August 28, 2018

What to Expect when Going to Ho Chi Minh Vietnam?

Here’s a quick rundown of your Ho Chi Minh (aka Saigon) adventure:

Becoming an instant millionaire is a reality when coming to Vietnam. Their currency is called Dong and your Php4,500 is converted to VND2,000,000! The vacation there will surely cost you millions!
Smiling Vietnamese is quite common in tourist spots but not all can speak English.
Strolling in Saigon may require you to bring an extra shirt and a jacket. Weather is bipolar and almost the same as in Manila (sunny and rainy or both at the same time). Wind is just stronger during our August visit.
Crossing the street is literally deadly. Drivers, particularly from the sea of motorcycles, do not stop on a red signal and they do not show a hint of respect to pedestrian crossings. So be extra careful, stay alert, and have a strong will to reach the other side of the street… in one piece and alive!
Walking in the underground tunnel is excitingly creepy, such claustrophobic experience, and gives you a painful idea of the life during the 20 years of Vietnam War (1955-1975). The trip is about three to four hours drive to/from Ho Chi Minh.

How the tunnels were designed

Underground Meeting at Cu Chi Tunnels

Heartbreaking to visit the War Remnants Museum as it showcases memories of the Vietnam War. If traveling with kids, we recommend you to avoid entering an area called “Orange” Hall as it depicts brutal images of suffering children. It is an alarming sight and can be traumatic.
Riding a boat at Mekong River felt surreal while exploring the brown (yet clean) water along the surrounding greeneries. The walk in the countryside on the way to lunch is a perfect escape to a busy life.

Making the Cruise at Mekong

Climbing to the 68 floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower gives a good view of the entire Saigon including the Mekong River.

Bitexco Financial Tower Saigon

Shopping at Ben Thanh Market is not so amazing; imagine BF Homes Ruins but just 5 times or so bigger. Still good to shop for local products (coffee beans, pistachios, dried squid,etc.) but you need to be an expert in bargaining (kudos to Hubby as he has more skill to negotiate) plus get ready to be poked several times before closing a deal. Eat at the food corner to make your visit worthwhile.

Eat at Ben Thanh Market

Buying street food is a must and already a complete gastro adventure. Best part, it does not need to be fancy to experience the authentic local taste. Try Bahn Mi (baguette with savory fillings) or Bahn Xeo (fried pancake). I have to grab a small chair to enjoy my favorite meal—pho (pronounce as “fuh” and not “fo” as the latter means “beautiful woman”). Pho is a hot soup consisting of beef or chicken broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat. I love the beef more!
Finding a good coffee shop is not a struggle at all and it is just about anywhere. The place is a real coffee haven. Prepare to do some beans and stainless steel single-cup coffee filter shopping too!

When you get back home, you will love coffee even more!

BF Home’s Aguirre Samgyeopsal Alley

BF Homes Aguirre has now become a food hub. People even from outside the village come over to experience a unique gastro-adventure. Evenings especially on weekends are packed by hungry customers aiming to satisfy their food cravings. You won’t really get disappointed as there a lot of cuisines to explore from Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Spanish, American, Mediterranean and what’s getting more and more popular… the Koreans and their unlimited samgyeopsal. Imagine just along the Aguirre stretch, there are more than a dozen (and counting) restaurants.

Samgyeopsal (or samgyupsal) means “three-layer meat” referring to striations of lean meat and fat in the pork belly that appear as three layers when cut. What makes this kind of meal more exciting is the unlimited offering of some stores ranging from Php300 to Php500 with side dish and even buffet to a few! Expect long lines and series of heavy queuing. If you don’t feel like lining up and wish to eat with lesser crowds, there are some samgyeopsal stops that are not unlimited with about the same price range.

I’m sure most are really good and worth the money as we can see the nonstop flow of people dining in and out the Aguirre Samgyeopsal Alley from Sa Seoul Tayo, Samgyupsal House, Samgyeopmasarap to Samgyupsalamat. We have not tried most of the restos (not yet) but we enjoyed coming back here (sharing a photo of their signage instead to help you identify the place quickly, names can be confusing even with address on hand as they appear to look the same for Pinoy goers):

Sing Sing Meatshop and Restaurant – Always full. There are areas that you have to sit in cross legs. One of the most affordable. (Servers used to cook in front of you but they give customers more freedom now.)

Address: 268-A Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City
Type: Unlimited samgyeopsal with refillable sidedish
Price: Php300-380 per head

Mega Buffet Restaurant – There are three kinds of restos inside (Japanese and Shabu-Shabu), but go for the Korean buffet. Really good (but they are not very generous on garlic cloves, you got to pay extra for it.)

Address: 335 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City
Type: Unlimited samgyeopsal and Korean buffet
Price: Php500 per head

Premium Korean BBQ – If all unli picks are full and/or no available parking spaces, this is a good option too. Cozier feel than others and a quiet venue to eat (too quiet, really). You can request them to cook the pork in their kitchen (but where is the fun there?).

Address: 256 Aguirre Ave, BF Homes, Parañaque City
Type: A la carte with refillable sidedish
Price: Php300 per order

Oh and the side dishes…Kimchi (salted and fermented napa cabbage) . Kongnamool (Korean soybean sprout). PaMuchim (spicy onion leek salad). Veggies on Ssamkong (Korean BBQ sauce). If I get lucky, there is Myulchi Bokkeum (stir-fired anchovies). What’s your favorite? Let’s eat!

Samgyupsal dinner at Mega Buffet!

June 22, 2018

The Iloilo One-Day Trip

It was mostly about work during my first visit in Iloilo but made sure to devote a whole day to explore the City with the boys. A truly fast-emerging destination for commerce and tourism. It is a booming place with a lot of building constructions, real estate developments, call center companies, and huge malls. It reminded me a lot of Manila but it is a sight to behold seeing less traffic on the road even during rush hours. Streets are mostly empty at the Iloilo Business District while the heavy car flow is just on the main tourist areas.

If planning a tour by yourself or with a guide, here are some places that you may consider visiting for a one-day trip:

Garin Farm – Located at San Joaquin and an hour and a half drive from the City. As you arrived, prepare Php150.00 for the entrance fee. Get ready to walk in the farm (you might smell foul odors along the way) then take a stop at the nipa hut to get acquainted with all the vegetables in the Bahay Kubo folk song (each one is planted around the kubo according to the sequence of the song). After a few elevated steps, you will get at the foot of the real climb! Take the 456 steps up while reflecting on the life of Jesus as a stopover. Eye on the Divine Mercy Cross and take a solemn moment reaching the peak with all is blinding whiteness—a version of heaven.

Divine Mercy Cross

Angels are waiting when you reach the peak!

Miagao Church – Completed in 1797, the church is famous for the artistic sculptural relief carved on its façade. In 1993, the church was designated as one best example of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines and included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. (Reference: Explore Iloilo)

View from the outside of Miagao Church

Tatoy’s – There are many branches but we ate at their resort-resto in Sto. Niño Sur Arevalo branch. Having lunch in front of the beach is the most amazing! Meal serving is a lot but the taste of the food is just okay and service is lousy; servers are inattentive.

Lunch in front of the beach!

Molo Mansion – Build in the 1920s and named Yusay-Consing Mansion; the place had hosted two Philippines Presidents— Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña. While there is an attempt to preserve the historical ambiance, the lobby has become an SM Kultura store and the garden is now filled with restaurants. It could have been kept with fewer establishments.

Outside façade of Molo Mansion

Jaro Cathedral – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) formally declared the cathedral as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles (Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria) on February 2012. It is the second national shrine in the Visayas. (Reference: Wikipedia)

The walk towards the altar

Drive around the City Proper and quickly visit their landmarks: Arroyo Fountain, Libertad Train, Dinagyang Festival path, and Iloilo Port.

We were supposed to walk around La Paz Market but the weather did not permit (thanks to typhoon Domeng) so we went to Atria for Netong’s La Paz Batchoy and took a cup of coffee at Madge Cafe. The batchoy is good but not to crave for while Madge Cafe is a complete disappointment. The cappuccino tasted like chocolate powder drink and the black coffee was bitter thick and not fresh; the cafe has no coffee aroma. You also need to pay Php40/hour when charging your phone on top of paying for your drink/food order. I like to think that this unhappy encounter with these local favorites is just at Atria branch and does not reflect the other stores.

But we have discovered other good food! I am not a fan of biscocho (baked bread) but this has changed after a having a bite from Biscocho Haus! It has the right crunch, sweetness, and creaminess. Oh, the Guimaras mango remains the best of its kind! We will get back to Iloilo as full vacation next time! There are a lot more to explore there. We are eyeing these hotels for our next stay:

Richmond and/or Courtyard by Marriott – Located within the expanse of Iloilo City’s newest Megaworld township development along the Iloilo Business Park. The area is a budding economic district consisting of important corporate offices, modern residential area, and a stylish shopping and entertainment complex. In between these hotels is the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) that hosted the APEC 2015 as its initial event.

The Mansion – One of the most prominent landmarks in Iloilo City featuring a unique blend of Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino heritage and architecture offering 187 spacious and renovated rooms. It is a 1.5-hectare property at the heart of the main city.

A place to explore and a hotel to stay in, what would you recommend?

May 21, 2018

Ramen Destinations in HongKong

The craving for ramen was equally strong even while in Hongkong and we found that they also have a lot of worth-slurping restos with no main branch yet in the Philippines (or maybe there is one opening now?!).

The family went to HK for me to attend a digital marketing summit, for our son to revisit Ocean Park, and for hubby to simply bond with us. The Japanese Ramen exploration was not in the main plan during our short stay but it has surprisingly become one of the highlights of the trip as we have been solid lovers of this dish. Sharing our top three picks:

Ichiran

Get ready to line up for one to two hours before you take a good seat and enjoy that hot bowl of ramen. We don’t really like waiting that long but this one is an exception. They only have one type of serving but it fits to a lot of people; you just get to pick your mix on a menu sheet (flavor taste, richness, garlic level, green onions, type of sliced pork, Ichiran’s Original Red Sauce, noodle texture) and get ready to savour the moment… then do it again! The next day we went to line for hours once more at Tsim Sha Tsui branch before our evening flight.

Address: Lockhart House, Block A, 440 Jaffe Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Fascinated with our ramen corner!

Best place to eat alone with no care in the world!

Kuma

Address: 8 Parkes St, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

The Black Kuma is one of the best garlicky noodle ever while the boys had a feast with their respective Kuma orders.

Ramen bowl for each! Happiness.

Bari-Uma

Address: G/F, 26 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, China

Imagine pork flavored shoyu soup with grilled thick-cut chashu! I like how they perfectly flamed the meat to the inside making it so good to bite.

Which of these ramen flavors to choose?

April 11, 2018

Going to MonteMaria Batangas

The Family had a quick meaningful escape to Batangas and visited MonteMaria at Brgy. Pagkilatan, Batangas City. It is a beautiful pilgrimage center dedicated to Mary, Mother of All Asia. The location is a plateau that overlooks Verde Passage and the entrance of Batangas Bay of almost all vessels coming from Southern Philippines. There stands a 63- meter tall stainless steel monument of Mama Mary while on top of a 25-meter tall podium.

Driving closer to Her now!

The one-way drive is about 2 1/2 hours from BF Homes and the view when reaching Batangas is just amazing. What I enjoyed the most was seeing the structure shaped as Mama Mary, tall and high while from a distance. So inspiring to see Her from far away like She is waiting for us.

She is waiting!

Ideal to come in the late afternoon or when the sun is not at its peak; the climb is high but reaching the auditorium would be worth the effort. If traveling with elders, you can just go up and park beside the tower (which we did for my Mom).

The Mothers and the Boys!

The altar at the auditorium.

It will be the icon and pilgrimage destination not only of the entire Philippines and eventually of all Asia and the World. So many more infrastructures are bound to be constructed—approximately 22 hectares of land to be allocated for the development of 1,000 condotel rooms and 500 villas with average floor areas of 40 sqm and 300 sqm, respectively. These residential accommodation facilities will be available to pilgrims, devotees, tourists, retirees, and all others on a time-sharing basis or sale. Built in the areas around the vicinity of the monument, this project was named Cloisters @ MonteMaria. In addition to this, there will also be 2 residential subdivisions with a total land area of 37 hectares. *

It will still take a long time before all the constructions are done; for now just simply enjoy the drive, the view, and make a solemn visit to Mama Mary.

–

Reference: *www.montemaria.com.ph

March 15, 2018

Coworking Space in BF Homes Parañaque

To spend a day in a coworking space is something I have been planning to do but never had a chance. Most coworking areas are not-so-near my location and going out of the village is not very ideal, thanks to the heavy traffic in the Metro. I also saw some packages with expensive rates and not very welcoming to a per-day-only office setup. Have you tried coworking or do you wish to explore this arrangement?

Coworking is a style of work that involves a shared workplace, often an office, and independent activity. Unlike in a typical office, those coworking are usually not employed by the same organization. Typically, it is attractive to work-at-home professionals, freelancers, independent contractors, or people who travel frequently who end up working in relative isolation. (Source: Wikipedia)

Just when I was reconsidering an area in Alabang (either LaunchPad or Regus) and in Las Pinas (Gather), I saw two possible spots with no need to leave the subdivision! So while walking around Pergola and eating at Container Turf came into view The Common Space and WorkPlays.

The Common Space

Address: Unit 203, The Pergola Mall, Aguirre Ave., Cor. Gaches St., BF Homes

The Common Space is a coworking area offering different platforms of workspace for freelancers, startups, students, and ventures of all types. They support these core values: Community. Cowork. Create. Collaborate.

WorkPlays

Address: 3/F C&C Building, Aguirre Ave., BF Homes

Workplays is a coworking space provider that caters to freelancers, small companies, and startup businesses. They aim to offer their tenants a work space that is both relaxing and mentally stimulating, breaking the mold of conventional offices; providing a conducive work area plus the opportunity to meet and work with other entrepreneurs.

At the moment, I am only eyeing for three things: the location/parking, amenities, and rates for half-day, whole-day-only and one month plus per hour meeting room fee of 5 people.

Shall I include in the category where is the better coffee? 🙂

For now, I just like to know if this kind of setting is for me. If the experience is good, I am open to cowork for weeks or even months. Well, both have unlimited wifi connection and coffee refills so this must be okay! Where to spend an office day?

–

Photos c/o the FB Fan Pages.

February 23, 2018

The Not-So-Very-Nice People at the Coffee Stores

I enjoy working at coffee shops; it is an ideal other-office to finish a deadline, start a collaboration, prepare a report, read a chapter, or write a blog. There are a lot of times when I can accomplish more here than staying at the office. But not every day I get a dose of tranquility or that sense of accomplishment with a coffee in hand; some people just seem to miss good manners and drop “proper courtesy” in their vocabulary that I cannot simply ignore The Attitude. Have you encountered these not-so-very-nice customers?

Talking on their mobile phones as if they are the only one in the room.
Lounging on the store couch feeling like they are in their own bed.
Removing their shoes and flaunting their feet! Are they assuming they are alone at home?
Taking their time to look at the menu not minding the long queue.
Chatting with each other in a loud voice perhaps imagining they just purchased the place!
Owning an entire four-seater space and not planning to share despite the many crowds.
Depriving other people a chance to charge drained phone or laptop batteries.
Not cleaning their own mess; yes there are cleaners but throwing empty cups or setting aside used mugs won’t be much of a sweat.
Slurping the coffee which makes me wonder if I am in a ramen house.
Saying sorry or excuse me is not very common nowadays. There are instances when the venue can be full and we might unintentionally hit someone’s shoulder in a cramped walkway or drop someone’s stuff in a squeezed table… shall we just pretend like nothing happened?

I’m sure you have more encounters to add. But isn’t always ideal to go back to the basics and recall what we have learned in grade school? As simple as applying respect and courtesy wherever we go. Well, hope you still enjoy the fresh brew!

January 27, 2018

Up and Awake for 2018 (Part 4 Coffee Stops at BF Homes)

If there is one thing I have written in quite a series then that would be topics about coffee at BF Homes—been writing about it since July 2015’s 5 Coffee Stopover to November 2015’s Next 5 Coffee then March 2017’s Coffee Spot! Now starting the new year and continuing the brew-adventure all along Aguirre Street.

Drinking patterns change as I refuse to drink black and no sugar before but now this type of beverage has been a hobby to order especially when trying new coffee shops plus a taste of flat white (an espresso-based coffee drink. It is prepared by pouring microfoam into a single or double shot of espresso. It is somewhat similar to the caffè latte although smaller in volume and less microfoam, therefore having a higher proportion of coffee to milk*).

There are actual realizations too being a coffee drinker for years, like the quality of milk for a latte order must be as good as the beans in order to achieve that perfect cup; brewed coffee would taste bad if not served within 30 minutes after the brewing is done; not all beans are made equal, the aroma would always warn you if the coffee is really good or not.

Here is the latest list of coffee shops worth to visit while inside BF Homes.

My Cuppa Fix (February 2017)

Address: 218 Aguirre St. BF Homes

Specialty coffee providing a unique experience by serving a high-quality coffee in a warm and friendly setting. It creates a gateway that will support local community growth.

Need Coffee (April 2017)

Address: 252B Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes

Also a specialty coffee shop striving to serve a bolder, more flavorful experience in every cup. Venue is well-lit and cozy; I like working here.

The Alex Coffee (January 2018)

Address: JJACC Building, 169 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes

Another new and very spacious coffee stop; they offer nitro and roast their own beans (there is even a special corner inside the store for the roasting).

–

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white

Photo Source: Images via Facebook page of each Coffee Store except Alex.

December 12, 2017

10 Realities of Freelancers

There are really so many perks of being a freelancer; as most practitioners proudly claim—own your time, be your own boss, freedom to be when and where you want to work.

True that doing freelance has a lot of advantages especially in managing time but it takes beyond time to keep up. Before taking the leap into freelancing (a lot are considering it now with the turn of the new year and the option to shift a career), I would always recommend friends and colleagues to study the pros and cons on top of their evaluation of their emotional and financial status. Our own attitude plays a huge part in the process; connection with people who can help is also very useful especially on the first year (my first consulting job was from my fulltime employer). Someone has to be there to support you, give you an opportunity to handle projects while you are still building a portfolio. It is a must to bank on discipline, patience, and perseverance; delivering quality work given the deadline.

Hubby is also a freelancer and we have made a random list which others can surely relate across industries. Get ready to live these realities once you jump into the freelance world:

Working on Vacation is the life of a homebased freelancer

Work while vacationing (taken a Veue Cabins)!

Get accustomed to working even on vacations.
Do a Monday night gimmick as you wish!
Learn to market yourself beyond the beauty of your CV.
You will miss the excitement of going to ATMs on the 15^th and 30^th plus the thrill of holiday bonuses.
Good thing, you won’t be affected by “petsa de peligro” (days closer to salary and pockets of employees are almost empty).
Seeing all your billings become a nightmare when there is no work in the pipeline.
There are months you will be overloaded to the point of refusing a job (so as not to compromise quality) while there are also off-peak days when you just stare at your computer screen and no work is popping.
Some clients are way too unreasonable, admit it. Now, you have the option to refuse working with dementor-like-clients.
At several scenarios, getting your cheque on time is but a dream and sweet promises of the accounting department is the last hope.
You will get a full-time offer that is so tempting you will have second thoughts if you are doing the right thing.

Do an honest analysis of where you want to be in terms of your career and finances along with your personal goals; the realization will help you stay as freelance or go back to corporate world, your choice. Stick to where you are most happy and productive.

–

As the year ends and new plans will prosper for us all in terms of personal and career growth, let me thank you for staying with me through 2017 and looking forward to more of our adventures together this 2018!

November 24, 2017

Reviewing Veue Cabins at Bolinao Pangasinan

This long ASEAN weekend, we were able to sneak for a quick out of town at Bolinao, Pangasinan. It was a secluded place ( 5-hour travel time from Paranaque without heavy traffic) with our room fronting the beach. Veue has a relaxing atmosphere with only six cabins for guests with swimming pool in the midst. There was no internet signal in the vicinity; it feels refreshing to detach to digital world sometimes.

If the idea is an escape from the chaotic city traffic for a few days and go on a long tranquil drive without much stress, you can try to leave the Metro at 4am and enjoy the trip to Bolinao. Sharing the same thoughts of Hubby (with a few of my add-on comments in green italic font), here is the review he did (also seen on Veue Facebook) and credits to his photos too! 🙂

… We were booked in Veue Beach Cabins from November 16-18. They have 6 cabins, and we picked the nearest from the beach (they have 2), one of which is named Malang house. Yes, the drive was long, with some roadworks but, when you reach the place, it was all worth it.

Let me start off with how to go there. I followed Waze and used the TPLEX Ramos (Paniqui) exit. There were a few road constructions, but nothing fuzzy about it. From the Bolinao Hi-way, you will make a left towards Patar Beach (roughly around 18 kms). Waze then will say, you have reached your destination but no. You have to climb up and follow the “G” sign. It will lead you to a rough road. SUVs, Pick-up Trucks, and Vans can traverse the road easily; Sedans are another story. If your sedan is equipped with stock tires and stock suspension, please proceed with caution because the road is rough with pointed rocks. But if installed lowering springs and low profile tires, better think twice. You will then see Veue Beach Cabins after the G resort.

After the long and winding and a bit of rough road, you will eventually feel that your vacation will start instantly. You will have a break with your mobile devices, social media sites because there is no signal (there is phone signal, for calls only in one spot in G resort). So, grab a book, or better yet, just enjoy what is in front you. The view is majestic especially during the magic hours.

We stayed in Malang house, two of the cabins that are closest to the ocean. Now, let us go to the cabin. The Malang Cabin is roomy (all Veue Cabins are). They have a pantry with complete accessories (coffee press without coffee beans, hehe, plates, utensils, dual electric stove, refrigerator, sink, microwave, etc), meaning there is no food (not even a single water bottle), so you are allowed to bring whatever you want to cook. You can also order at the G Resort if you don’t want to problem preparing. But, if there are no guests in G Resort, tendency is, they do not stock up their inventory. Don’t get me wrong, they serve good food, but not just complete (I must say, a bit pricey too). The cabins are also equipped with sofa bed and a king size bed. The toilet/bathroom is spacious too. By the way, you have to bring anti-insect patches when traveling with kids (we caught a spider in the room so stay alert for all types of crawlers). The cabins have enough spacing for privacy as well. Imagine, there is an ongoing construction just on the vacant lot near us, with backhoe and all those hammering, but once you got into your cabin, the noise was isolated (if no Spotify and TV is off, construction sound can be bothersome as it comes persistent in the morning until afternoon).

The pool is child-friendly; my son loves it. He even said, the best pool ever (maybe because he can touch the floor, and on our second day, he owned the pool since no other guests checked-in)! The view from the pool to the ocean is breathtaking. My wife and I literally stared at it for hours, just eating chips and drinking (coffee/)tea. God’s work is truly amazing.

The beach. Ah, the beach. My wife loves it only because of the white sand. But, you can’t really jump and swim right away because of sea rocks. It is filled with sea rocks. It is like a maze going to spot where there are no rocks. If you are into snorkeling, then it could work for you guys.

My observation, there was a security hut near our cabin, but never did I see any security guard on duty. There were occasional vendors that can go inside the premises. Privacy check here guys. We also wanted to extend our stay for another night and the staff suggested to just call the owners but we will go back to the problem of mobile signals. Opportunity lost there.

Overall, it was a great escape for us and worth the long drive. Are we gonna go back? Definitely. Thank you again Veue Beach Cabins.”

WriteNowNa

Writing From Down South of the Metro