciating brood. Art-loving people take their time appreciating the artworks. They spend minute analyzing the messages of the artworks and even go as far as taking down notes to familiarize themselves with the artists. Those are the best people that you can meet in a museum.
Us, on the other hand, are just the artsy types who spend more time taking pictures beside the artwork than fully embracing the message of the artworks. It hurts so much for me to say this because I did mention before that I love painting. But it isn’t to say that we didn’t appreciate the paintings and sculptures at Pinto Art Museum. We appreciated all of them genuinely, we were just awestruck by the interior design that we spent most of our time posing and giggling. We love the artists, though, and we thank them for sharing all these artworks with the public.
This is the image of Christ found inside Pinto Museum’s chapel. This sculpture is running true to form creative and majestic even in its religious representation.
Below are more of my favorite artworks at Pinto Museum. Sorry if I failed to get the titles and the names of the artists.
One of the galleries that we visited.
I love this painting because it shows anxiety or depression. Well, at least according to my interpretation.
This next painting reminds me of the twin sisters from the classic horror movie The Shining by Stanley Kubrick.
What greeted us upon entering the next gallery was this painting that could also be interpreted as a street mural/vandalism by contemporary artist Constantino Zicarelli. Zicarelli also has some paintings on display in various galleries around the museum.
“The Sinking Church.”
My favorite encounter at Pinto Art Museum was this one with the dog. When we arrived at this gallery, the dog just casually strolled in and posed beside this skull dog art installation (how meta!) to the delight of spectators. Soon, visitors were crowding around the dog, snapping pics and hailing his simple act as the cutest performance art.
“Republic of the Philippines” by Antonio Leano.
Ugh it sucks that I didn’t get the name of the artist who made this because this was made from a series of interloping threads. Fascinating and inspiring af.
Crisp, fragile leaves that could be a representation of autumn. The most nostalgic season of the year.
“Usapang Babae” by Steph Lopez. This room is part-creepy and part-amazing because it’s very pro-women. It’s really empowering, however, the babbling gibberish whispers of random women that serve as sound effects will make you leave the room after a couple of minutes.
Another one of my favorite paintings that I interpreted as a good image for anxiety, depression, mental disturbance, pregnancy, and other teen issues. Could be heartache as well. Damaged girls, personal brokenness always attract me. Hashtag finding beauty in the ugly.
This is a random piece of artwork that we found inside a room at the far end of one of the galleries. It’s creepy but interesting, too, because the voodoo doll and the insects remind me of the Filipino urban legend barang.
No contest, my favorite part of the museum and of this trip is this: “The Forest”, again by Pinto Museum resident architect Antonio Leano. The cult vibe when you first enter this room is strong. But as you wander across the room and sit by the water and the light, you’ll feel calm and zen.
The calming effect of The Forest is the result of the ultra dim lighting and the reflection of the rippling water on the walls.
“The Hollow Man.”
Paintings by Mark Justiniani. Justiniani used “bandehas” or excess door panels as canvas for his artworks. Clever maestro.
This painting reminds me of myself and my dreams. I’m eternally in this state of wondering but my dreams just keep pouring in. Soon the world will be my oyster.
Metal sculpture outside.
After we visited all the art galleries, we were told by one of the staff to go atop one of the rooms so we’ll have a grand view of the sunset since we finished strolling perfectly in time for the sundown.
Sighhh can I just tell you? Nothing beats sunset at the mountains. Nothing.
Our experience at Pinto Art Museum was superb, memorable, fun, and even if we didn’t pay much attention to some of the artists (I know it’s such a shame 3), still quite educational. I guess you can call this our creative awakening because now we’re inspired to find beauty in the ugly, to turn junk into masterpieces, to appreciate colors and skillful hands, and to see and embrace images in a new light.
The last place where I witnessed a boastful display of artistic talent was at the Malasimbo Festival, so I was happy that I was given the chance to see Filipino artistry in full bloom again at Pinto Art Museum. I hope y'all can take your time to visit, too. Pinto Art Museum is that perfectly instagram-mable place where you can also learn Filipino artistry. Be proud of our brothers.
Blake's Wings & Steaks Offers Deliciousness On A Budget
My mother celebrated her 53rd birthday last January 5 at Blake’s Wings & Steaks in Marikina. My nanay didn’t want frills for her birthday but my tita (her sister) was quite intent on treating her for brunch so my nanay gave it a go. Blake’s Wings & Steaks was the perfect place for a birthday brunch because it was affordable, the place had a homey Texan vibe to it, the food was deliciously satisfying, and it’s very near our place.
The crew took a minute to situate us to our table. While waiting, my nanay and my tita chose our orders on the check-box menu, which I also loved because it was convenient and hassle-free.
We were first served a complimentary kropek before our main meals. We ordered salads (Garden and Kani-Mango Salad), too, but I failed to take pictures because we were all very hungry so we just savored the mix the second it landed on our table. I often say here on my blog that I’m not a veggie person but, bruh, that Garden Salad turned me into a low-key veggie convert. I loved their special house dressing so much and the greens were so fresh! It mixed well with the croutons, citrus fruits and Parmesan cheese. The Kani-Mango, I didn’t enjoy that much because it’s more on the sour side (it was tossed in balsamic vinegar). After the greens, our main meals came one by one.
Pork Ribs. We ordered ½ kg of super tender pork ribs slathered in Blake’s Wings & Steaks’ hickory barbeque sauce. The flavor of their pork ribs needed a bit of improvement (or really just a bit more flavor) but it was really satisfying because the meat was awesomely tender and fresh it literally would just fell off the bone. This went perfectly with the rice, too.
Sweet and Spicy Wicked Wings. My chicken-wing-obsession followed me all the way here at Blake’s that’s why I told my tita to order their Sweet and Spicy Wicked Wings. I really loved this, although I was kind of looking for the zing in the wings because it didn’t taste the least bit spicy at all. I didn’t know if the ratio of their sweet and spicy marinade was 80:20 or if they just mixed our orders..? However, I enjoyed this meal more than the pork ribs tbh. My lola loved this as well. :)
Java Rice. Nothing worth bragging about. My lola even said this was just like an ordinary white rice with color. The serving was hefty, though, and would definitely make your tummy bloated.
For sure we’ll return here at Blake’s Wings and Steaks because everything that my lola loves and enjoys automatically joins our quick-go-to-restos-list. The place was also very laid-back even if the space was a bit cramped. My nanay was so into this interloping wire construction around the light bulbs she even told us she’d make one herself for our lights at home.
Home-y feel-good atmosphere, affordable American comfort food, and accommodating staff and crew make Blake’s Wings & Steaks one of the top restaurants in Marikina that’s perfect for friends and family gatherings.
Experience Premium Beef Cuts at 8 Cuts Burger Blends
Burger extremism is all the rage these days. Big burger joints are sprouting all over the metro, offering fresh fusions of burger meats and blends. And for a burger person like me (throw me a bun over a slice of pizza any day), this is a very welcome gift. One of the burger extremists that I’ve been eyeing since it first operated here in the Philippines is 8 Cuts Burger Blends.
Most local food blogs that I frequent hail 8 Cuts Burger Blends for their premium patties that are made from 8 cuts of 100% US Beef Meat, thus the name of this industrialized burger joint. 8 Cuts also pride themselves in being one of the burger joints who actually hand-press and mix their patties in real-time. You’d get a kick out of seeing their crew actually blend their patties in front you.
Piggy. This is my order evidently because bacon. As soon as I read “fried bacon strips” on the menu, I knew that this burger’s what I was going to have. The Piggy is consisting of a quarter-pounder Beef Bomb Blend patty (chuck and short rib), mozzarella, bacon strips, house-made bacon jam, lollo rossa, tomatoes and garlic aioli. This is exactly what a piggytron like me needs.
The beef patty was tender with just the right hints of saltiness and pepper-y flavor. The bacon, I just love. I didn’t really taste the house-made bacon jam in the mix because I was too preoccupied with the burger. I’d totally come back for this.
Four Cheese. This is what my cousin ordered. Y'know, as much as I love cheese and everything salty, I always get apprehensive when ordering meals that have multiple cheese variations because I don’t want the saltiness to overwhelm my taste buds. And I was quite surprised because 8 Cuts Burger Blends’ Four Cheese wasn’t salty at all. The mix of Parmesan-crusted quarter-pounder Beef Bomb Blend patty, yellow cheddar, aged gruyère, and mozzarella was blended exactly right.
The Coney. I love the presentation of The Coney because it was really full and towering. This burger has a blend of quarter-pounder Big Game Blend patty (hanger and brisket), American cheddar, tomatoes, lettuce, yellow mustard, red onions, crushed Nacho chips, minced jalapeños, coney chili and cheese sauce. I enjoyed the Nachos on this one but I didn’t get farther than that because I didn’t want the spiciness of the burger to mess with my palate. My cousin really loved this, though.
Skinny Fries. Now this one was definitely the dark horse. Tbh, we didn’t expect much from this because the Skinny Fries were a bonus from ordering the Rated GP Tribute burger meals at 8 Cuts. But we were shocked by how much we fell in love with this one. I’m not exaggerating because this was really a winner. 8 Cuts Burger Blends’ Skinny Fries tasted like baked-then-fried potatoes with hints of butter. This is the type of fries that you’d eat cold and still finish in 3 seconds. It was just so good and satisfying I was sure I finished this off before fully enjoying my burger.
Aside from the real-time hand-pressing of patties and custom-made burgers, 8 Cuts Burger Blends also features a very chill and commercial interior. You’d want to hear a fusion of rock and electronic music as soon as you step into the halls of 8 Cuts Burger Blends because the overall vibe of the place is just so progressive. Minimal but lit. We enjoyed our burger experience at 8 Cuts Burger Blends UP Town Center and we hope to return sooner to finally have our own modified burgers.
Visit "The House of Lights" at Filinvest East in Cainta Rizal and Lighten Up Your Holiday
Christmas lights can automatically make your holidays brighter and livelier. It’s a very instantaneous thing. When you’re down or you’re stressed with work, the moment you see Christmas lights festooning every corner of houses and buildings everywhere, you’re automatically cheered up even just for a moment. Filinvest East in Cainta, Rizal is home to one of the brightest and most colorful houses in the metro. Dubbed as “The House of Lights” or “Christmas House” for some, this house is home to a thousand of twinkling Christmas lights that can instantly brighten up your holiday.
Metaphorically, The House of Lights is where Santa’s elves come to work their magic. It’s like Martha May’s lit up haven in Whoville. It’s the shining beacon that guides drivers and passersby on their way home around the village. And what’s even better about this House of Lights? Entrance is definitely FREE.
Allow me to give you a walkthrough around the House of Lights. :)
Located on Mark Street inside Filinvest East in Cainta, Rizal, the House of Lights is very easy to spot because it’s lit. Every corner, edge, plant, wall and ceiling are splayed with twinkling colors that are certainly a cure for sore eyes. If you’re like me who still haven’t gone to Disneyland, you’d think this house is already the happiest place on Earth.
This is what the House of Lights look like inside. Magical, no? Let’s pretend that this area is called the Main Hall or Main Dining Hall. HP vibes, anyone?
This is what the ceiling looks like. Millions of colors, bazillions of sparkle and spectrum.
Want to build a Snowman? Bother not because there’s already a giant Snowman in the Main Hall that can give Olaf a run for his money. He’s quite the eye catcher, too.
You can also find these giant Santas lining up (or guarding, really) the banquet in the Dining Hall. Yep, you can definitely enjoy food and refreshments in the dining hall with your friends and family.
Now this is the entrance to the Tunnel of Lights. Guys I’m totally inventing the names of these areas so bear with me and pretend they’re cutesy. Lol. But seriously, the Tunnel of Lights is like a tunnel to wonderland. So charming and luminous. This is where you’ll find the cutest and funniest Christmas décors in the house.
Sakura Christmas Tree. *heart eyes*
Dogs guarding the Nativity. Nope, I’m not sure if bulldogs already exist BC but c'mon, this is cool and very creative.
A totem pole beside the Nativity because why not.
Finally the last leg of the tour, just like the destination of the three kings from the Orient, is the Nativity or Belen in Tagalog. For Catholics, the Nativity is the most important symbol of Christmas because it’s a reminder that Christmas – more than presents and family gatherings – commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
That is my quick walkthrough into the House of Lights. If you want to add even more sparkles into your holidays, ask your loved ones to visit the House of Lights at Filinvest East in Cainta, Rizal and Instagram the twinkle out of it. Guaranteed that this is one of the best cheap thrills that you and your loved ones can do to have a merrier Christmas.
One of my all-time favorite musical movies is Grease because of its mega catchy tunes and dance numbers. I used to even dream that I would be a Danny Zuko figure in my other life because of his natural machismo and that walk. Every time I see milkshakes and diners I also think of Grease’s Frosty Palace because there’s something about the whole 50s pin-up style of that eatery that makes me want to be a teenager again. Actually, my Frosty Palace dream was reactivated recently when I went to The Lost Bread at Maginhawa Street’s famous food park called StrEAT.
The Lost Bread is one of the tinny restaurants that will greet you when you enter StrEAT. It’s definitely an eye-catcher because there’s always a long queue of people lining up for a bite or a drink at the mini-eatery. Worry not about that line, though, because TLB’s service is moderately fast.
The Lost Bread offers french toasts and a variety of creative carnival-style milkshakes. Their milkshakes are also aplenty and will surely make you feel bloated because they’re infused with cake bits, cookie chips and other satisfying sweets. Perfect for foodies who don’t really give two cents about their calorie intake.
Me and my best friend drove all the way to The Lost Bread from Kapitolyo because we needed something to pacify the zingy taste of Mexican food on our palate. For my first time, I decided to try one of TLB’s super attractive and outrageous milkshakes.
The Carnival. This flavor of milkshake joins the slew of Cake Shakes that The Lost Bread offers. It has rich flavors of caramel popcorn, cotton candy and vanilla butter cake. For the love of me, there were actual caramel popcorns and cake bits in the mix. And of course, that big fluff of white cotton candy on top of the milk shake. That’s what caught my attention in the first place. This shake definitely spoiled my sweet tooth and the ever-giddy teenager in me.
Spiked Cookie. If The Carnival was very kid-friendly, the Spiked Cookie was certainly PG (thus the “spiked” in the name). This concoction is a mix of Bailey’s, coffee, and chocolate chip cookies. The milkshake was even served with a Bailey’s injection if you want to spike your drink some more. However, that thing will only work if you have an alcohol tolerance of a curious juvenile. Other than that, it’s super yum and kicking!
For a quick and satisfying palate cleanser, head over to The Lost Bread and get one of their sickly sweet refreshments. The Lost Bread is located at StrEAT Food Park, Maginhawa Street, UP Village.
Authentic Mexican Food Mixed with Pinoy Flavors at Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina
As I’ve said before, I have an undying love towards Mexican food. It doesn’t matter if the Mexican chow I’m eating is authentic or not. As long as the Mexi food I’m inhaling has that smell and zing, I’m going to be a very happy girl. My best friends have been recommending Silantro to me for a long time now because they swear by their signature nachos and tacos. Thank God I’ve great best friends who have equally great taste buds because my experience with Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina is one of my best Mexican dining experiences ever.
Since it was my first time and we were just looking for a chill place in Kapitolyo to have our merienda, we decided to have Silantro’s famed and noted homemade nachos platter.
Beef Nachos. Just look. Dear Lord. That is the look of amazing-ness. That is the door to heaven. That baked cheese is what paradise is made of.
But seriously, exaggeration aside, Silantro’s Beef Nachos was so bomb because the tortilla chips tasted so legit and they didn’t half-ass the ingredients. There were mountains of shredded and flavorful beef in between the nachos and it was served hot.
Want to know what really made their nachos even more awesome? It was the variety of sauce that came with the platter. There was the spicy sauce, the white sauce that tasted like cream and garlic, and the superstar that was the guacamole. Give me a guacamole and expect me to be merry. :)
Medio Tacos. I also had a taste of their soft taco. I chose the Medio so I could have two meaty ingredients for my taco. I had the beef and lamb so my cravings would be surely satisfied. Loved every bite of it. The meat was really packed with flavors and was cooked well. It was so tender and the color was pretty enough to be unavoidably tempting. Silantro’s taco reminded me of the street tacos from El Chupacabra. Both tasted authentic and unforgettable.
Have a bite of Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina’s best Mexi offers if you want your nacho and taco cravings to be annihilated. Silantro also now has a spot at UP Town Center, perfect for highschool and college yuppies who are looking for a quick Mexican snack after a stressful day at school.
The Halal Guys: World's Most Popular Food Cart Now In The Philippines
The Halal Guys in Manhattan, New York has been attracting tourists and foodies from all over the globe for years now because of their famous Halal gyro that is served on top of a huge platter of hot rice. Like in Manhattan, The Halal Guys Philippines is also attracting quite a line across the food center of Mega Fashion Hall because everyone is curious about this sought-after food cart.
Since I’m a bit of a bandwagoner when it comes to food, I, too, lined up along the super long queue of The Halal Guys when I met with one of my best friends because I’ve always been curious about their signature white sauce and halal gyro over rice. That was quite a line but I didn’t really mind the leg strain after finally having a taste of The Halal Guys’ celebrated Middle Eastern chows. And that white sauce, maaaan, I wish I could take that home with me.
Gyro and Chicken Rice Combo. For my first Halal experience, I ordered a small platter of the gyro and chicken combo. I was surprised by the size of the platter, to be perfectly honest. It didn’t look small and it was definitely satiating.
The chicken and gyro were okay. I wished there were more of the gyro because I liked it and I soon found myself eating more veggies than meat because the meats were really cut short. The rice was great as well. But what made the meal was The Halal Guys’ proprietary white sauce. It really made the platter sing with Mediterranean flavors.
Gyro and Falafel Rice Combo. My best friend ordered a small platter of the gyro and falafel combo. I was curious about the falafel but I passed on it because I read that it was actually made from chick peas. Which was terrible on my part because the falafel tasted delicious and surprisingly light.
My first The Halal Guys experience went well. I kind of always tiptoe delicately around cuisines that are foreign to me because I’m afraid of wasting my money and energy on something that won’t satisfy me. Our meal went great, save for the long queue. But I guess that was understandable because The Halal Guys is the newest food cart sensation in the metro. The long line actually allowed us to have the feeling of lining up along Halal Guys NY’s super long queue. Now that was quite a Middle Eastern and New Yorker experience.
Yesterday, me and my cousins were supposed to join the festivities at the Lilac Street Food Festival but due to the horrible weather, we just decided to dine at this newly-opened pink and preppy resto near our area called Café at Sunset.
Ever since Café at Sunset was constructed, we’ve been curious about how it would turn out because the place looked quite cosy and preppy. The pink walls and wooden chairs add a very mellow, girl-from-the-province vibe to the atmosphere and the lighting is comforting.
Chicken Adobo Garlic Pasta. I contemplated hard between this and Café at Sunset’s Crispy Bacon Pasta because bacon. But curiosity won over familiarity so I went the unpredictable route.
This flavor of pasta is creamy and the slices of chicken adobo are actually tender and tasty, and I’m sure I would have really loved this if it wasn’t that sweet. Yes it had some sweetness, and for the first time I was thankful for the abundance of the garlic flavor because if it weren’t for the garlic, it would be hard not to get overwhelmed by the unexpected sweetness of the sauce.
Salisbury Steak. And yet another food from their menu that had an unexpected sweetness. Cafe at Sunset’s Salisbury Steak tasted like a tocino or a longganisa that was flattened into a steak, and I’m sure my cousin agreed with me on that one. Didn’t go crazy over this one.
After the main meals came the dessert. I’ve been dying to try their Blueberry Cheesecake because according to their crew it was one of their bestsellers, but my curiosity got the best of me again so I put my cheesecake craving on hold and decided to try one of their mini round cakes. Bad move, that one.
Choco Caramel Hazelnut. This cake sounds amazing in print but tastes average in actuality, I’m sorry. The chocolate cake is moist and not too sweet but the icing tastes like cheap margarine and frosting. I wouldn’t even get the melt-in-your-mouth hint of caramel in the cake if it wasn’t for the caramel drizzle on the plate.
Mocha Sansrival. My cousin had this one, and since I hated nuts, I only had a pea-sized bite. It tasted like how a sansrival should taste, I guess.
My first experience at Café at Sunset food-wise wasn’t exactly great, but what I really enjoyed about the place was the place itself. It was such a comfortable and mellow nook that was perfect for unexpected meet-ups or catch-ups with friends and family, and the wifi was really efficient (which was very important, LOL!).
That said, I will still definitely go back to Café at Sunset and maybe finally try the people’s choices or the food that visitors hail bestsellers for a reason.
Visit Café at Sunset Facebook page for location details.
Finally, finally I sampled the renowned and authentic churros from Churreria La Lola! Those who are closest to me know that I have a serious churros compulsion. I naturally gravitate towards churros stands every time I see one because, well, I love churros! I even tried making one myself using online recipes but it tasted so horrible and unhealthy I just dumped it into the trash.
I’ve been hearing about Churreria La Lola’s (or La Lola Churreria for some) celebrated churros for a while now but I never really had a chance to visit any of their branches because, if I’m being honest, there are nearer churrerias around my area that I felt it unnecessary to go all the way to Megamall or UP Town Center for a bite. And that was actually a crime in itself because not only is La Lola famed for selling a wide variety of flavorful churros, they also pride themselves in being the churreria who uses olive oil for their products.
Since I was in a hurry when I had my Churreria La Lola experience, I just went the traditional route and ordered their Churros Classico paired with a hot chocolate sauce.
It was great; the serving was huuuge. I ordered the medium-sized package but I still didn’t finish everything off because I was already sated after four sticks. And this comes from a not-planning-to-recover churros addict.
Their churros had the right mix of crunchiness on the outside and fluffiness inside. The plump churros sticks were long and peppered with sugar that they could be eaten even without the hot chocolate sauce.
They were also served in cute carton cones that were equally huge.
I can’t wait to go back to Churreria La Lola Megamall and try their stuffed churros for my own satisfaction. If you’re like me who’s addicted to churros and you’re not planning to remedy that addiction any time soon, then visit the Churreria La Lola branches around the metro, and just binge.
I’m way late on this but YASSS Crepeman Café is finally here in Cainta! My first experience with Crepeman was at their Maginhawa branch, and after that it became sorta hard for my taste buds not to crave the feel and taste of their crêpes.
Crepeman Cainta offers the same menu as any other Crepeman branches. From sweet to savory crêpe, and smoothies to milk teas, they’re all here in my backyard. I’m very happy about this because crêpe is one of my eternal cravings, and Crepeman is just affordable. I love it so much because it reminds me of the three Korean brothers who used to sell crêpe at uni back in college. Their busy concessionaire at uni didn’t last long but the taste of their savory crêpes sure made a lasting impression.
Philly’s Cheesesteak. I already tried their Porky’s Bacon crêpe before (because bacon), so this time I opted for another one of their bestsellers: the Philly’s Cheesesteak savory crepe. OBSESSED with this one. Sure all the ingredients were cramped at the bottom but it’s so tasty, cheesy and meaty. My cousin even said that the caramelized steak bits tasted like shawarma. Those were my sentiments exactly.
Porky’s Bacon. Still good, still porky, still corn-y. Yum.
Mango Nabana. Generous in choco spread, whipped cream, and mango.
When we visited the place, most of their drinks weren’t available because they had no ice. So it’s unfortunate that we didn’t sample their smoothies and iced teas. Maybe for another visit.
I really hope the Crepeman Cainta branch will become successful, or at least have an ample amount of visitors because I don’t want the place to go. It’s a bit of a hard find but after you become accustomed to it, you’ll learn to love the warm and friendly and great-smelling walls of the place.
Crepeman Cainta is located at 2F Rublou Marketplace Brookside 3, Ortigas Ave., Ext., Cainta, Rizal.
These milk teas know what's up! These are basically my moods all week long. A bit of pretentious smile, a bit of forced grin, and lots of grumpiness and crabbiness. 😊😄😒
