We had all of 7 days and 6 nights here in Florence. Minus 2 whole days for out-of-town excursions. I stayed in to recharge for 2 whole days while apos visited more museums and met up with friends. I made sure I sent them off to Uffizi Art Gallery and the Medici Museum but interestingly, they also visited the Ferragamo Museum and the Gucci Garden Museum. I remember they enjoyed the Dior Museum in Paris last year. After all, the lines are blurred between art and fashion. On Day 1 here, I joined them viewing Kiefer’s exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi and the oldest pharmacy in the world. We also passed the piazza where the Duomo is, and we had meals at the Mercato Centrale. Beyond that, their interests seem to lie elsewhere. Just off Palazzo Strozzi is an impressive theater cum bookshop. Cinema Odeon is housed in a Renaissance palace with an amphitheater-like structure where you can claim a seat among stacks of books. We spent a lot of time here, and I’m told they went back the next day without me.
Palazzo StrozziUffizi Gallery
We were all fascinated by the art exhibit we viewed almost on a whim (Kiefer in Palazzo Strozzi) and Cinema Odeon — a very unique bookstore around Piazza Strozzi. So with our random dining finds for best gelato, best pizza, best bistecca, best paninis, best affogato and best rooftop bar. While we decided on our first bistecca at the Mercato, we chanced upon this gelateria which suggested we try this very local flavor called “buontalenti”, named after the inventor of the Italian gelato himself! The movie “Eat, Pray and Love” featured this pizza joint which now proudly hangs a photo of Julia Roberts — and we dare say it isn’t a hype. We actually enjoyed their Napoletania and Primavera pizzas, along with those Italian rice balls called arancino. Dining tips came in handy too from the hotel concierge and we’re glad we heeded Alex’s advice. Missed the ribollita and pasta I had years earlier in Trattoria ZaZa and Trattoria Garibaldi, but we totally enjoyed our dinners at Trattoria il Giardino (loved the Tuscan coccoli) and Trattoria Burrasca (best bistecca!). As for happy hours, nothing beats sipping rosé at sundown in Art on View Rooftop Bar. If this all sounds to you like a food trip, it seriously is. The same DNA runs in their veins, after all.
View on Art Rooftop bar. The Duomo
The days I wasn’t with them, they went for quick lunches at All’ Antico Vinaio. And ate more gelato. They also swore they had the best affogato in Vivoli and promised to take me there. And I swear they were not lying! I offered to take them around the historic center to check out spots they missed but these 2 had other interests. Told you 😜 A food trip in Italy? Not a bad idea. As for me, I’m ready for our out-of-town excursions. Makes life simpler just hopping in a bus to take us to touristy spots with a laid-out itinerary guided by a tour director. No bus or train tickets to buy. No lunch reservations to book. And I ensure these 2 learn some history outside of the dining scene. Ciao!
By noontime, we trooped to Mestre Train Station for our ride to Florence. Made sure our trip has 0 stops as I doubt we have the energy to switch trains and drag our big bags. We were famished by the time we reached Firenze SMN Station. Our apartment is just off the Basilica Di Santa Maria Novella but it took all of our energy to walk with our luggage in tow. Having checked in, we fell in love with our apartment. With 6 nights to spend here, I’ve decided to stay in for a much-needed rest to recover my sapped energy, do the laundry (3 weeks load!) and send off the apos to make other arrangements like meet some friends, hit more art galleries, do shopping or whatever else in the next 2 days. The NEXT couple of days. Today, some introductions are in order.
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella The oldest pharmacy — now perfumery — in the world.
As soon as we loaded the first batch of laundry into the washing machine, we took off. Very near our apartment is the oldest running pharmacy in Florence, and in the world: the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. It all started in 1221 with Dominican friars developing a botanical garden of plants and herbs to produce healing ointments, balms and other medicines. Over time, the concoctions produced perfumes which counted royalties and prominent families among its clients. We sniffed around — and liked the scents but didn’t end up buying any. From this pharmacy, we walked a few blocks to reach Palazzo Strozzi where we promptly bought tickets to view Anselm Kiefer’s exhibit “Fallen Angels”. Very impressive. Not our first impression though, but his art grows on you as you spend more time with the artworks.
Kiefer’s “Fallen Angels” in Palazzo Strozzi
On our first day in Florence, we passed the Piazza Di Santa Maria Novella, visited the world’s oldest pharmacy, viewed an art exhibit, admired the magnificent Duomo, chanced upon the Odeon Theater cum Bookshop, and ended up in Mercato Centrale for dinner. We wanted to eat in the nearby trattorias but we were so hungry that we found the long lines frustrating. And so, we had our first bistecca florentina at the Mercato. Rarely that we dined without any conversation, but this is one moment. We devoured the Chianina beef like there’s no tomorrow. Gelato for a good finish and we had the best flavor ever — buontalenti, named after Bernardo Buontalenti, the Florentine inventor of Gelato.
Bistecca alla Florentina GelatoMercato Centrale
Having crossed 3 timezones, I looked forward to the next 2 days of doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. Like a doting abuela, I did the laundry and even cooked dinner. I also managed to book excursions for the next 2 days : one to Cinque Terre and another day trip to visit Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti and Monteriggioni. Plus a dinner booking at a nearby Trattoria il Giardino. Nieto y Nieta were on their own the first 2 whole days in Firenze, meeting their Abuela only for dinner either at the apartment (for a home cooked meal) or in a nearby trattoria. We did return to the Mercato Centrale to buy dinner to eat in the apartment. Even the young get exhausted as they preferred to stay in in the apartment that became our cozy home for a week. And they’re only on their second week while their Abuela has already clocked 6 weeks. 😜
More to write about Firenze. Wait for the next blog.
Good pasta, osso buco and coccoliSoft music on a chilly night. I’m on holiday 💤
From Patagonia, we flew back to the capital of Santiago, Chile and then switched airports and took an international flight to Lima, Peru. Long drives, a domestic flight and a regional/international flight in a single day. All endured with a smile as we excitedly prepped for our way towards Machu Picchu, obviously the highlight of our Andean adventure. But first, Lima for a couple of nights. The Plaza de Armas in the Centro Hispanico, the famous “kiss” statue in the Love Park or Parque de Amor, the Parque Kennedy with its many resident cats, the Basilica Catedral de Lima and the Basilica y Convento de San Francisco (with the catacombs!), Larcomar for shopping and dining along the Pacific Ocean. If you’re booked in a hotel within or around Miraflores, you’d enjoy exploring the area with its tiny shops and sangucherias like La Lucha near Parque Kennedy — exactly as I remember them back when I first visited in 2017. I was eager to once more try the Pisco Sour, the chicha morada, lomo saltado, suspiro de lucuma, chirimoya, lechon sandwiches, chicharones and Inca Cola.
Barkada Photo at Parque de Amor under the Beso Statue
It was hot and humid but with a slight breeze. The men donned their shorts while the ladies wore their cotton shirts and sun dresses. Walked ahead of the group and skipped half of the catacombs tour, which I’ve done in 2017 and have no interest revisiting again. The other spots within the Centro Hispanico with all its colonial architecture — this I like. The only thing I failed to visit again in Lima is the fruit market where I enjoyed the sweetest chirimoya ever! Also, I wouldn’t mind a trip to Barranco to imbibe its more bohemian vibes and to try one of the Michelin-ranked restos in the capital. (Our Chilean visa issues threw a monkey wrench on our usual travel plans.)
Lima may not require many days to cover but it has its own charm. If you’re planning ahead, do make those restaurant reservations well ahead of time. This place is pure gastronomy where meat and seafood rank supreme. We didn’t do so badly in this department despite the lack of dining itinerary. Our last dinner as a group at Punta Azul in Mirafloreswas all seafood, wine and rice — as in all kinds of rice! Tried chicharonnes, pulpo, ceviche, scallops, and 4 rice dishes. Man, these Asians missed their rice!!!
Yummy sandwiches here — like lechon and chicharon! And the best fries.Dinner at Punta Azul. 👍
Finally joined up with my travel buddies who flew in from Manila to Sydney to catch a connecting flight into Santiago, Chile. The Qantas flight from Down Under took 12 hours where I hardly had a wink. Shouldn’t complain since my buddies endured another 8 hours plus all the waiting time at the 2 airports for a gruelling 28 hours. By the time we landed in the country’s capital, we were all wasted. But pleasant weather welcomed us in Santiago, named after one of our favorite saints. Hearing and speaking Spanish is both familiar and a struggle for many of us, but the excitement balances all sentiments and dulls the anxieties.
Our Pisco Sour and Empanada Outing on Day 1Cool early evenings. Perfect cocktail hours.
A very manageable walking distance from our hotel is the Costanera Mall in the quiet, posh neighborhood of Providencia. That’s how we spotted La Pikada along with the laundromat we’d use before we move out of the capital on Day 6. The Mall is huge, houses over 300 stores and the Sky Tower which is touted as the highest sky deck in South America. It’s a good place for shopping and some dining. We tried a bistecca and empanadas here before walking back to our hotel. The next day, we explored the city’s Mercado Central. Lunch was seafood in Donde Blanca amid stall after stall of clams and fish varieties from Merluza to dorado to salmon to a new find, Reineta (pomfret). The Resto transformed this assortment of sea creatures to stews, soup, ceviches or simply grilled. Paired well with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a red vino. Meatless, on an Easter Week!
Donde Blanca RestaurantA Seafood Stew. I’m all for clams, mussels and scallops.
We took it real easy the first 3 days. The hotel’s veranda is our designated spot for cocktails starting at 6pm. We exchanged notes especially on where to buy and dine at the end of each day. Dealing with jet lag is a struggle so the first 3 days took care of that. On the 4th day, we tried to cover as much of the city as possible. Still, we managed on a very leisurely pace. Well, it isn’t like we had to tick off all the boxes. We particularly enjoyed the stroll around the park. With an urban landscape as a background, it was refreshing to find ponds, gardens and kids’ playgrounds. It’s the city’s oxygen tank where nearly 40% of the nation’s population work and live.
Waiting for our seafood lunch Fishy fishy Spot
Then there’s the Plaza Armas. A typical Latino square with the cathedral as the centrepiece. It is the heartbeat of the city from where many folks congregate, many eateries flourish and where many tourists never failed to visit as a must-destination. Buskers abound too, from singers to dancers to jugglers. And so do the resident pickpockets. Just the typical scenario in any capital. Cuidate!
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.
Since retiring in 2001, I’ve visited a new place annually. Something new. Or rather, someplace new. Except for the pandemic year 2021, I managed to tick off a new destination. I even squeezed in a trip just before the March 2020 lockdown and 3 trips in 2022 when the world slowly eased out of the global tragedy. My ever growing bucket list now includes not just new spots but NEW EXPERIENCES too. Since I retired, my banner year was 2015 when I did my first ever Camino de Santiago de Compostela and visited such exotic spots like Myanmar, Phuket, Morocco, a Scandinavian cruise,Berlin and some areas in Spain under the tourist radar.
Since 2001. Except only 2021 because of the pandemic. Sahara Desert. 2015.
Were there any favorite sights? The answer is YES. I have since repeated many trips if only to repeat the same experiences. Dining around Spain and Japan goes right up there at the top of the list. Doing the pilgrimage walks is an experience my travel and camino buddies won’t mind doing again and again. France — specifically Provence and Paris evoke warm and nostalgic vibes. Always a brilliant idea I’d never ever grow tired of. African safari I fortunately tried twice, both ranking among my best animal adventures. Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa. After the safaris, I vowed never to visit another zoo. Locally, my whale shark (butanding) experience I shared with my family. Just had to bring them to Sorsogon after my first time 2 months earlier. I also wish I can take them to Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Israel but the present peace situation won’t allow such. A pity.
Myanmar First Camino. 2015.
This 2024, I will visit Machu Picchu a second time. That Incan citadel is hard to shake off one’s memory. And while there, might as well head south on that long Chilean strip all the way down to Patagonia. This is that one major trip originally scheduled — later cancelled — in 2020 before the pandemic shook the world. Off to that South American adventure via Sydney where I plan to visit family. Towards the end of the year, another trip Down Under for some Kiwi cruise experience.
An African SafariMachu Picchu. Just once more this 2024.
Way too many in my list. First times and repeats. Earlier, I thought I should scratch off the repeats to compose a list of more visited spots. But why not? Those who gain “favorites” want to repeat, as in food adventures. After all, no 2 trips are ever the same. The experience varies according to season, company and moods. Emphasis on the moods. Visiting some places in the company of first-timers give a new dimension to the travel experience. The enthusiasm, the excitement and the “frenzy” can be quite infectious and that whiff of mirth — priceless!
Train Experience in Sri LankaWhale Shark Adventure off Sorsogon
Hopefully, I can tick off many more in my list. Aurora Borealis sightings? Got that listed, along with more countries in South America. I do want to do another camino, and wishing I can do so with younger members of my family. I am lucky to count many travel buddies but family trips are still the best. As for solo trips, my confidence is still there but I know such will burden my family with anxieties. So maybe I can “adjust” that by flying solo but joining an organized tour somewhere. Anything for an adventure. As they say, I don’t need therapy. Just needed to travel. 😘
BhutanThat trip when my buddies flew home and I opted to stay around solo and extend my stay.
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
It’s been awhile since my nieta quit her day job, concentrating only on her art for a living. Without juggling between her passion and her day job, she had more free time to go on dates with her abuela. Not that her art didn’t demand much of her time. It does. But her breaks from painting hours are her happy discovery hours with Mamu. Started off on Tuesdays, then it became Thursdates with the grandma, until it evolved into “Dates With Mu“. Mu is how they call me. Short for Mamu and endearment for Grandma.
Cocktails at Sampiro Cocktails at Bomb Vinos in Malugay Street
Cafe and Pub Crawl is our thing. Since they graduated into this phase called young adulthood, happy hours have taken in a whole new dimension. And just like me, my young adults enjoy discovering new places. Cafes, pubs or wine bars. Dining spots with the whole, broad spectrum of cheap eats and fine/gourmet dining. I constantly remind them it’s a skill, if not a talent. And there is guaranteed pleasure in the research, discovery and actual experience. The bonus is the euphoria post-experience and the happy memories. Win Win, por supuesto. A whole day to research, another day to experience and another day to reminisce & savor the pleasure. That’s half of the week, without forsaking weekends which are allocated for the entire family.
Degustacion at MetizA Birthday Lunch in Beso Beso
Birthdays are special occasions and celebrated several times. 🎂 At least in my family. Food is our love language if one cares for an explanation 😘. And with two celebrants a few weeks apart, you can say we kept ourselves busy. And yes, fancy. I love how the young adults have mastered the art of researching on new and fancy joints. The dining options are very meticulously searched on, to include some trivia on the place, the chef and the food. You bet the last piece of information is the price. You get your adrenaline pumping, grow giddy with the excitement, and then the budget. Such is the price of pleasure. And that’s how I term it. Some people may have the “budget” for all the luxuries, but the capacity for joy is a gift. Fancy dining or cheap eats, our pleasure barometer does not discriminate. But there is obviously an element of bonus pleasure in having to dress up, being politely served and being seated amidst elegant ambience.
A Birthday Lunch at MetronomeA Sunday Dinner at Made Nice in Rockwell
Lest I forget, the “discussions” after the gastronomic adventures are another thing. Judging by how they come up with their IG and TikTok posts, I can tell they take their dining experiences seriously. I have also since created a separate account to chronicle my dining adventures, much like a food diary. That’s upon their suggestion too, even observing that my social life straddles between my travels and dining and museum pleasures. Well, I remind them that isn’t bad. And they might as well throw in my trips to the theater.
La Latina in GB5 for South American CuisineUnplanned afternoon at Bondi and BourkeCCP’s Ignacio Gimenez Theatre
This 2023 is a year marked by so many milestones. In a couple more months, we’d prep to welcome a new year and I just can’t wait to give my yearend update! I know, I’m 2 months early but there is just so much to tell. Or write about. Early on, the year started with health travails within the family. Throughout the year, we’ve learned to manage the heartbreaks and inconveniences. To some extent, we even managed to ignore the problems and carried on celebrating life. At this stage, we felt we just can’t skip nor miss, or worse, waste the opportunities. Life will always have its ups and downs. The challenge lies in how we can stay happy. And hopeful.
Half Full or Half Empty? To see or not to see? Dead of Winter in Early January in Japan
Started the year with a winter trip to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. A visiting niece has long wanted and has never been to Japan so I obliged. After all, Japan is always a good idea. Yeah, I was in this land of the sun just last November 2022 and it hasn’t been 2 months yet! And a few months later around spring, I’d find myself back again in the Kansai region with my 2 other nieces. I can’t believe I made 3 trips to Japan in a span of 5 months. Not that I’m complaining. I love Japan.
Trio in Kansai for SakuraA 3-week trip to Europe
We planned our trip to Europe in between trips to the hospital’s emergency room. One of us got her visa a day before departure. 😩 We were scheduled to arrive late in Amsterdam without a hotel room on our first night. Managed to book a room only from the airport’s departure lounge. All’s well. And the trip turned out to be truly unforgettable with a few mishaps here and there. I traveled with my 2 grandchildren from Amsterdam to Brussels to Brugges to Provence to Paris. The train connections we arranged as we went along.
Up North in Sapa, VietnamAn unplanned trip to Phuket, Thailand
The trip to northwestern Vietnam was a welcome break amidst all the stress from life’s uncertainties. Never mind that it took 6 hours going from Hanoi to Sapa. If only for the clouds rolling through the mountains carved by rice field terraces, as well as the coffee scene, this trip to Northern Vietnam is worth it. And the impromptu meet-ups in Phuket, Thailand with our OZ branch of the family turned out to be the perfect stress-buster. As they say, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade! Such a lovely time we had basking under the sun and digging our toes in the sand. The holiday resort we stayed in was perfect for us. The resort activities kept us entertained and there was plenty of time to catch up with one another too.
The Grand Homecoming of MC ’73Reunion
The year 2023 likewise marked the golden jubilee for my college batch. More than 5 decades of friendship. We did well with a yearbook, a beach weekend, trip to a pottery workshop, many luncheons and cocktails, and a lovely video and collage of all our homecoming events. What a blessing to experience all these — reminiscing our teenage years in college and delighting in how we still manage to enjoy each other’s company as we rolled into our 70’s. With some now living abroad, we have missed each other far too long. But it never took that long to pick up where we left off. An old joke persists. An old story repeated countless times.
Degustacion Treat at MetizBirthday Lunch at Beso Beso
And the golden jubilarian turning septuagenarian? It all happened in 2023. What a milestone! In our batch, I was the youngest. The last to turn 70. To my elves, I’m ancient. The same elves who treated me to a degustacion in Metiz Restaurant. Not wanting to go home yet after dinner, we lingered at our favorite hotel lobby just chatting till they closed shop. On the very day I turned 70, we had lunch in Beso Beso which translates to “kisses”. A lovely time for the family as we then proceeded to hear Sunday Mass after lunch and indulged in some shopping later, before another family dinner at Made Nice. It was a Sunday, a birthday truly made nice as we stayed together a good part of that day. Quite rare now as everyone gets busy with new jobs, a career, some projects. An opportunity not to be missed. Nor wasted. Memories. Life is a celebration.
