MAKI PLACE

One of the top reasons why we love going to BINONDO to celebrate the CHINESE NEW YEAR is because we love to feast on authentic Chinese food that the town is famous for. Of course, I know that we could still go on ordinary days. But usually, lazy us would often get discouraged by traffic or other weekend plans that at least with the CHINESE NEW YEAR, we are really compelled to go.

Come to think of it, the thought of having these delicious foods always keep us going even if it's traffic in BINONDO and jampacked with people.

Yup! We always make food the reason for everything! He he he he he!

So for this year's CHINESE NEW YEAR in BINONDO, the Chinese Adonis was so looking forward to eat these sticky noodles which he had seen in previous trips before from MAKI PLACE. When we got to the building we saw last year, we were surprised that it was closed already. Good thing that a kind security guard from the next establishment advised us that it transferred to another building and gave us the address.

Finally after a lot of walking and waiting, the Chinese Adonis was able to eat his much craved about sticky noodles. Was it worth braving the crowds of Ongpin St., during CHINESE NEW YEAR to get to it?

Read on and find out!

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!

MAKI PLACE!!!!

We just arrived in Ongpin St., in Binondo and we're looking for MAKI PLACE. 

While walking around we saw how the lines for Chinese restaurants were just crazy that we're hoping it was not the same for the restaurant serving our Maki misison.

And finally!!!!!

Thankfully, there was no no line (yet) in MAKI PLACE probably because it's only 11:00am. But the first and second floor of the restaurant was full. 

DREAMPLAY!!

When we celebrated MATI'S BIRTHDAY 2016, one of my recommendations to him was to visit DREAMPLAY since we haven't been there since it opened. As usual, my always appreciative boy was grateful for the idea and agreed to it. So we scheduled a long overdue visit to this indoor theme park of CITY OF DREAMS...

DREAMPLAY!!!!

WELCOMING THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY (CHINESE NEW YEAR 2016)

The YAPPY BUNCH raided Binondo recently to celebrate CHINESE NEW YEAR for 2016!

And this time, we are welcoming THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY!!!

We woke up early to drive out to Binondo and we were all excited and lazy.

Well, the Chinese Adonis and I were excited.

The little lords were, as usual, LAZY. He he he he he he he!

Don't fret Mati and Andrei. This is already our 5th year in doing this Chinese New Year Tradition and let me assure you that there will be MORE to come! 

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

MATI'S 2016 BIRTHDAY!!!

It's Master Mati's birthday and like how we do it every year, it's going to be a blast!

We started it off with a surprise song for the birthday celebrant at the strike of 12:00am. While Mati and the Chinese Adonis were watching television, Andrei and I sneaked upstairs to do a simple set up.

My little apprentice was very excited too. If I'm not mistaken, he seems to be more "alive" now compared to his birthday eve surprise. He he he he he he!

And when it was already 12:00am, we called the birthday boy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATI!

CIRCLES BUFFET, AGAIN! (MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL)

CIRCLES RESTAURANT in MAKATI SHANGRI-LA recently had a promo where their buffet rates were slashed down to P1,280.00 nett per person.

Hmmmm..... Makati's premier hotel having a crazy discount in their popular buffet restaurant? We just HAVE to go there!

With our last dinner in CIRCLES, MAKATI SHANGRI-LA, my friends and I had such a great meal that upon learning there's a discounted rate at a limited time, we immediately made reservations. Good thing we did because the wait time was unbearable since there were many other hungry diners wanting the same thing.

And true enough, we had another awesome time with delicious food at a great price. The spread at CIRCLES, MAKATI SHANGRI-LA was so great that even if we were eating with Vice Ganda, we would still have a fun time.

Wait. Let me correct that since I can't bear Vice Ganda even for just a joke.

Even if we were eating with Manong Fred we would still have a great time!

That's better.

Oops. To think that we WERE actually dining with Manong Fred.

Meh. Too lazy to change it.

:)

CIRCLES BUFFET in MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL!

Like I said, it's a good thing we made reservations because the lines were long.

All hail the telephone!

GENKI SUSHI AGAIN!!!!!!!!

I think I have mentioned many times before how GENKI SUSHI has become one of our family favorites. Though the quality of the dishes is not as exquisite as the other more popular Japanese restaurants out there, we love how GENKI SUSHI is very affordable but still presented a lot of fun for the diners. Case in point, the automated serving system that gets the kids busy while the adults chomped on their delicious food.

So it's no wonder that whenever we have a sushi craving with the little lords, GENKI SUSHI would immediately come to mind. We cannot count already the MILLIONS of times we ate in our beloved restaurant because it's everyone's favorite (well not much the Chinese Adonis but he still loves seeing us happy... he he he he hee). That is why we would always suggest it when people ask where to eat in Fort. Just like this one time when my Mom and some Seniors in the family were asking where to go for dinner, I immediately recommended GENKI SUSHI. We were really planning to go tonight but we thought of "sharing" our favorite with them...

Not only because we want them to experience the fun...
Not only because we want them to have affordable but delicious sushi...
Not only because we want to be together on a Sunday, yadah yadah....

But ALSO because we want to get treated to our sushi favorite!

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha (evil laugh)!

:P

GENKI SUSHI!

As usual the restaurant was packed and we were listed for a table.

CAFE JUANITA

It was the birthday of mareng Gail and finally we were able to celebrate at a restaurant I've been wanting to try for a long time...

Photo grabbed from net

CAFE JUANITA!!!!

CAFE JUANITA is not your usual and traditional Filipino restaurant. When you enter, you won't see ordinary of tables and chairs. There is no regular pattern or arrangement. It's like you entered somebody's home and the host decided to set it up to accommodate an impromptu party.

OUR EAT BULAGA HOLIDAY

Would you guys believe that in my 8 years of working at TAPE INC., I haven't watched a live episode of EAT BULAGA?

REALLY!!!

Well, yes I have been to Broadway Centrum MILLIONS of times (tee hee) for work and errands (I am after all, a henchman). But when I'm there, I would usually just hang out in the staff lounge in my free time and watch EAT BULAGA via the TV set there.

I lead such a sorry life. I know.

So yes, I haven't watched the country's NUMBER ONE noontime show as a studio audience but all of that will change.

And today is definitely THAT day.

Well actually THAT day was during the recent holiday. But you've got to admit that you felt like giving me a standing ovation right?

:)

The little lords are in Broadway Centrum to watch EAT BULAGA!!!!

TIPSY PIG (BURGOS CIRCLE)

It may not be obvious (because he's always with us) but the Chinese Adonis has a lot of friends. Yep! Besides the imaginary ones! And the great thing about his buds is that they go waaaaaay back, like "kindergarten back" so I know that these are the true deal and not the "fair weathered peeps".

They call themselves TOPMUD and they have been good friends in Lucena since they were little kiddies. Don't ask me why but apparently that's the "thing" during their time.

Anyway, they are about 20 in the group and some of them already moved to Manila or in other countries. When they have a friend who's home for a visit, count on the TOPMUD to have a reunion no matter how busy everyone is.

One time, mareng Faye and pareng Wawie flew in from Canada and the TOPMUD Manila Chapter got together for a family Sundate lunch.

And the venue chosen for that meet up was in TIPSY PIG!

TIPSY PIG is a gastropub that serves artisan beers and delicious food too!

A VERY FUN BRIDAL SHOWER!

My office mates and I recently attended a bridal shower for a special lady from work who will be getting married very soon!

TEE TO THE HEE!!!!!!

Truth be told, I was really excited because it has been a while since I last attended a bridal shower. And the great thing about being married is that you don't have to (fake) shy away from the kinky stuff that these nights would most probably give!!!!!

A KIDZANIA BIRTHDAY

When Andrei celebrated his week-long birthday, I asked him if he wanted to go to DREAMPLAY since we haven't been there yet. For some reason, my bunsoy did not feel like going to the popular indoor theme park in City of Dreams but instead, wanted to go again to KIDZANIA. Usually, I wouldn't have any problem following the birthday boy's wishes. BUT, we just visited KIDZANIA less then a month ago and the admission fee was not "fiesta carnival" level ah. The rates at KIDZANIA are a bit higher compared to other kiddie areas in the country so it would be more practical to go there after about 2 or 4 months.

But my little birthday boy was adamant about going back to KIDZANIA. Even if he already agreed to go to DREAMPLAY, his wawa puss n' boots facial expression was actually still rooting for the place where kids do big things. I thought "Why am I putting ahead what I want rather than what the birthday boy has been wishing for???" So finally my practical kill-joy self lost this battle and agreed to go there for my Andrei's special weekend.

When Andrei and I announced to THE YAPPY BUNCH that we were going to KIDZANIA on this Sunday, I got groans from Mati and a guilty shrug from the Chinese Adonis. Dear Master Mati said since he just went there, he would rather stay home. The same went for the Chinese Adonis but more because I was asking him to pay for himself.

Normally I would force everyone to go since this is a birthday trip. But then I realized that we DID just go there and I bet Yub's cooties are still in the seats in Mcdonalds! Also, to be honest, by not forcing Yub and Mati to go would at least save us money for some other things.


             

So it's just going to be Mommy and the little bunsoy for Andrei's KIDZANIA BIRTHDAY TREAT!

Yowhoo!

WON TON (GREENHILLS)

I think I have mentioned many times in the past how THE YAPPY BUNCH loves eating Chinese food.

Okay! Okay! We LOVE many kinds of food but CHINESE cuisine is definitely in the top ranks.

That is why every now and then (uy parang kanta!) we would answer the call for a Chinese food craving. It doesn't matter if our usual favorite is available at that time: if we're hungry for Chinese, we just HAVE to have it. Pronto.

On one particular night, THE YAPPY BUNCH went to Greenhills shopping center because we were definitely yearning for some dimsum and noodles from our favorite LE CHING. However, much to our hysterical disappointment (if you've tried the Spare Rib rice from LE CHING, you'll know why we felt so), the restaurant ran out of Spare Rib rice. So we were left alone, cold, and hungwy.

(Cue in the most sorrowful music you could think of.)

In Greenhills, there were a lot of restaurants which we claim to be our favorites like KIMPURA, SUN MOON GARDEN, HOUSE OF MINIS, etc. etc. But we were inconsolable. Even if we would drop everything and go to these places on other days, we have already programmed ourselves to savor the greasiness and delicious flavors of what we regularly had in LE CHING.

And so we came upon WON TON!

Did it satisfy our LE CHING craving? Check out and see! 

WON TON!

WON TON is in the same building and was almost across LE CHING.

We came upon WON TON after going to LE CHING TOO (the second branch of the restaurant within Shoppesville) and finding out again that they ran out of Spare Rib Rice. While we were walking in defeat, we saw our Chinese restaurant savior!

A DEAN AND DELUCA BIRTHDAY

My dear mareng Gail recently celebrated her birthday and like what I would always do during that momentous event (naks), I treated her out at the restaurant of her choice.

At first it became sort of a tug of war between us with the neverending "You choose"... "No YOU choose".... "No, you choose" type of argument. Finally she relented that since it was HER birthday, she'll have dinner HER way.

And for that night, she chose DEAN AND DELUCA!

DEAN AND DELUCA was actually jampacked that night so it was a good thing we were able to get a table after a bit of wait.

ANDREI'S 9TH BIRTHDAY (2015)

It's my little lord Andrei's 9th birthday and like we would do every year, we will be celebrating it in MANY ways! His wishes will DEFINITELY be our command!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREI!

The eve of my bunsoy's birthday was a Monday and he wished to have dinner at Jollibee in Robinson's Magnolia.

SIZZLER (GREENHILLS)

When I was in college, SIZZLER was one of my favorite restaurants for lunch with my friends because I was such a sucker for their thick steaks served on a hot plate and sizzling with the delicious thick gravy. Fast forward to 10 years (YES, 10!) and the Chinese Adonis and I just realized that we haven't really included SIZZLER as one of our regular date hubs because a lot of restaurants have sprouted and taken its slot in our puny lives.

So on one impromptu date night (aka the Chinese Adonis became my driver sweet lover and picked me up after work), we were thinking of where to have our dinner when SIZZLER conveniently came into view.

We realized that we have been putting too much attention to THIS place and THAT place that we haven't even tried eating at MY favorite restaurant 10 years ago (YES 10!!!!!!!!!!!). So finally we entered SIZZLER and immediately I got a whiff of the familiar. And on cue, my tummy let out a knowing grumble as if telling me the same words that Harrison Ford exclaimed in that not-so famous movie:

"We're home!"

YEHEESSSS! And that's just after 10 years!

Tee heee! 

SIZZLER!

When I was in college, my friends and I would often eat at SIZZLER in Glorietta because that's the branch nearest to our school.

For tonight, we went to their Greenhills branch and it still has the same look as the other one in Makati.

In SIZZLER, you have a choice to order from your tables or go directly at their counter where a display of their available viands are.

KRACIE EDIBLE JAPANESE TOYS (TAKOYAKI BALLS)

I think I have mentioned before how the little lords got so addicted with those KRACIE JAPANESE EDIBLE TOYS that we cannot stop shopping and ordering them online.

Check out our stash!

The thing was, even if there were more choices and other viands for the KRACIE EDIBLE JAPANESE TOYS, the little lords still stayed true to their favorites: SUSHI AND DONUT.

FINALLY, I was able to convince my bunsoy Andrei to go for something new. And his choice?

KRACIE's TAKOYAKI BALLS!!!!

BREAKFAST AT LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR

It's day 2 of our LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR staycation and even if we slept happy and full last night, we woke up excited AND ravenous this morning.

We're going to work for our breakfast this morning!

And when I say "work", I meant we're going to do some walking. He he he he he he he he he he!

People who hate exercise know what I mean.

Breakfast was still going to be at LA BELLA TEODORA. The same place we had our dinner last night. But I'm sure it's going to be different from last night's romantic dinner.

Andrei got ahead of us since he brought his very own bike to the resort.

Welcome!