Fathers day at Crustasia

 

 

It was three days before Father's Day when I realized the coming weekend is Father's Day na, I wanted to go Crosswinds Tagaytay, bec my papa likes the cold weather too and the swiss-looking houses :) kaya lang fully booked na lahat ng rooms nila kasi 3-bedroom suites daw full na din. I asked him where he wants to go, sabi niya sa malapit na lang bec rainy season na and he's not comfy when it rains (kasi lagi kami binabaha), we went to Rockwell and opted for Crustasia :)

 

 

What I like most about Crustasia..... is hindi sila puno haha. When we arrived there at 11:30 wala pa tao, kami lang ang customers.

 

 

 

 

The cutest buko with its buko tree

 

Free appetizers - turnips and carrot in crushed ice

 

mandarin fried chicken

Salted Egg braised Crab

 

Catfish with mango sauce

 

 

Not in the picture: hot and sour soup, mango with sago :)

 

The crab is good for 4 pax already :) I love the salted egg sauce mixed with aligue! :)

 

 

Crustasia is at the ground floor Amorsolo Drive Rockwell :)

Muji: Household finds!

 

Everytime, I passed by Muji, I would always go inside and look for something that I can buy. Unfortunately, I always end up buying their hotel-ish pillows. very good buy for 700plus :) I want to buy their organizers, but I saw similar ones at Japan 88 store, saizen or landmark for 1/4 of the muji's price. Then last week, Mr.Panda texted me to buy some cleaning tools (ako talaga bumibili bec I want a certain look sa cleaning tools, gusto ko white handles lang and gusto ko pristine white pa talaga). I went out during lunch time to pick up something at apple store at greenbelt. Muji is next door to Apple, and I remembered seeing mops there before. It took me less than 5 minutes the cleaning brushes that I'm looking for! 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, nabasa ko na kasi yung brushes kasi I spray it with Lysol agad (sorry oc ako sa ganito). The slim brush is perfect for corners and grime sa tiles this one cost less than 200, parang 180 lang ata. The wide brush is 250plus. and I like that the handle can move 180 degress. :)

 

 

I love it when I find things exactly how I envisioned it to be. (ang lalim haha)

 

 

Please share your favorite cleaning tools too :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pamana: a nostalgic pinoy restaurant

 

After our Casa Dolores overnight, we went to tagaytay for late lunch :) of course, pinoy food is the top choice, I want to bring them to good old favorite Antonios, but the traffic was horrible so when we saw Pamana, we decided to try this resto na lagi lang naming nalalampasan before. (but gusto ko na try matagal na haha)

 

 

 

 

it looks like a renovated old house to me :)

 

 

 

 

this is the entrance, there are small toys and trinkets that you can buy :)

 

 

they even have home-maid Spanish sardines here and nice tumblers for sale :)

 

 

Vintage photos displayed at the lanai

 

 

 

if only this chandelier is for sale....woot woot :)

 

 

 

I'm a sucker for pretty plates!

 

 

 

Pinangat

 

Sizzling Bulalo (uber yummy!)

 

Sugpo sa taba ng talangka

 

                                                              Binagoongan Bagnet

 

Not in the picture = Bulalo (na excite kami masyado, we forgot take pics)

 

 

Pros:

- the food is uber yummy

- their bulalo reminds me of my lola's cooking

- value for your money plus with the dining experience too :)

- servings good for 4-5 (average eaters)

 

Cons:

- wear an anti-mosquito patch next time.



 

 

See you soon Pamana! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Casa Dolores Private Pool

I'm so glad to find a time to finally blog! with 2 balikbayan families, 2 birthday parties and fathers day celebration, our weekends and the holiday are tightly packed! :) my extra time is spent with the hubby and googling nice pinoy restos to bring our balikbayan families. I'm so sorry for being mia dear readers.


Mr.Panda's close friend, M, way back from HS went home from US after staying there for 5 years. With his charming wife and two kiddos (the daughter is our godchild), we did our best to spend all our weekends with them while they are here. Sakto pa, M's birthday was last last week and we prepared a weekend surprise for him. We booked Casa Dolores, a private pool at Calamba, than can accommodate 15-18 pax. Unfortunately, I don't have the actual pics, we were so busy prepping the place for the surprise. I was not able to take pics, but the pics that I posted below are grabbed from their FB page and exactly what we saw when we stayed there :)







The yellow and white house is so summer-y and light in the eyes :)





Everyone enjoyed the rainshower at the pool :) just make sure you close the glass windows if you'll make big splashes while swimming :)

I loved the orange chair, very comfy! I had my power nap there so comfy! :)








The Blue revolving chairs became the thrones of the videoke lovers! :) our music lover friends enjoyed their up-to-date collection of songs!





two sets of dining table and buffet table perfect for small parties :)



well-stocked kitchen, bago pa mga gamit nila and squeaky clean :) the grill is outside naman :)




love the droplights at the staircase :)




when we stayed at casa Dolores, there's a towel rack at this terrace for our wet swimsuits and towels :)





The first door is the master bedroom with its own cr and shower room, 2nd and 3rd are the guestrooms, the 4rth is the common cr and shower room.


 
Master bedroom, the green couch is a sofa bed too!









The cr and shower room at the master bedroom





the second guestroom





there's enough space for the unfolded sofa bed :)




the 3rd guestroom :)





the white door leads to a small terrace :)






The common cr and shower room at the 2nd floor



 this is the cr and shower room at the ground floor





We absolutely love our stay here and we're just waiting for a nice schedule to go back!

P9,750 for a 3pm check in - 10am check out
250 per hour for succeeding stay.

The owners are so easy to deal with :)

The instructions to the place are very specific :)

The house is located inside a gated lot area, parking the cars are so easy and no limit :)

The pool is 4ft high and 1 ft for the kiddie pool - perfect for safe swimming :) and well-lighted too!

The caretakers are very helpful and attentive to our needs :)

The bedrooms are the best! we used to go to private pools in laguna every summer, and the houses were always a big fail. Casa Dolores provides nice and clean bedsheets and mandaue foam pillows :)



https://www.facebook.com/pages/Casa-Dolores-Hot-Spring/320652331335802

0927-6149338

tell them you were referred by ann (we stayed there last june 8)



:) :) :)

Do you believe that babies are angels?

I'm sorry I've been MIA for quite some time. Ang dami nangyari for the past two weeks I can hardly cope up, I was in a daze for a couple of days and my heart is torn if masaya ba siya or malungkot.

 

 

It was a normal Tuesday night for me and Mr.Panda when I saw the fb icon on my blackberry staring back at me akala ko notifications lang or a simple message. I was not supposed to read it pa, kasi its our tv time ni Mr. Panda, bonding time naming dalawa. When I opened the fb message pala from one of my closest friend.... she's somewhere in paris, akala ko something bad happened to her. Yun pala hindi sa kanya, but our other friend "EF", na super close din sa amin, ako pa maid of honor nung wedding nun. EF who is 6 months pregnant lost her baby :'(   the baby died inside, and nasa loob pa din ng tummy ni "EF" for almost 2 weeks na. The doctors are waiting for her to go to labor, the hospital is at the heart of manila and quite far from us. 10pm na nun and hindi ako mapakali,  my husband saw me near-tears and he said its ok if I want to go to the hospital. In less than 5 mins, nasa McKinley na kami, praying walang traffic sa edsa, I know wala ako magagawa but I want to know the real score and I want to see "EF" and her hubby. I felt nervous also kasi matagal na kami hindi nag uusap we had a falling out early this year, and hindi ko man lang siya na congratulate when I heard the news pregnant sya. When we got to the hosp, hindi naming siya nakita she's inside the delivery room, we met her hubby and nagkwento sya sa amin. Every word is like a pinch in my heart. After 1 and a half hour, we left with a heavy heart. There's a thousand what-ifs sa nangyari, but if there's one thing I'm sure of "EF" will do anything to save her child. I slept that night whispering to Papa Jesus to keep my "EF" safe and hugs for our little angel.

 

 

 

Last Saturday, while having the usual Saturday family lunch (guess where, syempre Chinese Resto)

my mom called me and told me my bestfriend Josan (who is based at bay area) gave birth already! and may problem daw with the baby and need dalhin sa ibang hospital. Kulang na lang ma choke ako sa kinakain ko duck. Josan is my bestfriend since toddler years, her mom and my mom are the best of friends. So gets nyo na, we were groomed to be the best of friends too. We are like sisters, I can tell her if she's getting annoying na and she can tell me to stop when I'm getting bratty. I will drop everything for her. I will even take a bullet for her. Ganun ko siya kamahal. After recovering from my shock, I texted her parents agad. They told me nahirapan sa normal labor and nag CS na lang. Pero nahirapan ilabas ung baby kasi na stuck na daw ( at this point, I have no appetite to eat and kulang na lang kumuha ako ng flight papunta sf). The doctors suggested to transfer the baby to a more specialized hospital for cold therapy. Preventive measure lang naman daw, no need to worry that much. But still, the events are so overwhelming. That night I called Josan, when I heard her voice I almost cried. I realized I almost lost my bestfriend that day. I wished for the nth time andun ako sa tabi niya. I wished I can see her precious little boy and kahit mag camping pa ko sa labas ng nursery to watch him. Everyday is a victorious day for us, good news and positive updates from the doctors. Today, I received one of the best news ever, our little fighter is A-OK and might be home this weekend. We have our own super little hero in our family. :)

 

 

 

 

And last but not the least! my HS buddy gave birth the other day! Her pregnancy was very delicate and 80% of the 9 months naka bed rest yata siya. She lost her first baby and they were very careful on her 2nd pregnancy. Her hubby texted me that she's already at the delivery room, and every 2 hours yata txt ako ng text :) and finally, I got the sms "tatay na ko!" I was smiling the whole night :) thank you Lord for her safe delivery! :)

 

 

Do you believe that babies are angels? I do. Thank you Lord