OUR (PRE) VALENTINE’S DINNER

Written: Tuesday Feb 14, 2012 1330H

Days before Valentine’s, I told Poy that we won’t be spending too much just for a dinner on Valentine’s day. Since we’re on tipid mode for the next monthsss because of dik-dik, I told him it would be very impractical to have dinner in a hotel then iisip-isipin ko yung bill after. Ako na, ako na ang kuripot :p Poy kept on insisting na once a year lang naman daw yun just like anniversary so okay lang daw. Well, may point. And it’s very seldom we go out without Mimay, moment namin to so why not make the most out of it.

So with that, I researched and looked for places where we can have a decent dinner. Considering the food, budget, location and ambience, we decided to try the dinner buffet in Vivere Sky Lounge in Alabang. I immediately called for reservation but sadly, they do not accept reservation daw on February 14. First come, first serve daw! Anubayun??! Coming from Gen Trias Cavite, malamang sa malamang eh wala na kaming aabutan na seat on Feb 14. Calling Vivere, I don’t think you should do the ‘first come, first serve’ rule on Valentine’s Day. It’s just so… wrong.

So we changed our plan. February 13, hubby and I had a pre-valentine celebration instead. Bahala na kung saan kami mapunta, what’s important is magkasama kami to celebrate the Love Day. Ayun sa awa ni Lord, na traffic si Poy. May trailer daw na tumaob sa may Alabang bridge. Of all days naman! He came quarter to 8pm in Carmona to pick me up and we decided to go to Festival Mall na lang to have dinner. Upon entering the mall, we saw this newly opened 3 in 1 resto infront of Super Bowl. There were My Thai, Pho-Hoa and Jack’s Loft. Since we both love Thai foods, aprub agad sa min.

Before dining in, we roam around the mall first and told husband that since our Vivere dinner will not push through anymore, I’ll buy him a gift na lang. Smile agad ang lolo mo.

As per his request, I got him this silver necklace. He wanted us to have a matching necklace but I declined.

Poy: Bakit bi ayaw mo pareho tyo ng necklace?

Nani: Di naman bi, basta wag na lang po. Ikaw na lang.

Poy: Tipid na dinner natin bi di ba kaya pwede na tyo bumili gift.

Nani: Hindi bi wag na talaga.

Poy: Wag ka masyado magtipid bi, minsan lang naman to.

Nani: Kasi may papabili ako sayo na black bag, may gusto na ko e, kaya lang kulang pa budget ngaun (grins!)

Poy: Ayun, kaya pala.     

Hehehe. Talaga tong asawa ko, mina-mahina ako haha!

Sharing to you some photos from our Valentine’s dinner. We had large bowl of Pho Bo Kho, caramelized chicken and Kung Pao chicken with peanuts and red chili. We also tried Jack’s Loft fishbowl iced tea na muntik ko na ika lunod.

Our pre-Valentine’s dinner was really simple yet very pleasing because we were able to have that quality time together talking and laughing about anything lang. Since we had Mimay, we rarely go out without her. So I think you can visualize the picture pag nalabas kmi, saway dito, saway doon ang drama namin mag asawa. But that night was different. It was all about us. Parang mag boypren/ gerlpren lang =)

You, how did you guys spend your Valentine’s?

DINNER IN ‘THE FRENCH BAKER’

Written: Friday Feb 6, 2012 2215H

In celebration of my first salary in Maxim (although technically sa Feb 10 pa talaga sweldo ko hehe), I treat my family over dinner in ‘The French Baker’. It’s the default restaurant of Marichee. Btw, Marichee is my most favorite cousin of all. She’s our baby even before Mimay came. Marichee or Nini is the only child of my mom’s sister. She’s so much loved by our family and since magkamalay ang batang yan eh kung saan saang lupalop na namin yan dinala. Since her childhood, she’s not the typical Jollibee or Mcdo baby. Ayaw nya dun, ang dami daw tao. Panakot pa nga namin yun dati sa kanya na pag makulit sya, sa Jollibee namin sya pakakainin. Weird no?

Whenever we’re in mall, either Yellow Cab or The French Baker ang request nya. So it’s really a delight for Nini aka Ninang Chee (she’s Mimay’s ninang) that ‘The French Baker’ opened up a store in Paseo de Sta Rosa. Before kasi, the nearest branch from our place is in SM Southmall pa.

So last Sunday, after our visit to dikdik, the whole gang invades The French Baker.

Obligatory family pic =)

Our orders:

Soup on a bread bowl @ P115 – creamy corn soup in French bread bowl. Yummy! It comes with butter too.

Clubhouse sandwich @ P190 – tuna, cheese, ham and bacon in brown bread for me and my mom.

Beef lasagna @ P180 (ata) – for me and my SIL, Ate Jona. It’s too sour for my taste but Poy liked it, sya umubos.

Carbonara @ P190 (ata din) – this is my ate’s order. Fettucini pasta tossed with carbonara sauce, eto masarap!

Spicy Seafood pasta @ P205 – for my mom. I was choosing between lasagna and this, so I asked my mom to order this instead para I can taste both hehe. This is also delicious. Ako na, ako na ang may order na palpak.

Baked Chicken @ P195 – for Ninang Chee, Poy and my Kuya. This is Nini’s all time fave. And infairness, masarap talaga sya.

Grilled Chicken and Mango Salsa @ P205 (ata) – for Mama Chona. Deboned chicken leg grilled with special BBQ sauce. I love it too!

pardon my kuya's hand hehe

Hickory Spareribs @ P220 (ata) – for my Tita Marith. This is my most fave of all. The pork is very juicy and flavorful. I’ll order this next time.

Not in the picture, is my Kuya Dong’s (aka Ninong Derek) order which is the German Sausage Sandwich with Potato Salad.

Kuya Dong to the waitress: Miss, 1 german sausage sa kin.

Poy: Nagulat ako Kuya Dong eh, kala ko aso order mo. Kala ko german shepherd =)

Baliw talaga asawa ko! Tingin nyo? =)

It was another bundat night for us. Everyone went home busog and happy =)

SERENITEA FAN

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know that I’m really a mababaw person. Simple things make me happy and one of those is milk tea. My love for milk tea started in Dubai and it’s getting at its pits now that we are just few kilometers away from Serenitea, which is located in Solenad 2 in Nuvali Sta Rosa, Laguna.

Here’s my first Serenitea experience with my dearest ate. In my hand is a large Wintermelon milk tea (100% sugar) that is truly addicting to the taste buds.

On my next visit, I tried their Hokkaido milk tea which tastes a bit odd for me. Di ko masyado type.

Then I tried Serenitea’s Choco Chip and Malty Choco which is a best choice if you’re a choco lover. Just don’t go overboard on the sugar & try it with 50-75% sugar level only to get the perfect sweetness.

The latest flavor I tried is Serenitease Taro flavor with full sweetness. And so far, it’s my favorite next to Choco Chip.

I’m wishing to try Gong Cha, Chatime and Happy Lemon as well. I hope they’ll soon open branches here in the South.

No wonder, milk tea is becoming everyone’s favorite now because it’s healthy and yummy at the same time. Even our Mimay loves it!

MEET DIK-DIK

Everyone, say hi to our Dik-Dik =)

This is Benedict “dik-dik” Aguilar, our future abode. We named him Benedict because he is a benediction or a blessing to us. We have long waited and prayed for it and finally, God gave us the capacity to plunge in. At talagang Aguilar din ang surname haha! Don’t look strangely at me, idea ng asawa ko yan. Muntik na din ako himatayin hehe.

Dik-dik is located in The Mandara, Silang Cavite. Just 8 mins from Paseo de Sta. Rosa/Nuvali and 15 mins away from Tagaytay. We learned this place from my dearest kumareng Layds who also got the same unit as ours last year. Dik-dik is not yet built though, lupa pa lang sya. The above picture is the model house but the turn over unit will be exactly like this. After the 50% completion of the equity, itatayo na si dik-dik and we can transfer as soon as the equity is complete. In our prayer, it will be next year pa so we still have ample time to save for dik-dik’s furnitures, appliances and extensions. We are planning to extend the house and maximize the lot area so that we can have an additional room on the first floor, which eventually will become our entertainment room. That’s the only request of Poy, eversince talaga, he wanted to have a space of his own where he can put his speakers, player, TV and many other else. I’m agreeable to it because as much as possible I don’t want to put television in our living room. I’m thinking kasi that if Mimay is going to school already, she will only be allowed to watch TV if she already finished her school works. So kumbaga, it’ll be a reward for her to enter the entertainment room. Unlike if the TV is just in the living room, malamang lagi lang andun si Mimay. Ganyan na ganyan kaya ako nung bata, I should know. And also I want her not to be too much dependent on TV and instead find entertainment in reading books.

Dik-dik has 3 bedrooms and a balcony on the second floor. Balcony is connected to the master’s bedroom so we are thinking to put a staircase from the garage going to the balcony so if ever there are guests, there’s no need to pass our room just to go to the balcony.

Nice the balcony no? Just enough for small number of guests or muni-munihan area namin ni Poy since it’s connected nga to our room.

Sa rooms naman, we’re thinking to connect Mimay’s room to ours. Just a connecting door will do so that in case Mimay will be sleeping na on her own bed, it’ll still be easy for us to hear and see her. But honestly, I don’t care co-sleeping with Mimay until she’s 25 years old. I hope she feels the same thing.

Aside from having my kumareng Lady as a village-mate (phasemate pa actually), what I love most about Mandara is it’s location. As I’ve said, it’s barely 8 mins away from Nuvali which is very much developed already. There’s Robinson & South Supermarket, plenty of restaurants, fastfoods, coffee shops, store outlets like Aldo, Marks & Spencer, Esprit at marami pang iba. A mall will also rise soon. Despite of all these developments, the area is very relaxing. Especially Mandara is set on an elevated location, it’s like breathing fresh air of Tagaytay but having all the above modern comforts.

Poy, Mimay and I can’t wait to finally move in to dik-dik next year.

We can’t thank enough God for making all this happen. All praises to Him!

MIMAY’S BEST XMAS GIFT

… ofcourse came from her Dadee Poy.

Dear Mimay anak,

You may not appreciate it at this point in your life so I decided to blog and document this so that when the time comes than you can fully understand things, you will know how much your dadee loves you.

Just so you know, allow me to share a little background lang about me and your dadee’s financial set-up. As per mutual decision, your dad’s giving me his full salary. I just usually give him allowance enough until next payday. So for him to be able to open a personal savings account for you and initially deposit it with P25,000 is really something that made me cry with so much happiness. From his allowance, your dadee was able to save that amount for you instead of keeping it for his own use. It may not be a very large amount, but it comes with a pure intention of telling us how much he values you and our family.

I hope in time, you will realize how much your dadee loves you and how blessed you are for having a father like him. So when you grow up, make him proud anak.

We love you so much baby!

Kisses,

Mamee Nani

CHRISTMAS 2011

Allow me to document how we spent our 2011 Xmas. Better ‘super late’ than never, right?

Every Christmas, Poy, Mimay and I usually have a color theme.

Xmas 2009 – White (kami lang pala ni Poy hehe)

Xmas 2010 – Red

Xmas 2011 – Brown 

Since Xmas fell on Sunday last year, ratsada kami to the max. We need to see everyone in the family or else tiyak may magtatampo. You all know naman, star ng family ang aming si Mimay so everyone needs to see her especially on Christmas day.

The morning was spent in our church to attend the morning service. We then went to Mimay’s wowa (my Tita Marith which is my mom’s younger sister) in Calamba, then to my in-laws in Majada, next is to my lola’s house in Parian and lastly dinner with my other tito and tita in my kuya’s house in Cabuyao. Ang hectic ng schedule ng bagets, kaloka!

Just wanna share to you some of the gifts received by our baby girl.

Slide set from Mamee Nani and Dadee Poy: 

Baby Alive from Ninang Melai:

Rechargeable motor from Ninang Chelo and Ninong Dong aka Ninong Derek:

Cash from her Wowa, Ninang Lady, Mama Dolor, Titos and Titas from Majada, Lola Espie (my MIL) and marami pang iba.

Her Tito Ninis will get her a Converse Chuck Taylor as a post xmas gift.

And ofcourse, BDO junior savings account from her Dadee Poy.

We’re so lucky because our Mimay is so much loved by everyone =)

FOC FOX REUNITED

Written: Friday Feb 3, 2012 2315H

One of the best things about our Pinas come back is ofcourse, the reunion of Foc-Fox. And now, 4 na kami! =)

After 3 long years, we’re full force again, ready to rock en roll haha! My kumareng Lady will be staying also for good here in Pinas with her hubby Eon.

This photo was taken last January 2 in my kuya’s house in Cabuyao. Lady prepared and cooked her special creamy carbonara while Melai ordered a large Yellow Cab pizza. Simple dinner yet full of juicy kwentuhan and tsismisan. Parang 1 week lang kami hindi nagkita kita =)

Then the following Sunday, another bonding session happened in Melai’s branch of Banahaw Heals Spa near Southwoods exit. All of us, including the boys and my mommy, experienced the full body massage which made me forget my name dahil sa sobrang sarap. I promise to come back there to try their other relaxing services and at the same time feature them here in my blog. Advertisement without pay yan mare!

 

This was taken again in my kuya’s house while we were sharing my mommy’s yummy caldereta over lunch.

Then later that evening, to post celebrate Layd’s birthday, we had burger feast in Hungry Hippo. Their burgers are delicious and very affordable. A meal which has a humongous burger, fries and iced tea is priced at P150-180 only. One downside lang of Hungry Hippo’s branch in Shell SLEX is that their exhaust seems not working properly. Amoy kinulob na itik kami after dining in. I hope they’ll improve on that.

 

Here’s our Mimay posing with the Hippos!

Over all, it was a super fun day. Can’t wait for our next lamyerda!