Breakfast at Manila Pavilion

Located in the heart of the busy Malate district, Manila Pavilion is a 4-star casino hotel owned and managed by the Waterfront Hotel and Casino group. Its prime location and accessibility to the casino make it a top choice among local residents and tourists as well. 

A one-bedroom suite is complete with all the amenities that you need for that quick getaway without leaving the city. I heard that they are currently renovating the rooms floor by floor. This one's not yet renovated though. I wonder how the refurbished rooms look like. Maybe next time.

Living room

Another view

Dining area

Partition between the living room and the bedroom

Buffet breakfast is served at Seasons Cafe at the ground floor.

Better arrive early and ahead of the group tours so you'll have time and options to choose from.

Breads

Bibingka and Puto Bungbong

Sushi

Waffle and French Toast

Fruits

On my table

French Toast and Cheese Ensaymada

Second plate with food that I was able to get before more Chinese guests empty the tables.

Staycation at its finest.

~o~o~o~

Manila Pavillion Hotel & Casino
United Nations Avenue corner Ma. Orosa St.
Malate, Manila, Philippines

Tel.: (632) 526-1212

Lent

I usually spend the Holy Week at home -- part reflection and part staycation. But this year, I had to make an exception.

As part of our annual tradition, I met with my high school friends on Holy Thursday for Visita Iglesia. For the sake of non-Catholic readers, Visita Iglesia (Church Visits in English) is the time when devout Catholics visit 14 churches in remembrance of the 14 Stations of the Cross. Or like in our case, we visited 7 churches and prayed 2 stations per church all within Cavite City.

Outside San Roque Church

We completed the 14 stations by 11pm and headed to Hidden Tapsi in Kawit, Cavite for late dinner.

Best tapsilog ever!

The following day, my colleagues and I drove to Silang and Tagaytay to beat the summer heat.

Lunch at LZM Restaurant was one of the best Filipino meals I've ever had. No wonder it was jam-packed even on a Good Friday.

Daing na Bangus is my favorite among the three.

After lunch, we drove another 5 minutes to go to Riviera Golf and Country Club.

While the dads/guy friends play golf, the girls and the kids can head down to the country club to play billiards, swim in the pools or just lounge around to feel the refreshing Tagaytay breeze.

The traffic from Silang to Tagaytay was terrible. But securing a parking slot was even more exhausting.

We had pizza and chicken wings at Carlo's Pizza for dinner.

Black Saturday was errands day -- pay the bills, pedicure, packing and so on since I had to leave again early morning Easter Sunday to attend a friend's wedding in Pangasinan (more on that trip later).

Money dance

Its been two days and I still feel tired with all the road trips and last minute meet ups and parties. I guess I'll be staying put this weekend to recover and regain my energy for more trips in the coming weeks.

Spicy Tuna Maki

I was craving for Spicy Tuna Maki that night so I asked DB where can I have that. Since we only have a couple of options down South, we decided to check if our favorite Japanese restaurant Tanabe has it.

The waitress handed us the menu as soon as we were comfortably seated and immediately left to get the house tea. I browsed it twice but cannot find what I was looking for. Good thing I asked and the waitress told me that even if its not included in the menu, I can request the chef to prepare it for me. *spoiled brat alert*

A huge Spicy Tuna Maki

We also ordered other favorites to share. Ordering in Tanabe is both hard and easy. Hard to choose when you want to have a taste of everything, making it easy on the other hand because you can just point here and there and you know that you can't go wrong.

California Maki with Unagi and Tuna Tekka Maki on the sides

Salmon Maki

Spicy Tuna Maki cravings: Solved!

~o~o~o~

Tanabe

Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia

Central Business Park, Bay City

Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Tel.: (632) 556-0360

Sebastian's Ice Cream

The Magnum craze had been going on for weeks now and there's no stopping it, well at least not in the near future, thanks to the social media networks that consistently spreads the word of the newest and most sosyal ice cream available today.

But before Magnum came, there's Sebastian's Premium Ice Cream.

Proudly Filipino made and concocted, Sebastian's has been around for years now but hasn't reached the "household name" status yet (even some of my friends haven't heard of it) maybe because it only has a few branches all over the Metro. I first came across the brand a few years back when I went to Podium and that is where I had a love at first bite!

So while everyone was going nuts over Magnum, I found myself standing in front of the new and most favored flavors of Sebastian's for minutes trying to decide which one to get now and which ones to try for next time.

I tried new flavors this time around and veered off from my usual Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Chocoholics Anonymous. After trying at least 4 flavors (you can ask for a free taste), I ended up taking a cup of Cornflake Milk ice cream.

Feels like I'm eating left over cornflakes with milk that spent an overnight in the freezer, but so much better!

With real cornflakes

In celebration of the summer in the Philippines, I am glad to share that Sebastian's has new flavors catered to the Filipino palate like Biko, Puto Bumbong, Tibok-Tibok (a Classic Pampanga dessert), Champorado, Banana-Q, Ginataang Halo-Halo, Sapin-Sapin and Mangga't Suman.

Made with real sticky rice and coconut cream to produce that distinct suman flavor twirling with the ripest and sweetest mango which can only be found in the country.

Mangga't  Suman

Kuchinta, Ube Halaya, Gata and Langka flavors all in one scoop! It's amazing how Sebastian's was able to make this famous Pinoy kakanin into an ice cream complete with all the flavors, even the texture is almost the same!

Sapin-Sapin -- Sounds impossible? Head to the nearest Sebastian's and taste it for yourself.

Once in a Blue Moon (Blue Cheese Ice Cream) -- I will be back for you!

~o~o~o~

Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio
SM Mall of Asia

Pasay City, Metro Manila

Philippines

Rejuvenate Yourself at Balay Indang

Tucked in the quiet town of Indang, Cavite is one of the most serene places I've ever been to. Balay Indang boasts merely 2 hectares of land (another 2 hectares yet to be developed) transformed to become the perfect spot for rejuvenating one's mind, body and soul.

This place reminds me so much of Sonya's Garden only bigger and cheaper.

I love how random the designs are yet perfectly blends with each other and the overall look of the place.

You can opt to have a sit-down buffet lunch al fresco

or inside the main dining hall.

Lunch buffet is Php550 for adults and Php300 for kids aged 7 to 11. The menu varies depending on the guests' requests or if there's none, they serve only their bestsellers. The College of St. Benilde was having their retreat that day and they specifically asked not to include pork and beef on the menu. Balay Indang prepared seafood-based appetizers down to the main course for them and the other guests dining that afternoon including us. Perfect for the lent season!

Fresh Salad

Spicy Tuna Pasta

Curry Rice

Seafood Omelet

Seafood Lumpia

Shrimp with Aligue Sauce

Seafood Kare-kare

Roast Chicken was just a bonus to us and other day trippers.

Sweet Banana

After our very sumptuous lunch, we continued our journey touring around Balay Indang.

Not only does the rooms differ in designs, no beds are also alike. There are four-poster beds, canopy beds which is very princess-like, daybeds and Japanese-inspired beds.

Others also have living room areas.

Unlike in other resorts, the rates here are on per person basis depending on the availability of the rooms, the number of occupants and the meals you want to include in the package.

Overnight stay with 3 sit-down buffet meals and free use of amenities:
         Group of at least 3 or more - Php2500 for adults, Php2000 for kids aged 7 to 11
         Couple (2 persons) - Php3200 per person
         Solo (1 person) - Php3900 per person

Dinner Bed and Breakfast:
         Group of at least 3 or more - Php2150 for adults
         Couple (2 persons) - Php2750 per person
         Solo (1 person) - Php3550 per person

Bed and Breakfast:
         Group of at least 3 or more - Php1850 for adults
         Couple (2 persons) - Php2250 per person
         Solo (1 person) - Php2750 per person

Day Trip Packages:
         Lunch - Php550 for adults, Php300 for kids aged 7 to 11
         Dinner - Php650 for adults, Php350 for kids aged 7 to 11
         1 Snack - Php75 per person

You can also use the swimming pool for Php100 per person.

If the function room is still not big enough, there's also a 2-hectare of undeveloped land where you can conduct your team-building activities.

My colleagues and I can't stop raving about how amazing the lunch was and how we all felt so relaxed with just a few hours of staying in Balay Indang. I wish to be back again soon with more friends and hopefully for an overnight stay as well.

Before heading back to Manila, we passed by Rowena's to buy the most delicious pasalubong from Tagaytay --  Blueberry Cheese Tart!

While the boys had one piece each, I had two. Thanks guys for being so thoughtful! *wink* 

Directions: Take Tagaytay road heading to Batangas passing thru Taal Vista, Casino Filipino and Total Gasoline Station. Make a right turn upon reaching Save More to Mendez Drive. Continue driving straight for about 20 minutes until you reach a dead end where you will make a right turn. From there, drive another 3 kilometers going to Indang, Cavite. Balay Indang should be on your left with a big signage and a #88 address.

~o~o~o~

Balay Indang
Indang, Cavite
Philippines
Tel.: (63917) 866-5825
Email: balayindang@gmail.com