Twister Fries are Back!

One of the things I miss about the Philippines is the fact that McDo serves Twister Fries on an occasional basis. Even if the 'seasoned curly fries' is a regular menu item here in Jack In the Box and Arby’s, I would wanna partake in this kind of offer from McDonalds back home. After all, it WAS part of growing up.

If I were you, I’d rush to the nearest McDonald’s and grab a box or two. Or better yet, you can just call 8-McDO (or 8-6236) or go to www.mcdelivery.com.ph. Order one, no problem since they still have the NO MINIMUM/fixed delivery charge of PHP40!

A New KFC Favorite

It wasn’t until my mom got me a KFC Creamy Tomato Pasta Bowl to suddenly turn a boring Saturday around. I wasn’t able to eat it on Maundy Thursday, so I had to wait until Saturday.

Actually, it was not my first time to partake of KFC’s latest addition to their already popular Pasta Bowls. But among the 3 variants, the Creamy Tomato Pasta Bowl is definitely a new favorite for me.

Why?

The meal speaks for itself! When they said it was creamy, it wasn’t watery not did it have a diluted sauce. You can see that it’s topped with actual parmesan cheese, and even has bits of tomato. The chicken Funshots were proportionally spread atop the noodles as their version of meatballs. When all these combined, it was truly a delight.

Even after it stayed in the fridge for 2 days, it came out as perfect as the day it was bought. I popped the bowl in the microwave (except for the lid), and was all set after 2 minutes of re-heating.

On the contrary, the serving only looked like a snack bowl to me or a (merienda snack) for PHP76 (a la carte). I hope the serving size will have variations, or better yet have different serving sizes for different appetites (lol).

Here’s my Pasta Bowl (or what's left of it):

Lunch with the in-laws -- 11.03.09

What better way for us newlyweds to spend our 101st month as a couple was to spend it with the in-laws. They actually requested an available time where we could simply "hang out" without the other extended family members. Unfortunately, my parents were not able to join since they were on a trip to New Zealand. Oh well!

We went to Greenbelt in Makati to give them a tour around, and to search for the resto that we could all try for the first time. You see, D and his parents lived in the Middle East (Riyadh) for about 8 years and they practically missed having food that they all came to love.So we finally decided to give Gilak by Hossein a try.

And boy, we were not disappointed at all! Fine dining, with a Persian flair!

It was a feast indeed, a Persian feast! We had lamb, kebabs, curry, some of that Persian rice (I forgot the term, but it's quite similar to Riyadh's kabsa).The food was authentically exquisite (at least that's what I thought it was), and was also glad that D's folks liked it as well.

Gilak by Hossein is located at Greenbelt 3, 2nd Level (across Bubba Gump).

For complete photos:

Food and Road Trip in Tagaytay -- 11.01.09

Growing up in urban Manila, out of town trips during weekends or holidays were always a treat. Malls were not really that popular back then, so just imagine the weekend boredom of watching "Uncle Bob's Lucky 7 Club" and "Penpen De Sarapen" and  the now old school cartoons.

There were times when mom would pack "baon" (lunch) and prepare our extra clothes, while dad prepped up the engine. As an only child before, I would remember playing all day long at the park with other kids while the old folks hung out to watch me and the other kids play, while enjoying the backdrop. Things couldn't be any simpler back then.

Okay, enough reminiscing now.

Since it's my turn to be a grown up, D and I now have the chance and privilege to just go wherever our feet, our curiosity (and car) could take us - just the two of us. We went to Tagaytay because it was a place where we haven't been to as a married couple, and have not fully explored what it had to offer.

The Tagaytay Fruit Arch (or what I at least call)

It was a fine Sunday morning, but I knew we had to get there early because of a possible traffic, and the fact that it was All Saints Day, we could wind up stuck somewhere on the South Expressway (SLEX), and my predictions were somehow correct. After that hour-long drive, we decided to have breakfast at the Pancake House at Paseo de Sta. Rosa. As expected, D ordered a local dish.

Beef Tapa, yum!

One other reason why we went to Tagaytay was because D wanted to relax in a spa. Our trip to Boracay made him realize what he's been missing. So, okay!

We drove off to the Taj of Tagaytay (along Aguinaldo Highway) to have an appointment, though they also accept walk-ins. I mean who would have an appointment on All Saint's Day anyway? However, there was only one therapist available at the time, and we had two hours to wait for 2 therapists.

 

"Yay! 2 hours of road tripping!"

D and I quickly left the place, and thought of having coffee at Breakfast at Antonio's, just to let time pass before lunch time. The long drive from the highway makes you want to feel lost and hopeless along the way, until you find this huge gate where the excitement kicks right back in.

 

It has been known for its very relaxed and elegant setting.  No wonder people flocked to the place! It's colonial America-inspired interiors makes the ambiance quite nostalgic, and homey at the same time. It felt like visiting relatives in an ancestral home! Its elegance can be described by the grand chandeliers, the servers' black and white long-sleeved uniforms, and the grand antique collections that adorned the entire place.

 

I knew I should have taken more b&w and sepia pics of the resto so that I'd end up looking at a photo that came off an old folk's album.

After lounging and talking, D decided to have lunch somewhere else, so okay! The road trip was on!

We went back to Aguinaldo highway looking for good places to eat. We had already gone to Leslie's before and I don't think we need be in Tagaytay to eat Yellow Cab, Jollibee or any resto we could likewise find back home. So we finally landed to Bag of Beans since it was also along the Aguinaldo Highway.

I always knew this place was just a bakery and coffee shop, but I was dead wrong -- well, somewhat. It indeed has its own separate bakery upfront as in the picture above, but if you move towards the left, you'll find the stairs leading to the main entrance of the coffee shop and restaurant.

Starving and all, D and I went down and sat at a non-smoking area, which is similar to a small cottage. The smoking area, on the other hand, would have to be the dining areas all located outside the cottage. This time, the place has a country-style feel -- quite appropriate in breezy Tagaytay.

This bakery turns out to have a wide menu of food choices after all, and we were not disappointed with the servings at all. D's steak was tender, as well as the fish fillet that I had. Perfect!

What I didn't like about the place was that they allowed solicitations from Club Astoria where they make you sign some stubs for a "free raffle", which was sort of a scam anyway. More details are found here.

Other than that, it was a fantastic way for us newlyweds to enjoy life.

...and this ain't the best part yet...

Post for the spa sesh, click here!

More pics here!

Pre-wedding preps on the go! -- 10.25.09

D had this craving for Filo food (again!). Being the loving w2b, we headed to the Powerplant mall to satisfy again the grumbling tummy. Went to Dencio's for a Filipino treat -- sizzling foodies.



After which, went to Lulubelle for another try at their fro yo. This time we tried the green tea flavored one, and mochi soon became D's staple topping for fro yo's.

After the treat, we then headed off to Wow Salon to have my hair and feet done. D also loves the foot spa treatment. Once there, saw mom, kyla and the twins, also having their hair done. Mom needed to add colour to hide the age (lol).

Mom and Kyla

The taming of the hair!

After that, went for a hearty meal at where else, R&J's!

With my tamed crowning glory

The following day would be the start of the rest of my life. Choz.

For complete pics:

Happy Birthday Lola with Estrel's Caramel Cakes -- 09.17.09

Lola's birthday was last year, and D was able to join the celebration. This was also the semi-pamamanhikan as D's Aunt and Uncle were part of this. Usually we'd celebrate lola's birthday with a dinner at some resto nearby the house. but, as "lolas" get tired from walking on a distance that younger people could easily manage, we held her birthdays at home. This year was D's first celebration with the Perezes, together with his uncle and aunt (his parents were still... abroad). in turn, this also was our "pamamanhikan".

Ever since we celebrated lola's birthday at home, we would order one. These made-to-order cakes should be ordered at least 2 days in advance, to be picked up on the arranged date. If you have no time to pre-order, they also have on-shelf cakes available, but in very limited quantities.

Lola is not really a fan for sweets, but she does like Estrel's Caramel Cakes so it's a real treat!














What makes this cake simply unique is the intricate icing flowers that adorn the cake.

Estrel's Contact Details:
Estrel's Caramel Cakes (Since 1947)
54 Sct. Tobias cor. Sct. Limbaga, Quezon City
Ph: 371-7938

For the complete pics:

Poweplant Malling -- again! -- 09.16.09

After going through the pre-marriage counseling, we went to his place to get some rest and to leave our paperwork behind. The day was indeed ours for the rest of the afternoon. 

Although I have nothing much to rave about Sumo-Sam, we went there to have our early dinner, before the crowd kicks in. Even if D already lived in Japan for almost 2 years, he still wanted to give Sumo Sam a go. So there.

A colorful Team Manila jeepney, with Rizal on the exterior, was also "parked" on the activity area. We took some souvenir photos for D to take back in Japan. He even tricked me into smiling for the camera when he intentionally set it in video mode!

"Rockwell Ikot" Jeepney

After fooling around and trying different clothes from the different boutiques, we finally landed at Lulu Belle -- the frozen yogurt (fro-yo) place affiliated with FIC -- that one with the "Pink" Christmas tree (I could have sworn the tree came from the Dimensione store within the mall! lol). It was newly opened at that time, so we gave it a whirl.

The counter's white cow coin bank "moo-ed" when fed with coins!

This is D's first try of the Japanese "mochi". Ironic for someone residing in Japan. Since then, he's been eating mochi whenever we have fro-yo. 

For the complete pics:

Couple's Foot Spa at Wow Salon -- 09.15.09

Dave always wanted to have his feet done.

When I first met him, with matching pinkish merthiolate-made toes (sorry baby, can't resist!), I knew that he would enjoy pampering his feet.

So for this day we became Spartans as we trudged Greenhills. One of our pitstops everytime we visit the mall is DnD because of the super-sulit siomai all-you-can. As a dimsum-lover, this is a steal! :) 

After a sumptuous fill, we walked around some more and tried to ride an FX that would go to Ortigas. How convenient it was! For only PHP10, you could get to Galle, The Podium, Megamall or even Shangri-La via crossing. So we decided to get off at Megamall since Dave has this craving for Mang Inasal. 

Sooner, we found ourselves walking towards Crossing (yes, we love walking together!) so that we can get to that tricycle terminal near Bermuda (Hahaha!). We asked the trike driver to drop us off at McDo Barangka (fyi, this was where we first met! Hehe! Mush much?!). From McDo we walked a few meters to Wow Salon.

This is a salon that Dave and I frequented because of the super affordable services, but no short in c-h-e-a-p from the satisfying results for each service availed. My family also would come here for our regular haircuts and treatments.

Their foot spa is an amazing PHP250, which is a combo of a foot soak, foot scrub, foot rub, a quick massage and a pedicure.

A colorful mural of all the services jazzes up walls on the foot spa area

Nothing beats spending time with your partner on simple pleasures like these. No matter what activity you both partake, but it's how you did it together counts.


Complete photos here:

Trip to the US Embassy and elsewhere -- 09.14.09

Like what was mentioned earlier, Dave went back to the Philies to have some paperwork done. Part of the many things we needed to do was to wake up on the break of dawn to get to the US Embassy, Manila. 

You see, since he became a naturalized US citizen only last May '09, the requisites for marrying a foreign national is not really as complex as it seems. The difference is only in the form of paperwork to be submitted. Also, make sure that the marriage is well-planned for smooth execution -- no shortcuts here, and it should not be something that you would just jump into, I may add.


For instance, in our case, we need to go down to the US embassy for him to get a "Legal Capacity to Marry". Actually, I don't have to be there for him to get this piece of paper. I only tagged along so that I know how the process goes. 

All I knew was we have to be early as the lines in the embassy could already be long by 5AM. We were correct! There were already about 20 people in queue at the gates by 5:00AM! Good thing, Dave already has a "blue" passport, which only means that he has a separate queue -- and he was first! Yay!

Things to know when going to the US Embassy, Manila:

1. Plan ahead - Some offices in the Embassy could only accommodate requests on a certain date or time. Sometimes, only a certain number of people can be accommodated. Be sure to contact first the Embassy for schedules, or check their website.
   
2. Always bring your passport. No passport, no entry -- simply put.
   
3. Be at least an hour earlier or 2 if you have an appointment.
4. If you don't have an appointment, it is advisable to go as early as 5:00AM to avoid long queues, and to avoid missing cut-offs for quotas or times.
   
5. Cellphones/cameras/electronics are not allowed inside. They are to be left on the counter upon entering the gate. You will be leaving another valid ID to deposit your gadgets. 
6. Gates open at 8:00AM, but they let in a few people by 7:30AM
   

I ended up waiting at the Yellow Cab pizza, which is open 24 hours, since I forgot to bring my passport. Dave then had to fall in line. 

Once I've finished the Charlie Chan Chicken pasta I ordered, I went to Starbucks just right across to have some morning coffee. By that time, it was already 6:00AM and Dave was still on queue. We were just exchanging text messages until the time he went inside the embassy, which was around 7:30AM. 

By that time I got really bored that I had to read ALL the magazines inside Starbucks. If you ask me whether I remember what I learned, I'll just answer no. Haha! 

After this, we decided to go home and relax for a while (actually naligo kasi we didn't have time to take a bath that morning coz we were rushing! Haha!).

So we then went to Trinoma and tried Steak Sizzlers located at the 2nd floor food court. The meal was very filling and very affordable.  I think the sizzling steak below was probably at the PHP100-130 range.

After walking around looking for a wedding band, and several pictures taken later, we decided to get some fro yo (frozen yogurt). And since we were already in Trinoma, the best way to satisfy this urge is to run down at Red Mango! 

Now that's some craving! 

For complete pics: 

R&J's bulalohan atbp. -- 09.13.09

Contrary to the previous post where we need to be prim and proper, we now dine at a more low scale, casual setting. Situated across the Mandaluyong City Hospital, along Boni Ave., R&J's Bulalohan is one place where Dave and I would usually dine out because of the proximity -- since both of us live in Mandaluyong. On top of that, it offers mouthwatering local cuisine. No wonder local celebrities flock to the place as its walls covered pictures of some famous people who have tried their bulalo. 

So to start the day, we ordered the following: 
-bulalo -rice -tocilog -large fries -iced tea

Total bill: around PHP250-300 for the two of us. Not bad for a "heavy" breakfast.

Note: A platter of fries here have a huge serving (unlike most fastfood chains)

Dave then went to visit their cousins while I went home so I could prepare for later's date: Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme at G4.

I must say, no disappointments here! This is the only local film where I really laughed! Eugene Domingo really hit it big time, and this film surely showed how versatile she is in acting. It's not like those no-brainer comedy films out there that is practically called "a waste of time". For those who haven't seen it and needs a good laugh, this is the film for you. I have already bought a pirated copy for Dave because the original one was not out at the time he was here. But I plan to buy the original copy some time this week. :)

After the movie, we went to Jollibee in G4. Yes! Dave missed Jollibee so much that he had to buy 2 Jolly Spags for himself. Now that's what I call appetite! After all, is there a Jollibee in Okinawa?

We did a little window shopping around Glorietta and we also checked out Nike Stadium where the "Team Pilipinas" jerseys were sold. Good thing we still had one his size! He said he already has basketball shorts so we didn't buy the matching shorts. However, I am currently tasked to look for shorts since the ones he had were given away. So it's up to me to get the shorts, also sometime this week.

Of course I never thought that women could get bored while their partners shopped. Hence, a few pictures it took to ease the boredom (sorry baby, but it was fun being with you! haha!).

After shopping, we decided to unwind at Timezone to do our usual videoke sessions. I always enjoy taking videos of him. Some clips below:

Cravings for more R andJ's grew. So again, we went there and ordered other bestsellers there like the sisig, lumpiang shanghai and garlic rice. Oh, did I mention that they always serve soup with any order and still request for more, if desired? I guess I didn't. 

Truly it was a day of fun and food, or I must say R&Js! Need I say more?

RJ's Bulalohan

Boni Ave.
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

(02) 533-4811