last weekend...we had our retreat...and fortunately - or unfortunately whichever the case may be...we did not get to "retreat from eating food" wahaha....the food was a-ok at Don Bosco Batulao...and I really savored every meal served to us...
I thought that the preceeding week will finally let me rest from all the eating...
oops! I spoke too soon...
I spent another food-filled weekend...first in Tagaytay where we had lunch last Friday at Leslie's... my first time...and too bad because of the rain...wasn't able to see the view from the resto...and the Bulalo and Sisig were not that hot...haha because of the cold wind...and here I thought we were in an airconditioned place haha
Leslie's Sisig and their famous Bulalo
Later that day we spent our time eating in Balay Indang in Indang Cavite...where we were served sit-down meals for dinner, breakfast, morning snack (which we did not partake in anymore coz we were so full and lazy to getup from our sleep) and lunch...
Wasn't able to ask the names of the food served to us though...so was not able to verify whether the burger I ate that dinner was meat..or veggie meat! wahaha...We had salad...and string beans...and cheesticks! oops lumpiang sariwa na mukhang cheesticks sa payat...sort of rellenong fish and baby back ribs...all that for dinner..hanep! the squash soup was good too...and most of had asked for seconds and thirds of that...
that's the cheesesticks! not!...it's lumpiang sariwa na maliit haha
yum! baby back ribs
that is NOT my plate haha
with my dinner buddies
Breakfast was served early the next day...and after strolling around the compound and finally waking up my companions... we headed off to Balay (the mess hall) and had breakfast of danggit...adobo...fried rice...suman na langka at coca ang laman...and eggs (had to request that mine be scrambled though)...and freshly squeezed dalandan juice...ang sarap nya ha! that we even asked if we can order the juice and bring home some haha...too bad di pde...and had a choice of hot choco or freshly brewed coffee to start off our breakfast...
my breakfast companions
When we went back to our quarters...we were too lazy to get up in 2 hours for our am snacks haha...and just skipped the arroz caldo and gulaman...and just had our lunch or last meal at Balay Indang...
they got their share before I can take this shot
i think these are salad garnishes
I liked our lunch meal best of all...we dined in the extension area of the dining room...quite isolated...and was able to ask the waitstaff for the names of the food haha...and so we had the usual salad...and some garnishes...and nope! I did not touch that haha...embutido...and something like lechon manok though ladled with giniling and sauce of some sort haha...and spaghetti - sardines it seems...and baked fish fillet - this i liked best!...and yellow rice - I think it's atsuete! and this egg and veggies type of omelet with an Asian sounding name that rhymes with foo yung haha
red-sauced spaghetti and yellow flavored rice
baked fish fillet
egg and veggies
lechon manok with giniling haha
And to think we didn't get to have our am snacks...we still had enough energy and room in our stomachs for dinner when we finally reached South...
We were supposed to have dinner at this resto - Kanin Club - recommended by MC - at the Northgate Cyberzone near Alabang Town Center...so at least when we reach Alabang we would have been hungry enough to eat again...
But because of the weather and the traffic...and we were not so pressed for time anyway haha...we ended up eating at the Kanin Club's branch in Paseo de Sta Rosa, Greenfield City, Sta. Rosa...
After approx an hour of going around the place...it was a mini-Ayala-Glorietta-look-alike-mall...we headed off and started our eating adventure in Kanin Club
gutom na si Sir Bob
tokwa't baboy as appetizer
Crispy Binagoongan
Not for the weak hearts...we had a cholesterol filled fare of...kanin of course...tokwa't baboy...sinigang sa miso...crispy binagoongan and crispy dinuguan - their recommended dishes!...and wow! ang sarap nga!...will surely look for Kanin Club next time we eat near ATC...
Crispy Dinuguan
And our food tripping did not end there...we still had room for a late night dessert haha...
We headed off for home...finally!...and ended up in BF Parañaque - a little near home to me, MC and Sir Bob...though Za had to drive home yet to QC - and scoured the village to look for this shop that sells Sebastian's Ice Cream...and settled to have coffee in this new place near Tahanan Village - Perk Avenue...play on words? ... Sir Bob was the one looking for something cold to eat - ice cream - and it was raining!...and we ordered our coffee and tea at the Perk...I ordered and tried out their hazelnut coffee...MC had tea while Sir Bob and Za had their own coffee...
and wow! ang sarap nung Sebastian's Ice Cream...we had Macadamia Nut flavored ice cream...and whoa! ang mahal rin ng presyo...250pesos a pint haha...and I think it is not that well commercialized yet and can be had by orders...
Za is trying to read the contact info on the tub
And since that weekend...I haven't checked the weighing scale yet...
I think am overweight na talaga Doc! haha
I know I promised myself...that after this food trippin adventure weekend...
I will go on a diet! wahaha
Yeah right...
to see more pics from this weekend adventure click this link "from Tagaytay to Balay and back"
I can recall one other time in my past...we had a family vacation where I was ready to go to the beach…so I was already in shirt and shorts and the packed clothes I had with me was appropriate for the summer heat…only to realize when we finally got to our meeting place (in Pampanga at my relatives’ house) that we were set to go to Baguio?! I was 14 I think…and was I cranky the whole time we were up in the city of pines tsktsk…
And here I was expecting to have another dry and hot summer outing with my college barkadas in Punta Fuego…only to realize and to be grateful that I brought along 2 sweatshirts and a jacket wahaha…
So geared up and ready to bask in the heat…was quite disheartened to see dark rain clouds hovering overhead…haha…such a moody weather…was up and ready at around 6am…had to wait for Za to wake up haha…I knew it rained the day before…and if I’m not mistaken we were expecting 2 tropical storms to hit the country…hanep perfect timing!
nakashades ang driver na si Za
Depsite all these signs of gloom and dark skies…the traffic and the rain which poured down heavily when we exited at Sta Rosa all the way to Tagaytay did not dampen our enthusiasm to just simply relax and get out of the city…
they're wearing my jackets
waaaa! di kita ang Taal Lake
no that is not waterfalls!
we had to wait after eating for the rain to let up…MC texted her friend who was in Punta Fuego tp see whether the weather down there was any better…and they replied that nope it was dark and rain was about to come in…so Za suggested that we just head off to Indang Cavite instead…
Around this time…we were also texting Sir Bob to let him know where to meet up or to pick him up (he was in Tagaytay for a seminar)…we were also checking up on Alexis whether or not he would really be catching up…
while eating my 55pesos brownie - susme! Anything for a dessert..in fairness masarap naman sya…Alexis arrived in his board shorts and white t-shirt…wahahaha...He and his rowing buddies were all set to head off to the beach…but the weather was a killjoy really!...so after being reassured by Za that there was a swimming pool anyway in the place in Indang…they decided to not push through with their Punta Fuego trip..sayang talaga!...oh well next time…
Sir Bob and MC, back passengers
Sir Bob texted to meet him somwhere back on the way to Mendez Road…it was so foggy for someone who was onfoot…which we later realized he was…he walked form Mendez road to Bag of Beans…since it was too foggy he had to stop and meet up somewhere…at Starflower Tourist Lodge haha…
Now all the players are accounted for…we passed by a grocery store near the
And Sir Bob kept glancing at the road and around us..since it was familiar to him…and yep when we passed the venue of his seminar…he exclaimed that he should have asked to be picked up there instead of going up to Tagaytay haha….
Touchdown: #88 Balay, Indang, Red Ginger Farm…didn’t ask though why it was called the Red Ginger Farm….but whoa was it secluded….it was fenced in…and we had to wait for 10minutes for someone to open the gate for us haha…
It’s a good thing I haven’t been to Sonya’s Garden yet so I did not have preconceived notions of what to expect of this new place in Indang
Balay Indang…is ilokano for Bahay…and is a calm, quiet and relaxing resort …this vast area…had 17 rooms in around 4 different cottages…there were trees and flowers and green everywhere haha…and we arrived while it was raining…now that’s what I call an appropriate atmosphere!
The pictures will show you how big the room we had reserved for us…had 4 beds…2 double-size and 2 single-size beds and the rest could just lie on the floor haha…
2 double beds in the ground floor
2 single beds in upstairs loft
And did I mention the food?!
Wahaha
And the threat of it being veggie meat did not stop me from eating
Buti na lang di lahat ng food veggies!
And yup the food was good!
just one of many delicious meals
We had scheduled meals at dinner…breakfast, am snacks – which we missed coz we were too lazy…sleeping haha…and lunch….
Grabe! Haven’t checked the weighing scale yet…I dread doing that haha…
with Za, Alexis & MC by the resort's pool
Alexis and his rowing buddies grabbed the chance to swim in the lone pool of the resort...syempre sayang naman getup nila haha...and MC and I took our dip the next morning...
I think this is the life!…
relaxing…
being lazy…
and eating...eating and eating haha…
After our delicious dinner...kwentuhan...and a few bottles...este cans...of San Mig Light...Alexis and his rowing buddies had to leave late that night though...lesson learned: ask permission properly haha
And when Saturday came...we were too lethargic to leave haha…
we have gotten used to being a lazy duck all weekend!
We “checked” out around 130-2pm I think…
And still we stayed in the place…in one of the huts…waiting for the sky to clear haha…at least it was not raining that heavy that day…
before checking out and heading off to lunch
We left and said we will be back for sure…next week?!? Nyahaha
If they weren’t fullybooked for 2 more weekends we would have scheduled a return haha…
And our adventure did not stop there…we took advantage of our trip and looked for this place Ilog Maria…and bought cosmetics and other stuff made out of honey and/or beeswax…highly recommended by MC…esp the honey beeswax lip balm…so soothing on your lips! You got to try it…
And the day wasn’t over…it was still too early haha…we thought of having “dinner” …huwat?! Gutom pa kami?! At this place in ATC
Kanin Club…but we ended up eating at its original branch in Paseo de Sta. Rosa,
we were that hungry?! That we couldn’t wait to reach Alabang?! Wahaha…btw…this resto recommended again by MC…kasalanan mo ito! Wahaha
Our adventure…or is it our food trippin? did not stop there…we all ended up at BF Parañaque for our dessert…had Sebastian’s ice cream – this one’s good ha!...and coffee in this new place – Perk Avenue – kasawa na daw mag Starbucks eh…(everything we tried that weekend was relatively new to us) and by that time…it was raining again…
But the rain surely did not dampen our spirits…
That was another memorable outing with my close buddies...despite the rains...we still made the best out of our adventure...and had a fun and relaxing time with each other...
