Dinner at Buddy's

My weekend trip was canceled due to a typhoon and I am left with nothing to do on a Friday night. We planned to watch Kung Fu Panda 2 on the cinema but there were so many people at the ticket booth and there were no seats available for the time that we preferred. We just decided to watch it the next week when there is less people who would watch it. Walking aimlessly at Glorietta, we just decided to eat dinner and after a while of walking, we decided to eat at Buddy's.

I've been wanting to blog about Buddy's for a while now, however, I always forget to gather the other photos of their dishes in my camera phone. This time, since I have time to blog (because my weekend trip is canceled) I'll be able to write about Buddy's and the authentic Lucban, Quezon dishes they serve.

Lunch Out Series: 101 Hawker Food House

It has been a long time since I had a lunch out since I am saving up some moneys for my trips and travels and it has been so hot these days that I usually don't go out much at noon. This time, I went with some of my office mates and try out a place I heard before but hadn't had a chance to try out. This time, I get to have a taste of 101 Hawker Food House.

101 Hawker Food House is one of those hole in the wall restaurants which serves good food at affordable prices. It is what I call, secret finds. They are located at the heart of Makati CBD and it is one of those food places you would want to go back to.

Rainy Nights and S&R Dinner

It was an ordinary Wednesday night when we decided to meetup at Fort Bonifacio Global City for a dinner at S&R. We were supposed to meet up weeks before but this is the only time we are all free.

I took the Fort Bus going there and there is a minimal sign of rain. It was just when I reached BGC when the heavy rain poured down. It was a really really heavy rain that we were stuck on a building and couldn't go to where we were supposed to go. Good thing, an office mate of my friend offered us a ride and he dropped us off there. We were all wet but it was alright since we are all hungry and we are just concentrating on what to eat.

Side Trip to Taytay Falls

After our Pahiyas and Kamay ni Hesus trip in the morning, we all decided to push through our initial itinerary for that day, to go to Majayjay, Laguna and take a dip at Taytay Falls.

Majayjay, Laguna is just a jeepney away from Lucban. We initially took a trike from the town to get us to the jeepney terminal.From there, the jeepneys will drop us by the falls. Our group got separated to the others and the tricycle driver told us that he'll get us to the falls for an additional fee. Plus he will fetch us at about an hour to get us back to Lucban. We agreed and we all just met at the entrance of the falls where you will pay P20 entrance fee to Taytay Falls.

The entrance and parking area is a large vacant lot where people had established some sari sari stores for the overnighters. there is also a small house where you can use their bathroom for a fee. It also has a videoke machine for those who want to sing their hearts out. There is a small stairway beside a sari sari store going down. This is the pathway to the falls.

A Visit to Kamay ni Hesus Shrine

Before we we attended Pahiyas Festival on the town proper of Lucban, we went to Kamay ni Hesus first to visit the place. We were already walking the road there since the traffic was very very heavy and we are not moving anymore. It was just a 10-15 minute walk from the area we stopped.

The place is crowded with people at that time. It was mainly because people also go here before or after going to the Pahiyas. It is a large place where there are a lot of life size statues of saints and a hill, where there is an image of the risen Christ on top. You need to go up 300 plus steps just to reach it. At its bottom stands the church where, at that time, a mass was being celebrated.

Pahiyas Festival Weekend

It was another hot weekend and I woke up early to meet my usual trekking group for a different kind of adventure. It is May 15 and in Lucban, Quezon, this means that it is time for the Pahiyas Festival.

The Pahiyas Festival is an annual celebration of the feast of San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore), the Patron Saint of the farmers and of good harvest. Traditionally, they decorate their houses with their harvest. The kiping is one of the most famous decor they have. It is made of ground malagkit rice and shaped into leaves in different colors. The people there use these to create pretty and colorful decorations that they hang in front of their houses.

Takbo Para Kay Troy: Run for a Cause

I was up at 4am in the morning preparing for the run that my friend invited me to join. it was held at Filinvest Alabang and so I decided to join since it was near our place and also, it was for a cause.

The head of security in Filinvest Corporate City was diagnosed of leukemia and so this run was organized. It was called Takbo para kay Troy, named after him. Also, there was another beneficiary in this run aside from Sir Troy and it was nice to have helped even in small ways.

Zambales Weekend Getaway: Late Lunch at Magic Lagoon Grill Bar and Restaurant

As the rain kept on pouring after we washed up at Pundaquit, we decided to have lunch at SBMA since it was on our way back home. I recommended Magic Lagoon Grill Bar and Restaurant since I have tried this place a year ago and I have enjoyed it because of its yummy and affordable dishes.

Our travel from Pundaquit to SBMA took about an hour and so, we were all asleep because of the tiredness we are already feeling from the island hopping at Capones Island and overnight camping at Nagsasa Cove.

Zambales Weekend Getaway: Lunch at Nora's Resto

We got to San Antonio in Zambales at around lunch time and before we go to Nagsasa, we decided to have lunch here and also to buy some stuff for our camping trip. We immediately headed to Nora's Resto which is located near the market in San Antonio.

The small restaurant has a burger stand at the front. As you enter their small place, there are wooden tables inside for guests. It can actually accommodate large groups. What is nice here is that it is air conditioned and has a comfort room for the guests. The dishes in the menu looks promising and the attendant assisted us well.

Zambales Weekend Getaway: Camping at Nagsasa Cove

After our short Capones Island trip, we went to Nagsasa Cove so that we could set our camp. Nagsasa is a cove double the distance of Anawangin Cove which is the more popular among the series of cove in Zambales. It is much peaceful in Nagsasa, though, since it is much farther away from Pundaquit, the port where you ride the boats going to the different coves. It is approximately an hour of boat ride from Capones Island so we rested as we let the waves relax us and save energy for the night at the camp ahead.

It wasn't my first time to go to Nagsasa. A year ago, I arranged a trip here with my friends. We only had a day trip here and we didn't get to swim at the clear waters because it was high noon when we got there. We only got to trek the safari-like terrain going to the small falls which unfortunately was super dry at that time. This time, I will not only swim at the waters of Nagsasa but also would stay for a night here with the people I just recently met.

Zambales Weekend Getaway: Mysteries of Capones Island

I was invited to join a camping trip to Nagsasa, Zambales by a friend and I was the only one who was game on it and so, I braved that day not knowing all who will come and hoping that they don't eat me alive on a deserted island while camping >__<.

Early Saturday, I went to EDSA Shaw to meetup with my friend and we went to Katipunan where the rest of the people who will join are waiting. We initially planned to go on commute since Zambales is easily reached by a bus in Cubao, however, we reached the quota of 10 people who confirmed to come and they decided to rent a van instead for convenience.

Chill at Happy Lemon

After eating dinner at Le Ching, we decided to chill at Promenade still at Greenhills. It was the first time I learned of this place and it was filled with rows of restaurants that would excite foodies all around. We went to Happy Lemon where we chilled and catch up for a while.

 The place is just small, a few tables inside and also at the outside. The people there stay for a drink and hang out. It was a cozy place and the chairs are fun to sit on. The crew on the counter are friendly, however, their way of calling customers on their orders is not that effective. I didn't hear my name being called and I have to go to the counter to check on it.

Dinner at Le Ching Tea House

During my 3-day training at Greenhills a former office mate learned that I was just near my old office so we decided to meet up. He told me that he knows a good place where you can have yummy Chinese cuisine at an affordable price. It was called Le Ching Tea House (yes, I know, it sounds weird). He said he used to eat there as a kid and it has been years since his last visit here and so I agreed and we had dinner there after office (and training) hours.

We met up at Greenhills Shopping Center and from there, we were both not sure where to look for this place. We asked the guard and he told us where it is. It turned out that I have passed by it when I was waiting for us to meet. It was funny that I didn't remember it then.

Night Out with my SDK Family at Memphis

I was sent on a 3-day training on Greenhills by my company and so I grabbed the opportunity, when asked by my former team mates, to have dinner (and a bit of drinking) with them.

We went to our favorite place at Pioneer Center in Mandaluyong City, Memphis. Even before, we loved this place because of its Crispy Tawilis and affordable beer prices.

Switchfoot Hello Hurricane Concert Tour

We watched Switchfoot: Hello Hurricane Concert Tour at Phil Sports Arena (formerly ULTRA) and it was a blast! The fans are all hyped as they played their hits from their album Hello Hurricane and some old schools songs of theirs.

I am not much of a super fan of Switchfoot but I surely like their songs so when my concert buddies (yes, we always go together in concerts) invited me, I didn't say anything (literally) and we all bought tickets for this.