It was a fine Sunday afternoon for the 11/11/11 couple! 💖 Dada said to me the night before that he wanted us to have a lunch date somewhere nice and new since it had been a while since we last went out. Is it not visible here in the Eats section? Almost all previous posts were about takeaway food! Lol. Anyway~ Guess the boyf was excited to eat out, so he even looked up for possible restaurants to go to. However, when we were standing at the facade of his chosen resto, for some reason, I just did not feel like it. Maybe because we were not attended as the employees were busy? And so, we walked away from Saboten. Good thing though! Because a few steps after, we saw Motto Motto. It is also a Japanese restaurant like Saboten, so I told him that this could be the alternative. And besides, been walking past this store for a few years already. So yup. Finally! We were able to try Motto Motto, yay! Before anything else, by the way, note that COVID-19 regulations were followed before, during, and after this dine-in experience. So! The moment we stepped in Motto Motto, we were warmly greeted by the endearing staff. They had their face masks and face shields on, but we viewed the cheerful vibes from each of them. And I missed that! So yasss, that was commendable! The employee then directed us to our table. We sat in a comfy space near the windows. Then, when we were seated already, the two big menus were handed down. So what to expect? Of course, that there are so many Japanese food to choose from! I know Motto Motto is an all-day Japanese resto, but I did not expect this extensive range of menus! Motto Motto offers all-day brunches, different dishes of sashimi, tempura, sushi, agemono, noodles, soba. Also house specials, sets, combo meals. Even crispy chicken and wings! And you know, even bread and pastries, and a whole looot more! And aside from the food, the drinks menu is also diverse. Motto Motto serves teas, fruities, matcha-flavored specialty drinks. Also alcoholic mixes and much more. Right, right! Motto Motto is such a perfect place to eat and chill. Funny story though! Just a quick one. While Dada and I were waiting for our food, we saw their chopsticks branded as Saboten! We might not end up there, but felt like we still did via the sister company? Haha! Then... Days after, I looked online and read that Motto Motto belongs to the Raintree Hospitality Group. It also partnered with a homegrown Tokyo bakery for its pastries. Plus, I discovered that "motto motto" in Japanese means more more or way more. Wow-ing trivia from Ela Manila, y'all!~ Being an all-day diner, Motto Motto serves almost every Japanese food that one is craving for! Whether it is for brekkie, lunch, or dinner? For kids or adults? For one or many? Motto Motto have it! Super love knowing that I can grab some yummy Japanese pastries like melon pan, custard cream pan, curry pan, and more here, and not just the usual and expected dishes. Because you know, Jap bakeries are still limited here in the Philippines. So I am excited to purchase them next time! Moreover? What makes Motto Motto a little unique from the others is its sushi bar. Because here, foodies can enjoy various kinds of sushi in accordance to their liking. Diners can see the chef doing the treat for you, so rest assured that those gunnkan, nigiri, hosomaki, uramaki sushi are freshly made in the house. With these authentic JP flavors and fusion delish offers, indeed, Motto Motto is living its name for giving everyone more and more dishes to chose from and served at any part of the day! Dada and I ordered Japanese spaghetti, California rolls, original chicken tenders, soy crispy chicken, kimchi rice, and two glasses of original iced teas. And all these, we just spent around PhP 1,400 plus but less PhP 1,500. And I must say, huh. Not bad! Knowing Motto Motto is in a prime location at the center of Serendra Piazza, it sells cheaper than the other restaurants around! Aside from the pricing, I liked the service here. The staff were really nice and accommodating. Also the restroom. Because I wanted to wash my hands first before eating, besides sanitizing through alcohol, so I saw how cute the comfort room was. There are also signs of maintaining sanitation and hygiene. Good job on these! You know it, of course! I love Motto Motto's interiors! The place is pretty! So pretty! Pretty spacious as well. It has a modern design, but visitors can still feel the Japanese aura because of the cute wall art and the customized wall full of cartoon characters like Pokemon and Daruma dolls. The touch of cherry blossoms also makes the room vibey! Moreover, the light installation, visually pleasing sushi menu, and floor-to-ceiling windows give off a young ambiance for the store. Though there are customer limitations for dine-in due to the pandemic situation, I must say Motto Motto is conducive for conversations. Dada and I stayed here for almost three hours as it felt like a safe space for talking since the chairs are high. Truly, the aesthetic interiors have a plus factor for the resto experience. Though Dada and I just had Japanese ramen a few weeks ago, we mutually agreed to eat here at Motto Motto and it was a great decision! Like hello though, will we ever get tired of eating Jap food? We have grown to love the cuisine, so it is like our comfort food already! But yuh, I could state, Motto Motto is one of the additional reasons why we love Japanese dishes more and more! Would for sure go back here. Wanna try the pancake soufflé so bad, eh! Fast-forward to that day, please? Wahaha! :) Motto Motto G/F Serendra Fort Bonifacio, Philippines https://www.facebook.com/raintreemottomottoph/
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Reviewing my previous blog posts, I saw that I mentioned my light, my therapy, my seven kings, Bangtan Sonyeondan who is popularly known as BTS. For almost four months, a hundred and thirteen days to be exact, I have been able to show my love and support to them already -- just as how much they do the same for me. My family and friends, maybe even acquaintances and online followers, must have known about this because I am open about them. To be honest, my world right now is just revolving around these guys and I do not mind! :) I still do not have a certain post on how I became an ARMY. But! I will do that one of these days. I am so excited to tell you the story of how I met them. For now, I will share about the BTS x McDonald's collaboration: The BTS Meal 💜❤️💛💖 Around mid-April of this year, a surprise announcement was unveiled by the South Korean superstars BTS and the worldwide fast food joint McDonald's. I still remember that night clearly because I was so happy that my newfound favorite artists and my childhood favorite diner would come together in a special project! Showing the iconic BTS logo in McDo fries, plus the "tour dates" and the countries included, people like me went crazy for it! It was a witty and effective marketing stunt that made the fans excited! Since there are no concerts yet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Army for sure misses this kind of poster and advisories. The thing here though, BTS has lots of fans all over the world. Though this BTS Meal caters to 49 countries and that is a lot already, there are still some places not catering to this offer. And so I feel blessed because the BTS Meal is coming to the Philippines! The long wait is almost over for the Filipino Army because it will officially come this Friday, June 18 in the nearest McDonald's outlets nationwide. Thank God, it is Friday, indeed 💜 The BTS Meal started rolling out this May. The partnership also released BTS x McDonald's merch alongside it. And as announced, this BTS Meal is personally picked by the septet. That is right, BTS really launched their own set of McDonald's meal! The exclusive BTS meal includes 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium french fries, and a medium-sized Coke. It looks like a simple McDo combo at first, but! The extra-plus-ordinary with this set are the limited-time sauces! Inspired by the SoKor flavors, the global sensations chose Sweet Chili and Cajun dips instead of the Sweet and Sour and Barbecue classics to make the menu more BTS-fied. As a McDonald's baby, a nuggets enthusiast, and a supportive BTS Army, of course, this food already amazed me even when it had not come to me yet! Such great minds in formulating this collab, I swear! Plus the BTS x McD teasers, such as the pictures, videos, commercials, and even the exclusive pre-order offer in the McDonald's PH? Definitely one for the books! Will never forget how awesome this collaboration is! Just... Wow! 💜 Army all over the world has been hyped since the announcement of the BTS Meal. Yup, yup! As if BTS would do some concerts. Cuties! Haha. There were lots of funny but relatable memes since then, so I am very excited that the BTS Meal has come to Pilipinas already! I do not know about you, but for me, this meal is a part of BTS and I am exhilarated to fit in with it. You know, like two hands intertwining as one, something like that. This is why, when McDonald's PH also announced that they are gonna have a BTS Meal debut, a day before the official launch, I really readied myself for this war. Lakas talaga, akala mo concert booking. Lol! Asdfghjkl! Since the best boys celebrated their birthday last June 13, McDo PH opened some pre-order reservation slots of the BTS Meal as their eighth-anniversary gift for the fam-don. Of course, this fangirl wants to participate, so I then downloaded the latest version of the McDonald's app in the Play Store since I am an Android user and I love Samsung. Wink wink! You would get this pun if you watched BTS 2021 Muster SOWOOZOO Day 2. Haha! Clue? Jin! 💜 Because yes, anyone who wants to claim the exclusive BTS Meal had to install the McDonald's app as per McDo PH's instructions. From there, I thought of registering an account already, so I could turn on my notifications and be updated with the happenings. Girl scout, really, she is! Raised by the Bulletproof Boy Scouts wisely! Hihi. Then, by Sunday, the day of the BTS pre-order, I really waited for the zero o'clock, hoping to score just one slot. I even waited until 2:30 AM, to be honest. But eh, fail. I wanted to be mad at McDo PH because their post said "Butter be first" but the first ones, those who waited was not able to get any. Those who slept early got theirs because the slots were opened from 7:00 AM to 7:20 AM. Intense, right! Fortunately though... McDo PH reopened the reservations after two days because of Army's rants. Lol. The power of BTS Filo Army. It is showing! Thanks to that because yay, I got a first-dibs stub for the exclusive BTS Meal this June 17, aAaHhhhh! Woohoo! Woohoo! Wooooooohooooooo! Just wanna share too by the way, that McDo PH did the last call, a day before the BTS Meal debut. So basically, they held three days for the pre-order reservations. It has a time range from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM only. But carry on! If you really want the BTS Meal earlier than normal, I personally think you would put some effort to get it. No excuses, just because borahae, you know! 💜 Okay, so the story of the pre-order reservation booking? Coming right up! Heehee. So when McDo PH advised that another round of slots would be available in their app, I made sure to wake up early for it! Since it was a workday, I had 30 minutes to do this thing. Yup, my working schedule is 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, eh. So, the moment the clock stroke eight, I logged in to the app. In a flash! And as expected, the Filo Army broke the server. Haha! Many fans were for sure, wanting it, that was why. It was still funny to me because McDo PH should have seen this coming, but the app still crashed during the first minutes. Lucky your girl, was in the app by 8:15! The moment I saw the BTS Meal deal, I quickly clicked it to redeem! Felt nervous because McDo asked who was my bias sauce. No, I know the answer. Mine is Cajun because that is my bias' line in their ad. Heehee. It's just that, I was scared the app might lag. I do not want that to happen, so my heart really was beating fast at that time. So when I received my "Chukahaeyo~!" notification, I was able to breathe again. As in. Because yup, I got a legit stub for the pre-ordered BTS Meal, yahooooooo! I was just claiming to get one and then I had it already? The power of believing! Thank You-niverse! Because swear! The joy when I entered the app and more so when I received the deal confirmation! I hope I would be this blessed when concert booking cutie 💜 After the pre-order reservation period, of course, the redemption experience would be next! As said, those who pre-ordered the BTS Meal could redeem their chicken nuggets with two limited sauces, fries, and Coke before the official launch day which is June 18. Kakilig that I was one of the first Filo Army who got the first dibs of the BTS Meal last Thursday! What was nice about this, the claiming of the special meal had a time range of 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM, so no rush! Get it whenever you want. At your own pace. As for me, I claimed my own kind of happy meal after my working shift. This was my reward for the self after all the hard work this week. Deserve! Together with my supportive boyfriend, we went to McDonald's - Bonifacio Global City branch to pick up the exclusive deal. My violet heart is truly happy seeing all McDo PH branches in purple. Indeed, a happy place for the Army like me because the outlets are in the BTS fandom colors right now. What is cute too, the counters even have this Maknae, Vocal, Dancer, Rap Line, and the like! Yup, yup! Cutie how the McDo PH acted as if this is a national holiday. Seen these gimmicks whenever it is Valentine's and all. Kaya ang saya! There are only three counters in McDo BGC where I ended up with the Dancers counter. Haha! There, I opened the McDo app, clicked redeem of BTS Meal, then after verification, I got my BTS x McDo meal! 💜 At a price of 260 pesos, I was able to score an official BTS merch. This, I think, was my most sulit purchase ever because it has lots of inclusions! Plus, busog and easy access! Hihi. It is true that the sauces are the only new additions to the BTS Meal. But! I still could say that I'm lovin' it! And no one can tell me otherwise. As expected, the Cajun sauce tastes so good, so perfect for the nuggets. But for spicy lovers, Sweet Chili would really dance your tastebuds. Combining both dips though would be the tastiest -- that is a tip from a Libra-Army me. Moreover, I just wanna say thanks to this latest BTS x McDo campaign, I could enjoy my Korean boyband bias' picks in my fave fast-food chain for a month. I swear, been savoring each bite and every sip knowing BTS are the ones behind this idea. And! The best thing here, I could keep the cutest packaging as well! Started from purple-food-like memes, now we are here! Sksk. Seeing other countries who had the BTS Meal first, I, and of course, my fellow Filo Army had been looking forward to the package designs by McDo PH. Aside from the for-sure-amazing sauces, it was the customized BTS Meal packaging that all of us eyed on. This was also why I intended to get the exclusive release. Planning on putting up a fangirl corner in my room, eh. That is right, I have a few BTS merch already, and these memorabilia are musts in my fan shrine as well! 💜 As usual, I do not know how to end this blog post. Wahh-haha! But in conclusion? I must say that BTS Meal is my happy meal. So glad to be part of this historical deal! So glad that the people I am stanning are good influences worldwide! So glad to have the BTS and Army family! Awwwww, am I tearing up? Chz! Hahaha! I love you so much, my seven kings and amiiiii 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 While I know that not everyone would understand this BTS Meal, the hype by the Armys, and all, I hope respect, kindness, and love still prevails. This special edition meal curated by BTS and McDonald's is made for their ever-affectionate fans. If you do not find the BTS Meal as your cup of tea, easy, just go on with your life and be happy. Respecting others is easy. No need to ridicule or mock just because you do not understand it. Offensive, non-sense, and below-the-belt comments are not welcomed. No space for insensitive puns, jokes, or whatever triggering words coming out from your filthy mouths. After all, no one is asking you to buy and accept this meal. So for world peace, just shut the eff up if you have nothing good to say. The problem is on you if you find others' happiness as annoying. You are the toxic one if you do any of this. Go and do whatever you want with the purple packaging because it is your money, say whatever you want with the meal because we got freedom of speech, but do not disrespect any member or fan. You do not know the power of the Army, I am warning you. BTS protected us in our darkest times, so for sure, we would back them up too 💜 Four months of twenty-twenty-one had gone. Is life getting better? How are you all coping up? Are the New Year's resolutions still fighting? Hope they still are, as much as you keep hwaiting every day! Whether you are asking how I am or what about me... Or maybe not... Well... I cannot fully say that I like this year more than the other because we are still living in the trying times. Parang umiikot lang yung sitwasyon dito sa Pilipinas. What's worse, parang mas lumalala pa nga imbis na makontrol. Also, it is too early to say that I prefer this lucky ox because there are seven months left. Marami pang pwedeng mangyari. Pero sana, all for the good, of course! Though! I really meant what I said last January 1 -- that I am gonna do a Start Of Something New for myself, for my fellow persons, and for the You-niverse this 2021. And in fairness, I have really been working on that vision, chasing my passion, living the heavenly purpose day by day, and that makes me proud of the self I have now 💖 I had lots of trial and error these past months. But this time, I think I know the right equation already. Aside from the mindset and movement combo, I realized that consistency x discipline collaboration is just as essential if I wanna help myself be the best version. With this knowing, plus the other aspirations that I have, I told myself that I must add these goals as part of my daily life. Meaning, I gotta incorporate these desires into my lifestyle without too much force, as if I am living with each of them naturally. And one of the few parts I opt to reshape? My health! Particularly, my eating habits. Because I admit, I gained too much weight because of the forced lockdown. Without my usual walkings, commutes, and galas which serve as my exercise, plus the fact that I am getting older so my body is changing too, this 56-kilo Ela happened. I did not notice the weight gain at first. Maybe because I was just wearing pambahay clothes that are way too loose compared to pak na pak OOTDs and I was not looking at the mirror those days, so I was not aware of the changes in my arms and legs that much. It just really struck me when my favorite denim pants cannot fit anymore. Dumbfounded I was back then because I mindset that as my outfit for the day lol and because of the sad ugh-ish truth. Even when I was so shocked and disappointed and scared to look at the weighing scale, I faced that fear and recorded my then weight. Still normal when computed with the Body Mass Index, but since I knew about that, I got insecure so bad. So! I have been meaning to limit my diet since February. And come March, I tried doing stricter meals. Changed my breakfast into healthier alternatives and even if I am not in charge of the viands at home and I am just starting small, I began to lessen my carb intakes by April. I controlled myself as much as I could and guess what? When I checked my weight this first of May, I realized I lost four kilograms! Woohoo! Good job, Ela! So proud of you! Although I cannot avoid cheat days and fast food trips, the cereals-yogurt-banana and/or cereals-milk-banana every morning worked for me one way or the other! So happy to know that! As in! This made me motivated to eat healthier then. I would start changing my snacks this month. As seen in my grocery haul. Would also start cooking again, so I could prepare my own meals for lunch and dinner soon. Also to exercise and practice more dance routines of BTS. Haha, but true! It may be a little late to realize that my body is such a sacred temple if I wanna live longer and happier and fuller. But at least, I still did see that health is the new wealth! Gotta get it, overall healthy self in mind, heart, body, and soul, lezzgo! 💖 I hope to go back to my desired weight before I turn another year. It is four long months away, so I would really make sure that I will. Fingers crossed! And while yes, my changes may not be that visible as each day passes. But how wonderful it is whenever I look back and see how big the progress already. Lesson for this? Keep going! Because baby steps, little movements could go a long way, could even lead up to the summit. What is important is you are moving forward. Kakilig while typing this, aAaHhhhh! Sincerely grateful for this continuous transformation and thriving growth! I know that there are still many more things to fix and do and work on, whether it is in my daily routines, lifestyle habits, and dreams that are yet to come true, but I am not rushing. I am taking one step, one day, one goal at a time. I am dealing based on what I can take. No more, no less. I do not want self-destructing burnout moments anymore due to overworking, so I am balancing everything in the right taste. Sounds like a good decision, huh! As yeah, yeah, yeah, it is 💖 Almost a year ago -- gosh, it has been that long! -- when I posted the family's food trip from the forced lockdown period. And now, now that the Philippines' National Capital Region and some nearby provinces known as NCR Plus bubble was advised to Enhanced Community Quarantine status again, it felt like we were back all the way from 2020. Is it just me or you as well? I wanna put hahaha to lighten the mood, but I really am crying now. Lol ugh this longest lockdown in the world huhu asadjkl~ I know many things do not sit right because we are living in dark, trying, troubling times due to this sickening pandemic. But... Just for my silver-lining kind of post, here I am, publishing a blog about my food quarantine favorites 2021 version. Just to clarify though, okay... I wrote this, not because I wanna brag what was on our table, but because I wanna save the memories that the four of us spent before Mama resumed work at Pampanga 💖 To be honest, there is not much special to review in today's food content. Saying this first, and once again, so readers would not expect much. Hehe. Because like what I said, I devoured these blessings with the people I love the most, so yup, still worthy to release. Daming daldal eh 'no! Lol! Here it goes! :) I would forever be grateful for my sister's random treats to the fam. As in. Whether it is food or BangTan Sonyeondan merchandise or whatever. Sounds funny, but touching for realz! This particular one though, the unexpected food trip that happened this month was memorable. It happened because I saw my sissy's BTS bias: V, eating at McDonald's and indulging the Oreo McFlurry which I super missed! Lucky me, my Ate May ordered me one! Not sure if she did that because of me or because of V? Wahaha! But yes, yes, yay! Especially that along with the heavenly cookies-and-cream ice cream was my favorite Shake Shake cheese fries! Aww, right! I was not able to capture them because I grabbed the snacks the moment it was delivered. We were also watching BTS in the PH episodes that time, so perfect timing, eh. Haha. Aside from spoiling me, mah siz also ordered a bucket of Chicken McDo for our dinner. So much aww now, isn't it! Aww, ooh ah ooh ah ooh ah ooh ah ooh! Aside from the BTS x McDo treat, sissy also shared her blessings when she craved for halo-halo. It is getting hot in Pinas, so valid her longing. Hashtag summer vibes! Other merienda faves like turon with cheese and langka, purple palitaw, big maruya, and bilo-bilo also made it with us. So yummy! TYG! While as for me? Since I was having the same feels as last year, I thought of buying the best lockdown food trend for me: the ube pandesals! Bless the person who invented this, Universe. I hope this would stay with us for a long time, not just the quarantine period, because ube variant pandesals are really heavenly! I think I mentioned this in my past food blog post, but Flours and Flavors' ube-cheese and ube-macapuno pandesals are really the most superior ube pandesals for my taste buds! The pieces got smaller this time. However, nothing much has changed in their baking. I am still loving them! I remember the first time I tasted one. I was very anxious at that time. But thanks to that, a light sparked inside me. I must say, 2020 or 2021, the magic stays the same! My heart and tummy were exhilarated as I took every bite of these pandesals again. Plus, sharing with the fam with a cup of coffee and amazing talks? Confirmed! Ube-flavored pandesals are now one of my comfort food! :) I did not expect my parents would treat me and my sister too. In all honesty only. Lol! Because that is right, the family also had a Greenwich feast on one weekend this month. We were celebrating Mama and Papa's COVID-19 negative result in their rapid antigen test, that was why! They needed this since Mama would cross borders from Metro Manila to Pampanga for work. Since Papa is her personal and forever driver, he also took the test as a requirement. Of course, the ohana enjoyed the food! But you know? It was a mix of happiness and sadness. As I ate the lasagna, I felt great. As I got the pizza, garlic sticks, mojos, I felt grateful. Aside from the fact those are my favorite food, at least, we knew the family is COVID-free. However, that also meant long-distance with Mama again. Though she stayed for some days after that celebration, I felt the longing already. I miss her even when she was just across the room. I look for her cooking, like this tahong up there. Just I-want-her-with-me kinda feels~ Ugly truth, but the current situation here in Perlas ng Silanganan has worsened. If the past year (and years since 2016) was hell, this is hell-er. Can you believe the bar was at the lowest of the lows of the lows already, but it even went lowest-er to lowest-est, especially this first quarter of 2021? OnLy iN tHe pHiLiPpiNes! Cases rising, people dying, youth crying. These days, when I go to my Facebook feed, I see black default photos or candle pictures as if it was a funeral update timeline. I read heartfelt dedications for their departed loved ones. And ugh, it makes me sad every time I see those kinds of posts! Condolences for those who lost the people they love because of the incompetent system here. Yakap po! Hays. But tbh, such incidents make me think twice, too. I know life these days are difficult. But still, thank You, God. Thank You because I am still here, alive and kicking. There are challenges, yes. But thank You because my family is still here with me and we are complete. Aside from the provisions given by the most Powerful, I just realized how graced we are for still living in this world. I learned to value time and relationships more because of what happened this mid-March to April. And I know, I know we could make it all through. With You, we would and will always hang on 💖 Far from what I expected, which is the supposed coffee shop hopping at Bonifacio Global City, I had opted for the random food deliveries also known as random acts of sweetness from my Dada loves for this month's Eats post 💖 March 28 is the fourteenth day of my self-quarantine. Since I believe that I would still not go out after that day for safety purposes, these are the only food I could show right now -- the ones I had before the implied lockdown. But, it is okay! I super love the memories behind these take-homes anyway :) Yes, that is completely right! I could feature my loving grandmother's three-day feast because the family had different celebrations from Thursday to Friday to Saturday. However, I want to keep the moments private. It is my choice what I want to write. It is up to me what I wish to post. Besides, the first night just had homecooked meals. I love all Lola's cooking! Like, so much! She is the best chef ever in the world for me! But the simple handa was just really spaghetti and macaroni. Then my sister bought a cake and a few meat viands. Thanks to Makati's cake for some additional desserts. And yup, that was just it. Then on Friday, Tita Grace sent Max's Restaurant treat as usual for our dinner. Max's is a classic for the fam as we dine here especially on special occasions. I kinda mentioned how precious this restau has been in our lives in my earlier posts, so it should be thank you, next Food blog feature, please. While on Saturday, yay for The Frazzled Cook moments! Even when I placed advanced reservations and was more prepared now, even when there were more delicious dishes for this visit, and even when we had the enclosed function room all by ourselves, I already blogged about The Frazzled Cook, eh. Really enjoyed because I spent new memories with the people I love here. The Frazzled Cook is turning to be my latest favorite eating place. And even my happy place, to be honest! So that, that is correct, it all then boils down to the random feeding program from my Love which I am truly grateful about because Nanay's catered food were already presented before. I thought of just sharing the sweet deliveries sent by Dada to me this March instead of not posting anything. Better to have an entry than none -- I have some story to tell anyway so let us g this! :) For the first random delivery, Subway! Actually, Subway is not new to me anymore. I love this sandwich place even before I saw it in Korean dramas. It was my usual lunch when I was still working in Ortigas. My usual in Subway is the six-inched barbecue sauced BLT on wheat bread. And since I have started my diet already, Dada thought of sending something good but at the same time nutritious, so here! Unlike my regular order, I had roasted chicken with fresh lettuce and juicy tomatoes on wheat bread since I prefer healthier options now. Since BBQ was not available, I chose Honey Mustard dip instead. I still savored the sandwich though! Especially with my iced instant caramel coffee on the side. And it was a treat from Dada. Hihi. As for the second one, it was a surprise. If the previous one was sent by Dada through an app, this time, he delivered it by himself! Before going home, he passed by our house and handed these amazing takoyaki balls from O' Takoyaki. Aww, right! Aside from the authentic and generous seafood per takoyaki ball, it was Dada's gesture that made me happy. I love Japanese food and I hope to go to Japan with him once this is all over. For now, I allow us to try new Jap brands around the city in the meantime. Haha! After this sweet unexpected delivery, we had another. But for this said period, we were together already. He spent one Friday with me and we ordered our forever favorite, Seattle's Best Coffee. Yay me! The reason why I am adding this here despite mentioning this brand lots of times already is because it was my first time to try my all-time fave Classic Javanilla with coffee jelly sinkers! I thought the plain was the best already, but this one is even best-er! Been an SBC member for almost a decade already, but I just knew this amazing secret this month! I would not forget this. Such an aha moment for me. Lol. Coffee rush plus learning anew and mi Dada luv by my side all day really made me so, so glad! Greatest are the random and little acts of love, indeed! 💖 Since I am talking about food deliveries already, I just want to tell you that eating at home would be better than dining outside. Of course, I pray for the healthiest state for everyone, so homecooked meals are encouraged the most. But in cases that you cannot cook because you are too busy and all, just go for delivery instead. Cases are rising again, so staying at home would be best. Let us work together and make this world a better place by starting at ourselves. Stay healthy! Stay sane, y'all! Having to lack my usual physical activities like walking, traveling, and commuting, I gained too much weight since the COVID-19 situation happened. I am not on a strict diet, but I have been trying to eat the proper meals suggested for me starting this February. Well, my nutritionist said that having balanced food is the key, so I just need to keep in mind that I should eat healthily and not pressure myself to eat minimally. I am goaling a certain weight because that is the fittest pounds for me. Plus, I know I would feel better with that. So of course, having to see these meal plans, I am determined to take baby steps and never thought I would have cheat days for this month, to be honest...
First time to meet a friend despite the situation we have now. Though it was just a short period, I felt some rewind moments, as if we were just kolehiyalas again. Hope we could do this again. With Carla, please! This made me miss the good old days in general, so I want to strive for better days via now 💖
Unexpected dates and random food trips this Feb 2021? Thanks to my college bestie, Angeli and my best friend for life, Dada for this! Though the eats happened on separate days, I wanted to put them in one post as these both happened in the same week. And! This reminds me of my Food entry last year where I and my college besties went out. Then, Dada fetched me after our bonding, so another food adventure happened. Same as before, it was unplanned and I enjoyed every minute with it! SML 💖 Have you ever seen that viral tweet about how Januaaaaaaary in 2020 was so long and Jnry in 2021 seems too short? For some reason, I super get that too! Sadly, the first month of the new year is now ending and I was not able to visit any new restaurants or new cafés yet. Decided to postpone not just the travels, but even the food place hopping because of the new COVID-19 variant that was recently discovered. Praying things will get better, so I can feature better Food posts in the next months. But for now, here is the list of food from the outside but brought at home -- all thanks to Foodpanda, GrabFood, and Dadamove (yasss I am not mistaken bcos I am referring to my boyf hehz) deliveries! :) For this past month, which went by very fast, I had a few fast-food takeouts. Not everything I would share is from fast-food establishments, okay. But yes, I know, I know, I know most are unhealthy so please do not imitate me. Just for the sake of documentation, I am putting it here. But the eats that made my month though? The Naimas' Strawberry Cake! Also the Dadas liempo and the red velvet brownies at Brownies Unlimited! The McDonald's Minions Happy Meal made me smile as well, so yay! Naimas' Strawberry Cake, home-baked with love by Tita Badet (my beau's mom), was the best thing I ever tasted this month. The sweet pink frosting blended so well with the vanilla chiffon cake. And the fresh strawberries added the delightful oomph into it! Can I mention the look of the cake, too? Naked Patisserie is shaking! LOL, kidding! But for me, this one was the finest cake she ever made, I swear! But! I would also like to recognize my sister's ube cake surprise for me. She bought that because every time we pass by that certain bakery, my eyes always go heart-shaped! Aww right? Thanks also for that McDonald's treat after-office while waiting for Papa. Plus, the cute minions from their Happy Meal! And oh, oh, oh, the Nescafe Gold Intense as well! I get so excited whenever I visit Lola since we always have this coffee session. That is so right, my Lola is my coffee buddy, y'all! As per her coffee brand? The Nescafe Gold! It is gold! Really lives up to the name! The family uses Gold for drinking and even coffee jelly. So yummy, legit! And so, so I would not consume all of my Lola's coffee, my sister bought me my own jar already. TY again, Sissy! Speaking of coffee, yay for Lala and Dada dates! We did not actually go out so much this month. But our first date for 2021 happened at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Dada and I discovered that CBTL also has some pasta on the menu and wow, so creamy the Pesto and so saucy the Tomato & Herb Linguine! Also the Caramel Macchiato, ice blended. Amazing! Hazelnut Chocolate has been out of stock in the bistro, so I settled to buy the instant Hazelnut coffee to put my cravings to an end. My verdict? It is different from what I expected. I know this is 3-in-1, but it is just the aroma that is similar to the real one. And this is why I can say that it is still Seattle's Best Coffee that is the top-tier café for me. I know we have been trying other coffee shops now, but SBC lang sakalam! Because Dada surprised me one Monday after his errands and brought me the Java Chip. Kakilig po! More when I sipped the great coffee! I got that feeling where it was as if I tasted this Javakula the first time because super sarap! It got so much better, too, when I paired it with their new chewy cookies! Grabe, uwian na for the other cafés! Hahahahaha! Jk only! And so, this is it. Aside from those kakilig backgrounders that made my month so, so, so sweet? I also had lots of McDonald's and Jollibee encounters for this month. Usually, with Dada and the fam when we had no time to cook. While I also tried Burger King's Plant-Based Whopper, which by the way tastes so satisfying and its soft patty would make you kiss your hand and do the Italian yummy gesture, I still feel guilty for those Dunkin' Donuts munches and Greenwich Barkada Bundle cheats. Upon looking at my camera gallery, I was shookt on how much junk food I ate this month, too. What made this worse, I feel so fat and unfit already. Though my Body Mass Index is still normal, I gained six kilos and it really feels bad because my favorite pairs of pants cannot fit already when I tried them. Yes, still grateful for all the food that was graced on our table, of course. But hopefully, healthier grubs from then on! Plus, consistent Berocca, yes? Yes, yes, yes! Yes! Definitely yes! Imagine if there was no pandemic and all these food mentioned were eaten in the physical stores? aAaHhhhh, must be the best! I will never take for granted those eating-outs anymore, I swear! Even if it is just in McDonald's or Jollibee or even karinderya? I would totally cherish every bit of it! Been craving for the real life these days, to be honest. I hoped to order it, but it is not yet available. Sadt. And can I just say that I cannot believe people are accepting this current situation as so-called new normal when it actually is abnormal? New should always be better! And since this is not... Eh! I am firm with the abnormal term instead. Since the world has been living this abnormal shituation for almost an anniversary now, it makes me reminisce and thus, super miss the ordinary and simple life. You knowww, I just want to eat without polycarbonate barriers, no more contact tracings everywhere we go, and more more unlimited tambays and galas and all! I want to shoot outfit-of-the-day photos without being judged when I remove the masks and face shields as well! I wanna breathe again and get my life and freedom back! Ugggh-uhuhuhu. Sorry for the quarantine fatigue rants. But no worries! Still ending this post with a good note. Because guess what? While writing, I decided to diet myself next month! Shall talk about that topic soon. But for now, ciao! And oh, oh, oh, please stay safe! Let us keep each other safe by making our own selves safe! Take note of that, okay? For real this time -- see you when I see you! Until then 💖 Sooooo many things have changed since the COVID-19 outbreak! For some, life is better. Yet for most, the worse. The forced lockdown made the whole world stop. It has affected life, people, work, dreams, travels -- almost everything! But last June, the Philippine government decided to open its economy again albeit with the danger of the deadly virus still out there. Yes, since then, essential fields like food and transportation are operating again. Slowly, the countrymen are adjusting as well due to these protocols and rules set by the officials. Scared of this so-called new normal because this looks abnormal. Still is and nothing changed with my stand regarding that. But you know... Now that it is more or less six months since the yellow-green light, I already feel burned out. Super! After some long months, I am now trying to resume life again. I am picking up my pieces. Been a year, living on an uncertain pedestal because there is no other choice and I, we, just gotta make the most of life whether we like it or not. As much as I and the loved ones do not want to go out, work-in-the-office setup is already encouraged. We need to go to the groceries or markets for our food. We need to look after my grandmother from time to time since she is alone now. Again, I know that the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing. How I wish this ends soon na soon na soon already! But, there are times when we still need to go out. Being a trav-Ela, I must say, I super miss going to places. And as a person who goes out every weekend before COVID came, I also miss dining in at cafes and all. To be honest, I have fears of contacting the veerus, of course. But I have to keep myself sane. Been pulling myself together because this had been a veryyy tough year for me. So? Can I just live a little? People always say I deserve it anyway. Some might bash me for seeing me go out these days, but I do not give a shit about others' opinions. I care for myself and that is what matters. And so I prayed to the Heavens for this one, worry-free day. Just a day. As in, just one day to act as if all is well. And yes! Yes! To take care of the mental and emotional health, Dada and I, together with my family, went to Art Sector Gallery & Chimney Café 360º! Sa totoo lang, dapat nga nung anniversary pa 'to kaso may Bagyong Ulysses. Tsaka buti na rin yun kasi wala si Mama nun. Everything happens for a reason talaga, 'no! After one exact month, woohoo, we here already! Yes, yes, yes, due to God's blessing and the Universe's will, we had a quick road roundtrip to Binangonan, Rizal to breathe even for just a moment, see good views, and eat good food. Been a while since I felt this good--I feel like it boosted my complete being! And without further ado, here is how our complete experience goes! :)
Felt the hype, road trip palang, because going South is unusual for me. It really was something new to me, so I was thrilled. More so when we arrived at the location! Even when I saw this on Instagram, super excited this girl! Super love, love, love the sceneries because Art Sector overviews Metro Manila. Imagine the big buildings from Makati, Ortigas, and Bonifacio Global City? That's the setting! At the same time, there are these mountain-like or hill ridges around. Also a few rock formations. So yes, Art Sector Gallery & Chimney Café 360º is a middle-ground of the rural and the urban land. Indeed, it gives a complete set of what one wants to see during a short escape. The overall position gives Batanes with Baguio feels, something like that, so super wow! 💖 As per the four-story building itself? It has minimalistic vibes! And it reminds me of the Pinto Art Museum and Santorini Island due to its white-washed wall aesthetics. There are windows almost everywhere, so every corner of the Art Sector has a wonderful spot! But I am not just referring to the landscape, okay. I am also talking about the creative paintings used as an all-around design! Derived from its name, this is not just a chimney café per se with full-amazing bearings, but an art gallery as well, so... That! That is why. The first and second floors are alike whilst the third and fourth have similarities as well. It's just that... The first floor is the most classy level due to its glass walls to ceilings. Plus, a huge rock fountain! The second fl is more on the art gallery meeting the dining halls. For the third naman, it is the first floor of the roof deck. Yup, you can eat there as well! With sights pa! And the highest of all, the fourth floor, is for the best sightseeing spot! Perfect for chasing sunset sessions and golden hours, promise! Very nice! Art Sector Gallery & Chimney Café 360º truly lives up to its moniker by being both a museum and eating place whilst standing on such an amazing spot! UWU! So here are the what-abouts now...
So, so, sooo if I were to rate my afternoon at Art Sector Gallery & Chimney Café 360º, I must say it was impressive! I love the experience! I missed this a lot! Yay for coffee-shop-tambay-and-quick-travel-in-one! Huhuhahahahaha. But yep! Amazed at how near it is to Manila because just one-point-five hours, we were there already. I got happy with the view, especially with my beau and family because been a while. The food we ate were also delightful. I just hope there really was a gallery for art stuff, you know. But all in all? Super sulit all that Friday! I am sooo willing to go back here again, not only because it is Instagrammable, but its aura gives a relaxing mood talaga. An inspiring gallery with a view, pleasurable menu, and fam road trip altogether? Ela Manila approves this instant getaway! 💖 Note that I am not encouraging you guys to leave your houses, so you can dine in outside and travel around already. I have my reasons and I know you also have your own. It's just that, I am so stressed already, so I feel like I needed this. My reason/s may be shallow for you, but that is it for me. My family and I are aware that the virus does not stop just because we were taking pictures, but... We are responsible human beings and we have been trying our best to be safe every freaking day. I am a germaphobe if you just know. And of course! We wear surgical masks and face shields when outside. We alcohol and disinfect from time to time. We voluntarily distance ourselves when there are people as well. Say what you want, but we were happy here in this flee, so izza win for us! To add light why we are not that afraid to go out anymore... My sister works in the food industry and she told me, us that they are doing their best of best to work in a safe and sanitized environment. So for those who were saying not to samgyup or coffee shop? Please stop it. Let the food industry boom! Because if they do not? Their outlet has the possibility of being taken down. Yes, more laying off of employees and we do not want that! As long as we are all doing the precautionary measures, fingers crossed with high hopes, we are all uninfected. Besides! The government allowed food slash travel and the like industries some go signal to operate since June because they have proper health licenses and sanitized declarations. Before you criticize, look at all the sides. Being cautious is important, but spreading fear? I resist. Until I know we are not violating any laws or ordinances, I would not be sorry. Mi loves and I have been following all the rules needed since Month 00, so I ain't feeling guilty. Call me out all you want, but I have had great pics and I spent precious memories with my fam. So... :p :) 💖 Art Sector Gallery & Chimney Café 360º Lot 18 Block 178, Eastridge Executive Village, Tayuman, Binangonan, Rizal https://www.facebook.com/artsectorph/ Done writing about the 2D-themed Kurimi Milk Tea Bar, so let us now proceed to The Frazzled Cook blog post! This is sooo the same as what happened during the eleventh! Because right after the milk tea gaming, the family then headed to this legendary restaurant agad-agad! Because why not? It is just a few turns anyway :) Yes, The Frazzled Cook was the other food place Dada and I, plus Papa and Sissy, went to for our ninth anniversary! Like Kurimi, we just found this at the last minute. Aba, the rain fell so hard in that morning ba naman, so we had to think of plans b, c, and so forth. Instead of whining, Dada and I opened our laptops and searched for diners around the metro. And here we were! So proud of our fast research skills because we were able to visit such Insta-, blog-, vlog-worthy food joints with unbelievably luscious menu offers! We deserve 11 high fives for working as a team, yay! 💖 To be honest, I just saw great pictures at The Frazzled Cook, so I suggested that we go there. But other than that, I knew nothing about the restaurant. So when the fam went down from the car and I saw the iconic, blue door, I freaked out! But in a good way, okay. I freaked out in a good way because I had been seeing this from my favorite bloggers, so having to step my feet here as well felt like a small win! So babaw, but that is my truth. Haha. And yeah, the happy freaks in my heart continued when we entered the resto. Because I was stunned the moment I saw the interior design. Such aesthetics! It is homey and cozy. It has vintage, cutesy feels. And its vibes release simplicity, but with unforgettable class. I must say then, this relaxing restaurant is perfect for frazzled people who want to enjoy great food with great company after a great day! Or okay, maybe even a badass day! Or on any occasion! Because as for me... The Frazzled Cook took my stress away. No joke. I was really having not-so-fine moments in my working life, so going here and eating delish foods, seeing qt ornaments around... It just alleviated those negative feelings and turned my mood the other way around! I really felt that I am into this place that I wanted to come again and order their food the next day. You get what I mean? This is that restaurant you would talk about over and over and over because it is a secret, safe space. Therefore, true, The Frazzled Cook is my newly-fave place now -- not just because the eccentric interiors got me, but the eats are aAahHhhhh, so, so, soooo good! As in! As in, everything is wonderful here that I cannot wait to come back! Hopefully with Mama, Lola, and Tito soon! G na us, please! 💖 So enough of my personal feelings, let us now go through my real restaurant review! Hehe. So... The Frazzled Cook experience is one of the best in my entire foodie life. For realz! I did not realize that I was dining in during a pandemic period because I felt so safe. It was like, I was just at home, waiting for my grandma to cook delicious food, something like that. Plus, bee-tee-dubs, of course, they follow the health and safety protocols, so rest assured you are safe eating in at The Frazzled Cook. Super praise-able The Frazzled Cook's food! Made us four all speechless. Been a while since we tried some seriously palatable outside food, so if we would collectively describe what we had eaten overall, it is: masarap! Sobrang sarap pa nga even! We tasted their cordon blue, grilled tanigue, French fries. And my favorites for that day's visit, The Frazzled Cook truffle pizza and pesto! Based on our orders, every dish is worthy of its price, servings, and taste. Imagine eating that well-cooked food whilst surrounded by old-fashioned trinkets, artsy paintings, porcelain souvenirs, even purposefully messy fixtures, unmatched grouped chairs, as well as indifferent plates and cups? Frazzlingly wow, 'no! This quirky restaurant really hits me, aye! So in love! And oh, do you know what? Some of the utensils at The Frazzled Cook are even in the Hello Kitty brand just because. Ya-uh, no kidd! Go there to believe me! :))))) If you would notice, my IG feed is happy because it is filled with Kurimi Milk Tea Bar and The Frazzled Cook photos! Because when we visited these eateries, they were as if reserved for us as we were just the people there. Maybe due to the reason that it was the day before Typhoon Ulysses' landfall? Possibly. But in case you are wondering, that was why we could freely take pictures around -- little to no people were in the restaurant when we visited. To tell you guys, it is so hard to look for good restaurants and cozy cafes these days. Since the pandemic happened, sadly, many businesses closed temporarily and well, permanently for some. This has been why Dada and I, with the fam, were glad that at least, we found this ah-may-zing resto. At least, we were able to take a break for a while. You know, pretend that all is alright. While I know some are still skeptical about dining-in outside. But hear my two cents, maybe? My sister is working in the food industry, so I know every restaurant, café, diner, together with its management are doing their best of the best to hang their businesses albeit the trying times. Yes, the virus might still be around, but the food field is doing extra, extra, extra precautions for everyone's safety. Trust me, they do. Disclaimer that I am not encouraging anyone to go outside, okay? But please, do not bash those who are eating out already. Besides, it is the government that allowed it. And as mentioned, the food companies are doing their safest standards for its employees and customers, so please stop the bullying for dine-in goers. So... Yeah... That... Though I ultimately loved The Frazzled Cook experience and wanna say more stories and observations to you all, it is already late and I already feel frazzled as this writeup has thousand-plus words already. Haha. Until then, then! 💖 The Frazzled Cook #78 Scout Gandia Street, Diliman, Quezon City https://www.thefrazzledcook.net https://www.facebook.com/thefrazzledcook
Good thing though! I was able to discover this amazing, mind-boggling 2D shop: Kurimi Milk Tea Bar! In fair, huh, I kinda forgot the real world for some minutes because this monochromatic space was just so fun to look at! Very excited to tell you my first official dine-in experience amidst the pandemic! But, just a quick back story... Dada and I celebrated our ninth anniversary as boyfriend and girlfriend last 11/11, yieeeee! And supposedly, our plan was to go to Binangonan, Rizal for some coffee shop hunting. That is one of the closest provinces we could travel to and the safest activity we could do for now, okay. Haha. However, there was a strong typhoon coming, so there were signs of bad weather even before the day of its landfall. In order to protect everyone -- us, driver, fam -- we decided to just go food tripping around the metro. Will just go out-of-town next time. And yup, that was how we found Kurimi! Yay, yay, yay! Dada and I chose Kurimi Milk Tea Bar as one of the food places we would eat at for this year's anniv because we intended to visit South Korea this year for our special day if only this pandemic did not happen. It really made us down, but even if the travel plans were canceled, we were still sooooo happy because we hopped this two-dimensional milk tea outlet in Scout Limbaga, which gives the same aesthetics as the café we wanna go to in Seoul! Yasss, I have been wanting to visit Cafe Yeonnam-dong 239-20 and other Instagrammable coffee tambayans at SoKor! Part of our supposed itinerary was really café hopping. And while we did though! In Manila reprezent nga lang. Lol! Looking forward to more, realer drawings na kukulayan together, of course! But, this could do for now! Still Ela Manila and The Marker Hunter approved! :) Astonished would be the exact adjective for what I felt before and after I experienced the place. Truly, Kurimi Milk Tea Bar makes its customers feel like jumping out straight from a storybook! As in! I was and is still stunned at how well-made the outlet was -- from exteriors to interiors! Kurimi is easily noticed because the store was cleverly outlined by black ink all over the white-painted space. It is an optical illusion, as if you are crossing dimensions from the real world to the comic universe. Wow, right! This unique, cutesy milk tea place filled with flat-line drawings on its walls, tables, chairs, and furniture make the visit a heaven of an experience! But to level up the moments, Kurimi Milk Tea Bar is actually more of a secret portal to another world of milk tea series! Order the bestseller: Kurimi Milk Tea Baby Special - Oreo Cheesecake with Pearl (R-130 PhP; L-140 PhP) because it is sooooo ku-ri-miii! As in ~creamy~! It is sooooo good -- you could peak the cloud nine! Kinda overreacting, but true though! All expectations, check! From the 2D-themed café dreams and affordable-but-luscious drinks. Also, the quite little size of a store. Plus, the accommodating staff. So, yes, my expectations for Kurimi had the same results in its reality. But you know? I actually thought Kurimi was a South Korean brand. I thought it was just SoKor who had this kind of café. Turned out, there is also this so-called 2D Cafe in Tokyo with the same vibes! Additional goals when we go to JP. Yas? Yas! Then while ordering, Dada and I noticed the letters used beside the English store name. We then learned, Kurimi Milk Tea Bar is from Japan! Of course, we ordered first before taking pictures. And yeah, that was how we clearly saw the drawings of Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms and a few J-style hints around the shop. So cool! And if I would be honest, visiting this milk tea bar makes me regret this year more. SoKor and Japan were in line for 2020, eh. But yep. At least, we know we are safer. Because Kurimi strictly follows all the health standards and safety protocols asked. It has a digitized temperature check upon entrance, QR-coded forms for contact tracing, automatic alcohol dispenser. Even placed acrylic dividers on the tables, practices social distancing through limited seating capacity, too! We just got lucky, the fam were the only customers that time, so I had all the corners photo-opped without a mask. Heeheehee. No more excuses not to see a 2D-themed shop because our own, Manila has got it already! Yeah, sure, Tokyo and Seoul 2D outlets are goals, but so does Kurimi in Manila! This is a quick getaway for both milk tea gaming and outside breathing! This is nothing short of wanderlust. And actually, there is no other best way to take a break from this world, but to sip a luscious cup of milk tea with your family and friends while being transported to the middle ground of reality and fiction! Yup, I do not mind being trapped between real life and a coloring book for a while if it would be like this 💖 Kurimi Milk Tea Bar #88 Scout Limbaga Street, Sacred Heart, Quezon City + SM North Edsa; Katipunan, Quezon City; Ramon Magsaysay Building, Manila; BPI Philam Life Building, Makati https://www.facebook.com/kurimimilkteabar/ |
THE BLOG-GIRLE L A M A N I L A Ela Mones, a Filipina girl,
is a passionate lifestyle blogger who loves to express her unforgettable life experiences and best moments through words, photos, and videos 💖
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