OF MONGKOK AND VOTING

Last summer, we experienced many long weekends due to Friday or Monday holidays which caused maximum enjoyment for THE YAPPY BUNCH.

However, one particular "Monday-cation" was not just for our own little fun: we will also be fulfilling our duties as Filipino citizens by we will be going out and vote. Still, before you raise your hats to us or make parades in our honor, I got to be honest... 

We were sort of lazy! (Take note of the "sort of" naman... he he he he). I mean, I'm all for voting and doing our civic duty but the bed successfully convinced me to bond with it past my "waking up" time that I don't want to hurt its feelings!

He he he he he he!

ANYWHOOOO.... Fine. We'll get up and get ready. HOWEVER, we cannot just go forth and do this "battle" without energizing our selves first right? So in order to get our spirits going (yes, OA kami), my Mom invited us to have lunch in our restaurant of choice. And since we want to have a happy tummy which will give us a clear and straight mind, we went for our usual Chinese comfort food in Powerplant Mall...

MONGKOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wohoo! We're enjoying our usual favorites in MONGKOK!

It was not so crowded in MONGKOK that lunch time.

MY GLORIA MARIS TREAT FOR DADDY'S BDAY (2016)

My Daddyowzers celebrated his 80th birthday in the middle of June and it was surely going to be a whole day family affair!

In the morning, we heard mass to thank the Lord for all the blessings and to pray also for more birthday for my Dad!

After mass... What now???

Of course, knowing US, we would go hunting for someplace to eat.

And since it's my Daddy's special day, the usual choice would be our birthday breakfast favorite -- GLORIA MARIS!!!!

I really don't know how it started but it sort of became a tradition really for THE YAPPY BUNCH and my parents. I don't object with this because I LOVE dimsum and congee!

ROLL CALL!!!!!

Ate Jojit and husband Anthony!

Little Lords, Mati and Andrei!

My shy Mom and the birthday boy!

AND...

ELIZABETH BENNETT and FITZWILLIAM DARCY!!!!!

Sorry but after all the brutality and erotics of GAME OF THRONES, I went for something pure and morally traditional. He he he he he he. So PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is the natural choice for me. 

I could just watch this movie again and again and again and again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food is here! Time to eat!

GLORIA MARIS Steamed Meatballs (P180.00)!

We only got one of this because it wasn't really a strong favorite. Though it was good, we were not able to finish it.

My sister ordered this. Tsk tsk tsk....

He he he he he!

GLORIA MARIS Beancurd Roll (P175.00)!

Now this we love!!! We got 2 orders of this and after it was all wiped out, Mati asked for one more just for him!

Yummers!

GLORIA MARIS Baked Pork Bun (P175.00)!

One order has 3 buns and as expected it was soft, sweet, with a meaty filling!

GLORIA MARIS Shrimp Vegetable Dumpling (P175.00) was another in demand dish by the adults of the group. It was filled with chops of plump shrimps and steamed greens!

GLORIA MARIS Hakaw (P175.00)!!!

GLORIA MARIS Pork Siomai (P170.00)!

GLORIA MARIS Chicken Feet (P150.00)!!

To warm up our tummies, we had the GLORIA MARIS Meatball Congee (P170.00)!

GLORIA MARIS Plain Congee (P90.00) with a lot of crispy wanton courtesy of US. He he he he he!

GLORIA MARIS Fish Fillet Congee (P190.00)!

For those who are craving for a light alternative! 

To amp up our congee, we had an extra order of Fried Wanton Crisps (P30.00)!

And century egg (P85.00)!

ERICJAZ FOODIES with the little lords and my family at GLORIA MARIS!

Gobble! Gobble!

Remember what I told you about the Bean Curd Roll? Yup! Mati just devoured them all!

Later on, everyone was done!

As usual, Andrei was still eating and treating that 1 cup of congee like it was Mt. Everest or something.

The GLORIA MARIS bill!!!!

I decided to pick up the check to treat my family in celebrating Daddy's birthday and Father's Day because that's what daughters should do.

Asuuuus! Or maybe I'm just being "sip-sip"! He he he he he he! Kidding!

Of course, besides Daddy's birthday, this is also a wee celebration for Father's Day!!

My husband was fine with taking a backseat when it was supposedly his special day too because it was my Dad's birthday. See how loving and humble he is? :)

That's why the little lords love him! After every meal, they would run up to their Daddy for some hugs. Especially Andrei, the little Daddy's boy.

My Daddy saw that and asked the same from Mati and Andrei!

Andrei joined his Kuya too!

I told them to hug lolo tightly but, according to Andrei, their faces get hurt from their Lolo's "sharp beard".

Sarap pagumumpugin ang ulo ng mga to ah!

HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Kidding!

Now boys, THIS is how you do it!!!!

You guys just the hugging and squeezing to us girls!!!

We love you so muchos Daddyowzers!!! Happy Birthday and Happy Father's Day!!! Let's have fun THE WHOLE DAY!!!!!!!!

WOOHOOOOOOO!

P.S. For those pitying the Yubskers, don't worry, he has his own celebration at his restaurant of choice in ALEX 3RD! Besides, like I said, he is so fine with devoting this special day to my Dad!

Ako lang naman ang KSP (Kulang Sa Pansin) sa family e!

He he he he he!

SO.

THERE.

GLORIA MARIS GREENHILLS

202 Wilson Street Corner J. 

Abad Santos, Little Baguio, 

San Juan City

7245011 - 7276201

GLORIA MARIS DIMSUM BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST!

MOMMY AND DADDY'S BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST 2014

MUSEUM CAFE (SUNDAY BOUTIQUE BRUNCH)

The Chinese Adonis and I promised ourselves that we could do all that we want for the whole week but come Sunday, THE YAPPY BUNCH should ALWAYS be together. Of course, we are in each others company already for 7 days but we will stress on it more on Sundays with mass, breakfast, and lunch.  You could say the reason why we are doing this is to program the little lords that Sunday is their day with Mommy and Daddy. So that when they grow up and get all cool to be the "folks", they would still go with us on family day Sundays.

I don't care if they got home late the previous night...
I don't care if they have a hot date that morning...
I don't care if they have a barkada getaway....

Sunday is OUR day. So they better get used to it.

With that, I'm so glad that there are restaurants like MUSEUM CAFE that is perfect for our after-mass meal. The place is chic and located nearby in Greenbelt. Plus, they are serving brunch that is fitting for our special family day Sunday. We all enjoyed our time there!

Moments like these make me cherish every second with my little lords. I know time goes by so fast (like EAT BULAGA hammering SHOWTIME with #ALDUB (HA!)) that before we know it, they'll be out with their girls or their friends more than us. That's why hopefully, the neverending time we spend with them will make a strong mark so that they'll keep our Family Sundays sacred. 

Of course, given the choice, we'd still like to be with them every single day.

But should the time comes where they could only spare one day for us, we know that it would always be on Sundays.

And yes it would DEFINITELY still be more than enough for us! :)

MUSEUM CAFE!

MUSEUM CAFE is located right across AYALA MUSEUM. 

Isn't that the perfect place to go after pigging yourselves out with delicious food?

MATI'S 2-WEEK 11th BIRTHDAY (2015)

Early this January, my master Mati turned 11 years old. And, like we do every year, we had a fun 2-week birthday celebration for him! Some may find it too much (my family definitely does ha ha ha ha!) but all that matters is how our little celebrant is having the time of his life when he turns a year older.

Usually what we do is ask Mati to write in his journal what restaurants and places he wanted to go to for his birthday celebrations. We then do all that we can to go to all of those "Mati wishes" with whoever is available to join us! Also included in that 2 week period is non-stop play of PSP and Minecraft without the usual "write in your journal requirement" that I have for them (provided also that it is not a school day). Of course, THAT is enough cause for Mati to be deliriously happy for his birthday. He he he he!

And like last year, THE YAPPY BUNCH had a very fun 2 week birthday for Mati! I'm sure the little celebrant agrees because he was groaning on the last day and wishing it could be extended for another week.  It may be the only whiney sound that is actually music to ERICJAZ FOODIES' ears!

We'll see what we can do for next year dear Mati but for now, Mommy and Daddy will cherish all the joy and happiness that you have given us. So thank YOU really. Besides being thankful to the Lord everyday that he has blessed us with your awesomeness, this two-week birthday celebration is also our way of giving thanks to YOU our loving son and brother to naughty Andrei.....

Thank YOU for making us deliriously happy for the past 11 years!!! We love you so much master Mati!

HAPPY 11TH birthday Master Mati!!!!

GLORIA MARIS BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST (2014)

I'm sure you guys may already be getting tired of me and my family's "traditions" since it has somewhat became a byword in my blogposts. But guess what? Here comes a new one! Every birthday, the family and I would ALWAYS eat at GLORIA MARIS after mass. I know it may be very trivial to some but I suggest you all to try it because nothing is more comforting than having a cupful of hot congee after thanking the Lord for all of our blessings.

Well... THAT and my hugs. I doubt though you'll get the latter UNLESS you give me and the Chinese Adonis GC's to SPIRAL buffet all year round. HA!

Our GLORIA MARIS birthday breakfast tradition was accidental really because it's not like we decided to eat there since it was somebody's birthday.  We just noticed though that every time after we attended a birthday mass (for somebody in the family) and my Dad would ask the celebrant where he/she wanted to eat, the choice would always be GLORIA MARIS probably because we always had dimsum and congee for Sunday breakfasts growing up, and it was so near our church.

And so it started. Without really expecting something else, the answer to the birthday question would now always be GLORIA MARIS. Great thing, we all wouldn't have it any other way.

Except with MY warm hugs though (tee hee... like Olaf!) So sorry you all won't get to experience that!

 

GLORIA MARIS!!! 

Even though our family's birthdays fall on a work week, we all take half day leaves so that we could all be together.

Except for my eldest brother though. He lives in the mountains. Joke! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

GLORIA MARIS BIRTHDAY DIMSUM BREAKFASTS

I am a person who is HEAVY on traditions. Call me a sentimental schmuck or just plain patriotic to "glorified routine" but I always want to honor a family custom and perhaps tweak it a bit so it could be passed on to my kids.

Most recently, my siblings and I made this new "tradition" to celebrate birthdays with a GLORIA MARIS dimsum breakfast. I mean, yeah, we do have the usual birthday breakfast before but now it's going to be obligatory to be at GLORIA MARIS. I tell you, there's really nothing like starting your natal day (I was supposed to write nasal.. ha ha ha!) with a hot bubbling bowl of congee and plump steamed dimsums!  Since we had such a grand time when we did it for my Dad's birthday morning, we will be doing it again and again. And with dimsum and congee, GLORIA MARIS in Greenhills will be your best bet!

GLORIA MARIS!