My husband, Jojo, is a real music lover. When I'm in front of my laptop, I'm either on Facebook, or writing a blog, or surfing a list of my favorite sites. But Jojo, on the other hand, spends his time looking for good but underrated music. It's quite painstaking, actually. It requires a bit of detective work. ;-) He starts by searching artists that he likes on Amazon or a site similar to it. He scrolls to the bottom and looks at the list of other albums that other customers who liked it also bought. This is in hopes that Jojo will find albums with a similar "flavor." He goes through each album, listens to snippets of them, and if they're good, goes on to find where they can be downloaded. ;-) Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking. We would buy the album if we could. But unfortunately, these albums are not available in Manila. ;-(
Jojo has his other ways and strategies of searching for good music. I haven't quite figured out how else he does it. But at the rate that he's going, he's introducing to me at least 1 great but unheard-of album every week!
When it comes to my preferences, I have a liking to the rock/alternative type. It seems to be in the opposite end of the spectrum, but I also like Jazz and Standards. ;-) Jojo is very much aware of this, so he also tries to find music that he knows we both will like.
One such album that we both ABSOLUTELY love is "When You Love Someone (Songs of Love and Friendship). This album is by various artists -- the likes of Above the Golden State, Hawk Nelson, Toby Mac, and Nicole Nordeman. Definitely unheard-of huh? ;-) They're mostly Christian artists that's why. It's unfortunate that Christian music is not given as much attention and hype as they should. I mean, they produce a LOT of good music! Not only are they positive but they also have great melodies and excellent arrangements.
For this particular album, my favorites are "I Love You So" (Above the Golden State), "New Day" (Robbie Seay Band); "Let Me Love You" (Josh Wilson); "Don't You Forget About Me" (Hawk Nelson); "Falling For You" (Seabird); "Promise of a Lifetime" (Kutless); and "Confess" (Shawn McDonald). Whoops. I think I might have mentioned most of the tracks. ;-) You see, there are only 12 songs in the album. The styles vary. But the ones that I picked have that Coldplay/Edwin McCain/The Fray -- vibe. "I Love You So" is different from the lot because it's a bit reminiscent of The Beatles. Jojo and I call it our "Happy" song. ;-) We've been frequently singing to this song when stuck in traffic or when going to work. It may be an early Monday morning but this song instantly lifts up our spirits. ;-)
So now, here's our gift to you. Come and enjoy this album with us by downloading it HERE. This site will have the list of songs and their respective artists. If you scroll down and click on Rapidshare, this will lead you to the actual site where you can download it. Have fun and we would love to hear what you think! ;-) Hopefully the songs here will cheer you up too when you're stuck in traffic! ;-)
Do you ever find yourself in bed, unable to sleep because your mind is generating about a hundred thoughts per second? Or maybe you just saw a frightening film that you can't get out of your head? Possibly, it could be just because it's too hot and you're really too uncomfortable to sleep. Whatever the reason is, if I'm unable to sleep, there's one thing that I swear by. No, I don't resort to counting sheep or drinking warm milk. Just two spritzes of Zen Zest's Lavender Linen Spray (P200) always does the trick for me. I swear by it and it always works!
Zen Zest has a whole Aromatherapy line. I haven't tried the others yet. But I'm currently very satisfied with the one that I have tried. For their Lavender Spray, you actually have a choice of getting an air mist spray or one specifically to spray on linen. I like the linen spray better because the scent stays on longer. And I love being surrounded with linens and pillows that smell good! ;-)
On the bottle, it says that the lavender spray is meant to calm and soothe. "The stress-relieving aroma of its essential floral oils will bring peace and tranquility into your home." Very very true. I spray one spritz on my pillow and another on my blanket, close my eyes, take a full, deep breath, and within five or so minutes, I'm off to dreamland! The lavender spray really helps me relax my whole body and eventually, help in driving the thoughts out of my head. It just clears my head.
Could work for you too. Why not give it a try? You can find Zen Zest's stall pretty much anywhere. I get my Zen Zest loot at either Market, Market or Glorietta. ;-)
I'm sure you've heard some nasty things about this movie. Aliens with sleek, blonde hair dressed like boy band members. Check. The whole pedantic Scientology take on the film. Check. Nicholas Cage's acting characterized by this single stoic look throughout the film. Check.
Yes, yes, yes, the film is all of these annoying factors and more. But you know what? Regardless of all of these, I still highly recommend this film to everyone.
First, this film has an interesting premise. Fifty years later, a boy and his father finds a piece of paper from a time capsule that's filled with numbers. They uncover a pattern in the numbers -- figuring out that it had a list of the dates of the major disasters in the world along with the number of casualties and the exact coordinates of where it happened. Three of these disasters haven't occurred yet.
That's the general premise. But there are subplots too that make the story more complex. There's the mysterious psychological history of the woman who wrote the prediction. There's the black stones that appear and follow the child wherever he goes. Oh and the group of albino men wearing black trenchcoats watching the house at night too. Is this a ghost story? A psychological thriller? A sci-fi/alien one? The mystery thickens and you never really quite figure it out until halfway through the film. I like that. I really enjoy movies that make me think.
The effects used in the film was just amazing too. I won't get into it too much so as to not reveal the whole plot. But one thing I can tell you is how freaky they really are. It sent chills up my spine! Definitely a feast for the eyes -- that is, if you can keep your eyes open through it. Really scary stuff.
"Knowing" should give you an exciting and thrilling movie experience if you can learn to ignore a few nuances. I honestly enjoyed it. Really now. I didn't know about the whole Scientology take on it until Jojo mentioned it to me after the film. I interpreted it as rather Christian. Biblical allusions were just represented in a different way. But all the same, the message was positive. At times, the movie deeply frightened me. And other times, it made me think. It's a good balance. I really enjoyed the film.
Go see the movie and judge for yourself. I'd like to know what you thought of it. ;-)
I'm no gelato connoisseur. I haven't even tried close to half of the gelatos available in the metro. But you just know when you've found THE one right? ;-) Well, I have. And it comes in the form of the Sans Rival gelato at Amici. Yum!!!
Come to think of it, I've never really tried sans rival in ice cream or gelato form. This is my first. And guess what. It works! The gelato in itself is smooth but the chunks and bits of wafer layer, peanuts, and butter cream icing gives it a lot of texture. The smoothness of the cream complements the texture given by the sans rival bits found in the gelato. The picture below will fool you. You'll think that it's all gelator cream. But when you take that bite, you'll be surprised to taste the generous chunks of sans rival hidden in the scoop! Each cup of this piece of heaven costs only P50. With that, you'll get a humongous scoop of the gelato. ;-) It tastes yummy, it's cheap, and hey, it's not as fattening as ice cream too! Yay!!! ;-)
You can buy Amici gelato in two places. We got ours from a stall on the second floor of Waltermart -- right across the grocery store. Waltermart can be found in the corner of Pasay Road and Pasong Tamo, Makati. Amici is not only known for their gelatos. They also serve authentic Italian pizzas and pastas. But you can only find this at their restaurant that's behind Don Bosco Church. From Waltermart, if you cross the street and walk half a block, you'll easily find it along Pasay Road too. The Amici restaurant has a greater variety of gelato flavors available. If you go to the Waltermart stall, they'll have about 15 there. And the flavors available may change on a daily basis. But so far, I've been lucky and the two times that I've gone to get Sans Rival gelato, they've had it! ;-)
When we go there, Jojo often goes for the "fruitier" gelatos. He got the watermelon one before and loved it! This time around, he got the Mango Jubilee gelato. He really liked it too and enjoyed the small bits of mango added in to the smooth cream. For our next visit, I plan to try the Espresso flavor and Jojo has his eye on the Chocolate with Nuts gelato. Oh and they also have gelatos with Italian names. I honestly don't know what they are. But we plan to try all of those too in our successive visits. ;-) I've no doubt that they will be good. I'll just have to resist getting Sans Rival gelato again though. I'll need to try the other flavors too! ;-)
Still at Megamall, Jojo and I needed to rest our tired feet. We pretty much walked the whole mall from top to bottom -- not missing any store that would be of interest.
Near the skating rink in the basement, we found this gem of a place called "Bubble Tea." I absolutely LOVE these small Japanese cafes and restaurants. Tokyo Cafe at Megamall is one of my favorite places for comfort food. Sango! near Makati Cinema Square is also a favorite when it comes to burgers. Bubble Tea, after having it, is also my favorite now when it comes to, well, er...bubble teas! They're more commonly called as pearl shakes here in the Philippines, actually. From their menu, you can see that Bubble Tea has about 40 different drink flavors. You get to choose whether you want it to be milk-based or tea-based. You can also have it as an iced drink with tapioca (bubbles/pearls) or a hot drink without anything on it. Bubble Tea also serves full meals with pasta, sandwiches, and rice meals as choices. And don't forget desserts! They have these beautifully displayed right by the cashier too. ;-)
Jojo and I were still full from our huge lunch at Chef Choi's Bistro. We initially planned to just order drinks. But the desserts were soooo inviting! I couldn't resist it. I was going to go for the Green Matcha Cake but since I wouldn't be able to finish it all, I decided to order something "safe" that Jojo and I could share. Jojo is not too adventurous when it comes to food and flavors. He's more of a Purist, really. So as a compromise, I chose to order Sans Rival Cake (P90) instead. I asked the cashier and she said that aside from their Matcha Cake, their Sans Rival comes second as their biggest best seller. ;-)
For our drinks, we both chose the smallest-sized, iced, milk-based drinks. Jojo got the Chocolate Milk Tea (P75) while I opted for Jasmine Green Tea (P75). Wow!!!!! We LOVED both drinks! They were soooo refreshing. Exactly what we needed after that long walk and that heat! The drinks were just right -- not too sweet at all. Most importantly, they were very generous with the tapioca balls. Even when we finished the drink, there were still lots of tapioca balls left at the bottom! Unlike Quickly or Zagu, their tapioca balls are much smaller and less "rubbery." The tapioca balls are "squishier" and not one of them had a hard center. It was just perfect! I liked how the texture of the tapioca balls complemented the thick, milky texture of the drink itself. Excellent! Jojo and I declared the drinks at Bubble Tea as a definite potential craving! ;-) I know for a fact that I'll be craving for their drinks a LOT over these hot summer months!
As for the Sans Rival cake, we have to be honest and say that it's not at all rave-worthy. It was terrible, actually. Jojo complained by saying that the cake was too nutty. Where's the cake? ;-) As for me, I thought it was too buttery. It was difficult swallowing it because it felt like I was just eating a whole block of butter with nuts! The Matcha Cake was the bigger bestseller so we're still not completely closing our doors to Bubble Tea's food and desserts. We still plan to give the others a try on our next visit there. We might as well. Because for sure, we know we're going back there for their drinks...;-) Hmmmm, which flavor do you think we should get next? ;-)
We don't normally go to Megamall to shop around. Out of convenience, Jojo and I often stick to malls found in the Makati, Taguig, and Pasay area. But because we had to meet up with somebody there, we thought it would be a great idea to stay a little longer and explore this mall.
It was lunch time and we wanted to try a restaurant that you could only find at Megamall. We walked around for quite a bit before finding a Chinese restaurant on the upper ground level called Chef Choi Bistro. It just opened and they were still on their soft opening. The restaurant caught our eye pretty fast because of the large pictures of succulent-looking Hainanese Chicken and stir fries and barbecued meat near the entrance. Whoever did the food styling of these pictures did an excellent job. After taking our seat, we saw a handful of other people who caught sight of the pictures and immediately had to stop. Just like in a trance, with their eyes still transfixed on the pictures, their feet quickly led them to the cashier to order. ;-)
Upon entering Chef Choi, the restaurant immediately reminded me of one place -- Hongkong's Cafe de Coral. It was like deja vu. When I worked in Hongkong, Cafe de Coral was a restaurant that I used to frequent. The sights and smells of both places were quite similar. In fact, the food that they served were similar too -- if not completely identical. Heck, they presented their menu the same way! In both places, they had a sort of placard for each menu item which they slid onto this clear plastic case placed against the wall. If they run out of the menu item, it's very easy to remove it on the list so as to not cause any confusion for the customers.
Jojo ordered the Baked Porkchop (P125) and I, the Four Treasures Roast Rice with Soup (P149). For our beverages, we both got the Hongkong Iced Lemon Tea (P40). Actually, I wanted bottled water. But when we were there, the cashier said that they were still waiting for the boxes of bottled water to be delivered. Oh yeah. They're still on a soft opening.
After about ten minutes, our food and drinks were served. The first thing that we noticed were the huge servings. There was a lot of rice to go with the viand. Definitely reminiscent of the food served at Cafe de Coral. I was a tiny bit disappointed though when I got my food. In the picture above the cashier, their Four Treasures Roast Rice came with four pieces of Bok Choy and not just one! ;-( Oh and the skin on the chicken looked crispy. Mine wasn't. ;-(
What Jojo and I liked about the food is its lack of MSG. The food might be a bit on the bland side but it's not anything that a bit of soy sauce can't fix. I had a bite of Jojo's Baked Porkchop order and I also liked how the meat retained its crispiness from its breading. Because the order came with a ton of sauce, you wouldn't expect the meat to be crispy still. But it was. And I really liked that. So much so that Jojo and I switched plates. I took his Baked Porkchop and Jojo ate what's left of my Four Treasures Roast Rice. He preferred my order, actually. Jojo doesn't like too much sauce on his food and he's a big fan of grilled and roasted food too. Everything worked out well for the both of us. ;-)
We were given such huge servings that we both didn't get to finish our food. But I always leave room for dessert and it's too bad that Chef Choi Bistro didn't serve any. ;-( Not even those bean balls rolled in sesame seeds (butchi). Oh well. Maybe soon they will offer them too.
Jojo and I just finished off our Hongkong Iced Lemon Tea before heading out. It didn't taste like Nestea, thank God. If they added more syrup or sugar to it though, it would taste exactly like the lemon teas sold in Hongkong. It wasn't bad. Close enough. And we really liked them. Loved the glasses that they were served in too. Sooo cool. Would love to buy a whole set of it for the house. Very Ikea-ish. ;-)
Not a bad restaurant at all -- especially considering they just opened. And we were, technically, like guinea pigs. ;-) Hahaha! ;-) Regardless, Jojo and I will definitely go back to this place again. The food is cheap, the servings are huge, the service is excellent, and the food reminds us of Hongkong. All our trips to Hongkong have been fun and truly memorable. Because of this, being at Chef Choi Bistro makes us really giddy. Oh yeah. We'll definitely be back...;-)
I didn't have work the whole week because of Spring Break. And one of my great accomplishments this week, aside from starting a blog, is having my shoes all organized and labeled. I'm a complete shoe addict so I really need to have a system. Before, when I just had my shoes in their original, store-provided shoe boxes, it was hellish having to look for a particular pair that I wanted to wear. I had to go through every single one. Shoes that were placed at the bottom of the pile were easily forgotten too. In other words, out of sight -- definitely out-of-mind.
Finally, I put aside some time this week to remove all of the shoes from their boxes to place them all in one massive pile. It was a real treat! It was like I just went shopping. You see, I was able to find at least 5 new pairs of shoes that I had completely forgotten I had! There's the multi-colored stiletto that I bought in Bangkok three years ago! Not once did I ever wear that pair! Oh and my favorite houndstooth, "Jackie O"-ish shoes! There were other beautiful pairs that I got from my previous trips that somehow, managed to slip my mind.
I had wanted to organize the shoes for the longest time. But first, I had to look for perfectly-sized plastic shoe boxes that won't break the bank. I've gone to True Value, Ace Hardware, Rustan's, SM, Landmark, and other department stores and hardware stores. In these stores, I found three types of shoe boxes that could work. One was a clear box which held only one pair of shoes. It would have been really nice to have gotten that box. Since it's a clear box, it would be easy to see what's inside. The down side to getting it is the price. It costs more than 100 pesos each! With 60 pairs of shoes needing a home, it wasn't practical to get it. In total, it would be at least P6,000. That's equivalent to one really good pair of Nine West shoes with change! Aside from the price, there's the space issue too. Where would I put 60 shoe boxes??!??The other kind that I found was really cheap. Only P50 each. It's a "clear-ish" box that can also fit one pair of shoes. I say "clear-ish" because the box, itself, is not as transparent as the other one. It's kind of frosted. Does that make sense? Anyway, it would have worked. But what I didn't like is the built-in lid at the top. You'll need both hands to flip it open from the middle. The plastic used for the lid is not very sturdy too. It is bound to give way if you pile at least 3 boxes on top of it.The last kind that I considered and eventually bought, is the P70 kind from SM Makati. It can comfortably fit two pairs of shoes (given that they're not both stilettos) and it's quite affordable too. Instead of needing 60 boxes, I only needed 40. I worked it out so that all of my flip flops and thin sandals could fit in one box, 2 of my medium-sized shoes could fit in one box each, and stilettos or my really high-heeled shoes can have its individual box. Not only did I save money from getting this but more importantly, I also saved on space! Yay for me! Now I have extra money to buy another pair of shoes! ;-)
Since the boxes are not that transparent, I needed to take a picture of each pair of shoes, paste two of the pictures onto PowerPoint and save the slide as a jpeg file. Then I brought my USB to Fuji Digital Exchange at Glorietta to have the pictures printed out. I availed of the promo (they might still have it!) and paid only P4 for each 3R picture. Cheap huh? Other places like Kodak charge around P7 per picture. More savings!!! I love it. ;-)
I have the day off and I'm too lazy to go out or do anything. Or it's time for bed and I don't feel like sleeping yet. There's nothing good on TV and if I pop on a DVD, I think I'll be asleep before I'll get to finish the movie. Or maybe it's been a stressful day and I just need to clear my mind. In these instances, there is one thing that I automatically do. That is, I turn on my laptop and play a dash game!
For minutes or even hours at a time, I get to be a wedding planner, a waitress, a parking attendant, and even an Apprentice contestant! With the fast click of a mouse, I have to tend to demanding and quirky guests and customers who absolutely have to sit beside certain people or eat a particular meal in a specific order! They're quite impatient and if I don't tend to them fast, they all get red in the face, then immediately leave the venue, and cause me to lose precious points! ;-)
Jojo thinks I'm odd when I describe these Dash games as being "Zen." He finds it quite stressful actually. ;-) In the game, ten or more people ask for something at the same time and it's your job to remember where everything is placed, get the order right, and make sure to quickly serve the dishes before the guest or the customer gets irate! I suppose it can be quite stressful. He has a point there. But I really enjoy these games. When I play, it's like I'm in my own world. Your reflexes have to act quickly and there's no time to think of anything but the game. After a while, when you become a pro at playing these games, you start to develop a strategy, a sort of "rhythm" and you can actually play the game without being really "there." Your mind is allowed to wander and daydream even! And the game just becomes relaxing! You can probably tell I've really thought about this huh? ;-)
Why not take my word for it and give these highly-recommended games a try? Most people find shopping as a stress-reliever. But in these hard times, stress is everywhere and really, who has the money to shop everytime it hits us?
Below are my Top 5 Dash games and where to download them. I've put in feedback from websites to give you an idea of the game. By the way, I've downloaded these games myself. If you have an anti-virus software, there's really nothing to worry about. Enjoy the games and tell me what you think! ;-)
5.) Jane's Hotel 1 and 2 "Assist main game character, a girl named Jane, make her dream come true. You begin with a small two star hotel at the outskirts of Jane’s native town. By carrying out customers’ wishes attentively and quickly, you earn money and achieve excellent reputation. That will help you get another star to your hotel class. Help Jane to make most captious customers happy: choose refined furniture, build a golf course, and please your customers with exquisite drinks and good meals. Don’t forget to have an eye on your customers’ mood, for your goal is to make them want to return to your hotel again and again. You’ll feel great watching Jane transforming her small motel into a five stars extra class hotel. There is a special assistant at your disposal, the chambermaid. She’ll kindly take care of cleaning rooms, changing beds and cherishing flowers, for your customers love natural plants that make the atmosphere pleasant and comfortable. Meanwhile, your main task is to communicate with customers. You have to settle each in their rooms, offer them coffee, discuss latest news, and do everything in your power to keep customers pleased. Great graphic arts, amusing characters, and relaxing soundtrack - everything will please your senses throughout the game. 40 interesting levels, 4 hotels (you begin with a two star hotel and transform it into a five star one), possibility to buy various furniture and services." (http://download.cnet.com/Jane-s-Hotel/3000-7551_4-10759709.html)
4.) Parking Dash "Climb behind the wheel and shift into high gear with the completely original Parking Dash!
Flo made the acquaintance of Karma, a new young friend, who had inherited some property in DinerTown, namely a tiny little blacktop plot behind Flo's Diner. This can cause a serious change in the Karma's life. Initially Karma was going to sell the lot to Mr. Big, but Flo persuade the new friend to organize her own small business of valet parking service. Click fast as you are racking, tracking, or even stacking cars from every crossing of DinerTown. You have to help Karma clear up the roads. Parking Dash is a perfectly amusing combination of the known and the unusual.
Parking Dash features:
2 ParkingDash play modes: story and endless shift
50 levels of puzzle parking merriment in 5 new DinerTown places
New funny upgrades, from doughnut slot machines to car lifts"
3.) Burger Dash "After receiving some strange blueprints in the mail, you build an extraordinary food-making contraption and open a restaurant. Make food and satisfy a variety of customers until you discover the truth behind the mysterious blueprints. Burger Shop has multiple game modes including Story Mode, Challenge Mode and Relax Mode.
2.) The Apprentice Los Angeles "Keep your fingers clicking! The Apprentice Los Angeles is FAST. Better than the usual serve-your-customer game, You lead your team in a fight head-on with another team. Starts with serving sushi in a trendy lookinng Japanese Sushi bar, goes on to making your customer sastified with their experience in your Fashion boutique, and ends with a Scuba shop. Hint: Make sure you stock up your equipments in your Scuba shop otherwise you will be too tied up to serve your demanding customers. Donald Trump expects you to perform like a star. If you don't, you will see him in the most dreaded BOARDROOM, where one of your team member will be fired. The Apprentice: Los Angeles is a fast paced game in a fast paced world. Who will be Trump's next apprentice? You?"
1.) Wedding Dash 1 and 2 "Not unlike multitasking through a game of Diner Dash, Wedding Dash challenges Quinn to take care of guests at a wedding reception, including seating them where they want (or don't want), serving them food (appetizers, entrees and dessert), taking gifts from guests and handing them to the bride and groom, bringing song requests to the DJ and taking care of "incidences" such as breaking up a catfight between two bridesmaids, putting out a fire in the kitchen, handling inebriated guests and bringing tissues to Aunt Ethel who can't stop bawling.
Different kinds of guests will arrive, too, such as easygoing ones, social butterflies who work the room and impatient eaters. Quinn better have things under control or else the bride turns into - you guessed it - a fire-breathing Bridezilla! Do well and you'll make some cash and get hired to take care of additional weddings including one in a ballroom, on a cruise ship, in a castle and on an island.
...Before each new wedding, a kind of mini-game has you read a blurb about what the happy couple likes and dislikes and asks you to choose the correct item from three options for bonus points; this includes the kind of food they like (they may love seafood, so you'd pick lobster for the main course), where they'd like to go on a honeymoon (she loves Europe, so you'd select Italy), the kind of wedding cake they'd like, and so on."
Continuing on the subject of Tagaytay, I failed to talk about T-House in greater detail in my previous post. I must say, T-House, standing for "Tranquility" House, for the most part, is a great find.
I first found out about T-House in Anton's blog when I was researching on a great and unique hotel to stay at for a weekend in Tagaytay. Our other options were Sonya's Bed and BreakfastThe Boutique Hotel. It was a real toss-up. But for a completely new experience, and not to mention, their cheaper rates, we opted for T-House instead.
Since they only have 15 rooms available, it was a good thing that we decided to reserve way ahead of time. You see, when we got there, another couple who tried to check-in on the spot, had to be turned away because they were fully booked! Anyway, to reserve a room, you'll be asked to make a P2,000 deposit to their bank account. And when you check-in, you'll just have to show them the deposit slip and you're good to go. I must admit, it was really difficult for Jojo and I to find the time to go to the bank to make that deposit. As you know, banks here close at around 3 or 4 pm. That's exactly when I finish work and Jojo finishes much later. Just so we can make that deposit, Jojo had to make that trip to the bank during his lunch break. Long line ups are expected during lunch -- especially on Fridays. So that's my beef with that. I wish T-House has a better system. We were willing to give them our credit card number. Just like how it's done in most hotels right? But T-House, I guess, is a bit of segurista. By the way, for cancellations, you can only get your deposit back if you call them a week in advance. If not, you'll have to say goodbye to your P2,000. Just like that.
Despite this, I'm still recommending T-House to everyone. The place is just beautiful! It's perfect for a relaxing getaway since the place aptly has "Tranquility" written all over it. ;-) All of its design aspect is Zen-inspired. Walkways are lined up with trees (from durian to mango to makopa trees) and the water fountains all around gives you that soothing and peaceful ambiance. When you walk in a bit more, you'll see a few canopies with pillows and white curtains billowing along with the gentle breeze. As for the room that we got, it was in the Water Cluster. The other clusters are Fire and Earth. We asked for just a standard room. So we had the most basic room -- ie: no bathtubs or receiving area for us. The design is very minimalist. The walls were plain white and really, the most colorful thing in the room is the headboard. It had alternating white and stripes of blue in different hues. On the wall is a 19" Samsung TV (exactly like the one we have at home!) The lamp is also built into the wall. There's one end table and on top is the phone and a vase with one (or maybe two?) long leaves. ;-) It's a nice simplistic touch. ;-)
We had windows on one side and beside it is a nook. You have the option of putting your luggage there or using it as a place to sit and read. ;-) The bathroom is quite simple too. The only different thing about it is that that's where they place the rack and hangers for your clothes. I found it a bit odd. With its close proximity to the shower area, your clothes could easily get wet when hung there.
When it comes to service, I must say, the staff of T-House deserve an A+. They're always all smiles. They're very accommodating and attentive too. We felt really pampered during our stay there. I forgot to mention that before bed, they also give you tea and cookies. The tea was too too "organic" for my taste. I don't think they used dried tea leaves for it. I peeked into the pot and it was some indistinguishable plant or leaf or some other. Anyway, it didn't taste good at all. As for the tiny oatmeal cookie that you get, it was really yummy. Too bad you only get one tiny one. ;-) All this given in such great presentation that I wanted to take the whole thing home! The teapot was cute and the ceramic cups...Hmm. I wonder where they got them. By the way, I was able to stop myself from putting them in my bag and sneaking away with them just so you know. ;-)Before bed, we really wanted to get a massage. T-House has a mini-spa and you can choose to have the massage done in the privacy of your own room too. It was the perfect plan. It's just unfortunate that they only offer massages until 11 pm. So in other words, since they have one-hour massages, you'll need to have the massage started at 10 pm at the latest. It was already 11 by then and we didn't want to go out anymore for that massage. It was just too bad. We were really looking forward to trying their massages as per the recommendation given by Anton in his blog. ;-(
Accommodation comes with a free breakfast for two. So bright and early the next day, Jojo and I were off to their little cafe. Breakfast is a la carte and they have a list of selections there. Jojo went for their Filipino breakfast with Boneless Bangus. I went for the longganisa one. Straight away, they give you a plateful of bread -- raisin bread, white and whole wheat pan de sal, and others. They also give you a small plateful of fresh fruits -- papaya, pineapple, and watermelon. I thought a free drink like coffee or tea would come with it. But unfortunately, it didn't. I thought that was weird. They didn't even ask us for drinks. Hmmm. Maybe they don't have a whole selection??!?? The breakfast, in itself, was good. Jojo commented that it's "healthy" tasting. Whatever that means. ;-) Hahaha! ;-) That's a good thing right? What I am raving on the most is their raisin bread. I looooooved them so much that I requested the kitchen to make me a whole batch that I can purchase. They only charged P5 per piece. Yummy! You absolutely can't miss this one when you go to T-House. Trust me. Very reminiscent of the famous raisin bread in Baguio (Camp John Hay Manor is it?)
That was a real awesome weekend! While in Tagaytay, make sure to take the time to shop for fruits, plants/flowers, and Mr. Moo's fresh milk and kesong puti as well. More on that in my next entry. ;-)
I’ve heard about Ilog Maria before from some of the blogs that I frequent. I know that it’s a Honeybee farm that makes organic and natural health soaps, oils, lotions, and many other toiletries. But it wasn’t really until our weekend at Tagaytay that I actually got to try their products. It was by accident, actually. I’m often the most organized person you’ll ever know. For some reason, on that particular weekend getaway, I wasn’t. We were checked in at T-House. And guess what? I forgot to bring soap! We didn’t have a choice but to actually use the soap that was provided by the hotel. I don’t normally use those. I find that soap and what-not provided by hotels dry up the skin really fast.
Left without a choice, I decided to use the soap that they provided, anyway. I quickly made that decision when I read the little sticker on the soap. “Green tea and honey,” it said. Hmmm. Interesting. I took a whiff of it and its scent didn’t disappoint either! T-House also provided Green Tea Shampoo to go with it. Enamored by the scent, I decided to ditch my Pantene shampoo as well.
Let me tell you, it was the best soap I’ve ever used! I’m usually a body wash-and-foam “type” of girl. But with soap that gentle, refreshing, and clean smelling, I’m willing to use soap instead – at least for my evening baths. As for the shampoo, it made my hair smell nice and minty all day. I couldn’t stop myself from flipping my hair! I just wish that they provided conditioners as well. My hair wasn’t as soft as I wanted it.
When we asked the front desk and found out that these toiletries were provided by Ilog Maria, Jojo and I were immediately on a hunt for the place. There was no way that I was going to leave Tagaytay without shopping at Ilog Maria. And Jojo knew this. So without hearing any complaints, off were were to Ilog Maria.
Ilog Maria is about a half hour away from the T-House Hotel. It’s quite difficult to find, actually. It’s a good thing that when we stopped to ask for directions, the people in Tagaytay were very helpful and accommodating. Since it’s off the main road, I imagine it wouldn’t be advisable to go there during or after rain showers. It might be quite muddy and you wouldn’t want to risk having your car being stuck in the mud!
When we finally got there (that is, after following a van which we suspected was going to Ilog Maria too!), we saw the store immediately. The crowd of people that were there was a dead giveaway. ;-) Anyway, behind the store was some sort of BeeMuseum. Since it was late afternoon and it was beginning to get dark, we decided to just do our shopping there and then split. The next time we’re there, we will be sure to roam the farm though.
In a matter of minutes, I easily racked up a bill of 1,000 pesos. I was so impressed with their soaps that I ended up buying presents or pasalubong for Jojo’s Mom and sisters too!
I bought them each a Propolis-Cider Liniment, Honey Propolis Throat Spray, and 2 of the mini-soaps. I got the same for myself but in addition to it, a LOT more soaps! ;-) Almost one of each kind! ;-) I bought the Lavender soap, Spearmint, Milk & Honey, Coffee & Honey, and Green Tea!
I’m still trying to use up the Lavender soap. And of course, I’ve tried the Green Tea soap.But so far, here’s the verdict. The soaps are just EXCELLENT! Really gentle and it leaves a subtle yet fragrant scent on your skin. I love them so much that I’ve decided I’ll only buy and use Ilog Maria soaps from now on and no other. ;-)
As for the Propolis Cider Liniment, Jojo and I have tried it a couple of times in place of Efficascent Oil or White Flower. What we like about it is the fact that it doesn’t have that (out of lack of a better term) – “old smell.” It smells nice and it’s not overpowering. What we don’t like about it too much is that it lacks that “tingly” feeling that you get after applying it on. Minutes after applying Efficascent Oil and White Flower, your skin feels cool and it immediately drives away that “fatigued muscle” feel. The Propolis Cider Liniment only works when you apply a ton of it in your skin. And it takes a while to actually feel it work. It’s too bad. I had high hopes for this one.
The Honey Propolis Throat Spray is said to freshen breath, ease sore throat, quiet smoker’s cough, and keep gums healthy. Jojo made 2 spritzes of it in his tonsils as it said in the bottle. After a few seconds, he gave me that face. Apparently, it didn’t taste very pleasant. I tried it myself and it cooled the tonsils for a few minutes, alright. But there’s a bit of that subtle aftertaste. Sadly, not too appealing.
Regardless of this, we plan to go back there to restock. I’ll be trying the other soaps as well as the hair oil, honeymilk lotion, bath gel, and aromatherapy oil. Can’t wait!!! ;-)
For more info, you can check out their website at www.ilogmaria.com . They have a product catalogue there along with the price list.
One such album that we both ABSOLUTELY love is "When You Love Someone (Songs of Love and Friendship). This album is by various artists -- the likes of Above the Golden State, Hawk Nelson, Toby Mac, and Nicole Nordeman. Definitely unheard-of huh? ;-) They're mostly Christian artists that's why. It's unfortunate that Christian music is not given as much attention and hype as they should. I mean, they produce a LOT of good music! Not only are they positive but they also have great melodies and excellent arrangements.
