MrsMommyHolic

Our family spent December 24-25 at The Bellevue Manila, and of course we had to think about where we were going to eat for Christmas Eve. I knew most restaurants would be closed and the malls were only until 7pm, so luckily Bellevue had a lot of in-house dining options to choose from.

Probably the most popular one was Phoenix Court, which is the only fine dining Chinese restaurant in the city.

Phoenix Court features our Chinese Chef’s creative take on authentic Chinese cuisine. Savor its signature entrees such as Peking Duck, Mango Lapu-lapu, Two Variety Chicken, and Beef Tenderloin in Pepper Sauce. Its Dimsum and Noodle Bar offers freshly-made dimsum and dumplings. The Phoenix Court can accommodate private dinners for groups of eight up to 25 persons.

you can't miss that huge phoenix mural right as you enter

I mentioned in my previous post that I didn't even bother making advance reservations since I didn't think a lot of people stayed in hotels during Christmas (boy was I wrong!). So when I called the restaurant after we checked-in, I found out that they were fully booked already for dinner!

Well, what we did was just have a late dinner, and when we went down at around 8:30pm, there were already available seats just as I predicted. We weren't seated at the main dining area though, rather the ballroom right across where they had also set up tables and chairs (probably due to the high number of guests that night).

Anyway, I had been reading a lot of good reviews about Phoenix Court online, so I was really excited to finally try it out.

We were given these peanuts for starters and it's the soft boiled kind, so not exactly my type. My sister described it as parang binabad sa tea daw...

We ordered these dishes:

Roasted Crispy Lechon Macao

Poached Hainanese Chicken

sauces

The Lechon Macao and Hainanese Chicken were appetizers, but they were like main dishes na din because of the size. Actually, when the server was taking our orders, she was asking what size of dishes we wanted, like small or medium. We just got small for everything since she said it was good for 2-3 persons naman. And good thing we did, since the servings were really very generous.

Quick-Fried Beef Tenderloin with Black Pepper

Sweet and Sour Pork

We got a medium for the rice though, obviously haha! #KaninIsLife

Young Chow Fried Rice

We were 6 adults (kids ate at Mcdonald's prior to this) and the food was super sakto for us already. Everything was so good, I can't even pick a favorite (maybe the beef tenderloin if I really had to choose)! The best part was, we got 20% off our bill since we were hotel guests! If I remember correctly, we paid about P2,600 for the meal. Not bad right?

Anyway, while looking at the pics I realized we didn't even have a proper group photo! I guess we were all so hungry already we just dived right in when the food was served haha!

Anyway, Phoenix Court definitely lived up to our expectations. Food was delicious and price was very affordable considering it is located in a 5-star hotel. For sure we will be back!

Phoenix Court
2/F Tower Wing - The Bellevue Manila
North Bridgeway, Filinvest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Seating Capacity: 250 seats
Operating Hours:
Open from Tuesday to Sunday
11:00am to 2:30pm
6:00pm to 10:00pm
For reservations, call (632) 7718181 local 2211 or email dine@thebellevue.com

My mommy group of fellow housewives had our Christmas get-together at Okada Manila towards the end of December. We all hadn't been here before so we were excited to see the place, especially the grand fountain show said to rival Las Vegas’ Bellagio.

We were deciding on the different restaurants they had, pero honestly parang lahat super mahal haha! And we definitely were planning on staying for a couple of hours, so the best choice was their Lobby Lounge.

Located at the ground floor of Okada Manila, the Lobby Lounge offers guests seeking respite from the daily hustle and bustle of the metro a warm welcome. With plush seating and an inviting ambiance, the Lobby Lounge is an ideal place to relax or hold quick meetings while enjoying an assortment of light snacks, hot and cold beverages, or premium wines and spirits.

Offered daily is a variety of signature cakes, saccharine delights, and delectable pastries from the Pastry Shop for guests to share or bring home. Travelers on the go can also select from a new collection of premium French wines in travel-friendly tubes, specially made for Okada Manila.

For live entertainment, the Lobby Lounge offers a view of the World of Wonders as they stage musical performances during the evenings.

I definitely loved the vibrant colors, especially all that PINK, throughout the lobby. The theme felt like a mix of Alladin and Barbie, don't you think? ;p

We all just loved the ambiance and the plush seats. Super relaxing and comfy!

Anyway, the Lobby Lounge serves a variety of food, from all-day breakfast, soups & salads, sandwiches, local favorites, and dessert.

Most of us ended up ordering the Beef Salpicao, which was served with rice. It was definitely very filling.

My friend got the Fish and Chips:

And look, they even transferred the contents of my Coke to a small pitcher para wala un can sa table. Sosyal haha!

For dessert, we checked out their Pastry Shop which had an assortment of cakes and chocolates.

We ended up sharing a strawberry cake, which was P600. Definitely better than ordering per slice which can cost P350 up.

We also ordered hot chocolate which came in the most darling presentation! Look at the wooden tray with all the toppings!

And the glass was also so cute, which is the double walled one so you don't burn your fingers.

We also enjoyed some live entertainment from a pianist, violinist, and also a singer.

We definitely didn't feel the time go by, just making chika, eating, and exchanging gifts. We literally spent 6 hours here and I think it would have been longer, if we didn't catch the fountain show at 6pm.

It was only then that we walked around and realized there were also shops here, with luxury brands and premium retail shops like Lacoste, Ray-Ban, Bally, Furla, Charriol, Tesoros, etc. And near the Fountain area were other dining places like Starbucks, Mary Grace, The French Baker, Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory among others.

Anyway, we arrived just in time for the 6pm fountain show and it was really amazing!

The Fountain at Okada Manila is a sight to behold. As expansive as 50 Olympic-size swimming pools, the US$30-million fountain’s grandeur and accurately choreographed water, light and music performances rival those in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and Las Vegas’ Bellagio. Equipped with advanced underwater robots, more than two-thousand lights, dozens of high-fidelity speakers, and more than 700 high-power jets that can shoot water beyond the height of the Okada Manila hotel building, both sides of The Fountain also feature projections during spectacular water shows. A permanent yet invisible performance stage installed in The Fountain’s lake enables performers to give the illusion of being able to walk on water, interact with the water features, and amaze the audience with an enthralling, unforgettable show.

Fountain Show Schedules:
Sun to Thu, one song at the top of each hour (6:00 PM to 10:00 PM)
Fri to Sat, two consecutive shows at the top of each hour (6:00 PM to 12:00 AM)

I've seen the one in Las Vegas and I have to say, this was definitely so much bigger! The show lasted for only 3 minutes and the song during our performance was Fever. There was another show right after and it was a different song naman. Even though there were a lot of people, you could still appreciate everything from afar.

Of course, we had to take photos by the Christmas tree in the lobby before heading home.

got this embroidered dress on sale from Zara

So happy to have spent bonding time with these ladies, plus planning our next trip! Hopefully matuloy, fingers crossed! ;p

Okada Manila's LOBBY LOUNGE
Call: +63 2 555 5799
Email: RestaurantReservation@okadamanila.com
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Hours Open: Lunch to Dinner, 10:30 PM to 12:00 MN
World of Wonders Schedule:
Wed,Thu,Sun - 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Fri-Sat - 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Skyler is now 4 years old, and as you all know, I love doing different themes for my kids' birthdays every year. Even if it's just a simple set-up at home, I still want it to be special so they'll have nice photos to look back on when they grow up.

Anyway, Skyler loves all kinds of vehicles like cars, trucks, buses, and airplanes. But since I already did a travel theme for his 1st birthday and a race car theme for his 3rd birthday, I decided to do trains this time around.

just cut out basic shapes for the train banner and glued them together, then taped everything to the wall

baby you're 4, not 5 years old yet! ;p

I connected his train tracks in a circle to frame the cake perfectly

and you know I always love incorporating their toys in the set-up

I just used left-over paper for the banner, which also explains the color choice. Luckily everything went well together.

made this mini bunting as a cake topper

but I had to take the topper out when we lit the candles since it burned one of the letters lol!

with Ate and Kuya, who kept wanting to blow his candles!

make a wish!

Happy happy birthday Skyler! You'll always be mommy and daddy's baby forever. We love you so much!

Ahhh, SALE season. It's one of the things I love about the new year. If you go to the malls now, practically every store is having their End of Season sale. I couldn't help myself and went to Makati a few days ago and although I tried very hard to just "look", I ended up buying a few stuff.

I first went to Zara and although I tried a ton of clothes, I restrained myself and just bought a top and jeans.

I got this plaid button down shirt which is actually long enough to be a dress. What I love about it is the embroidery which extends even to the back. It's actually still pretty expensive in my opinion, but I tend to wear tops like this a lot (it usually becomes my "uniform" when running errands) so it's still sulit for me.

I also ended up buying these ripped jeans and what I love about it is the super frayed hems. And the material is stretchy and soft too.

I then went to Forever21 and they actually had a sign in the entrance which said "ALL SALE ITEMS BUY 1 TAKE 1" So I was super excited and got a ton of stuff but then when I went to the counter, they said the sale items are priced as is, and the Buy 1 Take 1 items had a special sticker on them. Huh?! E when I checked those special stickers, the items weren't on sale and were regular priced. I told them they should take down their sign since it was very misleading.

Anyway, I just got these 2 shirts which I didn't realize until after were plaid na naman! The first one is longer though, so can also double as a dress. I guess since it's the Autumn/Winter collection on sale, a lot of the clothes tend to be plaid and on the green /red side.

I then went to H&M and they had the "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" deal. Again I got a plaid top haha! At least may outfits na ako for next Christmas lol!

What I liked about this shirt was these beaded bugs near the collar. I'm a sucker for details talaga.

I saw this skirt a few months ago when it wasn't on sale and almost bought it since I'm obssessed with ruffled skirts. Good thing I waited! See, patience is a virtue ;p

I also got this super pretty pink wrap-around ruffled skirt.

Last thing I got was another skirt.

The skirt is long and full and the print is very pretty in person. Since the free item is the lowest priced, I ended up only paying P1,900 for all four. Not bad right?

Anyway, it was also sale in National Bookstore a few weeks ago. I always buy books when there's a sale since it's usually 20% off and it makes a big difference. I got all these (can you tell I love chick lit?) and I can't wait to finally find time to read them!

What about you, have you checked out any of the sales yet? I still want to go to Mango and Uniqlo, but tama na muna lol! I'll wait until there's further reductions na lang. ;p

My dear friend gave me these shirts for the kids last Christmas and I immediately did a photoshoot with them wearing it. It says "I'm the OLDEST I make the rules", "I'm in the MIDDLE I'm the reason we have rules", and "I'm the YOUNGEST the rules don't apply to me". Super cute (and true) right? ;p

Anyway, here are more shots from our impromptu pictorial at the park, which we actually did on January 1! The weather was so nice and cool, and the kids had a blast running around.

Seriously, I should really avoid going to malls when there are sales since I just can't resist shopping! I mean practically all the stores are on sale, it's crazy! I already did a PART 1 of what I got so far, and here's just a continuation from my recent shopping sprees.

First stop is H&M. I'm so happy I was able to get this purple dress since I've liked it ever since I saw it last year in the store. It was originally P2,290 and sale price was P900. Patience is really a virtue!

Next, I got this playsuit with ruffles on the sleeves. To be honest, I find wearing rompers such a hassle especially if you have to go to the bathroom! But it was such a good deal from the original price and I love the bold color.

pic when worn from H&M website

Last was this sheer polka dot top with ruffle detail. I just find it really pretty and girly. I'm thinking it will go well with my ruffled skirts (itodo na natin ang ruffles!) ;p

Next stop was ZARA. This time, I visited the Powerplant Mall branch and they had a lot more items than in Greenbelt! I got this classic white collared blouse which had nice details on the front and back part.

I also got another polka dot blouse (ready na ako for the New Year!) ;p

Next, I got this sheer long top/dress which had embroidery details. I like the idea of wearing it over pants.

pic when worn from Zara website

I got mostly black stuff since I can get the most mileage out of them. This dress with an uneven hem is super comfy and I can dress it up a little bit by wearing a belt to cinch the waist.

I went to SM Southmall and I happened to pass by Terranova. It used to be one of my favorite stores long ago, but I haven't shopped here for years! Anyway, they had a lot of sweaters on sale and I just got this one.

Got a few pieces from SM's GTW line too. This white top was 50% off at just P350.

I also realized I hardly had any red pieces in my wardrobe so I got this top for just P480, which was 20% off from its original price of P599.75

I also spotted this black lace dress which I got for P720, also 20% off from its original price of P899.75.

When I was in Rockwell a few days ago, I just happened to stumble by Seek The Uniq's pop-up shop (they said they'll be here only until Feb 4). If you've been following my blog, then you know how much I LOVE this store! I'm always browsing their website and IG page and to finally see the clothes in person was such a treat!

But I had just literally been to Zara and I didn't want to spend anymore (their stuff is quite pricey for me). Luckily I found this dress from the sample sale rack for just P1k which is such a bargain!

I also went to Greenhills a few weeks ago since hubby had to go somewhere near there and of course I tagged along. But for some reason, I didn't really buy anything except for pajamas for the kids lol! I did end up getting this navy blue tiered ruffled skirt (another one to add to my collection) which was too pretty to pass up. And it was only P800!

Anyway, I love all the stuff I got and can't wait to wear them soon. I'll really try to avoid going to the mall muna, at least until the sale season is over LOL!

I've been to Evia Mall only once before, almost exactly a year ago. I loved their atrium which was so bright and spacious, and best of all, air-conditioned! It's a perfect neighborhood mall, just the right size with all the necessities like a supermarket, cinemas, shops (Mango, Uniqlo, H&M to name a few), and lots of dining options to choose from.

I remember me and hubby walking around last year, just checking all the restaurants and what they had to offer. And fast forward to now, I finally get a chance to try out most of these places!

Last February 6, Mothers Who Brunch hosted another fabulous event - a food crawl, wherein we got to explore seven (yes 7!) amazing restaurants right here in Evia Lifestyle Center.

Anyway, I'm sure a lot of people are already thinking about where to spend Valentine's Day, which is already next week. If you're from the south, here's some great options perfect for romantic or family dates.

TIGER LEAF

Serving Asian Cuisine, this place is surely a feast for the eyes and belly! We had the Catfish Salad and Chicken Satay, an excellent start to our food adventure.

MAMA LOU'S ITALIAN KITCHEN

The first time hubby and I tried this place was during Valentine's Day back in 2014! So I guess it really is a great date place ;p Their original restaurant in BF Homes will forever be a favorite and I'm glad they've expanded to several branches around the metro already.

We were greeted by their amazing grazing table of cheese and cold cuts. We also got to try their Braised Short Ribs with Fresh Egg Yolk Pasta and Spinach & Honey Goat Cheese with Truffle Pizza.

MERLION'S CUISINE

Singapore is one of my favorite countries so this place definitely brought back a lot of good memories from our family travels.

The Fried Tofu, Char Siew, and Roast Pork are definite favorites and don't forget the Mango-Sago Pomelo for dessert.

MESA

Whenever we have guests from out of town, we always end up eating in Mesa when craving for Filipino food. Their dishes are innovative, appetizing, and consistently satisfying.

We had their signature dish, Crispchon, which is crispy lechon wrapped in malunggay crepe served with several sauces.

Also a treat was the Suahe, live shrimps steamed in hot rocks, which they cooked right in front of us.

We were also all raving about their kamias shake which was so refreshing!

ANOTHER STORY

This restaurant is definitely a favorite, based on the ambiance and decor. Every inch of this place is "Instagram-worthy" with vibrant bursts of colors, mismatched chairs, a mix of prints and patterns that somehow all go together perfectly. I. LOVE. IT.

And the food is amazing too. We had the Grilled Salmon and the Angus Prime Ribeye Steak, both perfect dishes for a romantic date.

TEPPANYA

I think I was most excited for this last food stop because I've been hearing such great reviews about this place from a lot of people. Teppanya means "House of Teppanyaki", and they take pride in serving a wide variety of authentic modern Japanese cuisine.

We started with Salt Crusted Hokkaido Oysters, prepared right in front of us.

Then, finally what we've all been waiting for. We were served the A5 Wagyu Ribeye BMS 9 Teppanyaki. If you aren't familiar with the Japanese beef grading system, A5 is the highest grade given only to the finest beef. Meanwhile, the BMS (Beef Marble Score) scale goes from 3 to 12, with 3 being the basic minimum of marbling a steak should have, and 12 being a steak that is almost white with marbling. More marbling means a tenderer, creamier texture, so the higher the BMS score, the more expensive the beef is.

The wagyu ribeye was definitely melt-in-your-mouth goodness! To be honest, I could have finished that entire slab of meat haha ;p

THE CHEESCAKE FAIRY

For dessert, we had our pick of four cheesecakes - Ube Macapuno, Salted Caramel, Strawberry, and Oreo. Like Tiger Leaf and Another Story, The Cheesecake Fairy's ambiance is magical, very Alice in Wonderland feels. I definitely felt like I was having tea in an enchanted forest!

MY MOTHER'S CUPBOARD

Our last stop was a quick workshop from Michelle and Sab, the amazing ladies behind Mothers Who Brunch. They capped the tour by showing us how to make an easy dessert board for Valentine's Day.

As usual, I had such a great time with my fellow mommas. Thank you Sab and Michelle for always inviting me to these things! I always make it a point to go since I know I'm in for a treat every single time.

Oh, and I love how they always take solo pictures of us right before the event starts. Pang new profile pic and OOTD shot as well haha ;p I wore my new top and jeans from Zara, plus my new bag which was hubby's gift to me for our 9th wedding anniv this month (and fine, I guess Valentines na din ;p).

So have you decided where to go this Valentine's Day? Me and hubby have already planned out our date and I for one can't wait!

My eldest turned 8 years old a few days ago and I really can't believe how time has flown!

I finally did a tropical themed party with pineapples and flamingoes, my favorites! I bought some decors from Kmart in Brisbane and they were so cute and super cheap! The foil backdrop was $5 each, the pineapples were $5, and the tablecloth was just $2. Winner right? ;p

Then I also added my pineapple jars from Seek The Uniq and this ceramic flamingo I got from Uniwide.

For the banner, I just googled flamingo, pineapple, and tropical leaf silhouettes and cut out the shapes. It was a bit tricky though, especially the flamingo. ;p

My favorite DIY is probably these cupcake toppers which I also saw and copied online. I just printed and cut out the flamingo bodies then used toothpicks for the legs. Super cute right?

I also love doing a mini bunting for the cake topper. Anyway, here's more pics from this tropical set-up. Enjoy!

Oh, and if you don't have time to DIY, there's now lots of cute and affordable party decors available in National Bookstore. They have different themes for birthdays, baby and bridal showers. And it's a complete set from banners, party hats, cupcake toppers, place cards, centerpieces, and more! Check out their tropical themed decors below. Cute right? I actually bought the party hats but forgot about them lol!

Anyway, happy 8th birthday to our princess! I keep telling her to not grow up so fast, pretty soon I'll just blink and she might turn into a teenager already waaaah! :o

To be honest, me and hubby don't really go out on Valentine's Day since we try to avoid the traffic and for sure all the restaurants will be full (check out my post about it a few years ago). But this year was different, all thanks to Evia Mall!

I actually won tickets to Evia's Valentine Dinner Concert when I attended the Mothers Who Brunch Food Crawl event last week. It was a dinner buffet by Another Story and Tiger Leaf, with music from the Manila Symphony Orchestra and harpist Avonlea Paraiso.

We decided to head to Evia Mall earlier in the afternoon to basically avoid traffic and get good parking. We were also able to check out the set-up of the event which was held at the Atrium. Medyo hassle lang that it was in the middle of the mall haha! But hey, it's free so I'm not complaining ;p

We ended up watching a movie first, courtesy of passes I also got from the event. You get free drinks (iced tea) with the tickets.

This was our first time to watch a movie here and the cinemas were really nice. The sound was so amazing! Now I want to watch a movie here every time.

After, we walked around the mall a bit just window shopping. I was joking hubby to get me flowers, pero I don't really want to walk around with it, ang cheesy haha!

OOTD: Uniqlo top, Bangkok skirt, Converse sneakers, Gucci bag

We ended up doing happy hour in Fridays, which is exactly what we did the first time we were here in Evia Mall. We love sitting outside since it's so cool and breezy.

doing the Wakanda Forever pose from Black Panther LOL!

yummy mojitos

Finally, it was time for dinner. Hubby was joking at first mamaya wala daw tao, but there were so many people na when we got there haha!

Avonlea Paraiso was on stage first and she is a super stunning and talented harpist. We actually saw her play before in another mall and I remember we found her so pretty.

Anyway, the food was really good. I wasn't able to take a pic of the menu, but there was salad, pasta, fish, roast chicken, baby back ribs, roast beef, nasi goreng, and of course dessert.

The desserts were from The Chessecake Fairy, and their Nutella Cheesecake is my absolute favorite!

they also had wine and champagne

Everyone was waiting for The Manila Symphony Orchestra and they definitely did not disappoint.

Again, thank you to Evia Lifestyle Center and Mothers Who Brunch for our wonderful Valentine's Date. So happy we were able to celebrate this year!

Just remembered I still have a bunch of travel posts from late last year when we visited Toronto. Here's my travel diary when we went to The Distillery District neighborhood, which is a national historic site and home to quaint cobblestone streets.

The Distillery District is a commercial and residential district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located east of downtown, it contains numerous cafés, restaurants, and shops housed within heritage buildings of the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery. The 13 acres (5.3 ha) district comprises more than forty heritage buildings and ten streets, and is the largest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America.

I just loved walking around this place! Especially if you like taking pictures, every corner is so "Instagram-Worthy" with the brick walls and buildings, cobblestone streets, unique shops and restaurants.

We had lunch at Mill St. Brewery since hubby obviously wanted to drink lol! We made sure to sit outside to enjoy the cool weather.

So funny, of course we would find this phrase "WALANG FOREVER" written in the Love Locks installation. Mga Pinoy talaga haha! ;p

I personally loved this neighborhood! I was thinking ang nice mag pre-nup pictorial here right? Definitely a must visit when in Toronto.

www.thedistillerydistrict.com
Monday to Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday to Saturday 10am - 8pm
Sunday 11am - 6pm

I love reading and collecting books ever since I was a kid. I remember I would ask Santa for books instead of toys, like the Sweet Valley and Baby-Sitters Club series, which I had practically every issue of. I had so much that I eventually sold them in a garage sale years ago, but I still kept my favorites which hopefully my daughter will enjoy as well.

I first found out about the Big Bad Wolf Book Fair on Instagram. To be honest, I wasn't planning to go since I still have so much unread books from the National Bookstore sale earlier this year. And I was trying to limit my spending already after all my shopping from the End of Season sales.

But seeing all the positive posts from people who've gone to the book fair made me decide to finally go yesterday. And I'm glad I did!

The Big Bad Wolf Book Fair started in Malaysia back in 2009. It has traveled around Southeast Asia like Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, and finally they've come to the Philippines this 2018.

With over 2 millions books at 60-80% off, they're open 24 HOURS at the World Trade Center until this Sunday, February 25.

Hubby and I arrived at around 10am yesterday (Feb 21) and surprisingly there weren't that much people. I guess since it's a weekday obviously. Based on the pictures I saw on Instagram, parang mas madaming tao pa in the wee hours of the morning hehe.

ADMISSION IS FREE and no food and drinks allowed inside.

no lines when we arrived

the giant lighted signage that I always see in IG

here we go!!!

It was really overwhelming when you enter since there are books everywhere! As in nakakaloka, you don't know where to start. Well, the first thing you do is grab a shopping cart (or two) and get going. Oh, and it was cold pala inside, so do bring a jacket.

I was specifically looking for popular Young Adult (YA) titles like the Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, and Percy Jackson but when I asked sold out na daw huhu! I also noticed that there's not that much selection from the YA genre anymore. There was Twilight though but only Eclipse and the Special Edition Life and Death Twilight Reimagined book.

There were a lot of romance and chic lit books with cute covers, mostly P190, but I wasn't familiar with the authors. Wala ng Sophie Kinsella or Jojo Moyes as well. Hopefully the books I picked out are nice hehe.

Btw, I'm also OC with books (as in I always check the spine and the edges if walang folds or dents) and I'm happy that almost all are in perfect condition and wrapped in plastic. They usually have a sample book open so you can browse the pages.

The book fair is perfect if you have kids, so many titles to choose from! Lots of story books, fairytales, activity books, sticker books, and board books for children of all ages.

Oh and there's lots of adult coloring books too!

I think best books to shop are from the Non-Fiction section though. There's lots of coffee table and hard bound books on Architecture & Design, Fashion & Beauty, Cooking & Baking, Crafts & Hobbies, Music & Movies, Sports, and Travel. These books are more expensive, ranging from P500-P1500 but still a fraction of the cost from their regular price outside.

Crafts & Hobbies

Cooking and Baking

Fashion

Beauty & Style

Music & Movies

Sports

Architecture and Design

There's a sorting area where you can browse through and make your final decisions before paying.

I also saw a storage area where you can leave unpaid books for 24 hours. Perfect if you plan to eat first or come back later.

There were a lot of cashiers and no lines when we paid. Credit cards are accepted. You can't bring your cart outside to the parking area, so I guess that's why they recommend bringing a maleta (luggage) in case you buy a lot. I just brought 2 huge eco bags though, kasya naman but yeah it was heavy. Buti I was with hubby lol.

Here's our loot:

Hubby's picks were the most expensive but still sulit since they were all beautiful hardbound copies. Perfect coffee table books.

He had hoped to find a book on watches and we hit the jackpot with this one. At P680, this was our most expensive purchase but a steal considering how big and thick the book is.

All in all, we bought 26 books for P7,320. That's like less than P300 per book! When we got home and showed the kids, they were so happy especially my daughter who's as much a bookworm like me!

We spent around 3.5 hours here, but you could easily stay the entire day! It was so fun browsing and reading through the books. I saw posts saying that they usually restock everyday, so there still might be new titles in the coming days. I still wanna go back though, bitin pa with just one trip! Anyway, I definitely can't wait for this book fair again next year, for sure 1st day pa lang I'm here na! ;p

SamgyeopMasarap is the latest restaurant to open in SM City BF. If you love Korean food and also buffets, then this is a good place to try.

They're still on soft opening so it was CASH only for now.

Basically, you had to order one unli BBQ variant per person. There were only 4 types of meat and no Beef Rib BBQ when we were there. So we got pork, beef, and chicken so we could try all, which also comes with 6 kinds of side dishes and rice (all unlimited). Kids below 9 years old are 1/2 price. My daughter didn't eat (we had Jollibee for her) and it was no problem naman and she wasn't charged.

ala carte menu

side dishes

Each plate of bbq that was served was very generous. Honestly, parang you don't need to ask for another serving after kasi madami na siya.

pork and beef

chicken

What I don't like lang with these type of restos is the DIY cooking haha! Pagod and ngawit ka na before taking a bite. And personally, I never know if cooked na un meat so I end up burning it sometimes. The kids had fun though. ;p

Overall, food was ok despite limited choices of meat. It was good although towards the end parang they all tasted the same na haha. But definitely something worth trying in SM BF.

I'm a city girl at heart and I just love walking around bustling streets, surrounded by shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, and offices. Downtown Toronto is no exception, with it's many attractions that offer such a huge array of things to do to.

Hubby and I loved walking through the different neighborhoods, and seeing all the pretty buildings especially those made of bricks.

Anyway, here's some of the famous spots we were able to visit downtown:

GOODERHAM BUILDING

Also known as the Flatiron Building (similar to the one in New York), this historic office building has got to be my favorite! It is located on the eastern edge of the city's Financial District (east of Yonge Street) in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, wedged between Front Street and Wellington Street, where they join up to form a triangular intersection.

ST. LAWRENCE MARKET

The St. Lawrence Market is often regarded as one of the best food markets in the world and houses a variety of vendors selling various food products, flowers, and specialty items. It was so funny though since we visited on a Monday and didn't realized it was CLOSED! Good thing we were still able to enter, and was able to take a quick look around (minus the crowds).

This is Carousel Bakery, known as the home of the award-winning "World Famous Peameal Bacon Sandwich."

Even though we weren't able to try their sandwich, we still ended up ordering it from one of the open restaurants in the building. And it was really good!

NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE

Located in front of City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square is an events landmark in the centre of the city. Of course, you can't miss that big TORONTO sign which is a great spot for a souvenir photo. In the winter months, the reflecting pool becomes a skating rink.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM

The Royal Ontario Museum (also referred to as the "ROM") is a museum of art, world culture and natural history. It is one of the largest museums in North America, and the largest in Canada. The museum features a diverse range of relics on display, including dinosaur bones, ancient Roman sculptures, African and Asian art, and an extensive collection of design and fine arts to name a few.

If you're a history buff, you'll love this place! We spent a couple of hours here checking out the different exhibits, so I'll just blog more about our trip here in a separate post.

TORONTO EATON CENTRE

The huge Eaton Centre is downtown Toronto's premier urban shopping location, with over 230 retailers, restaurants, and services. Lots of brand favorites like Uniqlo, Zara, H&M, J.Crew, Coach, Victoria's Secret, Sephora, and many more. There is also a wide array of excellent places to eat and even the food court is nice and modern. Needless to say, I loved this place. ;p

the beautiful glass galleria and iconic sculpture "Flight Stop" by artist Michael Snow

Yonge-Dundas Square, across the Eaton Centre

CN TOWER

Toronto's famous landmark, the 553-meter CN Tower, is one of the city's must see attractions and also the most impossible to miss. Towering above the downtown, the structure can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. Hubby and I went up the observation areas to see the magnificent views of the city from up above. Will be blogging more about our experience in a separate post.

RIPLEY's AQUARIUM of CANADA

Located near the base of the CN Tower, this facility displays all kinds of marine life but the most impressive feature is the huge underwater tunnel with a moving sidewalk.

Unfortunately, we decided not to go inside anymore since we've already been to a number of aquariums in the past like in Singapore and Vancouver. Plus, we weren't with the kids anyway so sayang lang. But it looks nice based on the photos I've seen, so hopefully we can come back in the near future.

ROGERS CENTRE

Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium situated just southwest of the CN Tower. It is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB).

UNION STATION

Union Station is Canada's busiest transport hub and is an iconic heritage building. The inside is also so beautiful and there was even a free concert going on when we passed by through one time.

Anyway, I just love commuting abroad, especially if they have an efficient system like in Canada. We actually got a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) Day Pass which was great for sightseeing since you can use it for the subway, bus, and even streetcars.

riding a streetcar

at the King & Queen subway stations

Toronto really has something for everyone and I definitely hope to come back one day!

I really like visiting towers when in a different country (like in Seoul and Tokyo) so I can see the view of the city from way up high. When we were in Toronto, the CN Tower was definitely on top of our itinerary, considering it is the city's most famous landmark.

Towering above the downtown, the 553-meter structure can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. Trivia, the CN Tower held the distinction of being the tallest free-standing structure in the world until the completion of Burj Khalifa in 2010.

view of the tower from downtown

at the base of the tower

To get here, hubby and I took the train to Union Station and just walked a short bit towards the tower. The CN Tower was actually the last stop during our sightseeing around Downtown Toronto, and we timed it that way so we could also see the view at night.

We arrived around 6pm and there wasn't that much people in line. General admission for adults (ages 13-64) was $38 each, which allowed access to the LookOut, Sky Terrace and the Glass Floor areas.

We took the high speed elevators which zoomed us to the LookOut Level (346m) in just 58 seconds! The floor-to-ceiling glass windows gave us spectacular panoramic views of the sprawling city around the tower.

It was also amazing seeing the sunset from our vantage point.

From the LookOut area, you can go down one level to experience the Glass Floor, which is 256 square feet of solid glass that provides a view 342m (1,122 feet) straight down. I really HATE heights so it was physically hard for me to actually step on the glass considering how high up we were! But hubby had no problem with it, even lying down, dancing and JUMPING on top of the floor! But the glass is totally strong, they say it can actually withstand the weight of 35 moose! ;p

After checking out the Glass Floor, we then walked outside to the Sky Terrace, which was an outdoor walkway that encircled the tower. It was really cold and windy in this part so we just stayed for a few minutes. There was also a mesh netting around the grills, so it wasn't the best place to take photos.

The highest observation deck is the SkyPod, another 33 storeys up from the LookOut Level. You actually need a separate ticket for this which costs an additional $15, but luckily it was FREE during our visit!

At a thrilling 447m (1,465ft) high above the city, the SkyPod is one of the highest observation platforms in the world with an unobstructed 360 degree bird’s eye view of the city.

To be honest, I didn't really notice a huge difference from the view here compared to the LookOut Level. Good thing it was free during our visit, otherwise I don't think an additional $15 would be worth it.

view from the SkyPod

hubby had a beer before heading home to cap off the night

wish I'd taken a better pic here during the day

The CN Tower is open from 9AM to 10:30PM daily (except Christmas). Definitely a must-visit when in Toronto.

To be honest, I'm not such a fan of museums. I actually like history, but sometimes I get bored easily and would rather just take photos. Hubby, on the other hand, loves going to museums. He explores every little nook and cranny, checks out all the displays, and reads all those little information cards that explain what the exhibit is all about. Most of the time, I just sit down somewhere and wait for him until he's done lol. ;p

When we went to Toronto though, our college batchmate got in touch with us and offered us free tickets to The Royal Ontario Museum (also referred to as the "ROM") since she does volunteer work there. The ROM is actually one of the largest museums in North America, and the largest in Canada, so we knew we couldn't pass up this opportunity. So thank you Jam, because if it wasn't for you, we would have definitely missed out on this cool experience!

Regular admission to the ROM costs $20 for adults and includes entry to over 30 galleries showcasing a world-class collection of art, culture, and nature from around the globe and across the age.

thank you Jam!

If you're a history buff, you'll be in heaven with its five floors of galleries and exhibitions to explore. The highlight for me was definitely the exhibit of dinosaur bones! So cool!

with the mighty T-Rex!

I also enjoyed the Natural History exhibits which explores our world's biodiversity through three core themes: Life is Diverse, Life is Interconnected, and Life is at Risk.

The museum also features a diverse range of relics on display including ancient Roman sculptures, African and Asian art, and an extensive collection of design and fine arts, including clothing, interior, and product design, especially Art Deco.

What was so cool was that there was even a Philippine display! It featured traditional costumes, basketry, hosehold objects and musical instruments. So amazing to see our country represented in this museum.

ROM also has special exhibitions and when we were there, we caught The Evidence Room (runs until September 3, 2018) which shows undeniable forensic architectural evidence that Hitler’s National Socialist government, the Nazis, designed and carried out the murder of over one million Jews at Auschwitz-Birkenau during the Holocaust.

The Evidence Room, constructed entirely in white, focuses on the coldly calculated architectural decisions which culminated in a factory of death. Full-scale reconstructions of three key components of the Auschwitz gas chambers—a gas column, gas-tight door, and gas-tight hatch—and over 60 plaster casts of architectural evidence, such as blueprints, contractors’ bills and photographs, speak eloquently as silent material witnesses to the horrors of Auschwitz.

It was definitely one of the best museums I've been to so far, and I actually enjoyed looking through most of the galleries. I felt like I was in the "Night at the Museum" movie, imagining all the displays coming to life at night. ;p

Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M5S 2C6
Website: www.rom.on.ca
Hours: 10:00 am to 5:30 pm
The Museum is open daily except for December 25

Celebrity mom Iya Villania-Arellano admits she has forgotten how relatively easy her daily routines were before Baby Primo arrived. “I’m not sure how I balance my career with being a mom and a wife; it just happens!” she beams.

“When you know what's important and what you need to get done, then you make it happen. It's important that I list things down so I don't forget. I really need to put things down in my calendar even if its date night with Drew or a playdate for Primo.”

It’s no wonder why Iya was the natural choice of Cosmetique Asia, the makers of Bambini Baby Cologne, to be its newest endorser, together with Primo. Bambini Baby Cologne underwent a brand refresh with a new look guaranteed to appeal to the young ones.

“We wanted to focus on the playful bond that kids share with their parents. With Bambini, we make these precious random moments more enjoyable. It is evident even in our packaging. We made sure they are attractive enough for children so in choosing what variant to buy, parents and kids get to have fun and interact. All these while maintaining high quality standard and other requirements most parents are looking for — hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested. In the near future, we want to launch a complete range of child specific products with a fun loving vibe,” says Cosmetique Asia’s Vice President for Sales and Corporate Development, Tim Chuongco.

Inspired by mom-and-child bonding activities and fun elements of nature, the new and improved Bambini Baby Cologne features five new scents: the floral and sweet “Morning Tickles,” the calming “Starry Lullaby,” the clean and breezy “Ocean Kisses,” the cottony fresh “Cotton Cuddles,”and — Iya and Primo’s favorite — the citrusy and fun “Sunny Playtime.”

“We love Sunny Playtime. It's just the scent I prefer on Primo. It has a nice, mild, yummy scent that makes Primo nakakagigil even more! I also love how playful and inviting the packaging is. We actually have to hide the bottles from Primo because he likes to point to the mom and baby animals on the sticker front, then open the bottle to put some cologne on. Baka maligo na sa cologne eh,” Iya laughs.

For Iya, as with all working moms, the greatest challenge is to be there for her child “every moment he does something new or silly” and wanting to be there to witness it. And adding to the challenge and excitement is her announcement of having another baby boy. “Primo doesn't really understand that yet so we're enjoying him as he is for now. When he starts to get curious with my growing belly, then we'll start explaining,” she shares.

For a perfect mom-and-baby playtime, Iya and Primo recently joined toddlers and their parents for the official unveiling of the new Bambini Baby Cologne at Glorietta 3 Activity Center. Dubbed the Bambini Baby Cologne Family Bootcamp, the wonderful kiddie event transformed the venue into a wonderland of fun games and activities for kids, including a ball pit, a bouncy castle, giant puzzle blocks and a larger-than-life coloring book, where guests and their children could bond and enjoy the little surprises the activities bring out.

As Bambini relaunches with a new product for babies and kids, it hopes to be a part of every parent and child’s small moments and big adventures. Available in three sizes — 25ml, 50ml and 125ml — and packaged in an easy-to-go grip curvy bottle, the Bambini Baby Cologne lets parents and children enjoy life’s little surprises anytime, anywhere.

*press release

Centre Island is just a few minutes away from downtown Toronto by ferry. It is home to family-friendly attractions, loads of green space, bicycle paths, eateries and more. After being in Toronto for more than a week, it was definitely a great escape from all the hustle and bustle of the city.

Centre Island is also known as Toronto Island. It is actually comprised of many islands that are home to more than 250 residences and the Toronto Island Airport.

The only way to get to Centre Island is by ferry. The Toronto Ferry Docks are located at the foot of Bay Street and Queen Quay. The year-round ferry leaves every 15 minutes in the summer, less frequently in colder months.

Round trip tickets cost $7.71 for adults, $5.05 for students and seniors, $3.72 under 14, free under 2.

The ferry ride is about 10-15 minutes and you get a fantastic view of the city skyline and waterfront.

Centre Island attractions are open from May to October. It is home to Centreville Amusement Park, it's most popular attraction, which is open daily from the beginning of June to the beginning of September and all weekends in May and September. We visited in early October though, so sadly it was closed.

But we still had a lovely time walking around the place. The abundant green space filled with lush trees is perfect for a picnic.

We walked all the way to a pier that extends into Lake Ontario. There was also a beach but it was too cold to swim during that time.

can you spot the CN Tower in the background?

the crew

we walked back to the ferry when the sun started going down

love the way the sun cast these shadows

goofing around

nice seeing Toronto from a different perspective

bye Centre Island, til next time

Going back, we were able to catch the sunset which was amazing! I would have loved to go here when the attractions like the amusement park were open. But honestly, just riding the ferry and seeing the city skyline from the water was already a great experience.

I'm back! I know I haven't been blogging as much lately, and it's mainly beacuse I've just been enjoying the summer break with the family. We just came back from Brisbane a few weeks ago and we're actually leaving again in a couple of days to celebrate Sabre's 7th birthday! So I've been really busy packing because I'm so OC and I need to fix all the kids outfits and snacks and everything else in between!

Well if you're following me on Instagram, then you might remember me taking a little trip to Tokyo late last year. I've been actually seeing so many people in Japan right now because of cherry blossom season which is giving me total travel envy!

Anyway, if you're planning a trip to Japan soon, I just want to share where me and my friend stayed in Tokyo. My friend was actually the one who booked in an APA Hotel (via Agoda) which is located in Higashi-Shinjuku Kabukicho.

First of all, the APA Hotels have more than 300 branches in Japan. They have so many locations that there was actually another APA Hotel just 2 minutes away from where we stayed! So you really have to check the exact address otherwise you might get lost when looking for it. Ours was in 2-17-7 Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan 160-0021.

The location was actually near the Airbnb me and hubby stayed at before. But it was so funny since even with Google maps and all, I still got lost looking for this place! I actually arrived before my friend since she was coming from Singapore so we had different flights. So I was alone during the first day, and I took the train from the airport. It was supposed to be an easy walk from the station to the hotel but what was supposed to be 15 minutes became 45 minutes LOL! I didn't want to take a cab (cheapskate here) and good thing I had a pocket wi-fi with me so I was able to call hubby. He calmed me down, told me to check Google maps again, and true enough I was just going in the opposite direction ugh! Hassle pa coz I had a huge ass luggage with me. But anyway, found the place and just chalked it up to learning experience. ;p

lobby

Anyway, I knew hotel rooms in Japan are known for being notoriously small. Our Airbnb last time was just right for me and hubby, but this room was tiny haha! As in when you enter, there's the bed and not much else. We had a DOUBLE room which was about P5,500 a night.

But the TV was huge haha! I think it was 40 inches. Not much English channels though. Anyway, the room was so small we could barely exit and enter the room once our luggages were opened since the only place we could put them was the area by the door.

In fairness, the room had everything you would need like a refrigerator, kettle, and blow dryer. And of course free wi-fi!

You could also control everything from this panel on the bed like the lights and airconditioning. Plus points for having lots of outlets for charging our gadgets.

I've said this before, that I can stay in an ugly room as long as the bathrooms are nice. And even if the space was limited, the bathroom was clean and modern. I mean how the hell were they able to fit a bathtub in there?! haha!

Japanese heated, bidet equipped toilet

The body soap, shampoo, and conditioner were Shiseido and they smelled so good and made my hair so soft!

Location wise, it was about a 15 minute walk from the main Shinjuku station. There were also lots of convenience stores and restaurants nearby. But the best thing for me was that there was a Don Quijote just 4 minutes away! We would always stop by here after midnight before going home and go shopping when there weren't that much people anymore.

Anyway, even though our hotel room was small, it was very comfortable. My friend and I were practically crawling over ourselves whenever someone had to go to the bathroom or change clothes, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We probably grew 10x closer being confined in such a small space haha!

For my son Sabre's 7th birthday, we just decided to go to Hong Kong for a family vacation instead of having a big party. However, he said he still wanted to celebrate with his friends so we just threw him a small pool party right after we got back from our trip.

Since Sabre is into Nerf guns right now, I just decided to use water guns as the main element for his cake and giveaways.

Cake is from Baked Twinkles, who also did the art themed cake for my daughter's 7th birthday last year. I just told her it was a pool party and I wanted a water gun in there and she executed it amazingly! Super LOVE all the details!

For the giveaways, I wish I had the budget for Nerf guns but I just got these instead from SM. It was P399.75 for 2 guns, but I bought it during the 3-day sale so I got each gun for about P150 minus discounts. There are cheaper water guns out there, but of course I wanted good quality especially since there were gonna be a few kids lang naman. And the colors match perfectly with the gun on the cake too!

Anyway, here are more pictures from last weekend. I DIY'd the tags and other printables the day after we arrived from Hong Kong so I'm pretty happy with the outcome despite the short time frame. For the food, we just ordered Shakey's pizza and KFC for everyone.

I have to say though, the best part of the party was probably the giant unicorn floatie one of our friends brought (btw, she said she got it online from shopee.ph for just P800!) It was a big hit with the kids and even I wanted to jump in the pool to have a picture with it LOL!

So again, happy happy 7th birthday Sabre! Can't believe you're such a big boy already. But like I always say, you'll always be my baby forever. We love you so much!

Finally, hubby and I got to catch the Lion King Musical at Solaire last April 25.

We weren't actually able to buy tickets during the first time it was released. But then they extended the season and we were able to get good seats for Zone C, which is the 2nd least expensive area. Our seats were at the balcony, Row FF right smack in the middle.

We booked online at Ticketworld and there is an additional 3% Service Charge and 1.5% Ticket Protect which is around P300. Not sure if there's these fees when you buy directly from a Ticketworld booth.

Anyway, we arrived in Solaire at around 7pm (show was at 8pm). We actually had dinner in SM MOA, but there are also restaurants in Solaire if you want to dine there. I think we arrived at just the right time since of course I wanted to take photos and we didn't want to be rushing.

There are 3 photo backdrops you can choose from inside the venue (of course I had a picture in all 3 lol). When we arrived, there were actually not that much people yet so we immediately took a pic here.

backdrop 1

After a while, we noticed people lining up for the other backdrops. It was orderly and fast moving naman so you won't have a problem taking pictures even in all 3 backgrounds before the show.

backdrop 2

backdrop 3

Hubby wanted a beer before the show and good thing they have a bar inside the waiting area.

souvenir shop

Here's our view from our seats. It was good, but the leg room was so tight! We were in the first row of the section so there was like a wall/divider in front of us and there was probably about 2 inches of space between your knees and the wall. If you're buying tickets, the seats before our row were better pala (Row FFF) since there's a wide aisle in front of them.

Anyway, the show started promptly at 8pm. Don't try taking pictures during the show because they are really strict about it. One guy behind us took a pic and I saw the usher come up to him and ask him to delete the photos right in the middle of the show. So please be considerate and follow the rules.

Other tips, bring a jacket in case you get cold easily. Also, go to the bathroom before the show. I didn't go anymore during the intermission, but hubby said the lines in the women's CR were looooong lol.;p

The musical was just like the Disney movie, with a few new songs. The production and stage design were definitely the highlight, it was just breathtaking! And the young Simba and Nala were Pinoy kids pala, they were amazing!

There's a final season extension until May 27, and then they move to Singapore's Marina Bay Sands next. So glad I was able to watch this musical and tick it off my bucket list!

Phoenix Court at The Bellevue Manila

Lobby Lounging at Okada Manila

All Aboard! A Train Themed Birthday Party

First shopping haul for 2018!

Oldest, Middle, Youngest

January End of Season Sale Haul 2018

#ValentinesatEVIA - In The Mood Food Crawl

A Pineapple & Flamingo Party!

A Valentine's Date at EVIA

Toronto Trip: The Distillery District

The Big Bad Wolf Book Fair at World Trade Center

Unli Korean BBQ at SamgyeopMasarap (SM BF)

Downtown Toronto: Things to See and Do

Toronto Trip: CN Tower

Toronto Trip: Exploring the Royal Ontario Museum

A ‘Sunny Playtime’ with Iya and Primo Arellano

Toronto Trip: An afternoon at Centre Island

Our stay in APA Hotel (Tokyo, Japan)

A 7th Birthday Pool Party

The Lion King Musical at Solaire