Havaianas Moving Out Sale at Paseo de Sta. Rosa

Just a quick share because I have a bazillion things to do and I really really need to shower before anything else ~ omg it's awfully hot today :(

Check out Havaianas Outlet Store in Paseo de Sta. Rosa (Laguna) the soonest (sale is from Feb 1 to 28, 2013) because everything is 50% off . This is a moving out sale so a part of me is quite sad to see them go :( They are just a stone's throw away from my place and I will surely miss seeing them when passing by

but do check them out. and buy. I spotted a couple of glow-in-the-dark slippers for kids :)

#shower.now.gaah.hot.

Alabang Town Center, I Love You More Today Than Yesterday!

Gaah, my blog post title is sooo cheesy. lol! :D

Anyway just a quick post about some *of my favorite* stores now open at Alabang Town Center.

Tony Moly and Etude House. side by side. :)

J.Co, where line is always long. :D

Then of course: Banapple, Serenitea, BonChon, PCX, The Face Shop, Jamba Juice, Johnny Rockets, Chili's, Friday's, P.F Chang's, Beauty Bar, Healthy Options, Tous Les Jours (buy 1 take 1 on selected items. 8:30PM. EVERYDAY), Gong Cha, Ramen X, North Park, Shu Uemura, my favorite NYX stall.. okay, this is getting too long now, just check them out okay? :)

#perksoflivinginstarosa. :)

Ribs, Wings and Fries: Chubby's Rib Shack

Yet another late, late post! Before ATC finally decided to expand and improve their dining selections, Solenad II-Sta. Rosa (Laguna) was our favorite. Chubby's Rib Shack is one of the latecomers as there are now only less than 5 stalls yet to open. Nonetheless, Chubby's Rib Shack is a hit since it closes very late, serves beer, good portioning, prices are very reasonable and of course, food is good ^^ 

Their staff was very accommodating and helpful. During our first visit, we were not sure what to order but they didn't hesitate to throw in some suggestions on what to get and what to expect.

Look at that, description alone can make you want to order more - which we did. lol :D

Ninja shot 1:  Wings menu

I took ninja shots of their menu as I'm really really bad at prices and names. You see eating for me, demands full and undivided attention. lol :D I don't think ninja shots were necessary though as they didn't seem to mind my taking pictures of their place.

Ninja shot 2: BBQ menu

As we were only trying out the place the first time, we ordered default: fries and wings.

Chili Cheese Fries is definitely the way to go! Ms. R and I love fries and this passed - with flying colors - our palate rating scale. sooo good! :)

..and because CCF has chilis in it, we ordered some more drinks. lol :D then came the wings..

Honey BBQ wings

Buffalo Wings - The Rookie with Bleu Cheese

Okay, I'm not really into buffalo wings unless it is from Pizza Hut which I think is nowhere near the authentic taste of a buffalo wing. For me, buffalo wings, in general, is too sour and  I just can't take the smell so you just have to trust my hubby on this one and he said it's two thumbs up (I meant to insert his silly, oh-so-good photo here but the baby accidentally deleted it from my mobile phone -.-)

Second visit, I ordered pulled pork. It was good but I was soo full - from drinking too much milk tea - I ended up with a doggie bag. lol :D

Good thing too they know how to keep the kids busy while the adults busy themselves eating wings - and making a mess out of it!

C prefer to color this way. With him on top of the table. ^^

I'm not really sure if they have a website so I am linking you guys to their Facebook page.

#hungry.again.

Our Tagaytay Family Weekend Date :)

Guess where these feet went one February weekend..

We were up and about early as we wouldn't want to waste my precious day-off so before 2pm, we were already ordering milk teas from Serenitea - Solenad II. They were having some kind of  a Valentine's day activity there and had the place all dressed up for it. Of course, we didn't let a good photo op pass..

I was just holding hubby's milk tea okay?

..and this rose-filled wall was kind of hard to resist too, so..

R holding her win from their search-a-word wall. 

Lunch was here, as per hubby's request..

LZM restaurant Solenad II Sta. Rosa Laguna

..to feast on this humongous fried milkfish (about a kilo, I was told) nomnom..

..then we went further up to Tagaytay. Our first stop was People's Park In The Sky aka Palace In The Sky. Sad looking palace, i say. and I really wish their local government has plans to improve the place because there were lots of people visiting when we went there. not really expecting that. But the air up there was terrific! It was soo cold and windy up there, my fats didn't stand a chance! and the view's really awesome!

Not a place for "cute" photo ops, just look at my daughter's hair! lol

View from People's Park In The Sky view deck

I was negotiating with the hubby to bring us to the zoo but since he doesn't like going to places where animals run wild (see, he had a very traumatic experience with an ostrich back then when we visited Zoobic Safari.), he gave me 101 good reasons not to. lol. We went to People's Park aka Picnic Grove instead *this name changing thing gets a person terribly confused, you know* 

Kites! Kites! Kites!

My daughter wasn't really impressed with this "date", she was expecting a "mall" outing but the hubby and I decided to do something different that day so being the parent *and supreme beings of our house* we had our way. lol. She settled to checking out "Pasalubong" stalls around the area and bought keychains while we rested and had a little cuddle time with the little boy.. 

With all those walking we did at People's Park in the Sky, the little boy was dead tired and fast asleep by the time we reached Bag of Beans so I just grabbed a loaf of raisin bread and beef and gravy pot pie (their bestsellers). I hope to dine there another time so I could take lovely pictures of the place :)

All debates of where to dine were ended when we discovered the newly opened JT's Manukan (as in Joel Torre's Manukan. Yey they finally opened south!)

I was not really up for a photo op on this one.. 

Separate post on JT's Manukan soon :)

After dinner, the hubby was craving for something sweet and remembered Cafe On The Ridge, the one inside Taal Vista hotel. We ordered chocolate cake..

..and Choco Lava, and brewed coffee..

..we also went for a walk outside the Cafe, out back there's a park that provides an excellent view of Taal volcano but since it was already dark, not a thing could be seen there. I decided to practice lightology instead and took a picture of this tree, ending our Tagaytay Family Weekend Date tale!

#lovefamilydates!kisses!

Serenitea goes JUMBO!!

So what warranted a quick trip to Solenad on a rainy, Monday night?

Just these babies ^_^

JUMBO MILK TEAS! 

Order a large cup from their Top 10 store picks (list available on counter)  and you automatically get the Jumbo cup - no additional charge. Too bad my newest discovery Frosting Black Tea was not included in the list but Okinawa and Wintermelon made it. Above is Choco Milk Tea and Wintermelon, both with Panna Cotta for sinkers. The empty jumbo cups were brought home for souvenir. lol :)

Jumbo cups promo is from December 19-21, 2011 only. So that means you only have now til tomorrow to catch the jumbo cups. That's also the reason why a quick trip last night was a must!

justsharingmyaddiction. :)

Your Guide To Metro Milk Teas

In our search for the best milk tea in town, me and my hubby came up with this list, complete with recommendations for first timers such as names of their bestsellers (as they can be very confusing!), our own recommendations, addons/sinkers, sweetness level, etc -- things you need to know as soon as you hit the counter to order! I really don't get it why some milk tea places make it really hard for first timers to come up with something as simple as milk tea! Why don't they just put together something for gullible us -- something standard and basic? besides, milk teas, more or less, taste the same, we clueless flock won't know the difference -- just so standing there clueless as what to order won't feel too awkward and embarrassing? justsaying.

Anyway, I hope to add some more to this post as we are still trying and testing milk tea places and would love to hear your recommendations too! Please comment your favorite milk tea -- place and combinations. :)

Going forward, let me start with my first love:

1. SERENITEA

There's no forgetting this one! Simply put, this started our love affair with milk teas. My other Serenitea post tells more about their place and their offerings, this one I'll keep short and sweet :) Their bestsellers are Okinawa, Wintermelon and Hokkaido. I personally like Assam -- not on the list and Frosting Black Tea - also not on the list. lol. It is okay to order full/standard sweetness except for the Hokkaido as it is already quite sweet. I suggest you go for 50% if you order Hokkaido. Malty Choco is also good but not a hint of tea in there. Recommended sinkers are crystals (nata de coco), pearls (black gummies) and panna cotta. So remember, it's Okinawa. Large. Standard. Crystals. (that's my hubby's order. lol) Large costs Php100-105. Frosting Black Tea has ice cream as sinkers so if you would like some pearls in there, you will have to pay 15pesos for additional sinkers. Anyway it's so good, I don't mind paying extra :) Ohh, and I hope the JUMBO cups will stay forever and ever because they are really fun!

Branches: Alabang Town Center, Solenad 2 Sta. Rosa Laguna, Katipunan QC

2. ZAGU

A little blah but it'll make do when you're in immediate need of a milk tea fix. What I don't like about Zagu's milk tea is that it lacks the kick. Maybe because of the slushie texture, it didn't work with the milk tea taste. Like I said, it is good but not OMG-good however if you consider the price, I think just around Php 45-50 and the convenience of getting this one (hello, sa dami ba naman Zagu outlets?) then I think it is worth mentioning here. Golden words to remember when ordering: Milk tea manong/ate. Large.

Branches: hello?!

3. TEA.OLOGY

First and only time we went to tea.ology not because their milk teas are bad but their location is quite inconvenient for us. The hubby was the one who suggested we try this place as he saw this while browsing Instragram. We ordered Frosted Mint Chocolate milk tea. A large cup costs Php95. My daughter liked it (that should be a good sign as she didn't want anything to do with milk teas!) The hubby and I are willing to give it a second try if there's a chance.

Branches: Katipunan QC

4. MOONLEAF

This must be the most convenient milk tea place for us since it is only an elevator away from my sisters' place where we usually spend the weekend. Moonleaf is good as you can really get that milk and tea flavor, you can even separate the taste if you concentrate in doing so. lol. kidding ;) Anyway, order Hakka. nata. -- that's it, unless you would like to adjust sweetness. I'm not a fan of their pearls though, a little tough for me. Cheap but most recommended at Php75 a cup (not sure if they have sizes though)

Branches: Loyola Heights

5. FRUTTI FROYO

Now we're getting somewhere! Frutti Froyo is known for their "make-your-own" froyos but just recently they have expanded their offerings to include waffles and milk teas. I have a feeling that there will be more (notice the "plus" on cup) Anyway, this one's simple too, just say "Royal, panna cotta" and you're done. Reasonably priced too, only Php90 for a large cup. The hubby loves this so much, this is his number 1 pick!

Branches: Alabang, Solenad 2, Trinoma

Now, please welcome my true love:

6. GONG CHA

God, this is indeed true love! ^_^ Toffee Milk Tea with Coconut Jelly at 50% sweetness is a must try! For some reason, their tea is more distinct and the milk is creamier, just the right combination for a perfect milk tea. I hope they hurry up and open that ATC branch already, I've been dying to get one sip again. lol. A little pricey but hey, it's worth it! Php110 for this large cup but you can skip the addons and get away with Php90.

Branches: Glorietta 4-food court, Sky Garden - SM North Edsa

7. CHOWKING NAI CHA

The first time I tried this, it was a major FAIL. It was too sweet and the taste was really weird. lol :D However, when I saw their "new and improved" poster - and I was really craving for a cup of milk tea that I won't mind if it's another fail - I gave it another try. Good thing I did too because the taste improved and the pearls have a potential. HAVE, because I really think the ones we got were undercooked - they were tough. as in TOUGH. lol :D really cheap at 37Php. 

8. CHATIME

Okay, I would like to think that I have a love-hate relationship with Chatime. I'm not liking their milk teas, the first time I ordered, I specifically asked for their bestseller; they gave me the Pearl Milk Tea (photo above). There was  nothing spectacular about it. I gave it another try and went for Chatime Milk Tea. Again, there's nothing to it that I would rave about. But I'm totally inlove with their Choco Banana Milk Tea and Chocolate Mousse (read more about it here) So, I think I would have to recommend trying their other varieties, aside from their milk teas to be able to really appreciate Chatime. Drinks are from 50-90Php but addons are priced separately at 15-20Php

Branches:  SM North Edsa, Alabang Town Center

9. TEA-RRIFIC

This one's fairly new and it belongs to the Fruitas family (yep, those stalls in malls serving fruit shakes and buko things - btw, I love them ^^) So, it coming from a reputable company, it is only normal to be curious and try right? Try, I did. Price range is 45-65Php. I ordered Wintermelon, the safest bet. Well.. it was good. Not out-of-this-world good but..yeah, good enough. However, I have yet to try their smooth-tea (fruit+tea) because I heard that is their bestseller. we'll see..

Branches:  Malls? but SM San Pablo has one so..

Help me improve this post! I'd like to hear your favorite milk teas and your experiences/recommendations in these places so I could try them out the next time I visit. Cheers! ^_^

La Senza Outlet Store At Paseo de Sta. Rosa

I'm not really sure if it's indeed a La Senza outlet store or if they are considered as one, all I know is that there are rows upon rows and drawers upon drawers of La Senza goodies from tame PJs to seduce-your-man sheer lingeries selling at 40, 50 and 70 % off. For me, that officially makes it an outlet store. lol.

The confusion starts here:

"Bench Depot"

So if I enter this store, I expect to see all things  Bench right? Well, not in this store. Lookiee:

La Senza

Charles and Keith

KidConnection

Celio

Mothercare

There were other known brands that I wasn't able to take pictures of as I was trying to be very discreet about the act. lol. I didn't want to call any unwanted attention so very sorry guys :( I pretended to be texting and finding a mobile phone signal just so I can take fairly good photos of the place. lol. Not that I was sure they would throw me out if found taking pictures but I was just trying to be on the safer side. I'll try to get some more pictures next time.

It's a one stop shop in there, seeing all those popular brands side by side selling at awesome discounted prices! I say, best to start your Christmas shopping here! There's definitely something for everybody, even for the baby! :)

Note, this store is somewhat hidden, I discovered it by accident actually. If you'll come from the front (if you see Starbucks, Pancake House, Adidas, etc, then you're in front), you have to walk a little further going in (arrow straight) then cross a two-lane street until you find the garden-slash-park as it is somewhat in the middle - the center being the roundish, open air garden. From there, turn your head to your right. If you somehow end up out back where The Beauty Bar, Payless, Nike are located, walk a little going in, no more than 20 big steps until you find the garden then face left. You'll be able to spot it from there.

Paseo de Sta. Rosa is a commercial and lifestyle center located at Laguna Boulevard, Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines. Map here. Website here. Major Brands/Institutions: Nike Factory Outlet, Nike Park Outlet, Marks & Spencer Outlet, Debenhams Outlet Store, Mizuno, Nine West, Gap & Banana Republic Outlet, Aerosoles, Payless, Speedo, Adidas, All Flipflops, Crocs, G-Force, Rudy Project, Bench Depot, Levi’s, Café Breton, Starbucks, Kanin Club, The Old Spaghetti House, Pancake House, Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich Pizza, Shakey’s, Racks, Razon’s, Ryuma, Yellow Cab, Mecury Drugstore, National Bookstore, Ateneo Graduate School of Business

It's worth a visit especially if you are on your way to Tagaytay (30mins from Paseo de Sta. Rosa) Enchanted Kingdom is about 10minutes away sans traffic. lol. :)

Cheers! :)

Food Stop: LZM Restaurant's Best Fried Fish Ever!

My hubby is a fierce Instagramers so upon seeing Miss Tintin Babao's Bangus post, he was intrigued enough to try the place. That Bangus post has brought us here:

ZLM Restaurant Solenad branch

I was hoping we would visit the Tagaytay branch but we were a little pressed for time so we went to Solenad-Sta. Rosa, Laguna instead. I honestly think I could work as an ambassador  for Solenad as I've been blogging about their place eversince! ZLM Restaurant in Solenad II is just beside Frutti Froyo so it will be hard to miss plus there's always a clamor outside their door - a clamor of families waiting to be seated or served. This alone can tell you how good their food is!

Lucky us we didn't have to wait long. These are what we ordered:

Fried Boneless Bangus 350pesos 

The bangus was so big it could feed 4! ..and yes, that must be the best tasting bangus I've ever tasted. It was not deep-fried crispy but the marinate worked wonders.

Half rice is Php 75, good for 2-3 persons

Beef Kare kare Php430

That's a big bowl of Kare kare too! In this place you get everything supersized! Too bad, no room left for their Bulalo, I heard it's also good. Oh maybe next time? :)

I highly recommend this place, good food, warm, friendly service (even the manager - owner? - gamely went out of the resto just because the little boy cried everytime their eyes meet. lol) This place is, hands down, 5 stars out of 5.

Btw, their Tagaytay branch can be found at Magallanes Square. 

Cheers!

Addicted to Serenitea Milk Tea!

My hubby and I share the same kind of passion when it comes to food. We love to try new things and experience them firsthand. Of course, us being a couple doesn't guarantee that our reviews will always be the same. However, Serenitea Milk Tea is a different story - we love it, oh no, make that ABSOLUTELY addicted to it!

Well, if trekking Laguna to Alabang for two nights in a row and paying 200 toll fee for each trip is not considered an addiction, I don't know what is!

There's just too much buzz about milk teas that it's quite hard to ignore the craze anymore. Anyway when you see back-to-back photos of friends sipping milk teas on your Facebook newsfeed, you know it's time you try it for yourself.

To begin with, we're not really a fan of teas. and milk. so just imagine how lost we were when someone talked "milk teas" to us. Well, that was before Serenitea. lol.

Medium Okinawa with crystals 95 pesos

This was my second cup, btw. lol. XD

daig pa box office!

The line to order was quite long, it's quite hard not to notice and be curious. This is Alabang Town Center branch. I think it's a kiosk as their spot is quite little. 

Here below is the Solenad II-Sta. Rosa branch. Spanking  brand new!

bagong tambayan. lol ;)

I wish they will extend store hours in this branch as we were expecting it to be opened till 11pm but when we got back from dinner, it was already closed and that was only 9pm. There were people outside, shocked like me, that the store closed at such an early hour when it's a weekend - hence our impromptu trip to Alabang. Also, I find it a little offensive to see the staff snickering by the door as unknowing people stop and stare, greeted by the "closed" sign, then left confused or step back astonished. I really hope they were not snickering at us. lol. XD

If you're a noob at milk teas, I suggest you try Okinawa, Hokkaido and Assam Milk Teas at "standard" sugar level (100%) and crystal sinkers. I've already tried Okinawa and Assam - I like Assam more than the former as Assam is milkier. I have yet to try Hokkaido but I heard it's good.

Cheers! :)

PHOTOS AND UPDATES

Here are some more photos - this time of food they offer. They are absolute ♥♥♥! ..and affordable too ^_^

Pepper Corn 50pesos

Chicken chop 70pesos

Mochi buns 95pesos