Eat Laugh Discover

Bridal book’s Win a honeymoon package to Bellarocca

I’ve always wanted to visit Bellarocca, the Philippines’ very own Sartorini inspired island in Marinduque.

• The winner will receive PhP10,000.00 pocket money and a Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa gift certificate which entitles the bearer to a three-day, two-night stay in a twin-sharing one bedroom Villa at Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa. The stay is inclusive of the following:

• Roundtrip land and sea transfers (Marinduque Airport – Resort – Marinduque Airport)
• Welcome refreshments at the Resort
• Intimate and luxurious accommodation with individual climate control
• Plasma TV with DVD Player and state-of-the-art home theater stereo system, satellite cable TV, iPod dock and Hi-Fi compact sound systems
• Pillow selections
• Modern bath and shower facilities with complete range of bathroom amenities
• Private balcony or garden

• The Villa has its own eternity pool, Jacuzzi, and pocket garden
• Complimentary internet connectivity in the accommodation (cable) and select public areas (Wi-Fi).
• Complimentary drinking bottles of water in the room, replenished daily
• Complimentary coffee and tea selections in room
• Golf cart service
• Complimentary access to the resort’s range of exclusive facilities and recreational activities, i.e. 9-hole golf course, 2 main swimming pools, tea house, meditation sanctuary, fitness gym, entertainment room, among others
• Applicable government tax and service charge for the winner’s stay in the hotel

What is Bridal Book About?

For more details on this promo, you may check out their contest mechanics.

To join the promo, simply re-tweet, re-blog, re-share or re-post this article on twitter, your blog or social networking site.

A Shangri-La Mactan Proposal

I know I’ve been MIA for a while, but for good reason.

My long time boyfriend of 8 years took me by surprise and proposed out of the blue last February 6,2010.

I’m now officially engaged! =) I still find it hard to believe until now. The glittering rock on my finger serves as a sweet reminder of that wonderful day.

The short and sweet version of the proposal is that he showed up at my doorstep, and w/ my best friend and her hubby, we all ended up being chauffeured to the airport where we all took a boarded a flight for Cebu.

We took a tour of the city and ate Cebu’s famous lechon (my all time favorite) for lunch. I dozed off afterwards in our car, and when I woke up, we were at Shangri-La Mactan! My all-time favorite resort!

Then I was pampered with a massage at Shangri-La’s infamous Chi Spa which I’ve always wanted to try!

After which, I was blindfolded and led to a villa facing the ocean where he gave me a “harana” as he sang & played my favorite song “I Will Be Here” by Gary Valenciano on a guitar.

Then finally, he got down on one knee & proposed. We slow danced as the sun dipped into the ocean.

List of Philippine Holidays for 2010

Get ready, Jet Set, Go!

Nothing like using a holiday as a great excuse to travel!

Here’s the official List of Philippine Holidays for 2010 based on Proclamation 1841 signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on July 2009.
I. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day – January 1 (Friday)
Maundy Thursday / Good Friday – April 1 / 2 (Thursday / Friday)
Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Friday)
Labor Day – May 1 (Saturday)
Independence Day – June 14 (Monday), moved from June 12
National Heroes Day – August 30 (Monday)
Bonifacio Day – November 29 (Monday), moved from November 30
Christmas Day – December 25 (Saturday)
Rizal Day – December 27 (Monday), moved from December 30
II. Special (non-working) holidays – 2010
Ninoy Aquino Day – August 23 (Monday), moved from August 21
All Saints’ Day – November 1 (Monday)
Christmas Eve – December 24 (Friday)
New Year’s Eve – December 31 (Friday)
III. Others
1986 EDSA People Power Revolution anniversary – Special holiday for schools – February 22 (Monday), moved from February 25
Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha 2010 – To be announced later
Founding Anniversary of Iglesia ni Cristo – July 27, 2010 – Special national working holiday

Folded & Hung Monster Sale

What: Folded&Hung Monster Sale

When: January 8 – February 14,2010

TOPSHOP End of Season Sale up to 50% off

What: Topshop End of Season Sale up to 50% off

When: January 8-31,2010

Where:  Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Place Manila, The Podium, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Power Plant Mall, Bonifacio High Street, Greenbelt 3 Ayala Center, SM Mall of Asia, Alabang Town Center, TriNoma, Ayala Center Cebu

Butter Rum Cakes by Joyce Aragon

One great and inexpensive hostess gift are these Butter Rum Cakes by Joyce, one of the best rum cakes I’ve tried so far.

I first tasted them at the Powerplant’s Pastry Fair last December.  It was soft, moist, full of flavor with a generous splash of rum in it. One bite wasn’t enough and since I couldn’t decide which was better – plain or chocolate, I bought them both.

A circular roughly 5.5″ diameter rum cake costs about P80. The perfect size and price for giving my family a taste of both!

The next evening, I shared the rum cakes with some other desserts bought from the fair with my family and some friends during an intimate dinner party. I’m happy to report, it was a hit.

Awesome Christmas Gifts

I was expecting a much simpler Christmas this 2009 with the financial crisis plus Ondoy. But God has been good and I’ve been blessed with much.

I’m so happy with my Christmas gifts this year that I just have to blog about it!  I’m really touched that my family and friends have gone out of their way to find such thoughtful and awesome gifts.

MAC Cleansing Oil

Rosary blessed by Pope Benedict during a Papal Mass in Rome

Ikea laptray

Gift Card to The Spa

Gift Certificate for a massage at the Manila Hotel Spa

Chocolate Ice Cream cake packed in dry ice from Bicol

Black Oakley backpack w/ lots of storage room, compartments & hidden pockets!

Thanks so much guys!

Mang Caloy’s lechon de Cebu

One of the reasons I love Christmas is because it is lechon season all over again! I really love lechon and Christmas dinner will not be complete without it.

We had a late dinner and even forgot to open the box which you’re supposed to do if you want to preserve the cripness of the lechon skin. Surprise, surprise! When we finally started to eat the lechon skin at 9pm, it was still very, very crunchy! We were all really happy about that. After all, the lechon experience is incomplete if you can’t enjoy the crispy skin along with the tender meat.

For our barkada Christmas dinner, we ordered the 4-kilo lechon de leche. It’s originally priced at Php2,400 but they were having promo so we got it for only Php1,900!

I personally think the promo price offers good value for money. The piglet was around the size of a large dog, and with 3 viands and rice, good for around 12 people if u include the head of the pig. We were only 6 people and after eating all the lechon we could eat in a day (among the other food served) there was still the head and half the ribs left over which, is still quite a lot!

This is one of the best lechons I’ve tried. It’s comparable to Elar’s lechon and arguably, even better.

Christmas Breakfast: Manila Hotel’s Liver Pâté

I always look forward to Christmas mornings when the whole family gathers around the breakfast table and leisurely eats breakfast. In our family, breakfast can last for 2-3 hours because of all the talking! It can be quite fun.

Last Christmas 2009, we were gifted with a Manila Hotel hamper lined with a red silk cloth which contained duck liver pate and a huge loaf of multi-grain or whole wheat bread. We ran out of the bread by Christmas morning though, so this was substituted with French baker’s whole wheat bread instead.

So on Christmas morning we had a lovely addition to our usual Christmas breakfast of pastries, cheese, bread and cereals.  Spread on hot toast, the creamy duck liver pate practically melted onto the bread.

I initially had my doubts on how the butter will interact with the pate, but was pleasantly surprised by how well they work together. I feel it added flavor and creaminess to it. I found it to be better than the family’s favorite pate which we usually get from a fine dining restaurant in the Fort.

Manila Hotel’s Duck Liver Pate came in a cute porcelain / ceramic duck container.

It certainly is a nice Christmas gift for the whole family to enjoy!

My FREE Johnson’s Body Care gift pack has arrived!

I love receiving freebies. Don’t you?

My Free Johnsons Body Care gift pack arrived last December 19,2009 via LBC.

It’s pretty great since all i did was fill out a contact information form, and they sent it within 7 working days more or less.

Click here to read my post on the free Johnson’s body care promo.

A box of 6 mini 25ml body lotions

Dining at the Baguio Country Club

This year, we decided to celebrate Dad’s birthday in Baguio.

One of the best things about Baguio is it’s cool weather. It almost feels like you’re abroad. Last December 2009, it was a cool 12 degrees Celcius! We were all wrapped up in coats and boots. It was pretty much our only chance to wear them in tropical Philippines. Lovely!

One of the things I look forward to in Baguio are eating the locally grown fresh salads and strawberries. I think the cool weather makes it conducive to crop growing.

Here is my plate of Ceasar salad with some smoked salmon, strawberries and potato salad on the side.

A plate of beef tenderloin and fresh vegetables.

Mini cakes for dessert

A cup of steaming hot chocolate to sip at night.

Happy birthday Dad!

Buffet price is around P600++ per head.

Sights at the Baguio Central Market

Visiting the Baguio Central Market is very much part of the Baguio City experience. It is here where you can buy lots of inexpensive pasalubongs (gifts) to take home for your loved ones; from souveniers to native household products, homemade goodies, fresh fruits and clothing.

Here are a few photos of some sights and finds taken at the market.

Enjoy!

Colorful walis being sold at a store

Sweet, flavored drinks at a food stall

Fresh strawberries a must buy in Baguio. Yum!

A market vendor selling some beautiful oranges. She gave me a smile too!

Comfy espadrilles at only P85 each!

Colorful scarves hanging by a store front

A Walis caravan. Something you don’t get to see everyday!