#where to eat in BGC

[beingjellybeans]

Nostalgia and comfort over Filipino food at Lorenzo’s Way, BGC

We Pinoys have a special relationship with our homegrown food. No matter the number of new cuisines we are exposed to, we almost always go back to Filipino food, whether these come in the form of heritage recipes that we grow up with or more exotic viands from various regions. When I recently attended an event in Boni High Street, I was pleasantly surprised when we were served lunch at…

[agena87]

Forest Divinity set

This is the kind of set I've always wanted to make but never thought I'd be able to (not that I ever tried). And now it's here!

I'll be honest, and don't pretend I meshed everything 'cause that would be a big lie; anyway those of you familiar with Baldur's Gate 3 would know I'm lying, anyway (plus, I do give credit where it's due), for most of those are converted (often edited/frankenmeshed) from said game.

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What to know:

-9 different pieces that can all be worn at once (though some of the face piercings will be hidden by the mask, so maybe you won't put those on; but if you want, you can. No overlapping textures!) -BGC -Male & female, teen to elder -Disallowed for randoms -All occults (except werewolves) -Colour tagged

Antlers: -22 swatches -Polys: 2770 | 2306 | 1916 -Found in: Occult brow (if you don't find it, you need to use this mod by Crilender) Antlers accessories: -145 swatches -Polys: 6622 | 5424 | 3872 -Found in: Right brow ring Mask: -145 swatches -Polys: 4087 | 3255 | 976 | 488 -Found in: Glasses Spine headpiece: -22 swatches -Polys: 4624 | 1710 | 828 -Found in: Hats Earrings: -121 swatches -Polys: 1204 | 992 | 296 -Found in: Earrings (bet you couldn't guess that one! /jk) Eyebrow piercing: -88 swatches -Polys: 429 | 212 | 105 | 73 -Found in: Left brow ring Nose bridge piercing: -105 swatches -Polys: 128 | 88 | 52 | 52 -Found in: Left nose ring Skull nose piercing: -22 swatches -Polys: 520 | 366 | 90 | 54 -Found in: Right nose ring Septum: -9 swatches -Polys: 256 | 178 | 106 | 62 -Found in: Right lip ring

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TOU

🔸 Don’t claim as yours 🔸 Don’t re-upload 🔸 Recolours are OK (even including the mesh), just credit me and redirect to the original 🔸Obviously, if you do recolours, DO NOT PUT BEHIND A PAYWALL OF ANY KIND (no EA, no adlink, no whatever). And don't post it on Curseforge under any circumstance. 🔸 Edits are also OK, but the same rules as for recolours apply! (credit me, no paywall, no Curseforge) 🔸 Eat broccoli! 🥦 🔸 Enjoy! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

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DOWNLOAD Patreon - always free SFS (.rar or pick'n'choose)

[wampabampa]

Ding ding ! Order up !!

I finally finished it! After putting it off for three weeks! She is done!

Riley Moa! The fiery little diner owner of Home! Riley came to home with a dream..a dream to cook!

Unfortunately for her Howdy ruined everyone’s taste buds with soap and wood chips…but she shall prevail!

As a puppet she was primarily used as a background character(a lot like the Joyful siblings and Ms. Beagle), only ever being more than a bgc in one or two episodes. Her puppet version has a pot of coffee glued to her hand cause what diner doesn’t serve its patrons coffee?!

Personality wise she has no clue what’s going on, she’s just there servin eggs man.

“Oh Julie threw a bowling ball through the window? Where? ..Huh?? Here? Rlly?? When? Just now!?” She tryin her best man🥄😔❤️

Other than zoning out 200% of the time, Riley is mighty argumentative! Always having something to say when it comes to food specifically. She just can’t let people think your mashed potatoes are supposed to be bubbly! Horrible, awful, blastfomus! (Has sent howdy hate mail saying his products are, and I quote, “the most uncool stuff ever” ) (her hate mail was lost thanks to Barnaby) (sad) Maybe one day she’ll teach that caterpillar a lesson or two, but until that day comes, keep cookin Wambs!!

She is also a sugar lover! Loves sugar so much that she refuses to bake unless necessary in fear she will eat all the sugar!! She pays Poppy to bake her diner treats for her 😔🥄❤️ get that bag Poppy

I am horrible at like actually explaining a character so ima stop there and let it progress as I post more😔 doodle time + color sheet + fits ref

☀️Note🪲 her colors have changed compared to the fits ref sheet! The first img is her new colors

[purplesurveys]

1858

Do you know anyone who has divorced and remarried the same person? What do you/would you think of someone who does that? I don't think so. In theory I wouldn't care, but tbh I don't encounter divorce all that much. It's not legal here so I can't say I understand the complexities of it all that much.

Do you say goodnight to anybody before you go to bed? If so, does it feel weird if you go to bed without saying it to them? No one, unless we count the dogs. Yes, I need to say goodnight to them otherwise I'd feel bad. I also have this whole routine with them where I pinch their cheeks and tell them how handsome they've been today, before I head up myself to turn in haha.

Do you have a favourite role of Johnny Depp's? If you don't like him, what is your favourite role of an actor you like? I do not have a favorite Johnny Depp movie. But to answer the other question, I loved Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. Okay, him and Robin Williams because he was also terrific as the therapist.

Why did you/your parents choose to live where you do now? Would you move right now if you were able to? Why/why not? If so, where would you like to go? It's a quiet village, and it remains conveniently close to my grandma – meaning while we have a place of our own, it still allows us to reach her quickly for any emergencies. We also wanted to get out because of all the alcohol problems going on the duplex; and because, simply put, living as 12 people in a home designed for 5 was just too suffocating.

I can't move out now if we're talking about my dream location (BGC) because it's too expensive and I want to save up quite a bit more if I want to be able to afford that lifestyle. If any other place than BGC though I think I could already start managing.

If someone broke into your house and robbed you, what could they take that would piss you off or upset you the most? To what lengths would you go to get it back? Has something like this already happened to you before? The dogs, including Kimi's urn. Also my phone tbh, since all my memories are there.

The phone will probably be easy enough to give up, but I won't stop fighting for the dogs, I imagine.

Was there something you were afraid of as a child that just seems silly to you now? Alcohol. I thought it was poison based from how horribly my elders managed their drinks. When I tried it out for the first time and learned to enjoy it, that's when I discovered that it really just depends on the person.

Do you like coffee? I love coffee, which is proving to be torture for me right now because I went through a recent health scare that requires me to skip coffee :(

When did you last make up a baby’s bottle? Never.

Do you eat your dinner at a dining table, coffee table or just off your lap? Either at the dining table or living room couch. Much infrequently, my room.

Did you go to high school with your current best friend? Yes. I even went to college with her, albeit for different degrees.

Do you take part in paying the bills for your household? Technically, no, because my parents refuse my help; but I send them a cut from my pay every two weeks nonetheless.

How many cars can fit in your driveway? Around 3.

Have you ever slapped someone in the face? Yes.

Last person you took a nap with? I guess the overnight with my workmates last month counts as a nap? We had an event with a 2 AM calltime so we went ahead and booked a hotel nearby, but we didn't start turning in til 12 AM.

Does seeing your mother cry automatically make you feel sad as well? Sure.

Have you ever given up on someone, but then went back to them later? Kind of, yeah.

Is your last ex currently in a relationship? I neither know nor care. I haven't for a while now.

Do you think the last person you kissed has feelings for you? No, they don't.

Have you ever been punched in the face? Nope.

Are you the type of person who seeks out revenge? The most I do is visualize it in my head for that brief feeling of satisfaction, but I have never acted any form of revenge out.

Have you ever been asked out by someone you didn’t want to be with? Yes.

Who is the last person to call you gorgeous? I can't remember.

Do you think a lot before you fall asleep? Nah, I just go through IG reels for some funny memes lmao. I never want to be back in that phase where thinking keeps me up at night.

Would you rather have your parents catch you having sex or smoking weed? Sex, I guess. They'd have a much more violent reaction with anything related to drugs.

Do you like it when people call you babe? No.

Would you ever get your nipples pierced? Never.

Does it bother you to get shots in the mouth? Does it hurt? Well so far, no. I've gotten shots in the teeth twice for wisdom tooth extractions, and they both felt like nothing. I guess it's a matter of the dentist and if they'd be heavy-handed or not.

Ever ride in a limo? When did you last do so? Never been in a limo.

Do you have a lot of self-discipline? I'd say for the most part I have it in check, but I'm awful in a few contexts lol like how I always get food delivery even WHEN I DO NOT HAVE MONEY

Have you ever been to another country’s capital city? I have been to two – Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. I'm not counting Singapore, lol.

What’s something that has upset you lately? Hearing of instances of pet neglect/abuse.

What’s something you don’t think people take seriously enough? Education. I could very well go on and on about this. It's very frustrating.

Have you ever dated someone who had a child from a previous relationship? Nope.

What’s your favorite kind of soup? I love a good creamy mushroom soup, or miso soup.

Have you ever been 4-wheeling? Once with my family, on our trip to Ilocos over a decade ago.

Will you be attending any weddings in the near future? Probably :)

Do you have any important anniversaries you celebrate? [trigger warning: suicide] It's important to me, but April 7 is the day I discovered BTS; I've also associated it as the day I was pretty much saved from killing myself, because I already had had plans to do so that month.

What will be the next concert you attend? Not a concert but I am thinking about going to Kim Soo Hyun's fanmeet next month.

Have you ever seen a horseshoe crab? They’re scary, right?! Yeah, I see what you mean.

When was the last time you had a hangover? May last year.

Do you own many pairs of shorts? I wouldn't call it many. It's like, 5 pairs.

Who was the last person you texted? Hans.

When was the last time you felt like letting it all out and having a cry? I cried every day, January to February of this year. I thought it was never going to end. I'm very happy I managed to get myself out of that rut.

When was the last time someone made you feel like an idiot? Ooh that was like last week when I was asking a question sincerely and my mom answered me like I was the dumbest. I haaaaaaated it and wasn't able to hold back either – I remember asking her to please don't talk to me like I'm stupid.

Would you allow your children to date prior to 16? Sure.

What was the last restaurant you made a reservation at? Circles.

Would you rather read a book, or listen to the audiobook? Read.

What is your favorite book? I haven't found it yet.

What is something you're insecure about? Mmm, maybe the bumps on my forehead. They're not a lot, but it still bothers me because it used to be clear.

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment? Moving on from my breakup allowed me to heal and soar in a way I've never done before. Hans and Angela always remark on it.

Who knows you the best? I don't know. I want to say Andi.

Will anyone be visiting your house any time soon? I don't think so.

Scroll through your camera roll quickly without looking, then stop it with your finger. What's the first picture your eye lands on? Jungkook.

Have you ever been chased by a dog? Only in a playful context.

What's your favourite kind of soda? Ooh, I don't like soda.

Do you have a drink with you right now? What is it? Just water.

What was the last app you opened on your phone? Photos, because you asked me to check my camera roll.

Is your voice high, low, or somewhere in the middle? It's ever so slightly on the low side.

Are you wearing any rings right now? Nope.

How many beds are in your home?F Four.

What is the last thing you ate? Paella.

Who is your favorite person to spend time with? Angela and Hans.

Are you considered a "clingy girlfriend"? When I was in a relationship, I used to be.

Are you good at multitasking? Yes, especially at work.

When's the last time you went to a nightclub? Around three weeks ago, but it was for work because it was an event that was held in a nightclub.

[ireceived-p8250000]

May 4-9, 2014

I practiced driving with my brother Marvin. He had another motive for helping me—he bargained not just for a little money but also for our dad's gun. He needed it for reasons he didn't share.

While driving, my boyfriend kept texting me. I opened one of his messages, but Marvin took the phone away, lecturing me about the dangers of using phones while driving. I had another exam at the end of the month for my non-pro license, so I needed to focus on learning every bump and curve.

We drove quite a distance, and I noticed how smooth the sedan was. It had a feature where it slowed down if you stopped. We eventually stopped to eat at a traveler's eatery, a turo-turo. Marvin knew some people there, and they were curious about me. He introduced me as his sister, though I was actually his sister-in-law. I didn't like how his friends looked at me, and I asked for my phone back. Marvin gave it to me, and after some brief, disinterested answers, his friends stopped trying to chat with me.

On the way back, I practiced successfully parking my new car. Marvin also put a bumper sticker on the back to signal other drivers not to hassle me.

Monday, I helped my friends with their experiments. Luckily, we found Dom's old seminary classmates, and they helped ensure the experiment's success. We ate out and then went home.

Tuesday, Mansoor and I woke up at 5 a.m. and took the bus at 7. We had a full ride to Quezon City, arriving at noon. Our first stop was Diliman, where we explored books at OBookau Ukay. We wandered around before checking into a hotel. It was cheap and had a pool. We shared a bed and explored Cubao X and the old cities, enjoying the nightlife.

We got a bit drunk and went swimming in the hotel pool. Back in our room, things got heated, but we didn't have protection, so we improvised. We tried watching some adult content, but it wasn't enjoyable for me. I told him, "We'll figure it out."

"It's fine. At least we're learning together," he replied.

Wednesday morning, we had another swim, had breakfast at a local place, and then checked out. We went to Makati, visiting Silverlens Gallery, The Met Manila, and Ayala. We explored BGC, which was tiring, and then headed to Pasay at night. We stayed in a motel for a few hours to shower and rest before going out for dinner.

Thursday, we returned to Baguio early in the morning. Over coffee, we discussed our intimacy and decided we weren't ready to go all the way yet. We were happy to take things slow.

When I got home, the fighting was still ongoing. Dad was forcefully telling Roxanne to leave. He was very stubborn, dealing with things his way. This led to a fight between Dad and me. I told him we didn't need him, which made him act childishly, complaining to my mother. I tried to protect Roxanne, who was crying and said she would go to a friend's place for a while. I told her we would find a dorm for her, and I’d pay for the first two months.

I tried to apologize to Dad, but he wouldn't be convinced about Roxanne. On Friday, we went apartment hunting. Most places were far from her school or just bed spacers. One of her friends referred us to a place near her university. It was good, not too crowded, though a bit pricey.

On Saturday, we saw the place. It was decent—2k a month, including utilities. It was a bedspace, shared by four girls: two in college and two working. Quietly, Roxanne and I went home to pack her things. She would be moving Sunday, and Mansoor and I volunteered to help.

[thehungrykat1]

Sakagura and JETRO Presents The Art of Japanese Liquor

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) recently hosted an exquisite Japanese wine and sake pairing dinner called The Art of Japanese Liquor at Sakagura in Bonifacio Global City. Together with industry partners Philippine Wine Merchants, Hightower, and Mitsukoshi Fresh, JETRO introduced its VIP guests to some of the finest sake and shochu cocktails in the country, paired with the freshest seafood and wagyu dishes from Sakagura.

The exclusive dinner event happened last February 1, 2024 at the new Sakagura izakaya and sake bar located on the second floor of One Bonifacio High Street Mall in Bonifacio Global City. The Hungry Kat was one of the few selected guests invited to this one of a kind sake pairing to promote the unique Japanese liquors available in the country.

Indulge in the art of Japanese cuisine at Sakagura, which opened its doors to the public only late last year. This new premium sake bar is from The Nikkei Group which also owns and operates popular brands like Nikkei Nama Bar, Sunae Asian Kitchen, and Terraza Martinez, among others. Sakagura offers a selection of premium sakes from renowned Japanese breweries which you won't often find in other Japanese restaurants.

It was just our first time to visit Sakagura so I was happy to find some familiar faces including the evening's host Gail Sotelo and Nikkei Group marketing manager Monica Modomo.

Guests were ushered to their seats where a medley of premium Japanese cocktails will be introduced and served throughout the evening, all paired with lovely dishes from Sakagura.

The Art of Japanese Liquor actually started even before we got to sit down. Guests got a small taste of what was to come with their Welcome Drink, the Aperol Spritz blended with sparkling sake.

I love drinking Aperol Spritz which is an Italian cocktail, but Sakagura gives it a unique Japanese twist by using sake instead of Prosecco.

We also got to chat with The Nikkei Group owner Carlo Lorenzana together with JETRO Manila Director Makoto Sudo who works with retailers and restaurant owners to connect them with the best Japanese wine suppliers available.

Mr. Sudo-san, as he is fondly called, welcomed all the guests to The Art of Japanese Liquor and gave a brief introduction to Japanese wine including the differences between sake and shochu.

All these premium Japanese liquors are available at Mitsukoshi Fresh BGC, one of our favorites supermarkets where we can always find amazing Japanese products at very reasonable prices. JETRO has worked with Mitsukoshi Fresh to bring these authentic Japanese liquor to the Philippines

Our table was very excited to explore these colorful Japanese cocktails. Joining us were Ms. Heidi Ng, a journalist who also happens to be a classmate of my husband back in Ateneo; Ms. Jackie Lorenzana, owner of The Nikkei Group; and Attorney Karen Jimeno who we have seen countless times on the news for her cases and advocacies.

We started our adventure with the Nihon Sidecar which is made with Daiyame Sweet Potato Shochu, lemon juice, cointreau, aperol, and brown sugar. This is a sweet and refreshing cocktail that can be enjoyed any time of the day.

Our delightful beverages were paired with a sample of the best bar chows you can find courtesy of Sakagura Executive Chef Yonemoto Kazumasa. Chef Yonemoto crafted the evening's dinner from the day's freshest catch.

I heard that Sakagura flies in their seafood straight from Japan every week, so we knew we were getting the best quality items as if we were eating in Tokyo. The Sakagura Sashimi (P1,680) is a platter featuring the Chef's Choice of the day's best sashimi cuts like Toro Tuna, Salmon and Hamachi sashimi. 

We can really tell by the color and tenderness of the sashimi that these are really fresh. We got to explore some of the restaurants in Tokyo and Osaka last year and I have to admit that dining at Sakagura is as close as you can get to actually being there in Japan.

There were several other cocktails to try on the menu. The Yuzu Margarita is also made with Daiyame Sweet Potato Shochu together with Arette Blanco tequilla, lime juice and simple syrup. This is a more powerful combination for those that want a stronger cocktail.

We had this with the Hamachi Tataki, a harmonious mix of tender hamachi, refreshing cucumber, and smooth avocado, finished with a tangy yuzu mayo and kosho.

Next up was the Sakagura Martini which brings together Kakushigura Barrel Barley Shochu with Masamune "Malola" Junmai Ginjo Sake, Tanqueray Gin, and Takara Mio Sparking Sake. Now this is a combination that really gives a strong kick.

The Assorted Sakagura Handrolls (P2,250) is one of the restaurant's unique specialties. This is a culinary mosaic made of the finest ingredients. The handrolls are each made with kani, uni, hamachi, salmon and tuna, all prepared with their own ingredients. The Salmon handroll is the perfect blend of tender trout, creamy avocado, and rich cream cheese rolled to perfection. On the other hand, the Uni Ikura handroll comes with Hokkaido's sea urchin, ikura, and Nikkei sauce.

To make the evening even more special, the Japanese Wagyu Skewers (P980) was a savory complement to all of the Japanese cocktails. These tender wagyu cubes were grilled perfectly, with each bite bursting with flavors.

The last drink I tried was the Kagoshima Gimlet which combines Kakushigura Barrel Barley Shochu with lime juice and simple syrup. After having a taste of all four cocktails, I think my personal favorite would be the Sakagura Martini for its rich and strong mix of spirits.

It seems that they were saving the best for last as Sakagura brought out the highlight of the evening, their signature Miso Bone Marrow (P750).

This beautiful slab of glistening bone marrow is served on its own individual griller and perfectly paired with uni butter onigiri. This is a dish that speaks volumes of the intricacy of Japanese cuisine. You can eat both items separately, but better yet, slather some bone marrow on top of the hot onigiri for a more indulgent experience.

For dessert, we had out choice of Hokkaido Mille Crepe Cakes (P380) in both matcha and chocolate flavors. This was topped off with some ice cream for a fantastic finish.

We would like to thank Sunny Ku of Mastermind Asia Communications Inc. for inviting us to join this special evening filled with delicious Japanese food and drinks. We really love Japanese cuisine so we absolutely enjoyed The Art of Japanese Liquor. Thank you to JETRO and The Nikkei Group for hosting this fabulous event.

Sakagura

2/F One Bonifacio Mall, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

(0956) 029-4791

www.nikkei.com.ph/sakagura

www.facebook.com/sakaguramanila

[theorist-influencer-untitled]

8.25.23 Friday

12:03 am

I still have windblow trap... Just got back from Montana and we had our first practice call... Well, Mia did good... Me? I had 3 out of 10 calls that I wasn't able to put memo but I went back to finish the memo... I had a hard time on navigating the tools while talking over the phone, I got panic and nervous...

So, meaning my calls were flop calls only 3 somehow succeed today... This call center agent thingy is really weird, stressful and challenging for me. It is hard at first to multi-task meaning you talk, think and navigate tools on screen all at the same time. IT IS REALLY HARD ANGELS!

I feel somehow intimidated on the new girl there which I don't like, I only want Coach Melai as our girl coach other than her, I'm not welcoming unless a foreigner girl...

I don't want any girl Filipino coach who will enter that Montana room where we learn the skills, other than Melai only...

Kevin and the other guy were there as a new mentors...

Coach John was there as always... Melai is on her rest day until tomorrow and she will go back on Monday...

Coach John told me these act if I forgot to put memo after the call, it is terminable and I told him I wanted to do this job, why other women can do and why I can't... I told him can you make a way not to terminate me, I mean I wanna stay for the job... I feel hurt and irritated and somehow intimidated... I told him what about a "blow" I need money and I wanna do the job.

I feel so angry on the nature of the job... I know Mr Gokongwei is partly probably an owner of some plans on a particular company handled by Iqor... Here in call center is different... Many fakes and liars... Sometimes you will say who done it???

I can't accept it that why those Filipina women there can do it? Why, I can't??? I just need help angels that I wanna acquire skills no matter how slow I'am...I wanna be untouchable but how angels? I'm really asking coach John... Can I give you blow??? I just don't like being kick-out...

First I can speak English doing the job in call center can give you complex... 2nd it gives an intimidation coz why other women can do it? And why other older people can still do it? Why, I can't????

The obstacle on the phone is the way of talking of your customer or their talking styles... Some customers are not clear on their way of delivery of their words... Some are super slang... Sometimes words are not clear... An obstacle....But why they can,why I can't?

Hoping to reach the foreigner owner there.... Can I stay for the job? I feel irritated and angry... I feel intimidated..

10:06 am

I have favour on my angels if my baby John die, I also want to die... Coz I know there are rituals in this world....I wasn't able to go up that is the sad part ...

My baby John is not eating since Thursday crime, I hate some people in the Church Of Christ who got the ritual of endless life....

10:32 am

Probably he wants bread... John wants to eat bread probably and their df.. Whew!

10:40 am

Special thanks to Robby...

The new guy in the classroom from wave 563... He is originally from BGC... For calming me last night while doing my practice calls ...

11:07 am

Early morning today John is barking on me around 8am.... He will lick my feet and bark and if he can can lick my face he will do that...He is trying to awaken me that's his character, then if I'm up already I will embrace him and he will wag his tail...

11:25 pm

Will go home now... Funny this coach John he is nice and plastics as well for telling me that I have a language barrier, I will really wanna end-up with an american...

I'm not mad on Coach John but telling that phrase to me that I have "language barrier" it is ouch in my part.... I had 7 calls today then I figured out that all of us had 7 calls today or some...

It is somehow weird that these people are having a weird behaviour on me...

This job is somehow degrading in my part but it challenge me so much... It is not easy coz you are talking over the phone... Not all calls are smooth,not all americans are intellectual... Not all americans are clear on delivering their words... It gave complex on me... It hurts my ego but if I can end-up with a wealthy man and put up my own call center hahaha aside from my Pet Store I want it that way or probably will put up an English Tutorial Business... To save my dying ass....

Most specially, I had have windblow trap that is overlapping in my head angels...

Coach John feels it so much that he is better coz he master everything there... Though, in a way he is good but telling me that I should watch English movies to remove the language barrier....It is a serious kick on my face... Coz customers over the phone even they are americans some are not good on pronouncing their native language.

Coach John wanted me to dig deeper on my customer's lives....But this is job and job and an important job but just a job professionally.... But in a way my customer on 7th wanted to cancel their 4 lines and I just confirmed it if she wanted to really cancel the 4 lines and she said yes! I asked why? Coz it is no longer connecting on the other device. So I just made a shortcut probe to my customer that if that's the only reason that "she will no longer use it"... My customer said yes! I'm not gonna use it anymore... For me? That's it....

[withlovelica]

divine cream puffs of baristart coffee

Pluviophile [ ploo-vee-uh-fahyl ] noun. a person who enjoys rain and rainy days, and who is fascinated by the sights, sounds, etc., of rain

I may be a self-confessed pluviophile but these passed days the rain has been more of a hassle than a source of comfort. We have had bad weather for weeks and quite frankly, it has affected my mood and it is not the good kind. But, what can you do? :) Let's just keep hoping the sun finally shows up and stays for a change.

Despite the struggle, I am tremendously grateful for a few minutes of warmth in BGC where my dad and I celebrated my mom's 70th. HOORAY! Amada is (or could have been) 70 today!

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

We were conversing what my mom would be doing to celebrate her day! Dad says she would have invited all her Manulife friends and threw herself a grand celeb. I MISS HER.

Lunch was at Baristart for the second time.

Baristart is a Hokkaido based concept cafe along 26th street in Bonifacio Global City. It boasts of their artisan coffee splashed with a hearty serving of ultra-premium Hokkaido BIEI jersey milk and Hokkaido cream puffs (think of Beard Papa only better). I am kidding, I love Beard Papa and Baristart's in the same league with their unique blend of flavors. (what I tried today was so good).

I particularly liked this humongous colorful illustration of Baristart coffee right outside their restaurant, although the seats were not as comfortable, the people-watching game here is strong! Lalo na if you are alone, it is not as awkward as it is. I like that because I particularly enjoy eating alone...and watching people haha. Okay, enough. That's my dad by the way (in the photo on top) hehe, I made him pose to get my point across. OKAY ALREADY.

To adhere to my "diet" of eating chicken for lunch and fish for dinner, I ordered Karaage (P380.00). My a la carte plate consisted of six pieces of chicken, a complementary wasabi sauce, and a small portion of salad on the side. It was spot on! and as expected, the sauce stung the sinuses. I was asking dad if we eat wasabi for the sensation than the flavor. I mean take away the tingle and you are left with nothing right?

Dad had a mouthful of Hokkaido Carbonara (P520.00). I should have ordered this one.

My husband says I have a knack for not selecting the specialties; according to him, I order the "weird stuff, yung hindi dapat in-oorder". I do not know hehe. I choose what I know, in this case, I needed chicken and there was Karaage hehe. I will be more adventurous next time. OR when need be.

and...here we are, the Crème de la crème (chef's kiss)...

The food was ordinary haha give me more time I promise I will have something exceedingly good to say. It is just that I have my particulars in order when it comes to Japanese food but this, is something my dad and I keep coming back to:

the coffee + the creme puff.

I can just order this and leave.

please excuse my plans and handwriting hehe, I realized there is nothing aesthetic about my handwriting hahaha I should just give it up.

I had Caramel Flavored Latte (P225.00) and split a Banana Puff (P 250.00) with dad which tasted like Banoffee pie. These two make a perfect team. I enjoy Banoffee but always felt it was incredibly filling; yet Baristart's version nailed the right consistency, flavor and blend. Basta, ang sarap.

Yup. So there you have it, Baristart and a few seemingly sunny photos of BGC.

Please pray for us, we need the sun.

BYE. :)

Love, Lica

______________________________

Baristart Coffee Philippines is at Unit 5 ground floor Meridien Tower Two, 1201, 26th St, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila | 10 AM - 10 PM | 0921 843 2015

[yolttusi]

11:20 ( 05/01/23 )

Finally, May has begun! After being liberated from everything, I desperately needed a break, so the first thing I did when I got home was watch a K-drama, eat ramen with cheese, and go to sleep happily until waking up in the afternoon. But before that, I went back onto BGC last night and ran into the cats I regularly see on the streets! They are the same cat that I feed cat food to. Adobo is the name of the first one, and Tapa is the name of the second! I gave them their names out of boredom and because they were the same cats who were clinging to me. My stomach growls at the mention of their names. In addition, for the entire time I have lived in Manila, I have insisted that stray cats eat properly to the point where I use this route solely to distribute cat food. People in my immediate area thought that was incredibly cool of me. But all I wanted to do was help cats because I honestly love them and want to. I'll continue to go down this Street merely to run into them once more. I'll meet you around Tapa and Adobo! I appreciate you for always being there for me whenever I experience unpleasant days.

[beingjellybeans]

From Samosas to Lassis: A Culinary Journey at Swaadisht Manila, Uptown Mall BGC

Swaadisht is a Hindi word that means “delicious” or “tasty.” The term is often used to describe the flavors and spices of Indian cuisine. Indian cuisine is known for its wide range of flavors, aromas, and textures, and is heavily influenced by regional variations, religious and cultural practices, and historical events. Swaadisht is an important aspect of Indian cuisine, and is a reflection of…

[kristinemaebsnapshots]

O2 Rooftop Bar

Sunday BBQ @ O2 Bar BGC We’re the first customer to arrive and we’re able to choose our desired table with a nice view. As we enjoy the view and our meal, unfortunately, it suddenly rained. When the staff and the manager noticed that it’s raining, the first thing that they did was to assist us to transfer in a covered area along with our orders. Then when we are already in the covered area, that’s the time that they decided where we can seat and continue eating. I must commend how they handled the situation. When the rain stopped, a staff approached us and offered us to transfer back to our previous spot so we can enjoy the view instead of dining near the bar which is just an improvised spot. Supposedly, there are no tables on the spot we are currently located. Since what we came for is the view, of course, we agreed to transfer. The staff and the manager are attentive to the needs of their customers which is really a plus. 

At night, there’s also a live DJ so you can enjoy the nice view of the place and chill at the same time.  If you want to check out the place, it’s just across from SM Aura and located on top of Dusit D2 Hotel.  6.05.2022 | 📸 @kristinemaeb

[yuppielionheart]

Sobra Cafe, Sobra Experience

This is my second time to dine in Sobra Cafe. I really had a great experience last time so when my friend asked me to accompany her in Sobra Cafe, I didn’t hesitate to go with her because I know that they serve good food. 

My friend drove from Imus to Alabang just to dine at  Sobra Cafe and she indeed got a “SOBRA” experience.

It was a Sunday night and the only available seats were outside of the cafe. We took the outdoor seating and made our order, everything was good until the weather suddenly changed. Raindrops started and then the group behind us requested to be transferred, then the other customer transferred on their own to the covered seatings. We couldn’t transfer as there are no other available seats for us to transfer on our own and we already have food on our table, and since they were assisting the group behind us, we assumed that they are just going to assist them first and then us for the transfer because it’s evident that we’re starting to get wet due to the raindrops. 

Unfortunately, no one assisted us and we tried calling their attention but no one came. So I personally went inside and asked for a “bill out” as it’s starting to rain and our food is getting wet.

I’m not sure if it’s the manager or supervisor who approached us after. He told us that he’s going to check upstairs if there’s an available seat. I firmly said right away that we’re leaving. Then my friend asked why no one assisted us, then the guy from Sobra Cafe said that it’s because we didn’t ask. 

Like what? You already knew the situation, shouldn’t you at least initiate to ask if we’re okay or if we would like to transfer? Then later on, he said that they can’t transfer us because they don’t know if there are available seats, and he added that he doesn’t want us to get wet but he wants to check first if there are available seats.

I told him that we and the food already got wet. That’s what happened. If I didn’t stood up on my own and went inside to call their attention, no one would. I already had an experience before in a rooftop bar in BGC wherein suddenly it rained. 

The first thing that they did was to assist us to transfer in a covered area along with our orders. Then when we are already in the covered area, that’s the time that they decided where we can seat and continue eating.

See the difference?

I really got pissed when the guy from Sobra cafe said, “Then I apologize”. The way he said it, insincere and with emphasis as if that he HAS TO APOLOGIZE JUST TO FINISH THE DISCUSSION BUT INSISTING IT AT FIRST THAT THE REASON WHY WE DIDN’T GET TRANSFERRED IS BECAUSE WE DID NOT ASK. 

He said that they’re losing customers when it’s raining because they don’t have an umbrella. And yes, indeed you will continue to lose customers with that kind of service. 

I know that you’re not a five star dining restaurant like the others that I’ve been but at least, have a good customer service as we are a paying customer.

It’s unfortunate that this is the kind of SOBRA experience that my friend got after driving from Imus just to have this kind of dining experience after her birthday.

[purplesurveys]

1833

What's for dinner tonight? Too soon to tell, it's only 8 AM; I don't even know yet what food I'm craving today haha. I'll be in BGC this afternoon for an event though, so I'm already thinking of picking up Shake Shack – either that or Salad Stop.

Do you prefer cold or room temperature drinking water? Cold.

How many different things have you had to drink today? Just water and coffee.

When you read a book, do you use a bookmark or simply dog ear/fold the top of the page? I remember the general range of the page number I stopped on – like if I paused on page 67, I'll mentally bookmark it as simply the 60s – so I can read a bit of a recap and remember better where I left off the next time I read again.

What's the nearest city to you with a population of at least one million? QC.

During the pandemic, did you use reusable or disposable masks? Disposable ones.

What is your favourite local restaurant? It's a spot that serves Korean food. Authentic-anything restaurants are hard to come by here because *everything* is in Metro Manila, so I'm really happy we have this lovely nearby Korean spot where the owner is actually Korean, so everything is super quality.

Have you ever been harassed while minding your own business walking down the street? Yeah of course, by men.

Do you own a gun? Have you ever thought about getting one? Um, no. And no.

Do you know anyone who owns a gun? As far as I know, no. I'm better off not knowing.

What year is/was your 10 year high school reunion? Will you (or did you) attend? It should be next year, 2026, if we're even organizing something. I might! It depends if my friends from the batch wanna go though.

Do you cut your sandwiches into triangles or rectangles? I just keep the square sliced bread as is.

Have you ever seen a panda in real life? Where was it? I don't think I have.

Are there any postcards hanging around the house? If so, where are they from? Nope.

Does it snow where you live? No.

When was the last time you took a flight? Where did you go? Discounting the flight back home, it was a flight to Kuala Lumpur last June.

Is there a flight path over your house? Yes.

Does your neighbourhood have a lot of hills? No, it's gotten very urbanized here and you'll want to go to the provinces if you want to chance upon hills.

Have you ever had Covid? What was your experience like? Yeah it finally caught my ass last year, around October. My case was nastier than most others' – started off with a fever, then I started losing my voice, my sense of taste, then my throat started to stage a fucking rebellion and raised absolute HELL for a week. The throat was the worst part. At the peak of it my body felt like a combination of being composed of glass + an actual corpse and I was like 30% convinced I might actually die lmao.

It definitely took its sweet time hanging out, so it was a relief when my throat started to feel normal again and when I realized I could already sit up.

Do you have any alcohol in your house right now? We have a few bottles of wine.

Do you tend to keep alcohol around the house for when you might want it? Yes, or when I have friends come over.

Has a romantic partner ever given you a pet as a gift? No.

Do you ever talk on the phone with friends? I really only ever do this with Angela, and even then it's not all that often. I ultimately prefer just texting/messaging each other.

What was the last thing someone said to you in person? "I don't know, I'll need to ask" after I asked my sister if her friends like anything from Starbucks. I'm driving her and her friends for their little get together/lunch out today, and since I plan on getting coffee to-go, I asked her to ask her friends what they'd want too so I can include in my order.

Are you hungry right now? What would you like to eat? Tbh not really, right now I just want coffee.

How far away are your parents right now? My mom is like 20 feet away, in the other room. My dad is 15,000 kilometers away.

Do you believe in aliens? Yes.

Have you ever been bitten by a spider? I don't think so!

Do you own any clothing made from animal products like leather or fur? I don't think so.

What's the best vacation you've ever been on? Thailand with my friends :)

[heysarsii]

grazie mille!

Got treated out for dinner by my mentor together with my previous teammate at A Mano in BGC. Yes, Albert is back from AU. AGAIN. For the nth time. But this time, he was here for a vacation. He was here since December last year and will be flying out next week. He went back several times last year for a series of business trip so we were only able to meet twice. So when he messaged that he wanted to meet, how can I say no? And yes, I got the goods (ube and chocolates!). IYKYK.

Have you ever tried freshly made pasta? I haven't. So, this was a first of many. And I was too excited. Do you also know that Italians order pizzas per person? They don't share it. The whole pizza is just for one person. No we didn't order one for each of us but I saw it before when I went to Boracay this year. Fun fact! 😂

Refreshing my basic Italian, I know that Grazie Mille means "a thousand thanks" or in our words, "thank you so much". (Another fun fact but definitely irrelevant, my ex and I were studying French and Italian respectively before the pandemic) A Mano means "by hand" in Italian. Hence, everything on their menu is freshly made by hand especially the pasta, mozzarella, and pizza dough.

I just want to talk about how I loved everything that we ordered. I'll try to not make this sound like a review but who's complaining? Don't get me wrong, they have expensive menu items. Like for a pasta it costs around P600+. I was browsing through the menu and also looking at the tables around us thinking how the serving would be for the cost of each item. But they have huge servings I guess cause we still had leftovers.

We got mozzarella balls, squid ink pasta, 4 cheese pizza, fettuccine alfredo, and for dessert, he ordered us each a serving of their burrata gelato.

Bear with me cause I got the Italian menu items off of their Zomato listing. Don't worry, I was looking at the English translations so it's pretty much accurate. Albert was laughing at me because my Italian was weak and I told him I won't eat something if I don't understand it. Let me try to share and describe how the experience was while it's still fresh in my memory.

Mozarelline Fritte - We had this for appetizers. This wasn't the usual mozzarella balls that we know where there is a cheese pull whenever you slice or bite into it. The inside was hot and a bit gooey because it was also freshly made. It also is not tasteless like the common mozzarella that we can get in grocery stores. It's milky or creamy and a bit sweet and salty. Pair it with their salsa and I swear Albert was laughing at how I reacted at my first bite because it was that good. I think this costed around P350+ for 5 balls?

4 Formaggi Pizza - This was also good. I like how the dough was chewy and there was a certain bite to it. The combination and ratio of the cheeses weren't overpowering. Drizzle in their chili honey and you're good to go. I wish their honey could be a bit more "honey-er" because it was just all chili but it's bearable. This one, around P600, too.

Tagliatelle al Nero con Frutti de Mare - This was the squid ink pasta. The squid ink, of course, was just incorporated into the pasta itself and not the sauce. Albert said that it was oil based but there were chunks of tomato and I thought that adding the breadcrumbs wouldn't make any difference but I'm glad that i tried it because it did!!! So good! And don't get me started with their pasta because it was soft yet chewy and it has this certain way for the sauce to cling but you can still taste the squid ink and not in an annoying kind of way. They also have a generous addition of seafood to it. I picked this one when we ordered. Teehee. Good job, Sarsi!

Fettuccine Alfredo - This one was served in an unusual way because it was served in a platter and they will mix it up for you. So apparently, the sauce for alfredo is just butter and cheese. 14-month old Parmigiano-Reggiano to be exact. The smell of this once they serve this is heavenly! I was arguing with Albert and Mel that it smells like leche flan because it smells too creamy but they got weirded out. 😂

Burrata Gelato - A crowd favorite. This was heavenly too. 🥺 It was so good that even if I said I wouldn't get anything sweet, I still indulged in this and actually finished it. You can add toppings into this like honeycomb or nutella but it's already good on its own. I kid you not when I say that a single plain serving will cost you around P200+. But seriously, get this instead of their tiramisu.

Of course, we didn't just had dinner, we also had a lot of catching up to do because we're all too lazy to type it in chat. I'll try to share that in a separate post because there were discussions on different topics overheard that just made sense and are too funny and is such a waste not to share.

Eating at places like this is still out of my comfort zone. I mean I can l, but I have this mindset that I have to check if this is worth what I earn per hour. And I guess it's also true, that you won't know until you try so you just need to think about it hard and take a risk.

It's experiences like this that I really appreciate and understand that standards exist for a reason. You can have a dupe of something but it's not going to be the same. Not even at par with the quality of the real one. Like it can look and smell the same but you just know that it's not. I know that dupes exist to make it work and accessible for others, and yes, do absolutely that. I now understand how Italians are easily annoyed and offended at people sharing dupe recipes of carbonara and alfredo, or just any Italian dishes. It's just different.

I remember telling Albert that "I'm happy na walang sayang sa kinain ko tonight" (even if I didn't pay anything for it — Thanks Albie!) because everything was good. Makes me want to go to Italy to try it first hand. Recommend this for when there are celebrations with important people in your life and you feel like splurging. Make sure to make reservations early because they get packed easily and are only open for lunch and dinner. Definitely worth every buck.

I feel like I shared a lot today. Oh well. Ciao!x

[themhayonnaise]

Menya Kokoro: your soup-less ramen is now in the PH!

Menya Kokoro: your soup-less ramen is now in the PH!

Was it just me or we just had the longest summer so far in Pinas? I know I heard it somewhere, but anyways… rain’s finally here! And because we are natural foodies, we are always ‘game’ to try out something new to indulge during the rainy season.

Of course, there’s always the best goto, lugaw, arrozcaldo, and other Pinoy food perfect for the “Netflix and chill”weather. Well aside from those…

[almostdiplomatic]

Samba: A taste of Peru at the Shangri-la The Fort (Manila)

Samba: A taste of Peru at the Shangri-la The Fort (Manila)