BELMONT STAYCATION (2019)

THE YAPPY BUNCH are once again in BELMONT HOTEL for a staycation with our BP (Bawal Panget) Family to celebrate dear Gem's birthday. Every year, Team Navarro would always treat the whole group for a hotel stay during the weekend that's why it's a birthday celebration that we always look forward to!

Of course, I know that I have already blogged about BELMONT HOTEL and our stay there with friends. Still, this weekend gave us a lot of happy family memories that we would like put on record on this silly little blog. This is after all, my online diary.

Sharing with you our simple but very fun (and wet) BELMONT HOTEL staycation with THE YAPPY BUNCH!! Hope we still have some more more mooooore!!!!!!!!

BELMONT HOTEL!!!!!!!!!

We arrived in BELMONT HOTEL past their check-in time because we came from lunch with KTG mates.

NONNA'S PASTA AND PIZZERIA (ROBINSON'S GALLERIA)

Remember the time when I won loads of Robinson's GCs in our EAT BULAGA Christmas party?

Well I haven't used a peso from it because I don't really go to Robinson's malls that much.

One night however, enough was enough. I told the Yub that we have been putting off buying him "brips" because we wanted to save money by using the GCs. So we braved the Saturday traffic in Ortigas to go to Robinson's Galleria and shop our brains out.

You should have seen us in the department store -- gone were the faces that would mentally calculate the total and subtract it from our budget, we got everything we wanted.

If Andrei liked this black polo, put it in the basket.
If the Mati asked for socks, put it in the basket.
Remembering that we needed new pans, put it in the basket.
There's 50% off in granny knickers, put it the basket.
There's extra extra small brips for the Yub, PUT IT IN THE BASKET.

Whatever my guys fancied, they could get. The sky was their frikkin limit (below P24,000 of course). 

He he he he he he he he!!!!

All that shopping made us all hungry. With that, we marched over to the restaurant that we've been wanting to try in Robinson's -- NONNA'S PASTA AND PIZZERIA.

I have actually been to NONNA'S before when I gave the Yub a surprise birthday party for his 40th birthday. We all loved the food and promised to return but their Nuvali branch was just so far from where we lived.

Good thing that NONNA'S opened in Robinson's Galleria because the Yub and I wanted the boys to try it out. You know us, when we had an enjoyable experience, we'd immediately share it with our boys.

Come to think of it, our dinner at NONNA'S motivated me more to go to Robinsons than the GCs because that was the night when I was craving for some pasta! He he he he he he!!!!

Oh well. Everybody happy. It's great too that we had a lot of GCs left so that means we have another excuse to go to Robinsons Galleria..... and NONNA'S!

NONNA'S PASTA AND PIZZERIA!!!!!!!

BUBBLES CRISPY PATA RESTAURANT AGAIN (2019)

THE YAPPY BUNCH were in Yub's hometown in Quezon Province and while we're there, we would usually eat in his favorite restaurants.

Yup!

Chicken Crispers could wait.
Fat burgers should just chill.
Dimsums could keep on steaming.
Ramen should simmer for awhile.

We were in Quezon province and we will be eating what they DON'T have in Manila!!!!!

For that weekend however, we were still having Master Mati's birthday celebrations for 2019 that Yub was at the "mercy" of our first born. Lucky for the Yub, our sons have good taste (took after the Mom) that when I asked Master Mati where he wanted to eat that Sunday, he answered with so much conviction you'd think he was the defense team of OJ Simpson: "Let's eat at BUBBLES Mommy. After all, that's where the best crispy pata is!!!!"

I'm sure the Yub was doing the happy dance secretly that I almost wanted to curse him with lbm (tee hee). But that Sunday was about Master Mati and how we wanted to make him happy with our food trips (our weekend plans did not push through because we had to go to Quezon province). So BUBBLES CRISPY PATA AND RESTAURANT it is! Anything to make my big guy happy.

LINGID sa kaniyang kaalaman, BUBBLES made us all happy too. Especially the Yub (he he he he he).

(I still hope kumulo tyan niya because, meh, I get my kicks bullying my husband. Har de har har!!!!)

BUBBLES CRISPY PATA and RESTAURANT!!

BUBBLES was a very popular restaurant in the area that it's always full during lunch and dinner hours. Good thing that my Yub was pogi that while he was talking to the owner on the phone, she agreed to take our reservations.

Did you see the weirdness in my last sentence? He he he he he he!

EAT FRESH - HONG KONG FAMOUS STREET FOOD

My husband is THE KING OF THE NORTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Said ala Game of Thrones).

But not in the way you think... Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

The Yub usually goes around the Northside for his work that's why he's the one always fetching me when I get out of work.

Oh don't you know? The Yubhub is an Electrolux Man!!!

"He's gonna knock your door...
Ring on your bell...
Tap on your window too...
Come on and open your door so he could show you more...
He's the handy electrolux man!!!"

TEE HEE!!!

If you know that ad, then you're old as me. (Sorry Millennials. You missed out on a potential LSS that will SO make your day. He he he he).

By the way, I typed that from memory. Bet you can't be a loser like that no? HA!!!

Anyway, I usually get out of work late (like 8:00pm) that we're too hungry for the long drive home. With that, we'd look for somewhere to eat, pronto. While going on our usual route, we saw this new establishment with bright lights. There were also a lot of cars parked which meant the place was popular. When we looked closely, we saw that it was the new EAT FRESH - HONG KONG FAMOUS STREET FOOD.

Wow! Business is indeed booming!!!!

We remember how it used to be like a small streetside eatery; now, the restaurant is in a mansion house! So if the reason for their success was indeed the food then we should really try it out, fast.

And that we did! Did we enjoy our dinner?

You'll see. YOU'LL ALL SEE! HA!

Dan... dan... dan!

EAT FRESH!!!

MY 44TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS (2019)

If you told me there'd come a time when I wouldn't expect gifts on my birthdays, my 10 year old snotty self would have fainted in disbelief. Because HELOOOOOOO???? What are birthdays without gifts??!!!!!!! Yup! Our younger selves tend to associate happiness with toys and cash that if there's no doll, then no dice. I guess since we're still kiddies we take for granted all of the blessings that are around us.

Fast forward to 10 years (yes 10 years lang, may reklamo??), these days I'm not that particular about receiving birthday gifts anymore. If meron, yay, if wala, ichokey. In fact, last Christmas I didn't ask for anything but for people to be nicer to each other. That's what happens pala when you grow older: you don't need to ask for anything anymore because whatever you need, you could buy -- what is important is the health, happiness, and safety of the people you love.

Of course, this noble wish excluded my family and the Yub. They should still give me something for my birthday. Ano sila... sineswerte?!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

For my birthday this year, I didn't receive expensive or outrageous gifts that made my younger self happy.  Now, the presence of my family, my true friends (missing BGP Mariane though), plus being in my dream job, made everything so awesome that while I was reviewing the pictures for this blog, I suddenly had that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Ang saya saya lang! Promise!!!!!

Let me share with you my birthday celebrations this year where I am soooo thankful for all the love that I received from the special people in my life. It was so many that some people would comment "Birthday celebration na naman???"

HE HE HE! Yep! And no matter how simple it was, all celebrations were special and memorable because I was with you all!!!

(Belated) Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!!!!!

My birthday celebrations started early when my mareng Gail and pareng Jun treated me out! This has been our yearly tradition and we always looked forward to it!!!

For this year, she treated us to DUCK AND BUVETTE! It's my first time in this sosy wosy restaurant and we really enjoyed it.

TORCH AGAIN (2019)

When Master Mati had his birthday celebrations for 2019, his requests were simple: we'll eat in his favorite restaurants, he'll go out with his friends, and we'll meet up with my BP (BAWAL PANGET) Group!

As always, my friends are so game so that is very to fix up!!!

HOWEVER...

We were supposed to meet up on a Saturday where everyone is available. But then, we got word that Yub's sister will be going back to the US the following week, so that meant we needed to visit his family in Quezon Province that weekend.

I told the group and sadly discovered that on Friday, Team Navarro and Team Quitoriano cannot join us because of prior commitments.

Awwwwwww... I cannot move it naman to the following weekend because we also made plans already.

When I told Master Mati that his birthday dinner was moved and that some of our friends cannot go, he was initially disappointed, but gave me his "It's okay" later on. I guess he understood the situation and also realized that what's important is we're still meeting up with some of my BP friends.

Awwww.... My big guy is really maturing na!!!!

When I asked him where he wanted to go, he said that anywhere is fine with him. So looking at places that were still geographically desirable on a Friday the Yub and I thought it should also be someplace that would close late (since it's most likely that we'll arrive late as well).

With that I suggested TORCH. I remember the great dinner I had with mareng Gail when she treated me for my birthday last year. We enjoyed the food so much that we promised to be back soon but, since TORCH wasn't connected to a mall (he he he he he), that never happened. It would be nice to bring the little lords there as well as Team Virrey because they haven't been to that restaurant near Greenhills.

So TORCH it is. And we're happy with the choice because it was the perfect venue for our group that night -- mouth-watering food at reasonable prices in a cozy ambience.

Best part too was that our Master Mati loved it!

Yay!!!!!!

TORCH RESTAURANT!!!!

THE NEW KIMPURA (GREENHILLS)

When the Yub and I were thinking of how to officially "end" Andrei's birthday celebrations for 2018, we thought that it should be somewhere special that he loved.

We already went to Baguio...
We already had a staycation in Discovery Primea...
We already spent the day in Star City....

Now where to next?

That's when I remembered that KIMPURA in Greenhills had finally opened after being closed for about 2 years. The original restaurant was taken down because of "structural development", and they were able to transfer to a new location that was still within the Greenhills commercial center.

When I asked the Androse if he's game for KIMPURA he gave a very enthusiastic and eager, "YES!!!" Kimpura was, after all, one of our favorite birthday places. Too bad lang that the rest of my family were in London so they missed the "finale" of Andrei's birthday celebrations.

Ok lang because... MORE FOR US! BWA HA HA HA!

KIMPURA!!!!

WELCOME BACK! WOHOO!!!

KIMPURA had a more sleek design with warm and soothing lighting.

SAMGYUPSALAMAT SAN JUAN (2019)

SAMGYUPSALAMAT UNLIMITED KOREAN BBQ had been in my must-try radar for a long time now because I've heard from my friends how they served delicious meats at such an affordable price. However, as much as we wanted to try out SAMGYUPSALAMAT, the scary stories of the horrendous lines kept us away. So we just controlled our deep craving to try out this popular restaurant and just waited until the time was right.

Last January, when Master Mati's was having his birthday celebrations, my big guy said he really wanted to have some Korean barbecue.

This is it, I thought. This is our signal that we have waited long enough -- it is now time to go to SAMGYUPSALAMAT and just endure whatever lines they're having.

After all, aren't birthday celebrations reason enough to make sacrifices? Add to that the promise of delicious hot meats in the end.

AY SULIT NA SULIT!!!!!

:P

We're in SAMGYUPSALAMAT!!!!!!

We decided to try out the SAMGYUPSALAMAT branch in P. Guevarra, San Juan.

There was a waiting area for those listed but I was not able to take a picture of them. We were about the 10th group in the wait list but it's okay. We had snacks naman. 

AND something tells me that my guys are SOOOO busy anyway.

(Sarap agawan ng mga celphone!!!)

CHILI'S TOMAS MORATO (2019)

THE YAPPY BUNCH had to be in Quezon City one Saturday and we were deciding where to have dinner. Of course, we left that choice to our birthday boy Master Mati, since we were still  within his 2 (or is it 3???) week celebrations, that whatever he was craving for that night, we're game!!!

There were a lot of restaurants in that area that making a decision was already giving us all head-aches. The Yub mentioned some places but either my big guy didn't like it OR we had that in Powerplant Mall (which was so near us).

After a few more names, my big guy saw the bright red lights of a familiar restaurant. His face lit up as he declared, "Mommy I like CHILI'S!!!"

Me: "CHILI'S? E we have that in Powerplant Mall! We could go there anytime we like!!"

Master Mati: "Sige na Mommy please. It's one of my favorites. Parang, you can't have a birthday month na walang CHILI'S!!"

With that, I get his point. Yep. CHILI'S has indeed been an integral part of special times in THE YAPPY BUNCH. (Heck, it's where the Yub and I met via a blind date!!!!!) So even if we could eat at CHILI'S anytime we wanted (since it had branches at the usual places we go to), I was so fine with having one of Master Mati's birthday celebrations there. It's like a birthday won't be complete without CHILI'S!!!

And then I heard somebody mumbling/pouting, "Sinabi ko naman na kanina yung CHILI'S...."

Me: "Don't worry Yub, kaw naman ang magbabayad!"

Har de har har!!!!

Kidding!!!!!

:P

We're in CHILI'S!!!!!

FAT FRANK'S STEAKS AND SHAKES

THE YAPPY BUNCH were with Team Mina for a whole day of fun to celebrate Andrei's birthday:

In the morning we had an early lunch at ARISTOCRAT.

After lunch we went to STAR CITY.

Then, we went to Team Mina's house because Andrei wanted to play more with his best guy pal Paolo.

For dinner, we were supposed to just order food for delivery when Manong Fred remembered there was a restaurant nearby that he wanted us to try.

"They serve delicious diner food that's also very affordable!" He added.

With that, we all drove down to a cozy and cutie little restaurant that instantly caught our hearts and appetites...

FAT FRANK'S STEAKS AND SHAKES!!!!