KOGI BULGOGI

Even if THE YAPPY BUNCH doesn't have a Kpop drama in our downloaded list and even if we haven't been to the country yet, we always have a craving for Korean food. At first it was just me and the master Mati. But as time went on, even the Chinese Dimpol and little Andrei learned to love the exciting flavors that Korean cuisine would always bring.

One time I was really yearning for some Jajangmyeon, or the Korean black bean noodles that I often see on Youtube. After a few clicks on the internet, I found out that only a handful of restaurants serve this Korean specialty -- and one of them is KOGI BULGOGI.

I guess you guys know what happened next! 

KOGI BULGOGI!!!

Yup!

That very night I called the Chinese Dimpol and asked him to fetch me with the kids because we're having Korean for dinner!

MORITA JAPANESE RESTAURANT (FISHER MALL)

I must say that the Chinese Adonis and I are already getting addicted to going out with my TAPE INC friends that when Tita Florie asked if we wanted to try out MORITA, I said "GAME" without even thinking what it was.

It's a good thing she did not mean if I was interested in going out with a guy named MORITA (tee hee) but instead, she was referring to a Japanese restaurant that had DI's (Dance Instructors) and ballroom dancing.

HUWEEEEEYTAMINITKAPENG MAINIT!!!! I'm sorry but how matrona could I get now?

No it's fun!!! Tita Flory insisted. So even if I initially had concerns that I'd look like this groovy lola shaking her "pwit" while her long pearl necklace swayed along, I said yes. Besides, there's no harm in trying out something new. The big point here anyways is going out with my dear workmates whom I already consider as family on a Friday night. I'm sure wherever we go, it's still going to be fun.

And yes, with the "help" of MORITA, it certainly was a night to remember.

With matching "pwit" jiggling for the win!!!!!

He he he he he!

MORITA JAPANESE RESTAURANT!

MORITA is the Japanese restaurant in Fisher Mall in Quezon City. 

CHIBI'S KARAAGE

One rainy Tuesday, the Chinese Dimpol and I tried out the Fried Chicken that's already making raves in the Metro...

No it's not Chicken ni Joy....

No it's not Mamamacdo....

And most certainly it's not from the Colonel.

To be clear, we are going for some Japanese Fried Chicken, or Karaage. Honestly though, I was not really familiar before that there was such a thing in Japanese cuisine because I'm always too focused on sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, teriyaki, etc etc. It's just when I married a very finicky eater who wouldn't eat the raw or weird stuff that I learned about the awesomeness of KARAAGE when he saw this lifesaving option in the menu.

And when we learned that there was a restaurant specializing in the juiciness and crispiness of KARAAGE, we just know that we have to instantly go for it!!!

Hence our arrival at CHIBI'S KARAAGE!!!!!  

CHIBI'S KARAAGE in SM LIGHT MALL in MANDALUYONG CITY!

MATAM-IH RESTAURANT (CLARK PAMPANGA)

Whenever THE YAPPY BUNCH are on a trip, we make it a point to try restaurants that are unique to that place only. It doesn't have to be expensive or fine dining. It just HAD to serve the food that the place is known for.

Case in point our recent family/friends getogether in Clark, Angeles, Pampanga City. ERICJAZ FOODIES was again on the prowl on what we could have for Sunday lunch that would make a mark in our foodie list. The Chinese Dimpol then mentioned that he had a deep craving to eat in ALING LUCINGS -- the carinderia that was famous for its sisig. We were all so ready to eat there even if it was just a small eatery by the railroad because it was something the area was known for. But alas, our host dear Janet already served us platters of sisig for dinner the night before that the Chinese Adonis thought that he already reached his "sisig quota".

So with that, we tried out MATAM-IH restaurant, as recommended by our host, dear Janet. I checked google and it received strong raves online proclaiming it to cook unforgettable Filipino food.

And what a great lunch that we all had! Even if it was very hot and even if we were all trying to watch our weight, we were oh so happy with the pig out session in MATAM-IH!!! Really a great choice when you're in Clark, Angeles Pampanga!!!!!

MATAM-IH!!!

MATAM-IH means "delicious" in the Aeta langauage!

The restaurant has an open set-up and did not have any air conditioning. You could just imagine how hot it was that afternoon.

OUR YAPPY SUMMER 2016

I really love summer. Seriously.

Not just "Oh summer is so fun" kind of love. More like "EGAD. It's going to be 294 days till life is worth living again!!!!"

I was so obsessed with it and I'm sure that like any normal human being, you know why.

You cannot really blame us. I always maintained that I had such a happy childhood and some of the memories that I deemed super special were the ones when school was out. I remember doing a lot of things: my family would have out of town trips, we get to sleep late (but we still did chores!), we had sleepovers, we ate our favorite hot meals the whole day, and we could watch TV as much as we wanted (as long as it's after 12:00pm!!!). My parents really put in extra effort just so that my siblings and I will enjoy the "everyday is a holiday" season. But of course, I didn't just waited for my Mom and Dad all day to be able to do something. I also did things on my own: I made mixed tapes (heard of that??), I made videos (using a big camera), I drew comics, I baked pies and cookies, and I even wrote books similar to "Sweet Dreams!"

Woah... All of that seems so tiring when I read it today. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

That's why, every summer the Chinese Adonis and I make it a point to have a worthy vacation for the little lords: we would have them take classes and go on workshops (2014), or we would have staycations and family trips (2015). This year, we decided to do a little bit of both and we still had loads of fun all the same!

And like before, the Chinese Adonis and I had a LOT of "us" time during the little lords' summer vacation: we had dinner dates  and gimiks on weekdays and we would watch dibidis all night long!!!!

So see? No matter how outrageous or simple that we spend it, SUMMER IS ALWAYS A BLAST for the YAPPY BUNCH. Check out how we spent it this year!

While you do THAT, I'll busy counting the days till summer of 2017!!! :)

Seriously!!!!!!!

THE YAPPY BUNCH summer of 2016!!!!!!!!!

FONTANA WATER THEME PARK (ANGELES CITY)

THE YAPPY BUNCH was in Clark, Angeles City, Pampanga, with friends to battle this summer's mega heat with A LOT OF SWIMMING and SLIDING!!!!!

And we will do THAT in FONTANA THEME WATER PARK!!!!

YOHOOO!!!!

A WEEKEND IN MIMOSA VILLAS (Clark Pampanga)

THE YAPPY BUNCH were invited for a weekend in Clark, Pampanga with Team Virrey, Team Castelo, and Team Navarro and we were all psyched!!!!

And for that fantabulous weekend, we will be staying at MIMOSA VILLAS!!!!!

THAI LANNA (BGP MARIANE'S US TRIP)

Hullooo! I'm sure by now you all know how much I L-O-V-E my silly little foodie blog and how I would only document personal experiences. For this post, I'm using ERICJAZ FOODIES to cope with the absence of my dear beloved BGP Mariane and have her share one of her unforgettable meals while in vacation in the US.

I'm missing her but I'm enjoying this blogpost too, so YEY!

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THAI LANNA

By Mariane R. Mina

Thanks BGP.

Fred, Pao Pao, and I are currently on vacation in the US and staying with my relatives from my mother's side in New Jersey.

One day, Ninang Min invited the family out for a lunch in THAI LANNA. My ninang said they serve delicious Thai food and wanted us to try it.

The sun may be out this lunch but the weather was still nice and comfortable.

It was good that we were able to get a parking space because the cool weather seemed to have prompted many people to go out.

THAI LANNA restaurant.