My TNF Shining Moment!

Excuse this post but I just had to put it here. A few days ago, The North Face instagram account called for a sort of submit-a-great-shot-from-a-race. All you had to do was include the hashtag #gearupgetout. 

The timing couldn't be more perfect because my friends and I just recently joined TNF 100 trail run (Philippine series) in Baguio City. I didn't even run that long a distance but I still submitted a photo, this one below, taken by my fiancé. 

Lo and behold! 3 days after posting that photo in my account (with the hashtag, of course), TNF posted my photo in their instagram!!! Ang haba ng hair ko, yun lang! :))

PS: Photo was taken last April 23 with iPhone 4s. No filter. It pays that that particular area was picture perfect itself.

PPS:

Okaythankyoubye.

Payday Lunch Series: Corazon Filipino-Hispano

I never imagined that the construction that's been going on for a while around Shangri La Mall meant a whole new wing to the original one that we have now. Though most of it were still empty and still smell of faint paint jobs, I'm sure it would be one buzzing and pretty wing to behold. Ano daw??!?

Since it was payday Friday, the payday lunch series is on!!! We excitedly walked from our building to the newest wing of Shangri La in search of a new restaurant to try. We picked Corazon. A Filipino-Spanish fusion restaurant.

The chairs, which looked a lot like candy canes, immediately caught my attention! 

One more for emphasis.

The bar inside Corazon.

Menu.

Their menu cover art is too pretty for words.

Wala lang shot. I took these shots because of the Salvador and the Ortega.

Ciudad Real. Lechon kawali on top of creamy laing. Boom!

I forgot the Spanish name of this baked oyster oops.

Corazon's Paella Negra serves 3-4 persons. That's how big it was! Not to mention delicious.

This dish, too, has escaped me. Basta yung kinilaw na tuna and pork liempo with lots and lots of vinegar, onions and peppers.

Lamb adobo topped with kesong puti. I was never a fan of lambs nor kesong puti, what a great combo :))

I forgot to mention that aside from that day being a payday Friday, it was also a despedida lunch for our friend Xan who, sadly, has to leave (us) for health reasons. *sniff*

Overall, the food did not disappoint. The service was good and, I have to hand it to the staff, quick. An observation before I end this post. I'm no interior designer but they could have done with better lighting design. The dangling lines from the mini spotlights were distracting and you could see na pinilit lang sya. I hope they do something about it for an improved overall vibes di ba. Just thinking out loud :)

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Corazon Hispano Filipino
Shangri-la Plaza Mall
4/F Shangri-la Plaza Mall, East Wing, Shaw Blvd cor EDSA
Wack Wack, Mandaluyong
(0917) 817-8298

A Lugang Feast

After completing our errands for the day (one of which was waking up really, really early to deliver in Muntinlupa), a late lunch feast at Lugang awaits us. Buti na lang it was Black Saturday so there were available tables and chairs for us when we arrived cos I heard this place gets packed on regular days.

The wooden door was so pretty hence these pics.

Lugang Cafe is a Taiwanese Restaurant brought here in Manila by the Bellagio Group of Restaurants tucked cozily along Connecticut Street in Greenhills area beside a few other familiar restaurants.

This Garlic Pork Roll was a surprised hit for all of us. At first, we all thought that the white wrap parts are the usual sort of roll wrappers we always have in say, lumpia. But no! Those were actually thinly-sliced pork rolled over vegetables and other whatnots.

I'd like to believe that I'm on my way in learning how to properly eat a (Steamed Pork) Xiao Long Bao. Kulang pa rin ako sa experience!

This was the dip for ... we don't really know actually hahaha. But I dipped in here to add oomph to what seems to be a very sad black pepper beef.

Golden Fried Rice With Shredded Pork

This was the flavourless beef I was talking about earlier. Black Pepper Beef On Iron Plate. The only fail in what we ordered. Also, the beef was swimming on a bed of onions, not that it was bad, but the onions aren't supposed to be the highlight of this dish.

Aaah. I can still feel in my mouth (sorry it's gross) the lingering taste of Three-Cup Chicken. I believe the three in the Three-Cup Chicken are soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil. It's really good.

And finally, the star of the Lugang Cafe and our most awaited moment, BELLAGIO BREEZE. This one really went all out. The tower of beans, tapioca and fruits on shaved ice awakened the kids inside of us. The waiter though had to warn us that we must make haste in taking turns of photos lest we want a fallen tower for dessert.

The mighty Bellagio has fallen... into our mouths and stomachs.

Here's our bill. Not bad, Lugang, not bad. Our tummies are feeling all the weight of these pesos and no, we're not complaining.

Romy's Moroccan Birthday Lunch

I love birthdays! And with birthdays come free birthday lunches haha. Thanks Romy for the treat! I can now finally cross off Kasbah Restaurant from my too-many-restaurants-to-eat-to list.

I like their entrance door, so mighty ang peg!

The couch outside looks inviting, makes you wanna jump and sleep in.

Burn for you

Le Birthday girl!

Hummus Harissa. Spiced chickpea and tahini puree.

Hummus Harissa is paired with these newly-baked bread.

Tabbouleh. A mixture of green herbal salad of parsley, mint, tomatoes, and couscous with lemon dressing.

I don't know what this platter is called but my goodness, the prunes-filled chicken was really good!

There are 2 servings of these that the 3 of us have to finish. What is busog bellies.

Close-up shot. chos. The eggplant was also really good, very tasty. The fish will always be... a fish haha. Halatang may favoritism.

After a bellyful lunch we walked to Serendra to scour for a good dessert place. We looked into 3 more places before finally settling in for Chelsea's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough NY Cheesecake and Tres Leches.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough NY Cheesecake

Tres Leches

Walking under the sweltering heat is no fun that's why it was a bit disappointing to walk inside Chelsea Restaurant and still feel the familiar humidity. Either the AC's busted or it was that hot outside. Anyway, a Saturday well spent is still a great day, AC or no AC. Thanks and Happy Birthday again, Romy! :)

Game of Thrones Season 3: Valar Dohaeris

The most awaited date has finally arrived! We are all in for an Easter treat, a brand new episode of Game of Thrones season 3 (based on George RR Martin's first half of A Storm of Swords) has just landed and I bet all eyes were on their torrents awaiting their downloads lol.

Here are some of my thoughts about the Valar Dohaeris episode (too soon?) in pictures:

Not the ugly face I envisioned in my head but I guess Peter Dinklage's face needs to be recognized for those who need recognizing. lol.

These two! Get together already :))

I love the Onion (not the flaking skin though) who puts some sense in the shrouded wits of Stannis Baratheon.

Not too dick in this episode. Perhaps next?

O HAI Ser Barristan Selmy!

Images nicked from here.

Dany and the Unsullied (who are waaay well-dressed and armed than they have any right to be). But that's why it's called an adaptation :)

Oye. Can't wait for the next 9 episodes.