Gramping. It’s becoming a trend where grandparents travel with grandchildren. It can be fun, but it can also be disastrous for some especially if there are no shared interests and food preferences. I have taken trips with the “apos” (grandchildren) before — once to Madrid to stay with a niece, and another time to Sydney to visit our relatives. But lately, we have taken trips together on our own, staying in hotels or apartments, charting a travel itinerary based on what the 3 of us wish to do and deciding each day on what and where to dine. Mostly, we ended up visiting museums and cultural attractions but we also managed to squeeze in a concert in each of the trips. The very first gramping was in 2023 starting in Amsterdam where we literally exhausted as many museums we can cover, checking out the bars and sleeping in most mornings. Our days started late unless we planned some day trips and we almost always managed to eat well. From Amsterdam, we took trains to move around and based ourselves in Brussels, Brugges, Nimes and Avignon before moving to Paris. Food porn all the way without minding the calories as we burned them just walking all around. It was a wonderful trip and we delighted on our food discoveries while tracing Van Gogh’s provençal life. Wrote many blogs about this gramping adventure but here’s the blog summary.
It has been under a year since that gramping when we found ourselves haphazardly planning a 2nd gramping. This time to Italy. An invitation for my nieta to join a few other Filipino artists to exhibit their works in Venezia is simply too difficult to pass up. And so it went that I caught up with them on their last day in Venice, as I was coming off another trip. The plan was to train from Venice to Florence where we based ourselves and did day trips to many other Tuscan spots before settling in Rome where we flew back to our Manila nest. Just 2 weeks. Too many places we wish to visit but not enough time. As I came off another trip, the apos crafted our travel itinerary right down to where and what we’d eat as well as some time for a cafe crawl and bar hopping. Once more, we had a wonderful time. Never thought I’d pile up so many journals for this rather short trip but the memories just overflow and required some “order” for proper safekeeping!
By this time, we 3 are pretty sure we travel well together. Apos are now quite adept crafting travel itineraries, hotel bookings, train reservations and dining options. The last item is important. With only 3 of us, it is nearly impossible to share meals if we don’t have similar food preferences. We also share the same passion for a good brew and gelato breaks are a given whenever we’re traveling. Happy hours are delightfully enjoyed and this is when we love chatting about our favourite spots and plan where else to go. We have also mastered the art of grocery shopping for some lazy dinners and breakfasts while doing our laundry.
And now, we’re off again. The full activity in UK beckons so watch this page for updates. Ciao for now.
It’s nearly a week since I touched down in Sydney and there’s two more weeks to go before I join up with my travel buddies for our much-delayed, our pandemic-postponed trip to South America. Originally scheduled in 2020, our travel group has since been trimmed down to under 20 pax after all the postponements and the hassles of obtaining visas from Australia or USA and Chile. Crossing 3 time zones on this trip is a first for me. Why? Well, let me start with breaking my journey on the first leg — Manila to Sydney to Santiago, Chile. Took the chance to meet up with my folks here in Sydney before flying out to Chile. Wish I can head back here again on the return trip but hatched another plan to meet up with my elves in Venice, Italy. That means cutting short my Peru trip by a couple of days to fly to Venice via Madrid in time for the Biennale Venezia opening on April 20. Just thinking about all 3 legs of this journey and crossing several time zones give me so much excitement as well as jitters. You see, I booked a non-refundable flight from Lima to Venice just so I can claim the last seat out of Peru in time to be with my dear Nieto y Nieta (grandchildren). Also booked non-cancellable hotel nights in Venice, Italy during the Biennale opening well before hotel rates soar high or worse, when hotels get fully booked! All these while visas have yet to be issued. With fingers and toes crossed, the “Plan” is pushing through. By God’s grace, my elves got their Schengen visas and we’re good with flight and hotel bookings. All set!
The Grounds at AlexandriaVisiting my Sister & her Family Here
The first order of the day is my favorite brekkie in The Grounds of Alexandria. Still teeming with people on a Wednesday morning, still serving my fav flat white and good food but I’m not a fan of their Easter decor. Guess the kids won’t mind but this old lady was a tad disappointed. From this Wednesday’s touchdown to nearly a week after, it’s been a flurry of activities and food trips. One may say Aussie food is limited to steaks, chops and pies but I do love the coffee scene here. Besides, the city is so very culturally diversethat my folks have alternated to take me for meals at a Korean restaurant, a Japanese ramen house, along with Chinese, Thai, Laotian and Vietnamese food adventures.
Korean DinnerThai Dinner at Holy Basil in Canley ValeRamen at Makimoto in McArthur Square
It was hot when I arrived. Temps hover at 27-30 C. Of late, autumn is setting in along with showers in the afternoons or late nights. Time to clean and seal off our barbecue pits and time our laundry times to sunny days. But weekends are day trip days. My first weekend here took me to Bowral, just an hour’s drive away. Brunch was in The Press Shop, followed by check-ins at the village vintage shops. Rainy days mean ramen days as we took comfort in bowls of steaming broth and some sushi and dumplings. Grocery trips are fun especially since it’s a short walk from the house. With my family housed in 3 separate residences a few blocks from each other, my major decision each day is in whose house to dine 😉 My second home. I bet the next 2 weeks will fly by, only to be repeated later this year when I head back.
This is my neighbourhood. It’s a bit off the CBD, perhaps a couple of blocks. But here lies a slice of Japan with a cluster of izakayas serving authentic Japanese food with price tags ranging from quite cheap to pricey. Makati Cinema Square is now called Makati Central Square, MCS for short. Within this old mall are many tiny Japanese restos, the most popular of which is Manmaru. That is, judging by the queues nearly every mealtime outside this Japanese eatery. A few more restos within the same mall is Unakichi (entrance near Mcdo and KFC area) which specializes in unagi and Sakura Yakiniku (near Unakichi) and Yakiniku Kenshin (beside Manmaru). There is also our fav Wabi Sabi (2nd floor above Kenshin) for vegetarian ramen, dumplings and homemade ice cream. From MCS, we step out and cross the street towards LITTLE TOKYO which is another cluster of izakayas with a truly Japanese vibe. The Torii gate, narrow alley lined with red lanterns look more Japanese in the evenings when the lanterns are lighted and the courtyard seems more festive with banners.
It’s easy to miss it but this Torii gate is just across Manmaru in Makati Central SquareBehind the Torii gate is this narrow alley towards the izakayas.
Within Little Tokyo, the most popular and my personal favorite is Kikufuji whose entrance fronts the main road (Chino Roces Avenue), and for ramen, there is Shinjuku. Both are iconic izakayas in the Little Tokyo area fronting the main road and must have stood there for at least 2 decades along with Hana which is situated in the inner “courtyard”. Parking is always a challenge so I’d advise parking in the MCS basement and just walking across to Little Tokyo.
Izakaya Kikufuji may look rundown but it consistently ranks among the best izakayas in Makati. Hana is in the interior part of Little Tokyo and is one of the 2 oldest izakayas there.
Inside Little Tokyo, you may choose to go for simple snacks like takoyaki, kakigori (flavored ice shavings), okonomiyaki (pan cake) or have serious yakiniku or bento boxes. Plenty of choices here. Menus are on display by the izakaya’s door so there shouldn’t be any surprises especially if one is on a budget. You may also opt for al fresco lunch or dinner or step into the tiny air conditioned spaces. I have tried Kikufuji, Shinjuku, Yakiniku, Hana and Oishinbo in the Little Tokyo cluster. Pricing observes a wide range as it largely depends on what you order. Less expensive would be the rice bowls or rice toppings, called donburi. Ask also if they have set meals which are really combo meals to include your chosen dish, miso soup, pickles, rice and sometimes a drink. There are a few more izakayas waiting for me to try. 😁
Oishinbo in INSIDE Little TokyoInside Hana
Seryna is also quite popular. It is right beside the Torii gate entrance and across Manmaru in MCS. But my personal favorite remains to be Kikufuji — love those wagyu cubes and sushi. Just that it is always fully booked so I always end up settling for Shinjuku ramen or one of those bento boxes in either Hana or Oishinbo. Unless of course I’m craving for unagi which means crossing towards MCS’ Unakichi. As for Manmaru, I’d rather order online (via Grab) than braving those long lines!
Wagyu Cubes from KikufujiLittle Tokyo at Night
The latest addition to this izakaya cluster is EDOYA. It is right beside Seryna and a Japanese grocery store and right across Manmaru housed in Makati Central Square. Some of the food we ordered tasted good but they’re still on soft opening when we visited so the service can actually be improved. It took a while for our food to be served. Also, we stayed in one of the cubicles on the 2nd floor and we found the acoustic properties of the place to be problematic. I hope they do something about this because the place looks nice and we’re willing to give the Resto a second chance. The iced coffee bevs are ok but we were frustrated that none of their ice shaving desserts were available. I promise to dine there a 2nd time and update this blog. So there. 😉
As I often say, our pleasure barometer has nothing to do with the price tags. Dining options, for one, can range from cheap to pricey. But there is always a fine middle ground where something really good can be enjoyed for a reasonable price. Not necessarily cheap cheap, but value-for-money. Yum without burning a hole in the pocket.
Beef Tripe Porridge from GOTO MONSTER near Pablo Ocampo and Kamagong Streets Laksa from Nanyang
I like soupy dishes so that explains my love affair with porridge, ramen, laksa. The first photo — goto or beef tripe porridge — is from Goto Monster which is listed in the international book “Where Chefs Eat”. It is truly a comfort food, and by itself a wonderful, satisfying meal. It is also the kind of food you’d like to serve someone who’s sick or on the mend. Don’t ask me why. But it seems uncomplicated but filling enough. As for ramen or laksa, now this is a tad more complicated. It may look like a simple dish but in actuality, requires good kitchen wizardry to come up with a good version. And it’s always easy to tell if it’s good or not with the first spoonful. Trust me.
Katsu Curry Ramen or Odori Ramen from Surugin Ramen House in Alfonso, CaviteThai Street Eats is 1 of many food trucks and booths in GYUD Food Hub within UP Diliman Campus
If you like quick meals but do not favor sandwiches, these soupy dishes can solve your hunger pangs in a few spoonfuls. Another foolproof tip on where to find affordable eats is to search within, around or near campuses. Here and abroad, this theory applies. At student prices, you can scour the area for good eats. That means where students line up. Gyud Food Hub is one such example. It is inside the UP Campus near the College of Fine Arts and just off Jacinto Street. Many choices here from Thai to Chinese, Persian, Indian or Pinoy. They even have steak meals at affordable prices. These dining outlets price their meal sets within a student’s budget. Overhead is kept to a minimum as paper plates and bowls are used and dining is al fresco.
Near Greenbelt along Palanca Street is Panco CafeFor Vietnamese Coffee, try Pao Cafe in Yakal Street
Around Makati, our random finds include 2 coffee shops with good food. Panco Cafe may have a limited menu but quite frankly, we keep ordering the same food because, well…. they’re good! In my book, it is always a choice between the breakfast brisket or the Inasal. And yeah, try their coffee or their not so ordinary beverages. Great concoctions!But if you like Vietnamese coffee and food, try Pao Cafe in Yakal Street. We have been searching for iced coconut coffee which we first tried in Sapa and Hanoi, Vietnamand we’ve found Pao Cafe. They also serve good bentos (tried the roast pork), Bahn mi, spring rolls, and buncha, which we now prefer over the more popular pho (though Pao Cafe serves good pho too). We noticed they also have good cakes and pastries so we’re sure to try those come next visit.
The Annex House in Poblacion, MakatiBibingka or Puto Bumbong from Cafe Via Mare
One can easily do a cafe crawl within the Poblacion area in Makati. So many choices. It is easy to miss Annex House as it is really a house in what looked like a compound behind a closed gate. But if you’re one who loves to discover new places, here’s a good one for you. They don’t serve hot meals to pair with your coffee but there are buns and pastries. The coffee concoctions are interesting so you can just imagine what they come up with in the cocktails department. Annex House presents itself as a social club — so feel free to drop in for coffee or some pub drinks. But hey, where do you bring your balikbayan friends for good old Filipino dishes and snacks? Cafe Via Mare is one of those default places if only for their bibingka (rice cake), puto Bumbong or halo halo. Priced higher than the average snack shop but if you want a reasonably decent place, and guaranteed good food, this is the place.
Try this from a booth spread all across Manila
Lastly, let me mention Avocadoria. Seen this almost everywhere. A small food booth in many malls. Never gave it a thought till a cousin fetched a cup for me to try. OMG it’s sooo good. I bet it’s packed with calories but trust me, it’s worth all the calories 🤣 I love frozen desserts — halo halo, maiz con hielo, bingsu, kakigori, anything with ice shavings OR ice cream, sorbet, sherbet. Try this sweet ending as an alternative to what you’ve been having thus far. If you love avocados, all the more that you should give this a try. Yum. Won’t regret it. 👍
Update:
Just needed to update to include more value-for-money eats. We need not skip those bonding moments with fam and friends just because dining out can be expensive. There are still many dining spots offering under P500 meals.
Botejyu in Greenbelt 3 or Newport MallBon Pho and Roll in Parqal Mall and Alphaland in Malugay St, MakatiMamma Kopi Tiam in Glorietta 1Whenever I visit Makati Med, I almost always drop in in either Banh Mi or Pancake House on 3rd floorAnother Vietnamese restaurant: Old Saigon
Located in Linear Towers at Yakal Corner Mayapis
Remember Ling Nam Noodle House? Now in Grid Co-Living along Yakal Street in San Antonio Village
This 2022 is a better year judging by how the pandemic woes have eased and how international borders have opened up. Soon after we returned from our Nile cruise early in 2020, we survived a lockdown which saw us cancelling as many as 3 international trips in 2020 and staying in for much of the time throughout 2020-21. Sad news from family and friends we haven’t, couldn’t visit reached us and all we could do was pray and try to stay healthy. My annual visits to my family in Sydney was put on hold until OZ borders opened up in February 2022. I wasted no time and secured a visa to visit Sydney last May 2022. Stayed a good 6 weeks and felt gratitude seeping in that our family is well and in good health.
La Familia. OZ Chapter. It was winter that mid year in Sydney. Lovely to bond with family again, especially since there are just 2 of us sisters in the original branch of the family.
Soon after, it was time to visit a niece now based in Guam. Renewed my US visa to visit this territory in the Northern Pacific and spent a month, thinking there isn’t much to do in this tiny island. I was prepared to get bored and promised not to whinge. Well, I must have done whatever there is to do in Guam from hotel staycations, duty-free shopping, watching a musical, binging on movies in the nearby cinema, trying Chamorro meals, driving and touring around the island, swimming and other water adventures. There were a number of family friends to meet up so there’s aplenty to do and catch up on. Besides, there was a birthday to celebrate!
A day excursion to Bikini IslandAnd a birthday to celebrate!
In between these visits, I made 2 domestic trips. One to holiday in Boracay with dear friends who are my extended family, and another to Cagayan de Oro in Southern Philippines to celebrate a friend’s retirement and birthday. My relationship with these extended families makes me feel so very thankful for their friendship and the bond that ties us forever. Their children are all my godchildren — from baptism to wedding — and our friendship counts decades with the younger members forging an equally strong bond among themselves. This relationship will last beyond our lifetimes!
And then there’s our Fukuoka trip this last month of the year. Not our first time to Kyushu Island in the southern part of Japan, but we were just too eager to travel again as a group. Who cared who was guiding us or where we were going? Destinations hardly mattered. There were just 3 major sights: a garden in autumn foliage, an active volcano and a gorge, and a canal cruise. And onsens and kaiseki in between. Enough. In the company of these travel buddies, we’re good. Fun as always. More fond memories. We are blessed.
My last trip with these travel buddies was in 2020, returning back home just a mere week before a lockdown was declared. The idea of traveling together again gave us a high and by the time we were ready to go, our number has grown to 23 adults, 4 teens and 2 babies. A whole bus of happy travelers. It didn’t matter much where we were headed but Japan has always been a good idea. Besides, our last trip to Fukuoka in 2017 had a different itinerary.
Our Growing “Family”
On this trip, the abuelas fussed over the bebes while the abuelos trained the teens how to drink smartly. Cocktail hours were longer and more adventurous as the group now includes an award-winning barista who concocted cocktail drinks for the senior, middle-aged and young adults. As always, we enjoyed the company, the private jokes, the food and the onsen. The autumn colors provide good visuals but then again, Japan is good no matter which season.
Da BoysDa Gels
The temps are dropping so we made sure to wrap ourselves good. The ryokan we are staying in now has an outdoor onsen and we made good use of that before our kaiseki dinner. Post dinner cocktails followed before we called it a night. It’d be a long next day with a long drive towards Takachiho Gorge plus a visit to a shrine where Shinto was born. So there. With the drop in temperature, wish us luck.
It started out as a heritage house tour and simple get-together of long time friends, then as bienvenida for visiting family members, and finally as a pseudo wedding reception for a young couple whose most significant ceremony we all missed because of the pandemic. There were 18 adults and 2 toddlers meeting for the first time who hardly warmed up and interacted with each other. Topics covered a broad range and the long table divided between the senior and younger members of the family. All’s well.
Palacio de Memoria
We nearly went overboard with the pseudo wedding reception. A bridal bouquet, a flower girl’s flower basket, the ring bearer’s pillow, the wedding cake. All in good fun. That happens when we all felt deprived missing a young couple’s wedding. The sprawling garden provided a beautiful backdrop for our group picture as well as bridal bouquet toss up between a spinster and a widow! The little girls from the past have all grown up, some with their adult children and toddlers. And the more senior members have done away with the dyes, proudly bearing their greying hair. The laughter across the long table sounded just as loud and crisp, the jokes nearly the same, and the banter seemingly endless but fun.
All In The FamilyThe Long Table
Here’s one unforgettable get together of family and friends. Never mind that the museum tour was cancelled and the bar housed inside one of the airplanes (spotted the 3 aircraft collections parked in the lawn) were closed. We enjoyed the antipasti and the main entrée as well as the refreshing beverages and vanilla-flavoured wedding cake. The pre-ordered al fresco lunch was seamlessly served and there was time enough to loiter around the gardens. For sure, I’d be back for the guided tour and the date at the bar. Por supuesto!
The Antipasti and the Wedding CakeA Choice of Lamb, Beef, Salmon or Pasta
Palacio de Memoria is now an events and auction venue consisting of a historic mansion restored to its pre-war glory. Abandoned for 2 decades and now owned by the Lhuilliers to house their antique collections including the 3 aircraft, one of which has since been converted into a bar. One can just imagine how this heritage mansion cut a majestic vista right along the wide Roxas Boulevard just across the Manila Bay before parts of the Bay were reclaimed. I bet many parties were held in its sprawling lawn while the breeze gusts in from Manila Bay. At the time we visited, tents were being set up in the front lawn for what looked like a wedding event. I can also imagine what great parties one can host here to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or just about any momentous occasion. And there’s La Loggia Restaurant housed in a separate al fresco structure right beside the Mansion to provide the Italian food and refreshments. I heard one can even arrange picnics under one of the trees or just outside the airplanes with a picnic basket packed by La Loggia. Swell!
Traveled with my nieta over the holidays — her first time in Europe. We based ourselves in Madrid but made 3 night trips to Paris, Barcelona and San Sebastian. Paris was at the top of her list but she ended up loving San Sebastian best and Barcelona second best. I wasn’t surprised.
She loves visits to the art galleries and spent lotsa time there. And I mean lotsa time! San Sebastian has no museos in the league of Louvre nor Prado, but she digs the vibe in this Basque city so much that I’m convinced she can live there.
Traveling as abuela y nieta, our pair must have invited some attention. Or at least we were marked. Or perhaps SHE was marked. More than once, I was asked “Donde esta la chica?” She’d always find a vacant seat on the train where she can more comfortably sit, or stray away from me while we’re in line. She’d get free admission to some museos when the man at the window would ask if she’s a student. No student ID nor passport copy, but she gets in free or at a discount while her abuela pays the regular rate. She’s out of her teens now but still acts like a child like when I couldn’t get a decent shot of her without her tongue sticking out or her crinkling her nose.
Our vacation lasted a full month. She’d tease we didn’t quarrel as much as expected and laugh. I was happy to show her around, much that museos and art galleries were coming out of my ears. She discovered she’s a good dishwasher and that she easily forgets things. I discovered I can appreciate street and urban art too. We share food preferences and love bubblies. She likewise shops like me — quick, decisive and wise. Ahem.
I am certain “art appreciation” was the highlight of this trip. I have seen how she spent for art materials and art books, more than she spent for those fashion stuff. For sure, she has set her sights on a return trip knowing how she has enjoyed this holiday.
While in Madrid, she found time to meet with her friends now studying there. It was amusing to see her playing tour guide cum photographer. Their photos speak volumes on how much they enjoyed each other’s company, sticking tongues and all 😜 She loves Spain. And judging by how she’s been painting lately, mi nieta is inspired. 💕👩🏻🎨🎨
Finally! On our first night here, we only tried Atari Gastroteka right across Yglesia de Santa Maria in Parte Vieja. It was a leisurely meal without the tourist crowd, with wait staff not too busy to chat you up. Txikiteo can wait till tomorrow, I thought. For our first night, let it not be rushed and frenzied. Just one relaxing meal ordering the same stuff we enjoyed here the last time.
We’ve always known the Pulpo and Foie Gras here are tops but we discovered its salmon and beef cheeks too. My nieta was introduced to Ribera del Duero though she also took a swig at my Rioja. Our butts got stuck here as we were seated outside across the Yglesia at 7Celsius with a friendly waitress checking on us from time to time. The Txikiteo can wait, I repeat. For now, we savoured the peace and quiet, along with the good food and bebidas.
On our 2nd night we were ready for our txikiteo. But it so happened the whole of San Sebastian was celebrating Santo Tomas Fair and transformed the entire city into a farmers’ market. Locals donned farmers’ and peasants’ attires. I was tempted to buy an outfit but my Oriental looks would give me away. Any txikiteo idea was promptly dashed as we could hardly move across Parte Vieja. Crowd was so thick, everyone’s in high spirits (literally and figuratively) and so many drunks have dropped and broken their copas. No war freaks, just too drunk to stand steady and hold their glasses. Ergo, glass shards all over. We did the next best thing. La Viña is famous for its tarta de quezo but they do have a fine dining restaurante inside. More pulpo for us, plus jamon jabugo paired with txakoli. Perfect! Txikiteo can wait.
And so the txikiteo finally gets started on Day 3. First off, Borda Berri for bacalao al pilpil and orejas de cerdo. Next, Bar Etxeberria. That’s lunch. Kutixik para llevar so we can nib on jamon while walking around the Playas. For dinner, Bar Zeruko for La Hoguera, mushrooms and tuna. Next stop was La Cuchara de San Telmo for its cochinillo and oysters. Dessert was in Casa Urola for that torrijas to die for. You can say we took our txikiteo real seriously. After all, we were “deprived” of this famous pub crawl the last 2 days. No regrets though as we’ve discovered the relative quiet of a sit-down dinner and good txakoli in its stead.
My nieta swears she loves txakoli and ribera del duero. By the 6th copa, we have started calling ourselves “Luningning” and “Liwayway”, just for fun. The 2 wait staff flirting with each other we promptly named Mateo and Juana. Don’t ask why. The Lola (grandma) and Nieta (granddaughter) are simply enjoying their txikiteo. Salut!
PostScript: On the day we were leaving San Sebastian, we decided to have almuerzo (lunch) in Parte Vieja, hoping some of our favorite pintxo bars are already open. They weren’t. But we enjoyed our pintxos, cafe, desserts in 2 bars which now make up our list of new favorites. Casa Alcalde where I enjoyed my txistorra and pimientos de padron (as a first meal) while nieta had her mushrooms, kebab and iberico topped with a quail egg. Bar Sport has good reviews but never tried it before because it was always crowded. Not this time. Sangria with cheese cake? Why not? Nieta liked the tarta de quezo better here so we made sure we dropped in on La Viña again just to compare. 🙄
Who leaves Mongolia without feasting on their Mongolian Barbecue? Stuff your bowl with meats & veggies, make your own sauce concoction, and then leave it to this Mongolian to cook it for you on this round hot rock table.
But I must say Korean food is something else. We hit the ground running by choosing a bibimbap meal on our KAL flight. Well…… Let’s just say we can’t wait. Of course the inflight meal ain’t the real deal, but it’s a good start. So, here’s how we indulged ourselves in the 2 nights we stopped over in Seoul. Call us gluttons! GWIYOMI……… I’m happy!
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