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.

BRUNCH AT IL PONTICELLO

One weekend, ERICJAZ FOODIES was invited to try out the new Brunch specials from IL PONTICELLO in Makati City. When we got there, I ignorantly thought "here we are at a newly opened restaurant to sample their newest grub on the pub, ladeedah!"

Imagine my surprise upon learning that IL PONTICELLO was already there even before the conception and union of ERICJAZ FOODIES!! I suddenly felt so naive and yes, stupid, upon learning that my blogger friends each had their own special growing up memories with IL PONTICELLO. EGAD! How did we miss this????

I studied in Makati for College and though I've been granted the Cinderella time by my Mom (wohoo!), my friends and I would go around and try out different places for Saturday night. Of course, being the sheltered ladies that we are, our scope of "gimikations" is limited to Glorietta, Mars, El Circulo, oh and Greenbelt. Yes boring to some I know. But we all certainly had the time of our lives then.... before 12:00am! He he he he!

It's sad to discover that IL PONTICELLO opened just after we graduated College otherwise we would've included a birthday dinner or a meet up there. I wasn't able to eat anymore in this "institution" because I got work somewhere very far from the area. To think that when I talk to other foodies, they reminisce at how IL PONTICELLO still gave them loving kilig memories.

Oh wow! Just what did I miss???

That's why when my favorite KTG invited THE YAPPY BUNCH for Saturday morning in IL PONTICELLO, I made RSVP faster than Quicksilver would go from point A to point B. I figured, IL PONTICELLO has already been ruling the roost in Italian dining in Makati City then it certainly deserves our full attention during the weekend.

PLUS, if I missed my chance to include IL PONTICELLO as part of my foodie memory growing up, at least my little lords could still catch on. He he he he he he!

IL PONTICELLO!!!

THE YAPPY BUNCH loves Italian food and we are so excited to start off the weekend with one of our favorite cuisines!

IL PONTICELLO had a very cozy yet romantic set up.

If you want to watch the world go by while sharing a big platter of pasta with your lovey, try reserving a table by the tall glass windows!

OF CARS AND KUPPA

If I charge 25c everytime somebody comes up to me and says that I "should have a girl very soon", I bet I would be as rich as Mark Zuckerberg. No, make that Larry Page/Sergey Brin, creators of Google, because it might get me more views... Ha ha ha ha!

Anyway, I am usually an understanding person (take note on the word "usually") but it really gets me when people have nothing better to say than for me to wish for something I don't have, case in point, a baby girl. What do I have to do to stress that I am already VERY happy with my 2 little lords and that life is more blessed with their hugs and kisses??? Do I have to put up a banner, set up a motorcade, and have the music "We Are Family" blaring from the stereo? Well excuuuuuse me for being contented with what I already have!!

I love my little testosterone filled family and I always have the "bestest" of fun with them. BUT, there ARE times when the Chinese Adonis and my little lords do their usual "man-stuff" that gets me a bit out of place. Besides their love for NBA/PBA/basketball (puhleez, when Jaworski retired, I have forgotten about the sport), they are also crazy about cars! When the 3 talk about this car and this car, I'm like a Twilight fan inside Kafka's world. Ha ha ha ha ha! I get so clueless! And even if I try to understand what the heck they're talking about, my brain just closes down and daydream what we'll be eating later.

I remember when we celebrated Jericho's Birthday at SILK ROAD, the Chinese Adonis and I saw that there was a display of Lamborghini's by KUPPA ROASTERY CAFE. We knew it was something the little lords would love to see, especially Andrei since he vowed to buy a Lamborghini when he grows up. So the following week, we scheduled to have our morning family Sundate at KUPPA.

When we got there, the little lords got so excited at the sight of the cars that they ran to it even if we were a street away. Once more, I felt like the odd lady out in THE YAPPY BUNCH that I just told them I'll get a table at KUPPA ROASTERY CAFE so that they could admire the cars all they want.

Ah yes. I may feel OP (out of place) but I'm not a KJ (Kill Joy)! He he he!

Seriously though, even if the guys in the YAPPY BUNCH have their own thing that I cannot relate to, I don't mind. Cheesy as it may sound, it really gives me a sense of joy that the Chinese Adonis has his own little posse who shares his love for cars and basketball. You may even say that it is a dream come true for him and I'm thankful that in a way, I was able to give him that. You may barf at the thought but my husband's happiness is my bliss as well.

And feeling THAT with a cup of freshly roasted coffee? Wow. Ultra heavenly.

SCORE for my segue. HA!
 

KUPPA ROASTERY AND CAFE!

I went straight inside to get us a table for a light breakfast!

RUSTIC MORNINGS BY ISABELO (AGAIN)

I normally do not make plans during Sundays with friends because we always spend our weekend lunch with family. But then Jojie, our NFFAF friend (that's New Found Fogi and Fretty for you), was celebrating his birthday and invited to treat the whole group for brunch. Everyone was available only on a Sunday so that meant I had to send my regrets to my loving family and promised we will just join them next Sunday.

My Mom (with celebratory howls and party music in the background) : Oh that's too bad... But if you're not available next Sunday it's okay too.....

What the...???

Just kidding! He he he he!

So after mass we headed straight to RUSTIC MORNINGS BY ISABELO which seemed like a thousand miles from where we lived. Good thing I remember that the food is something worth travelling far for from my last brunch there with my high school friend so I was not fretting too much.

And again it was another great time with my BP Group made extra special by the delicious food and of course the celebration for birthday boy Jojie! As usual we did not have enough time taking pictures and sharing stories that we were already thinking of another day to meet up.

Check out another crazy meet up with my friends our families this time at RUSTIC MORNINGS BY ISABELO!

Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear JOJIE!

!!!

Brunch at CAVIAR RESTAURANT AND CHAMPAGNE BAR

Call me an ignoramus but the first time I encountered the word BRUNCH was while watching the greatest TV show there is, THE SIMPSONs. It was the episode where Marge had an affair with a sexy guy. At one time the sexy guy, with his very thick accent, asked her out for "Brunch", he explained "it's not quite breakfast, it's not quite lunch. But it ends with a slice of grapefuit."

Fast forward to our EPIC STAYCATION where we were with the little lords for a grand 3 day weekend. It was then we received an invite to have brunch in the much buzzed about CAVIAR. With that, I was a bit concerned because I already had this mindset (thanks to the SIMPSON'S) that BRUNCH is something more for grown ups. Though I'm sure that there won't be a sexy guy with a thick accent explaining to me what the menu is and that BRUNCH is really just an early lunch, as a Mom I was concerned if my little lords would be able to enjoy the whole experience.

I'm so happy to say that kids had a great meal at CAVIAR. We all had a wonderful start to our day but yes my concerns were valid:

Because for one, brunch in CAVIAR is not just your ordinary late breakfast or early lunch. It was something bordering on spectacular. It certainly made me more curious of their fine-dining menu for lunch and dinner that I may have to yank the Chinese Adonis here for a date. Or, I could set up an LQ so that he'll bring me here as a peace offering. Tee hee!!!!

Plus two, I guess I was wrong with regards to the presence sexy guy with the thick accent because THIS suddenly emerged.

 

CAVIAR'S Executive Chef Frank Van Der Walle! More of him later.

Isn't he a dead ringer for Tom Hiddleston though? He he he he he!!!

Anyway, all of THAT made up an unforgettable Sunday brunch and I was glad that my worries were true in an exceptional way. 

CAVIAR RESTAURANT AND CHAMPAGNE BAR!!