CSI 101 (MIND MUSEUM'S SUMMER PROGRAM)

I remember that when I was still studying like 5 years ago (tee hee) summer vacation meant doing totally nothing -- nada... zilch... don't even lift a finger for ANYTHING. For 2 months I will be free from the confines of a classroom and I will just laze around the house, wake up at noon, watch television, and just sit around some more. Heck, if I wanted to scratch my big tummy while exploring the wonderful world of idleness, then I will do so. Only the prospect of lunch or dinner will stop me. He he he he he!

Fortunately, for my Mati and Andrei, they will not succumb to the same amount of unproductive oblivion that I committed myself to before. Sure I was enjoying my time as a tree for 2 months but it may also be because there was no fun activity that would rouse my interest.  Now, the little lords have so much to choose from as different fun summer activities keep on sprouting up here, there, and everywhere that my boys were almost tempted to double book!

For this summer, I already enrolled the boys to do the usual fast food kiddie crew and basketball clinic that they chose to do. However, upon chancing the blog entry of my KTG mate THE MOMMIST (SEE HERE), I was all juiced up with all the fun and educational activities for my kids!!!! 

photo grabbed from THE MOMMIST

THE MIND MUSEUM awesome summer adventures!

I know right? Where were they while I was growing up and watching betamax??

BOON TONG KEE (PART DEUX)

It was a lucky Tuesday night for me and the Chinese Adonis because not only was I able to get out of work early ("FREEDOM!!! FREEDOM!!!!) but we received an invite to taste the new dishes from BOON TONG KEE in Quezon City! Ever since our first meal in the famous Singaporean franchise with the KTG (SEE HERE), my husband and I would frequently pig out on our favorite Hainanese Chicken and Ribs in their Powerplant Mall branch.

We already love everything the way it is... but now we get news that there would be MORE of us to love?  

A lucky Tuesday night for us indeedy!

BOON TONG KEE!!!

photo from Boon Tong Kee FB account :)

Beside the new dishes in BOON TONG KEE, the restaurant was also celebrating the visit of the man who started it all from his simple stall from 1979! Mr. THIAN BOON HUA!!! It has already been 35  years since he introduced hungry diners to his very moist but deliciously seasoned steamed chicken and now his genius is filling up our tummies with more delicious Singaporean food!

I was not able to get a picture with Mr. Hua but I was able to meet him and shake his hand. The guy was truly humble but you could see that his passion for giving us the perfect Hainanese Chicken still burns as it did 35 years ago. 

BOON TONG KEE in Tomas Morato, Quezon City was as cozy as I remembered it to be. It is actually more spacious and chic than the Powerplant Mall branch. If my mental institution in Mandaluyong (tee hee) was nearer here, the Yub and I would indulge in our Singaporean favorites in this BOON TONG KEE branch!

MUNCHTOWN

It may be "no more classes, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks" for the boys but Yub and I were also having a lot of fun during their summer vacation. Normally, we wouldn't go out during weekdays because we would stay at home and help the kids with their schoolwork. At the same time, we would like to get enough beauty rest since one of us take turns in waking up at 5:30am to get the boys ready for school. But ever since we tucked away their school bag and uniform out of sight for 2 months, Yub and I have been making the most of it and having date nights every single day! And on one particular night, we trooped over to MUNCHTOWN in Greenhills just because we felt like having burgers or dogs on a weekday and staying out late just because we wanted to.

Oh and by the way, Mati and Andrei were also having the time of their lives because no matter how hard we invite them, they said they need a "summer vacation" from us as well!

Why those little!!!

Kidding! Tee hee! 

MUNCHTOWN!!!

KUPPA ROASTERY CAFE

It was a great Fridate with Albert, Suet, and our son Mati, but even after stuffing ourselves silly with delicious Thai food from SILK ROAD (SEE HERE!!!!), we were still in the mood for a "sweet" night cap. Actually I'm not really sure if it was the gluttony convincing us to get more dessert calories into our system or if it was we were having a lot of fun gabbin' and grubbin' that we didn't want to end the night... YET.

With the after dinner night finalized, we trooped over to the famous coffee house in Bacolod which set foot in Manila...

KUPPA ROASTERY CAFE!!

BANANA LEAF

BANANA LEAF CURRY has always been one of our usual choices when we want to indulge in delicious Asian food that is not heavy in our pockets. What was not to love about it? The servings were good for sharing while the food was cooked to suit our simple but ALWAYS hungry taste. So when we went out with friends to celebrate the Chinese Adonis' birthday for his usual week long celebration, it was no wonder that the leading contender  for our meet up was our "usual" BANANA LEAF CURRY!

And as USUAL, it was a night for us and our tummies to remember!

BANANA LEAF!

When I meet with my "Pretty Mommies" group, we always have it in PODIUM since it closes late (10:00pm) even during on weekdays. 

MAGNUM MANILA

Every time me and the Chinese Adonis have dinner at one of restaurants along the stretch of SM Aura Skypark, we often pass by this place shrouded in black cloth. At first we would just dismiss that it may be something bleh under construction. But then we saw the sign MAGNUM  and right then we knew that  we should count the number of days, hours, minutes, and dagnabbit, even seconds to get a taste of its succulent ice cream... PLUS... OOOH...SOOO MUCH... MOOORE.....

(I was actually going for how the other sexy ladies do it in car commercials but I remember how my husband hysterically laughs when I attempt to do it, so never mind).

Anyway, the Chinese Adonis and I were so thankful to receive an invite to bask in the creamy glory of goodness of MAGNUM MANILA treats before its opening on April 8 (Tuesday). Even if we haven't had dinner yet, having our luscious dessert FIRST, was in order (pun intended). And remembering how fudgy and rich MAGNUM bars were, we were willing to forego even the usual 3 meals a day in order to indulge in these creamy temptations without any sort of remorse over our so called "diet".

Don't worry, one bite from your MAGNUM MANILA desserts and you'll be transported into a dimension where the word DIET is a virus and shouldn't be uttered out loud. Either that or you'll be so busy groaning like the sexy ladies from car wash commercials while eating your MAGNUM bar to even remember it. He he he he he!

MAGNUM MANILA!

SILK ROAD THAI BISTRO (PART DEUX)

On a Friday night, we met up with one of our new favorite foodie couple Albert and Suet for some Thai food. 

"New favorite foodie couple" you wonder? Well you would put them up your list as well especially if they made you a SUSHI CAKE for your BIRTHDAY! Ha ha ha ha! Sorry, I'm such a pathetic "food-weathered friend" I know! H aha ha!

Anyway, we remembered that we had such a gastronomic night in the now closed Thai Bistro in Robinson's Magnolia (SEE HERE) that when Chef Cecille Chang reopened the doors of her wonderful Thai food creations via SILK ROAD, we knew that was the next place for us to be.

Of course, besides indulging in our usual SILK ROAD THAI BISTRO favorites, we were also there to ogle at the ultra hot Chef Cecille! He he he he!

SILK ROAD THAI BISTRO!

TIPSY PIG GASTROPUB

My brother and his family, who lived in Antipolo, stayed over our house one weekend. When he is here, we never fail to pull out our usual FOB (fresh off the boat) jokes at their expense and that "Ke ganda ganda talaga dito sa Maynilah" (in our exaggerated Caviteno accent) for laughs. Then one joke led to another resulting  to his craving to try out what "Manila has to offer". With that, he invited us to have dinner out at the TIPSY PIG and we all happily agreed because he offered to treat us as well.

I sure do hope though that they won't leave their slippers at the entrance.

KIDDING! Bwa ha ha ha ha!

TIPSY PIG GASTROPUB!