Ayala Triangle Lights and Sounds !

My cousins from Australia were here for a week stay.  Billeted at Manila Peninsula, it was a short walk going to Ayala Triangle area.  I have heard of the place but have not gone there before.

Rows of restaurants filled the area with both indoor dining and dining al fresco.  Given that it was a Friday and t'was the season of merriment, the place was full packed as expected.

It was good timing that we were there just when the lights and sound show started.  Different array of colors danced among the trees which beckons one to stare and enjoy the season of Christmas! It was such a sight to see!

You have time?  go ! go ! go !

Here are the rows of restaurants that I mentioned.  Ayala triangle is the place to be this Christmas if you like to feel the revelry of the season!

Enjoy !

Fun Farm at Sta Elena !

I had been looking for a place where I could bring my family to enjoy nature; to get close to as much greens as possible and smell  the breath of fresh air.  Well , I found one and I don't have to get on a plane or travel a long long way.  It's just down south at Cabuyao, Laguna and it's called the Fun Farm at Sta Elena.

I was so excited to see a lot of trees ,ponds , farm animals.  Inside the Fun Farm is the Holy Carabao which sells organic produce.   Not many people were there that day maybe because we went on a Sunday.

The farm opens at 9am and closes at 4:30pm.  Make sure you have reservations since security is very strict at the gate of Sta Elena.  Security will ask if you've made a reservation. Am glad I checked out their website first before going.

Fee is P300 per head and already includes all the activities including horse back riding, mini fishing, mini boating, mini zip line, feeding of rabbits and guinea pigs and the most exciting of all - riding the carabao cart!

They do not have a restaurant so do bring food and drinks and go for a picnic inside their hall or at the picnic area.

 

 The 'welcome' sign  beckons you to go in to enjoy and be a child again.

 

My kids enjoying the fishing (more like catch and release).  They each caught a lot of Tilapia but they were small so we just put them all right back in the water.

Meet Choc-Nut, the carabao (or water bufallo)!   I love this sight.  There's something about a carabao-drawn carriage that lets me reminisce my childhood days in the province when we visited our grandparents.  Love it ! Love it !

The staff gives you carrots for feeding the guinea pigs and rabbits.  You could even enter the rabbit's den. After the feeding session, there's alcohol that they let you use.

The rabbits run around and play and there was even one that got out of the pen !

There are team building activties such as this one where somebody needs to call out Left-Right or else all will tumble !

So many things to do especially for the kids !

                                 

Go up the truck and have some fun !

Enjoy !

Sky Ranch Tagaytay !

Now there's another reason to visit Tagaytay -it's called the Sky Ranch !  Not only do you get to enjoy the view ot the Taal Volcano and savor the cold weather,  you could now experience an amusement park amidst all these.  Sky Ranch houses the tallest ferris wheel  in the Philippines called the "Sky Eye".  The Sky Eye has individually airconditioned gondolas - very nice!.  The place also has a Super Viking , a mini Viking, a mini roller coaster and other children's rides. 

Let me show you here the place.  But actually, most of the buildings are still under construction and I can't wait to return again when all are completed.

The entrance fee is normally at Php100 but it was at 50% off so we got it for Php50 per person.

You won't miss Sky Ranch with the huge sign and the tallest FERRIS WHEEL !  Sky Eye is at Php150/person



The Nessi Coaster will be enjoyable for the kids

 Am sure the kids will want to try this. I would suggest though not on a full stomach

The Super Viking and The Sky Eye !

There is also a train that goes around the place.  Fee = Php50

This is always a big hit at Php 250/ 30 minutes

Enjoy !

Won Restaurant !

I was asked what I wanted to eat for lunch and my answer was simple - korean food ! 

Won restaurant is located at Paseo de Sta Rosa at the 2nd floor and is a favorite go to place of those craving for korean food down south.

Everytime I go to a specialty restaurant, I try to eat something new/  So this time I tried the Galbitang - it's  beef short ribs soup served with rice and red spicy paste which I did not use because I prefer the Ssamjang (a thick red paste).  It tastes a lot like our bulalo (boiled beef).  The great thing about this is that the beef is fall off the bones.

My friends had the Dwelgi Galbi which is grilled pork ribs.  It is served with lettuce, garlic and ssamjang.  The way to eat this is to get the lettuce leaf - put in a piece of pork - add garlic and ssamjang , fold and eat !

My korean friends had the Bibimbap which is mixed rice , normally with vegetables.

All korean restaurants serve side dishes like below - kimchi, dilis or anchovies, cucumber salad among others.  The side dishes differ per restaurant. 

Some restaurants serve free iced tea or iced coffee at the end of every meal. Sadly, Won did not have that.  But they did have free dessert - free pineapple !

After my hearty meal, comes an ice cream ! I like korean ice creams because it's out of the ordinary.  Just like the fish ice cream which has some custard filling! Yum !

So when you're down south or passing through ,  do try Won restaurant !
Enjoy !

SM Aura !

All roads lead to SM Aura ! 

I just had to get a glimpse of the new premier shoppping. mall.  Located at The Fort in Taguig, it boasts of an Imax theatre , a Skypark and the most important of all is the green architecture. It had opened last May 17 and has been packed with curious shoppers.

It's SM shopping mall has a first class feel compared to other SM branches.  The Skypark is for al fresco dining.  However, it was raining hard that day so we were not able to enjoy this part of the mall. 

Not all shops are open yet and the parking is not finished yet either (we parked at the lowest basement parking - does that make sense ?, that still smelled paint).  The restaurants are not all open yet so the volume of all people created a lack of seats so we just ate at the food stalls of the supermarket. Do try the dimsum there - it tastes good ! 

I must admit, I like the feel of this new SM Store

A new cupcake place called The Royal Touch gourmet cupcakes.  Had tried the chocolate flavor and I like it (it doesn't crumble at all).  I learned that the creator Carolyn Robb was a peronal chef to the Royal family of  UK.  So much class here even inside their store.



This is the food court called Food on Four (on the 4th floor, of course).  Not a lot of food stalls opened yet and the line is very long (it loops!).

The Skypark is supposed to be for Al Fresco dining but I think the rain was just too much that day

Stores like Kultura , I think, should be in all malls to showcase Filipino products and ingenuity

The main celebrity who graced the opening of SM Aura - Ms. Sarah Jessica Parker!

Enjoy !

Yakimix buffet!

Our eyes were set to dining in a buffet restaurant and Yakimix was our choice for today.  Had always wanted to try this buffet resto - it's one of the popular buffets in town!



The price list.  Drinks are included in the price.  Isn't that nice ?



We love the pork, beef and seafoods!

Some of the choices



My kids choices !



An array of raw foods - meat, fish, shellfish !

Enjoy !

Stackers Burger Cafe !

It's Mother's Day! We were looking for a place to eat at Resorts World Manila and our feet led us to Stackers Burger Cafe.  I saw the same resto at Alabang Town Center and had always wondered how the food was like.  This branch is small and a bit cramped. There were 13 of us and it was really hard to move around. 
I get the menu and start browsing - burgers - stacks and stacks of burgers , chicken, all day breakfast deals, kiddie meals, fish and chips, milkshakes etc.  So I try the chicken so did my sons.  Everybody else had the burger.  I enjoyed the chicken.  It was cooked properly and it was really good!  For the burgers, I would recommend Jack's Burger.  They also have what they call the Penthouse - it was 3 stacks with everyhing on it.  You could even create your own stack.

I think it's a bit pricey though.  Next time, I will have the fish and chips-love to try this one !

Some prices on the menu :

Jack Burger - P185 for single and P248 for double
2 pcs chicken with rice - P155
Stack burger - P105
Kiddie menu ranges from P144 to P188
Milkshakes from P95 to P105

They have a full wall which explains the Stackers Burger

This is the Penthouse at P688 !

The Creamy Carbonara

One of the Kiddie meals

This is the Stack Burger courtesy of my sis-in law

The Jack Burger with bacon and mushroom in it !  Liked this one

The All Day Breakfast meal

Enjoy !