Saturday, October 26, 2024
For good eats, quirky finds, bargain shopping and more, nothing beats Binondo--the world’s oldest Chinatown established in 1594. As one of the biggest epicenters of commerce, be prepared for the hustle and bustle and the merry cacophony of sights, sounds and flavors. The best, authentic Chinese food can also be savored in this district from fine dining restaurants such as President’s Grand Palace to hawker street stalls. Of course, a visit to Binondo would not be complete without taking home goodies such as Eng Bee Tin hopia, Lord Stow’s Portuguese egg tarts, HK/Taiwan/Japan gifts and confectionery as well as lucky charms and traditional Chinese medicine.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, there’s the mega shopping malls in nearby Divisioria such as 168 and 999 malls for pure retail and wholesale shopping pleasure. Binondo is best this time of year for seasonal offerings such as autumn fruits and pastries. For a definitive guide on Divisoria’s shopping streets, check out this article from Grid Magazine.
As we were pressed for time on a limited itinerary, we were not able to do a proper food crawl. I'm curious of the vegetarian kebabs and surgarcane juice that the Gen Z kids were lining up for. As any foodie would tell you, the food is good if there is a long line!
A few hours is definitely not enough to explore the vibrants streets of Binondo. Can't wait to be back soon!
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Yay! Flying Tiger Copenhagen has finally opened shop in Metro Manila. I first discovered this Danish Scandinavian store at Aqua City in Odaiba, Tokyo a decade ago. The shop is a treasure trove of fun, inexpensive, novelty items and knick knacks with charming Scandi design. For home, work or play, there is whimsical Flying Tiger item to bring a smile to everyone.
I'm happy that Flying Tiger Philippines opened its second branch in Alabang Town Center (the first branch opened at Glorietta 4, Makati City) and since I was in town for the weekend, I didn't miss the chance to visit the store for seasonal goods and decor. The Halloween and Christmas goodies are adorable as expected!
Sunday, October 13, 2024
The hustle and bustle that pervades the work week can take a toll on our health and well-being. It's hard to eat well when we barely have time to plan for meals, cook and rest during the week. Subsisting on to-go coffee, cafeteria meals and take-away food during the work week may not be the healthiest option but sometimes we just don't have the time and the energy to cook.
I welcome the rest and the respite that the weekend provides. Sleeping-in, listening to my favorite Spotify playlists and playing with my fur babies are the kind of recharge I need. The weekend is also the time to eat clean and whole. Thank God for vegetarian/vegan restaurants like Monkey Grounds Coffee, it's now easy to have a healthy, balanced meal delivered to your home.
My favorite weekend reset is the Buddha Bowl. Monkey Grounds has 3 types of vegan Buddha Bowls: Buddha Bowl Spicy Peanut, Avocado Lime and Garlic Tahini. This one-bowl wonder has typically 25% grains (i.e. quinoa, Adlai or brown rice), 50% vegetables (red/green bell peppers, beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, greens), 20% protein (candied walnuts and chickpeas) and 5% herbs, spices and toppings (dressing of choice). A Buddha Bowl is filling and good for your body and soul.
For breakfast, I have my weekend oatmeal reset- a bowl of natural protein oats, paleo protein raw superfood mix and chia seeds. I either add hot water or soy milk depending on my mood. Of course, there's caffeine free drip coffee sans the sugar.
For more mindful meal planning you may want to check out Eating Well Meal Plans or the Eat This Much Automatic Meal Planner.
Saturday, October 12, 2024
If you haven't been paying attention to your art history classes in college, now is the time to get seriously reacquainted with the Masters the AI way! Go on art refresher course on Google Arts and Culture. While you're at it, download the Google Arts and Culture Filter on your phone for some out-of-this-world, art movement inspired portraitures inspired by you!
The weekend is here!
If you're around Jaro area and you're looking for a quiet place to have solo dinner after work (or if you are too lazy to cook when you arrive home), Cocina Project's cozy little restaurant across San Jose College in E. Lopez Street is the perfect spot for some mealtime me-time. From starters to sparkling drinks, the dine-in menu selections are kitchen tested, crowd approved dishes such as smokey honey back ribs and citrus orange chicken. They also serve family size portions true to their tagline "Food brings family together."
Aside from being budget friendly, Cocina Project has a lovely and cutesy ambiance to enjoy food alone or with friends and family. Bookmark this place in your list of eating places for tasty, value-for-money meals. See you at the Cocina. Happy weekend!
Cocina Project
E. Lopez Street, Jaro, Iloilo City
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