8 CUTS BURGER BLENDS (GREENHILLS)

We are still continuing my 33rd (ahem) birthday celebrations and for one night, ERICJAZ FOODIES met up with my grade school friend Virginia.

Virginia, or Ginny as she preferred to be called but I don't follow, was my bestie during my elementary years, especially during Grade 6. We're both nerdish and shared the same taste in music, movies, etc. etc. and we could just chat the whole day. I actually attributed to her the pronunciation of my name. Before kasi, my family would pronounce my name as "jusMEN." But when Virginia became my friend and would call me at home, she looked for me by asking for "JAAAAAHZmin". Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! It made my family laugh and they teased me over it na "jusMEN ka lang huy!" but hearing my name handled in such a chic (and less kadiri way) made me love it na.

So JAAAAAAHZmin it is!!! Thanks Virginia! Ha ha ha ha!

We lost touch when we grew older (alam mo naman ang bata, kung sino classmate yun ang bestie) and we had different friends in High School. We met up each other again when lo and behold, our boys are studying in the same school! Yayyy!!!!!

With that, we would chat up from time to time, give gifts to each other via our sons, then share our food discoveries and favorite dishes. Finally during my birthday month, we met up to have a mini-getogether to celebrate! Other friends were supposed to join us but last minute nang-indyan (ha ha ha ha ha) so it was just the two of us. It's okay because we were able to catch up and talk the way we did during Grade School.

The great thing too is that we did it over plates of my favorite food.

Yay!!!!!

8 CUTS BURGER BLENDS!!!!

The Yub and I were happy to discover that 8 CUTS had a branch in Promenade, Greenhills. At least if I was craving for a burger after work, THIS is where we'll go.

TORCH RESTAURANT (GREENHILLS)

The Mareng Gail and I have this long standing tradition to treat each other during our birthdays. It's actually a very good tradition because during the times when we get so busy with our lives, we have no choice but to "reconnect" because of this commitment. He he he he he! Even during the times when we don't feel like it, then BOIIIIING!!!!! Everything oks again!

Yup! We have been doing this for about 10 years and counting. And there's NO stopping us now! Hanggang seniority na to!

So for my 33rd birthday celebrations (YEHESSS), the mareng Gail punctually sent me a message asking me where I wanted her to treat me. After a loooooooooong and extensive deliberation (more so because I don't know what I will be craving on our actual date), I thought of going for TORCH RESTAURANT in Greenhills. The Yub and I would always pass by this mysterious bright yellow sign na parang motel na nagaanyaya (oops... my dirty mind) but we never got around trying it (nagmomotel kasi kami. Kidding!!!). So tonight, since mareng Gail rejected my passionate suggestion of Spiral (tee hee), we're going to have a couples night in TORCH RESTAURANT instead.

And I just know that it's going to be a VERY good night!

TORCH!

I was quite surprised with the bright and earthy interiors of TORCH considering that their entrance would give you the impression that you're entering a bar (tugs tugs).

KIMPURA GREENBELT (2018)

Let me start off by saying I'm really annoyed now.

I already did a draft of this blogations and finished it already. Now for SOME WEIRD AND MIND-BLOGGING reason, it disappeared and what I got were 2 COPIES of ANOTHER blogpost!!!!! How the freak did that happen???

@#$%^&&

Now since I don't have a photographic memory like the other geniuses out there, I HAVE TO REWRITE THE WHOLE THING!!!! Egad! My big forehead can't handle all that thinking!!!!

If I'm in front of you I would gladly dramatize my sarcasm and anger with actions. He he he he he he...

ANYWAY..... 

(Using my sweet voice na) It's the actual day of my 33rd birthday (tee hee) and after mass, I invited my family to a Japanese dinner treat in our favorite.....

Yup! You guessed it!

KIMPURA!

Yup! It's ALWAYS going to be at KIMPURA. 

But this time though, we're going to be at their Greenbelt branch because their Greenhills restaurant closed down (it will be transferred to another location).

PARADISE DYNASTY (PODIUM)

I have been hearing a lot of raves about this new restaurant in the Metro that I was overly curious to check it out. At first, I learned that their only branch was located at MOA ("Inangkupushness!! So far away from the mental institution where I lived), but still, for good food, I was willing to travel far and wide.

Good thing PARADISE DYNASTY opened a branch in Podium at Ortigas that it made my tummy do the Hallelujahs. This was so much nearer my homebase!!! Now I don't have to suffer from Manila traffic just to be able to taste their best sellers.

Great thing too that for the birthday of THE FOOD ALPHABET, our venue for the night was PARADISE DYNASTY. Aba... aba.... This was meant to be!! The food gods really want my appetite and their dishes to come together and get it on!!

Check out our dinner that's written in the stars (naks) in PARADISE DYNASTY. 

PARADISE DYNASTY with my foodie friends!

Woah.... This restaurant features the "Legend of Xiao Long Bao."

Now this made me uber curious of this Chinese specialty! Parang alamat ang dating e. He he he he he!

DONU (PORK AND BEEF GRILL BUFFET - GREENHILLS)

The Yub and I were celebrating my 2-week birthday (Bakit ba? buti nga hindi 1 month... he he he he he!) that when he fetched me from work, it was MY decision where to go for our late dinner.

For that night, I was seriously craving for Korean. And though we could have tried our usual suspects, we decided to check out a place that made us so happy before.

DONU!!!!

However, we usually ate in their Makati branch. This was our first time to try their restaurant located in San Juan.

Enter!!!!

There were only a few diners that night and that's just fine and dandy with us. I was seriously craving for some spicy Tofu and Kimchi soup so that meant we'll be served faster. He he he he he he he!

MY 43RD BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Blogspot has a problem.

It seems that no matter how many times I put in "33" in the title. It won't accept it. Laging "43!!!"

Hmmmm.... Curiouser and curiouser....

He he he he he he!

ANYWAYS...!!!!

For my 43rd birthday (ayan na naman), I was not as excited as I used to be. Sure I was expecting celebrations, getogethers, gifts, and foodfests, but it was my first birthday without my dear Daddy and I know that it will be different. Before, he would always make a fuss about our birthdays and always made us feel special. Every year, he would never fail to treat us and have the servers sing a happy birthday. Last year I remember how he insisted on paying for my birthday celebrations THE WHOLE DAY (when I initially promised that I would be doing the treating). I guess he felt it will be my last birthday with him that's why he still made an effort on giving it his last hurrah.

:( Oh well.

This year, I missed his presence SO MUCH but I just put on my party-party-tugs-tugs face because I'm sure my Daddyowzers wouldn't want me to be sulking at my special day. And though he's not with us, I could somehow still feel his love from his "representatives"; that's why I was thankful for all the celebrations with my family, close friends, a long lost buddy, and especially, my little lords.

Here's to growing older, lovelier (he he he he), and fatter (che!), with the people who truly matter....

This is me #happyat43.... este #happyat33.

YOWN.

This is for you my Daddyowzers! 

Happy Birthday to me!!!

ICHIBA WITH MY BP GROUP

I love celebrating birthdays. Not only does it ensure a getogether with special people in our lives with great food, but I also get a blast seeing other people grow old.

Bwa ha ha ha ha!!! Bitter sentiments from a senior citizen looking lady!!! He he he he he!

Of course I'm kidding. I'm happy to celebrate and see friends/family being blessed more by turning a year older. It is indeed a getogether of merriment, laughter, and love!

Just like when we recently celebrated the birthday of our BP friend Gem. She treated us to a staycation in Belmont Hotel, then for dinner, we all went out for ICHIBA in Resort's World. We all had fun because not only did we savor delicious Japanese food but everyone got along so well (yep even the kiddies) that we all enjoyed chatting up the night.

PLUS, kaming mga "Titas of Manila" were so glad that the youngest of our group is finally catching up to us "oldies." Bwa ha ha ha ha!

(Belated) Happy Birthday dear! Tumanda ka na din like us Gem! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

The BP Group are in ICHIBA, Japanese Market!

We had dinner here last year also for Gem's birthday. And since we all had a delightful dinner then, we thought of having the same thing tonight.

MOTHER'S DAY CELEBRATIONS 2018

The MOTHER'S DAY SEASON is here once again and that means I'll see a barrage of social media posts on how users love their mothers with matching quotes and pictures. I'm happy for them and feel their joy in celebrating this wondrous holiday with the first women in their lives. But really for me, MOTHER'S DAY is now all about honoring and giving appreciation to the beings that made me a mother.

My little lords!

Don't get me wrong, I still made the day special for my Mom to show my appreciation for her. It is important to spoil the lady who has given herself to her family all her life. What I'm referring to right now is how I celebrated MY day. Yes! I'm a Mom too you know!

Kahit na ahem... coca cola bottle body pa din!

Kidding!

I know I could have some ME time by going to the spa, do some shopping, have a night out with friends, get a boob job and forehead reduction (he he he he). But like I said, I would rather celebrate MOTHER'S DAY by making memories with my little lords who have given me so much joy, happiness, strength, and purpose in getting my act together.

"Me time" for me is STILL with my little monsters! Seeing them happy after all makes me so much happi-er twenty times more.

Now that is MY kind of MOTHER'S DAY CELEBRATION!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the loving mothers out there!!!!!

RYU RESTAURANT ( LUCENA CITY )

The YAPPY BUNCH are in Yub's hometown in Lucena City spending time with his family for the Chinese New Year. Normally, we would be in the streets of Binondo stuffing ourselves silly with Chinese food. But this time, he decided to spend it instead with his Yap family.

Tonight though we agreed to try out anything that the family craved because we were still full from our Palaisdaan lunch. It was suggested that we go for this new cafe that also had live music and platters of food....

RYU RESTAURANT!

And no, this is not the Ramen hub that's popular in Quezon City.

RYU had a sleek wooden design that's reminiscent of cafes in the Metro.

A CELEBRATION IN CIBO

Our dear friend Gem celebrated her birthday so mareng Gail and I thought of treating her and the family to her restaurant of choice. And because we're considering not just the enjoyment of the seniors (he he he he) but of the kiddies as well (we have more fun when it's a family gimmick), her choice that night was in CIBO, POWERPLANT MALL!

Wohoo! We're all in CIBO!

NADAI FUJISOBA WITH OUR DOG PENNY

We've been meaning to take out our dear Penny that's why when when we had a free day during the weekend, we went for it. We would've loved to try out the malls for her but we don't have yet all the necessary papers at hand. So we decided to just take her out in Bonifacio High Street where the open park was very pet-friendly.

Penny is a very behaved dog but as usual, once she got out of the car, she pooped! It was a mighty big one too. Don't worry, we packed the essentials -- paper, plastic bags, alcohol, and water to clean up the big mess she made. Ha ha ha ha ha. From experience, I know that's what she does when she's nervous.

But after a few sniffs, she was okay na!

RUSTIC MORNINGS IN HOLIDAY INN AND SUITES!

It was a Sunday and that means THE YAPPY BUNCH will be out for our usual family day -- something that is very sacred to us. I promised myself that, like with my family, even if the little lords have their own gimmicks or families in the future, they will still reserve Sundays for mass and lunch with us fuddy duddies. Basta, whatever happens, we will always be together. NAKS!

For the last day of the week, the Yub and I received an invite to check out RUSTIC MORNINGS' collaboration with FLAVORS RESTAURANT in Holiday Inn and Suites.

RUSTIC MORNINGS and FLAVORS RESTAURANT? Now those are two worthy sites that have already captured my heart and tummy before, and they're going to "work" together???

Woah!!! That's definitely a kablooey in my tummy!!! We would be crazy to miss this, so we are definitely IN!

Wait. I forgot if the kiddies are included in the invite?

Meh. I'm sure they'll be fine at home with whatever. We ARE talking about RUSTIC MORNINGS serving brunch with FLAVORS RESTAURANT here!!!! He he he he!!

Oh I'm kidding. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Or am I?

If you see their mouth watering spread though, you might think I'm not. Ha ha ha ha ha!

OH. YEAH.

Summer was in full swing that Sunday that's why HOLIDAY INN AND SUITES was a cool refuge for the hot weather. 

When we got to FLAVOR'S RESTAURANT, a familiar face greeted us.

JOHNNY KAHUKU'S HAWAIIAN SHRIMP HOUSE

After our staycation in BELMONT HOTEL, THE YAPPY BUNCH and TEAM VIRREY decided to have lunch together since we really didn't want our day to end yet.

We were supposed to have Korean at the wish of birthday girl Gem, but when she went ahead because she felt really sick, BB Aning and I checked out the other restaurants to try.  

And that is how we ended up in JOHNNY KAHUKU'S HAWAIIAN SHRIMP HOUSE!

I heard about JOHNNY KAHUKU'S from BGP Marian and Manong Fred before. They said the food was good and somehow reminded them of the food trucks in Hawaii.

Good thing we were able to get a table for our group because the restaurant suddenly filled up real fast!

KIMSUY CHINESE CUISINE ( LUCENA CITY )

We were in Lucena City to spend the Chinese New Year weekend so naturally, when we were deciding where to go for dinner that Saturday night, we went out for some Chinese food. 

The choice that night was in KIMSUY Chinese Cuisine!!!!