I’ve always been a fan of Mary Grace Cafe’s Grilled Ensaymada and Traditional Hot Tsokalate but i never got the chance to blog about these two comfort food of mine. Whenever i’m sad, i always look for these combo and right after i finished eating, I’m all okay and happy again! Shallow as you may call me, but heck, I don’t give a damn,. I love my cheap thrills! :)

Grilled Ensaymada -P73.00 An Ensaymada is, well, just an ensaymada. A type of bread that you buy from any bakery would typically contain the same basic ingredient, cheese. But, with Mary Grace’s, the taste is something that has an addictive content. well for me, It must be the cheese on top which is finely shredded (not strips). The saltiness of the cheese rushes the palate ahead of the sweetness plus it really goes well with their Traditional Tsokalate as well as with the Mexicana Tsokalate which is another hit for me when i tasted it last night. the tsokalate’s spiked with cinnamon and chili! Nice choice, Lee! :)

The Traditional Hot Tsokalate -P68.00 : Full-flavored local chocolate! This drink will always be heavenly for me. This may look like the ordinary hot chocolate you drink at home, but trust me, it’s something! plus it really compliments the sweetness of the grilled ensaymada! ♥

took a shot of Lee while checking on the menu..

A lovely family beside our table..

Mary Grace has a cozy, relaxing and serene atmosphere that I always look for when dining in a restaurant. Those love letters from satisfied customers were kept underneath the glass-covered tables. Those are nice to read while waiting your food to be served. :)

Here’s Lee reading the cute letters from the kiddies who dined at Mary Grace.

Awwwwwwww.. soooooo cute!!!! 

Tank You! cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! :))

Here i am super entertained with the love letters, I love reading different feedback from the customers of CMG, I actually learned some things about them and their CMG favorites! :)

Cafe Mary Grace isn’t just about cakes, cheese rolls and ensaymada. They also offer pastas, salads and sandwiches and since, i’m in a super good mood now, I looked for the menu for you guys to check out so that you’ll have an idea on what to order when you visit CMG! :)

Enjoy reading and prepare your mouth to water! lol

Lee gamely pose when i asked her to look at my camera. As always! hahaha

Cafe Mary Grace branches : Serendra, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center (Ground Level, Corte De Las Palmas (front of Starbucks), Rob Manila, Eastwood Mall and Greenbelt 2! 

We definitely had so much fun and thrilling experience during our stay on this resort. We swam most of the time, played with the waves, basked under the sun, never ending shutter bugging and a lot more!

The sand in Puerto is off white, yet it glistens like snow when sunlight is at brightest. There are also several stones scattered in the shore but walking barefooted didn’t cause us any discomfort. We actually enjoyed playing with the different shapes and sizes of stones. I even collected some and planned to take it home for souvenir but i forgot to bring it with me. haha! 

Two of my most favorite shots! The background’s undeniably, A sight to behold! Look at the sea, What a picturesque!  ♥

Yam and I enjoyed the view of Mt.Malasimbo so much. ♥

Obviously, we had a hard time going down from our spot. It really ain’t easy!!!

Thanks Pau for this shot!

Of course, we had a jump shot! 

Oh, here’s a favorite pic of mine with my most frequented spot at the resort. I super love this egg-like chair/bed, I remember reading the Travel mags i brought here, I think i fell asleep here for some minutes and this is the perfect location to surf the net because the signal of wifi here was so strong. Bummer by the beach much!  ♥

And of course, The resort isn’t called SUNSET for nothing!

Breathtakingly amazing sunset!

We did a lot of Kayaking after watching the sunset, I enjoyed it a lot :)

What a majestic shot! I so love this picture!

For our last day, we just enjoyed the remaining hours of our stay, I went on Kayaking alone.. Tapang! lol

Yam posed for the last time!

Bye Paradise!

Overall, we had a wonderful experience. I can’t recommend this place enough for anyone. It caters to everyone longing for a nice and quality vacation.  The White Beach can offer a lot of activities for you to do but at the end of the day it is best to stay and relax and have a quiet moment with your Family and friends by the beach as the sun sets. And Sunset at Aninuan gives you that. I can’t wait to go back!!!!

My souvenir for you Tumblr! lol

So, yes i went on this trip for 2 prime reasons: To relax and enjoy the beautiful beach and to experience the Mindoro food! as much as i super loved the resort where we stayed and the Aninuan Falls, there’s still a downside. Honestly, there’s just one disappointment on our whole trip and it’s the food we have eaten since we arrived, No, I didn’t expect to experience superb and to taste succulent dishes because i know the place’s not a food haven. I actually just hoped for palatable food but sad to say nothing even came close to my “steady” expectation. all the food shops we have dined at the White beach saddened us. really. 

“White Beach Resort & Restaurant”

This is where we had lunch, our first meal. Yam and i both ordered for a Beef Tapa with Garlic rice and the Tapa’s as hard as your face. I ordered for a tall glass of Mango shake for a drink and was surprised to see the mango shake in a plastic cup and mind you, it wasn’t even tall! It looks like the regular scrambled shake you see on the streets. and the taste? Oh gosh, it’s not even natural! It tasted like a TANG MANGO JUICE. Yes, the one in sachet we buy for 10pesos and can make a pitcher of juice. HA! had i known it, i would have just looked for a sachet of Nestea or Tang at the nearby stores! lol. Good thing, Yam SLIGHTLY enjoyed her Halo-Halo. While, Paulo and Gustav didn’t also like the viands they ordered but they were able to finish it because they’re JUST HUNGRY. For dessert, i ordered Banana pancakes. it already took us 10 years but it’s still not served. I was pissed and i have it cancelled. Kthanksbye.

Ooohhh The unforgettable and strict, Preselda! lol

“Foodtrip sa Galera”

For dinner, we went back to White beach hoping for a better food. With all the food stalls and restos there, we ended up here. So i checked on their menu, Yam ordered for the Honey Roasted Spareribs with chicken/adobo flakes while i got their Fried Chicken because these 2 ACCORDING TO THEM, are their “Specialties”. When our orders arrived, i was a bit excited to eat because aside from the hunger, I heard this restaurant is one of Galera’s finest. So, i promptly grabbed the chickie. much to my disappointment! The chicken tasted like uhmm….. NOTHING. It’s bland, savorless and a total WASTE OF MONEY! I should have not eaten! Yam shared the same sentiment with me while the 2 boys finished their food because again, They’re JUST HUNGRY.

P.S

Pardon me for not having food visuals! I didn’t bother to take a single shot of them because it’s not worth it. OKAY.

In White Beach on Friday evenings up until the weekend, a group of fire dancers converge. Most of them are ladyboys (gays/homosexuals), and when you get to see them dance, spinning around with their lighted tools,  handling fire hoops with ease, you can only be filled with admiration at their skill, and the hundreds of hours they must have spent practicing their craft. No wonder their bodies are so toned, great exercise! BRAVO!

There are many forms of entertainment in Puerto Galera but mostly are concentrated in Sabang and White Beach areas. there are plenty of open-air bars, Karaoke places, massage parlors etc.. They say your Puerto Galera visit won’t be complete if you will not try their Mindoro sling, I heard it’s a hot local cocktail mixed with slices of a apple on a pitcher with a long stick on it. I think it is a mixed of Rhum, mango , grandine syrup and sprite if I’m not mistaken. too bad, we weren’t able to try it because we went back to our resort right after watching the fire dancers, Next time!!! Instead, we just bought some bottles of Tanduay Ice and bummed by the beach while enjoying the cold breeze and listening to the sounds of big waves…. Relaxing!!!!!!!

After relaxing and staying up for some hour in front of the beach, we headed back to our room and had s super great slumber…

We also went for a swim at the Infinity pool despite of the dark surrounding before going to sleep.

Goodnight, Paradise! ♥

After reading fantastic reviews about Sunset at Aninuan Resort at Trip Advisor,

Click: http://www.virtualtourist.com/hotels/Asia/Philippines/Province_of_Mindoro_Oriental/Puerto_Galera-1385556/Hotels_and_Accommodations-Puerto_Galera-Sunset_at_Aninuan_Beach_Resort-BR-1.html , I immediately called the resort and inquire about the rates and amenities. I was actually torn between Tamaraw beach resort and Sunset at Aninuan but the latter won with a favorable response! I was gonna have our room reserved but i decided not to because i figured that the resort won’t be that full for we’re coming on a weekday and it’s off peak! Great decision! :)

After a 5 minute tricycle ride from white beach, we finally reached Sunset!

We were so flabbergasted when we enter the very mediterrenean looking resort! We’re all mimicking Yam’s utterance of the word This is Amazing! Read in a very maarte way and with conviction : This is ahhh-maa-zing! LOL :p The resort vibe is similar to Tides, Boracay according to Yam!

A view of the sea with the many lounge chairs to roast on fronting the beach. JUST PERFECT!  I love how the resort’s so secluded compared to the crazy crowd of White beach. I believe we were the only Guest “Pinoys” in the resort. everybody checked-in were europeans and americans. I love how the high-end resort’s so secluded compared to the crazy crowd of White beach. (I never liked congested places and it’s one of the reasons why i opted for Sunset)

The trio instantaneously posed for a pic! Yam loved the “egg” chair so much!

Tables for meals. In the background are the rooms for rent at the new wing.

This is the best spot to have your meal for me. Beach front-ing and it wasn’t that hot here because of the air coming from the Palm trees.

One of my most favorite and frequented spot at the resort is the Infinity pool at the New wing, I loved the fact that they don’t use too much chlorine on the water. I even plunged and swam there alone countless times. 

This was the first room we checked at the new wing, it’s nice and beautiful but more expensive! Priced at 5K/night

This is the second room we checked and this is what we chose. Priced at 3K/night. I must admit, the first room’s nicer but this room is fair enough and besides, I’ve never been particular with room accommodations. As long as the bathroom’s clean and the place is safe, I’m okay with that. We didn’t come here to experience a luxurious room vibe. We went here for a good vacation and not to experience a long hour of sleep.

On our second day, we’re indecisive on what falls to visit. They say the Tamaraw Falls and the Talipanan falls are the most popular but since, we’re running out of time, we decided to hike the Aninuan Falls which is nearer to our resort. We rented a tricycle that would take us to the starting point of the hike to Aninuan falls. It was a way up the zigzag road, which took us about roughly, an hour. Then, we hiked all the way up. The climb was a total challenge for a Fatso like me and also for Yam, who had a hard time walking because of her injured feet. The hike was really an adventure, because we trekked up, mounted big rocks, and dipped in brooks. Thank god, we have a cool guide who patiently waited for us during our stopovers. lol

GOW.

The trio paused for a little at the stone bridge.

After an hour of intense sweating and hiking, we finally reached the Aninuan Falls!

Definitely, cheap “INTRANCE” hehe :-)

Welcome to the beautiful Aninuan Falls!

The very inviting and refreshingly cold water of aninuan falls will make you stay there forever. I super loved it there. I remember myself having a hard time to step out when Yam told me we have to go back to resort, The place’s so serene and the water’s just incomparable. 

Yam and I had a hard time reaching this spot because you have to climb the rocks but for the sake of picture, GOW!

Kwentuhan by the falls. lol., We stayed here for like 20 minutes and we enjoyed plunging and splashing the water..

OMG, I wanna repeat this moment again! I honestly, super miss the water! I miss you Aninuan falls. I SHALL RETURN.

Was so sad to leave the place but we need to get back to the resort.. We hiked up for another one hour…

We even spotted a dead snake while on our way up..

It’s dead but still freaky! good thing, we didn’t seen any live snakes and other gross animals while walking…

Finally, a group shot! thanks to the camera timer of Yam! lol. Oh well, i have bought a tall tripod already (just sharing) can’t wait to use it on our next escapade! :p

One last hurrah for Summer 2011. A perfect getaway before facing the real world : Back to School!

So after coming up with so many summer plans, The Mindoro trip happened! This has been a very memorable and fun-filled trip! 

May 31,2011

After the almost-2 hour bus trip from Alabang to Batangas port, The Camus Siblings (Paulo, Gustav & Miriam) and I were on the boat en route to White Beach.. We were on board of the “Classic of Jar” pump boat and unbelievably, we had a very smooth and safe travel as we crossed the sea. The waves were very cool and the weather’s at its finest! Thank you almighty god for giving us the best weather despite of the start of rainy season!

We barely noticed the One hour travel time from Batangas port going to white beach because we enjoyed sight seeing and shutter bugging.

What a beautiful sight of Mt.Malasimbo!

After an hour, we finally reached the White beach! 

The trio posed before going down! 

And Finally were here!!!!!

Of course, we striked a silly pose as we stepped out of the boat.

Yam :ahhh-maa-zing!!!!!!! lol

Lee and I have been meaning to try Food De Sentosa for the longest time coz we’ve been hearing nice words about the taste and authenticity of their food. And finally, we were able to try it! We went there today, past 12 noon notwithstanding the 38 degrees weather. Yes, we’re that excited! lol

Lee gamely posed in front of of FDS. lol

The wall

I super like the cover of their menu. very ancient-ish

The goofies played on the mirror while waiting for the foodies! :)

And we had the following :

Hainanese Chicken at its best!

The extraordinary rice of the hainanese.

The Perfect condiments for the hainanese chix. Me likey! :)

The Char Kuey Teow, Fried noodle which is hard to pronounce and spell that’s why i took a pic of the spelling below! hahaha., It’s yummy and.. extra spicy! :)

Lamb and Beef Satay, DISCLAIMER : This are not barbecues. it may look like one but it’s totally different. Hahahaha! VERIDCT : The Lamb Satay’s the best!!!!!! I super liked it! So flavorful. it’s really good! I want to eat it all over again! :)

Air Bandung / Rose Tea, It’s basically milk flavored with rose cordial syrup. 

 Source : The waitress hahaha, Yes, i asked her about this drink and why should i try this. and i was convinced! lol

The Bandung and the Barley Pandan of Lee! She told me it’s not that good.

The Foodie, Lee :)

Overall, It was a fun dining experience! The food was great! Very authentic and reasonably priced plus The service’s good! Highly recommended :)

LOCATION : 298 Aguirre Ave., BF Homes (In front of Puregold Jr.), 1720 Parañaque City

As planned, Abby and I tried Kanin Club in Westgate Yesterday. We met up at the town center then we headed to the place where it’s situated at around 12:00nn. When we reached the resto, we were surprised when we saw the large crowd of people. TIP: It would be best if you can go there earlier. The restaurant is jampacked during lunch time and it couldn’t accomodate everyone for the place’s not big enough. Kanin Club offers authentic Filipino dishes served with a twist. There’s much buzz and raves about their food especially the crispy dinuguan (crispy blood stew), which I myself was so intrigued about. But since i was NEVER a fan of eating Dinuguan, i didn’t bother to order it. Maybe, Next time! :p

We feasted on the following instead :

Crispy Liempo, The pork belly strips felt like chicharon but not so devilish. I liked this one coz it’s so crunchy and appetizing but it’s not something that i will always want to eat. :)

Tapa ni Ana, It was quite oily but it tasted good. So flavorful! And being a tapa lover, i think it’s one of the best tapa i’ve tasted but the oil should’ve been removed. 

Vegetarian Curry,  It’s basically the vegetable you find in Pinakbet but damn, this is good! I liked the curry sauce and the mushroom goes well with the veggies.

Since, Abby and i were super full already, we just ordered one dessert and we chose the house specialty dessert, The Turon KC Ala mode, which ismade of caramelized banana with ube haleya, macapuno and red mongo beans inside. It’s like a fried halo-halo. Sooooooooo good! It’s the most “maarte” turon i’ve ever seen. hahaha

Oh hai ther Abby! haha

I just had to take a pic of this giant mortar and pestle. Kyot! hahaha

The facade of Kanin Club in Westgate.

All in all, it was a great dining experience. The service and ambiance were okay. The food were good enough and satisfied my taste buds and  i think every meal is an adventure because you’d want to try something new. I also like the way they name their dishes! Very unique. :)

Looking forward to try other dishes on my next visit. Yes, i’ll be coming back! :)

For the weekend, we went to our province (What’s new?) lol., It was my pop’s first visit after several months and we decided to go to the mountain and visit the lot my mom bought there. It was a scorchingly hot day that’s why we were so tired and sweating from the extreme walkathon and when we arrived at the first lot, We asked the caretaker to get us some “Buko” from the coconut trees. Thanks to him coz it made us so refreshed! As a nature lover, I’ve always liked the multitude of living beings: animals, plants, trees and the landscape. I feel at peace and happy when i’m surrounded by these. I love the smell of a flower, call me weird but i enjoy its beauty and delicateness and i think everyone must take time to enjoy our Nature. It’s a masterpiece and we owe it to him :)

Random shots i took :

I really have a thing for clouds :)

Pop’s having a hard time walking under the super sun.

Such a good climber! lol. Thanks for the bukos! lol

The peeps enjoying their drink.

 ♡ ♡ ♡

I know God has a plan. Sometimes I wish I could take a peek at his planner to see what’s ahead of me… But, maybe not knowing is the fun part! ♥

(Picture taken using my BB)

This Thai style Spicy Sampaloc has an addictive content. ‘Once you pop, you can’t stop’ Yes, just like Pringles! hahahaha. actually, i was never a fan of eating Sampaloc until one day, My classmate Cza gave me some pebbles of this and from then, i’ve been a fan of this product. I swear this is highly addictive! It”s very chewy, tasty and spicy! I let my cousin and my friend taste this one time and they liked it very much! For Tamarind lovers, this is A MUST-TRY! 

It also comes in a small container… I cant remember the exact price, just check it out! 

You can buy this on leading grocery stores.. (Mini Stop, 7-11, Sm confectionary section) 

PS.

Paging Moniegold, I super advertised your product, send me a box this pls! hahaha #ASIF

Last Saturday night, after attending a kiddie party, I headed to the resort somewhere in Cavite and bonded with some of my beloved friends… I was actually ill that night. had cough and colds and slightly fever-ish but i opted to go coz i promised them that i will show up so i just kept my word :) It was so nice to see everyone and catch up with the latest happenings and glad to know that they’re all having the time of their life. I’m so proud of what they have become now. they’re all certified professionals and has started reaching their dreams.. Yay! I will forever be in love with these people. I love them to bits and i know our friendship will last forever! I can’t wait to graduate and start a career as well. I dream to explore and travel the world with some of them.. ♥

Here are some pics from our Overnight Swimming! :)

‘

Bebeyn, Kakay & THE Shiela :p

Mother & Daughter hahaha

The FAILED underwater shots! hahaha

Awwww. Kakay’s sick as well.

I love you guys! ♥

Last Friday was so much of a fun and lovely night! had dinner with my bumming buddies and we enjoyed each other’s company as usual. (Thanks Momsie♡) had a good laugh, photo session (expected) and good food. It was my first time to try out Leslie’s Restaurant and i loved it there! The ambiance is my type, The whole place is actually not air-conditioned, but the place is quite cool at night because of the night breezes coming through the windows. The service was also great!  I’m definitely coming back to try out other dishes! :-)

Some pictures from the dinner and post-dinner! Enjoy! :)

I enjoyed this Strawberry Nutella crepe very much :)

love this shot!

\

The Jumpshot wannabes! lol

Tipsy girls! lol

Last night, I had a steady evening with Little J and Biggie Z. After wandering around my favorite mall, lol We had dinner and some desserts.

I love the facade of The Kennet Cole Boutique that’s why i asked Little J to pose. LOL

Spotted: The Fatso boy seating comfortably while tweeting #PARANGNASABAHAYLANG lol

DINNER : Giligan’s Island Restaurant (My last visit here was during my 21st birthday)

Meet Biggie Z!

Biggie Z played with her plate so well. 

The Veggie Kare-Kare which we enjoyed so much. I loved it and their bagoong goes well with the sauce!

Chicken Fingers, The bread though is too thick but the filling is good enough. i remember ordering this every time we dine here and the taste isn’t the same anymore.

After a heavy dinner, we went to Conti’s for some desserts!

The crowd favorite, Mango Bravo, I always enjoy this cake. I must say, it’s one of my favorite cakes. I love the layers of wafers with chocolate mousse, cashew, cream and mango cubes. FTW!

The so-so Black Velvet cake, It’s my first time to try this cake, I was actually gonna order the viennese mocha torte coz i’ve been wanting to try it but the black velvet’s more appealing so i chose it. haha. Verdict : I love the moist and chocolatey filling but overall, it’s a mediocre cake. there’s nothing special about the taste and it’s not something that i will order again. :)

Overall, It was another steady night! I really love spending steady nights at the mall, a hobby i will never get tired doing. :-)