OF MONGKOK AND VOTING

Last summer, we experienced many long weekends due to Friday or Monday holidays which caused maximum enjoyment for THE YAPPY BUNCH.

However, one particular "Monday-cation" was not just for our own little fun: we will also be fulfilling our duties as Filipino citizens by we will be going out and vote. Still, before you raise your hats to us or make parades in our honor, I got to be honest... 

We were sort of lazy! (Take note of the "sort of" naman... he he he he). I mean, I'm all for voting and doing our civic duty but the bed successfully convinced me to bond with it past my "waking up" time that I don't want to hurt its feelings!

He he he he he he!

ANYWHOOOO.... Fine. We'll get up and get ready. HOWEVER, we cannot just go forth and do this "battle" without energizing our selves first right? So in order to get our spirits going (yes, OA kami), my Mom invited us to have lunch in our restaurant of choice. And since we want to have a happy tummy which will give us a clear and straight mind, we went for our usual Chinese comfort food in Powerplant Mall...

MONGKOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wohoo! We're enjoying our usual favorites in MONGKOK!

It was not so crowded in MONGKOK that lunch time.

KRACIE EDIBLE JAPANESE TOYS - ICE CREAM CONE

My brother recently went to Japan and you know what that means....

He'll be taking home some KRACIE JAPANESE EDIBLE TOYS!!!!

My excited Andrei!!!

We decided to do this outside for a different setting. He he he he!

And this time, he gave Andrei the Ice Cream Kit!

(Check out the price! Egad! Sellers here really make a LOT of profit!)

SHYLIN 1 SEASIDE PALUTO AND DAMPA

I remember when I was younger, my family would go to Dampa paluto restaurants whenever we have balikbayan visitors whom we want to treat to a delicious seafood meal that's hot and fresh. Daddy and Mommy would do all of the shopping while us kiddies would work up an appetite while waiting in the restaurant.

Haaaaaaay! So wonderful memories!

Fast forward to 2018, the Yub and I've been wanting to eat in the DAMPA stretch of restaurants in Manila for soooooo long but we haven't got the guts because we know we don't have the big tummies for it either. The large greasy platters of saucy seafood left a very big impression on our minds that we cannot forget it. You know us, we're so kuripotations and we only want to order what we could finish so we figured that if it's only the 4 of us, our meal there won't be sulit.

But one time, enough was enough. We have waited for sooooo long (emphasis on the soooooo) that we thought, no matter how much our bill would amount to or leftovers we'd have, we'll just take it all home and not go out the next day. The Yub and I have been craving for DAMPA food for as long as we remember that it's time to just GET IT ON.

And that we did!!!!!!

YEHESSSSSSS.......... (cue in Marvin Gaye music).

It's DAMPA TIME!!!!

We finished late checking out museums for our INDEPENDENCE DAY outing that our empty stomachs were growling like hungry hounds. 

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

THE YAPPY BUNCH were in Manila to check out the different museums in celebration of our Independence Day. Even if the little lords were objecting at the start (because we deprived them the opportunity of being lazy the whole day), they later appreciated the different treasures that showcased our history and culture.

So yayyy! Our gimmick was a success!!!

After the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE FINE ARTS, we decided to go to the newly renovated NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY!

ALLYANA'S 18TH #NEWYORKNEWYANA

Last April, the YAPPY BUNCH were invited to attend the debut of dear Allyana, the daughter of my one and only frienemy from work Tita Flory (he he). The theme for the night was the style and sassiness of New York which was a relief for yours truly because it meant I didn't have to wear my usual long gown, gloves, and tiara (I'll go there as my usual stylish self...... not! He he he)! I was  excited for the little lords because it was their first debut party and I would love them to see what would usually happen in a debut. At the same time, I'm looking forward to the food because knowing Tita Flory, who's known to make 1 week birthday celebrations in the office, she would really make a deal with the high heavens just to fill us all up, (with take home pa).

Of course, I would also like to see little Yana in her fashionable coming out party. I started working at TAPE INC., 10 years ago so I saw her as this little funny young girl to an adorable and talented lady.

(Belated) Happy Birthday dear Yana and congratulations on turning 18!!!!

Bawal pa mag-asawa ha? Ballet muna. He he he he he he!

THE YAPPY BUNCH are in NEW YORK for Yana's 18th!!!!

WILDFLOUR CAFE + BAKERY (AGAIN)

One Friday night, ERICJAZ FOODIES met up with friends Albert (the POGI CEO as I would always call him... ha ha ha) and his equally lovely wife, Suet, in Greenhills. When deciding where to go, I left him to make the choice (at baka Jollibee mapili ko.., Ha ha!!). As expected of my OC friend, he really deliberated on it and gave me numerous "candidates" for our night-out that was so long overdue na.

In the end, we went for WILDFLOUR CAFE + BAKERY, a restaurant where we had a stormy lunch in at their Podium branch. But this time, we'll mark this mini-reunion of sorts in WILDFLOUR in Greenhills. I'm sure the POGI CEO has already forgotten our gimik before in Podium (OR maybe he's reminiscing???) but I'm sure, he and dear Suet had a deja vu moment with the same comforting delicious food and the (ahem) superkaduper fun company.

Naks!!!

Check out ERICJAZ FOODIES enjoyable night with the POGI CEO couple in WILDFLOUR CAFE + BAKERY!

WILDFLOUR is located at the new O Square Building at the ground floor. To enter, you would have to go to their doors facing the Ortigas Avenue main streets.

A SABADO DE FIESTA IN SAMBA - SHANGRI-LA FORT

Even if we have a very tiring and busy workweek, the Chinese Dimpol and I always make it a point to have some "gimik" time with the little lords. Besides the usual mealtimes (breakfast ftw!!!), we would usually plan simple outings with them that's outside our usual schedule (like Mati's Kali lessons and movie movie time at home). That's why we have reserved our weekends with them because the Yub and I believe that family time is always the best time. Not only that, since the little lords are fast growing up, I know that soon they'll be going out with their posse and girlies leaving the Yub and I all pathetically alone. He he he he! Wawa us!

Imagine our excitement when one Saturday, THE YAPPY BUNCH were invited to have lunch in Shangri-la at the Fort! I have read about this Peruvian feast and was really looking forward to trying it out with the boys. The great thing too is that we'll be having this great lunch with our other foodie friends from the KAIN TULOG GANG (KTG). It's been a long time since I saw them last and it would be great to catch up again.

Saturday. The boys. Chinese Dimpol. KTG friends. Samba. Shangri-la Fort.

Truly a fiesta of a great time! 

My gang this Saturday!!!!

ALTA BY RELIK AGAIN!!!!!!

It was Mother's Day and though my super beautiful (and also smart, kind, generous, epitome of a lady, mahinhin, mabango, sees the good in everybody (but is fierce when wronged), devoted wife, dedicated mother, dependable daughter, THE BEST grandmother, loving friend, a real "ilaw ng tahanan", puts family FIRST over ANYTHING/ANYONE, truthful, has table manners of a royal, practical, simple, queen of inner beauty, etc etc.) Mommy didn't ask for anything (and even offered to pay), the Yub and I insisted on treating her out and the family for Sunday lunch (to spare her from cooking as well). When deciding where to go, she mentioned our usual restaurants in Powerplant Mall (where we'll hear mass). But we thought that it'd be nice to go somewhere new for the family to try out where it's not too crowded and the food delicious.

With that we remembered ALTA BY RELIK because the Yub and I really loved the dishes when we recently ate there with friends. It was located Santolan Mall Plaza and since it was a fairly new mall, it wouldn't be too crowded compared to the other more popular establishments out there.

So for our MOTHER'S DAY lunch, we will be at ALTA BY RELIK! Hopefully my beautiful Mommy will love the food as much as we did.  Of course, it's not as pricey, shoshal, or glamorous like the other restaurants out there. But the food was delicious and, like what my simple Mom always believes, it's the "inside" that matters.

:) 

ALTA BY RELIK!

ALTA BY RELIK had more people today than the last time we ate here but it was still fine for us. Good thing too that I called ahead for reservations.