Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Ila Puti



I have always loved Ila Puti's dishes. I love it so much that hubby and I reserved the place for the after-party of our civil wedding back in '08. Anyway, I'm not exactly sure how many locations they have in Cebu now, but the one I frequent is in I1 Building in IT Park (they used to have a branch in Sykes, but I think it's already closed).

Their dishes are a unique fusion of Asian dishes - Thai, Filipino, Japanese, Malaysian, Mongolian and Indian. They also serve pasta - from the uber tasty Pasta Puti (their version of carbonara and my personal favorite!) to the eccentric Triton's Treat -- it's their own version of seafood pasta with bagoong. I mean, go figure. Pasta with bagoong? I'll pass. But all the other dishes I've tasted were great.

My usual order a few years back was always, always, and always Pasta Puti. I wouldn't order anything else. And hubby's was stroganov. Lately, I've taken to trying some of their dishes, and they weren't so bad. Fact is, I enjoyed the unique taste of their other dishes that I have forgotten the taste of Pasta Puti (I haven't ordered that in quite a while).

Aside from Pasta Puti, these are the other dishes I've tried (and loved!)

  • Stroganov - tenderloin tips in sour cream sauce with garlic rice
  • Peking Pork - tenderloin tips in oyster sauce with Peking style stir-fried rice
  • Kari Kulkarni - tenderloin tips in curry sauce with tomato basil rice
  • Teriyakatsu - tenderloin tips in teriyaki sauce with Japanese infused stir-fried rice
  • Nonihm Thai - Adobo tips with Bagoong rice
  • Milkfish in cococream sauce - boneless bangus with coconut curry sauce
  • Buffalo chicken fingers - chicken fillet cooked with hot and spicy buffalo sauce
  • Grilled Asian Chops - grilled lemongrass pork chop with garlic shrimp fried rice

Their prices range from P110 - P180. The price is without doubt, very affordable!

My personal rating? It's 4 out of 5 (5 being the highest)

It could have been a five if their service was excellent. It's ok, but it's not great. Most of their staff don't know what dishes they're serving, and it's really a hassle if you want to know more about the food you're ordering. They're not very friendly either.

My overall verdict? This is a must-try in Cebu. Skeptic? Visit their site first. Click here and be convinced!

So anyway, that's my review of Ila Puti. The last time I went there was a couple of days ago -- with Ate BJ, Nes, and hubby. Here are some of the pictures. The food we ordered were Nonihm Thai (me), Stroganov (hubby), Kari Kulkarni (Nes), and Milkfish in cococream sauce (Ate BJ). Oh, and we also ordered Buffalo Chicken Fingers to share.

Here are some of the pictures. I'll just make a collage so you won't have to scroll down a lot of times. *grins*



xoxo


Monday, July 27, 2009

Movie Review: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and 17 Again



What do I think?...

I loved both movies, but watching them made me worry. I think I'm getting older. Or it could be that I was too sleepy while watching both movies. I didn't laugh a lot, I kept looking at the time, and I kept looking around at everyone, amazed that they're all fixed on the tube.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not cynical when it comes to mushy, chick flicks. I love them! (I love CIA and adventure movies too) But I don't understand why I thought Matthew Mcconaughey was too old for that movie...or that the going back to high school plot was getting overused. Or that there were too many weird people in one family...or that I didn't get the warm feeling I usually get when watching happy endings.

Don't listen to me. I'm ranting about these two great movies that everyone else enjoyed except me. So don't listen. The movies were great. I was probably just not in my normal state last weekend.

...i loved Jennifer Garner's clothes though... *smile*

xoxo

Click here for more information on both movies:





Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Bigby's Cafe





Bigby's Cafe


Think: Sicilian Meatballs - 5 cheese-stuffed meatballs tossed with spaghetti noodles in aromatic brown sauce. Yummmm!

Think again: Grilled Chicken Carbonara - fetuccini noodles tossed with bacon and mushroom in a creamy white sauce. Topped with grilled chicken breast.

Add: Grilled rodeo chops - marinated pork chops grilled nice n' easy with cranberry sauce.

Not sold yet?...

Try their Passion Fish or Tuscan Fish Melt.

You'd think you're not in the Philippines. You'd think you were out, touring the world with your tastebuds. Try it! You won't be disappointed.

Guaranteed 100% satisfaction.



I kissed a girl, and I liked it!







No, I really didn't...The blog title? Uhmm, nothing...Katy Perry, that's all.

That's not what this entry is all about anyway,lol.

So, I know I haven't made an entry recently...here's what's keeping me sane and happy the past few days:

  • allthatglitters21 and juicystar07 in youtube
  • our uber successful garage sale
  • our latest fans - PCD kids!
  • hubby's spaghetti, avocado shake, and pork sinigang
  • my latest mini-haul: ziaja multivitamin face cream, e.l.f. concealer, e.l.f. supershine gloss, and a brandless foundation
  • late Saturday night gabfest with the girls - lee, ads, and brey - at Starbucks
  • midnight chow with hubby - pizza hut's three cheese!
  • Sunday mass and dinner with my lil sister - jenn and my lil sister-in-law, nes.
  • weekend home with momsymoo and deejay!
...so yeah, all is right with the world!

Before I sign out, let me give a great shout-out to Christina. I hope you're feeling a lot better now!


xoxo


Sunday, July 12, 2009

...

I just want to put this here: Happy 10th wedding monthsary, daddy-love! I love you!


Must-See Movie: The Secret Life of Bees







If you haven't seen it, go get a copy...it has everything in it: happiness, trials, finding one's self...I found myself crying in a lot of the scenes, but not because I was sad...It just moved me in a way I can't even begin to explain fully.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Kul Kitchen


I'm all about the pictures for now. I'll post an entry about this restaurant when I have time. Suffice it to say, this is one of my fave restaurants in IT Park - Next to Ila Puti, and Mooon, and Casa Verde, and Da Vinci...


Shicken ala Creme...Creamed ribs...Triple B-Q...Mushroomed Beef...Spaghetti Bolognese...Ultra Hot Sizzling Calamare...and a lot more! I come here almost every night to eat, and I never get tired of their taste!




Monday, July 6, 2009

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Jacobo's


Jacobo's is IT Park's newest foodie. Step inside, and you'd see that the interior is all at once intimate, homey, and elegant. Their menu boasts of unique blends of Filipino, American, and what-else. They also have an all-you-can-eat plated breakfast for only a hundred pesos (about 2 dollars).


Impressed, hubby and I decided to check it out. I first ordered pancakes with bacon. I loved the pancake! It had notes of mango in it. Hubby had orange-glazed tocino, which for him, tasted like conventional tocino. "Nothing exceptional" he said.


My next order - adobo hash. It was too salty for my taste, and hubby didn't like it either. I downed it with a glass of water. Hubby's second order was Chorizo Pinoy, which didn't taste so good either. We were going to order a third helping (I wanted to have the pancakes again) but we didn't like their service.


Let me tell you what happened: Nobody explained to us fully, how plated all-y0u-can-eat works. Cebu has a lot of all-you-can-eat places, but most of them are buffet. Hubby had a couple tablespoons of rice left in his first order, but they reprimanded him (the supervisor did!), and they made us wait 20 minutes to be served his second order. I only had to wait 5 minutes for my second order.


I politely asked for a Customer Feedback questionnaire, but they didn't have one. I insisted on a piece of paper, so they gave me one, and when I asked for the name of the supervisor or the owner of the place, no one would tell me! Everyone, specially the manager was unprofessional and the thing is, that's no way to run a restaurant specially if the food is not even that great to begin with.


Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mon Amies


Amici per Vita


Jacqueline - my childhood bestfriend. We used to play with a lot of other kids in the neighborhood, but she was closest to me. No secrets though, at least none that I can remember. She has a baby now, all grown up and married.


Angel - We were pretty and popular, and she was my bestfriend in Elementary. We shared a lot of firsts, like our first "grown-up" trip to the city. Read: no parents. It was so funny. We only had a hundred bucks each, and we spent it on food mostly, and useless stuff. We still keep in touch, and it's nice to still be able to talk to one of my oldest friends ever.


Kate - Kate was also my bestfriend in Grade school. Looks sweet and really pretty too. There were three of us: (me, Angel, and Kate) and we were terrible. Wait...Kate was kind, and Angel and I were terrible. Lol. We thought we were princesses and we thought we owned the world. We were probably the "Mean Girls" in grade school then...


Olive - One of my closest friends from high school until now. Not married, totally single and available. Laughs a lot. Easy to get along with. Lost her mom a few years ago and I know it was a big blow to her and her family. She's tough and vulnerable at the same time. I'd kill for her.


Yna - One of my bestfriends in high school. We used to go to each other's houses, play volleyball, gossip about other people, read books, and do everything but study! She's a ball of fun and I love her to bits. Right now, we don't talk as much as we did back then, but we keep in touch. She's in the US Navy and a part-time model in the States too.


Christine - Pretty, shy, white, Chinese. Quiet, but can be very intense too. We shared a passion for music -- Backstreet Boys/3T/Boyzone -- back in high school. I dated her cousin before, and well...that's history now. Cheers!


O-Y - Athletic, a true friend, a rock. O-Y was my one true friend in school who I could talk nonsense to, and she'd listen to me and make me believe I had sense. She's in Makati now, and I'm sad to say I haven't kept in touch with her, and all because her email isn't active and I lost her phone number when I lost my phone. Boohoo.


Adelaine - Wildfire. Chatterbox. Ladymanchester. She's all that and more. Like Olive, she's single and available (or maybe unavailable because she only wants to date football players from England harhar). I just love her, and I miss her. I haven't seen her in a long time. We live in the same city, but we don't even have time to meet up. We update each others' lives online because that's the only way for us to keep in touch.


Lee Ann - Pretty as a swan but with a dark side. She's living my dream (work assignments in Europe, a top position, a Master's degree, and dark adventures to boot!) I wouldn't dare live her life though. Only someone with genious talent like her can pull everything off perfectly.


Daisy - My lawyer bestfriend. She lived my dream too, when she went to Sweden for a year and went to all these places in Western Europe. She was my shock absorber in school, and she was my angel-slash-devil friend. I could relate to her a lot. She's a spitfire, but she could be the sweetest thing on Earth too. Bless her.


Dorothy - My favorite friend and bestfriend. We have gone through almost everything - heartaches, crushes, street food, family drama, our own drama, marriages, kids...enough said.


Julien - Gorgeous sex kitten. From hopping financial jobs (Chase to RCBC to Metrobank) to hopping places (Singapore, Dumaguete, Cebu, Makati)...It girl, former model, bestfriend.


Michelle - Absolutely dependable. Trustworthy, and true friend til the end. She calls me Shwevil. We used to be called "tripod". Lol. It's so cheesy, but she and her ex-boyfriend Dave, and me were inseparable before. We used to eat out, watch movies, and loved and hated each other. I miss our moments.


Anthea - Impeccably pretty, and very smart too. She's one of my closest and oldest friends in PS, and she made me read books that broadened my horizon (from Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World to Gabriel Garcia Marquez' A Hundred Years of Solitude to Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray).


Sarah - Model, Musician, lover of life. Although we haven't had time to hang out recently, I know that she's just there. All I need to do is text, and she'd be there. She was the one who asked me outright if I was pregnant when I was unsure then. And when my baby died, she was the one who brought a priest to officiate a sort-of prayer that night. Everything was so sudden, but she was an angel in my time of darkness.


Mary Jane - My troubled friend. She's in Bacolod now, so we haven't had a chance to go out recently. She's a tart, but we love each other to bits. I know she'd kill for me.

Confessions of a WanderLust





I love to travel. Going places, visiting tourist spots, bumming in a world where no one knows you, it's amazing! I have not been to a lot of places, but I do try to go to a new place at least once a year (heck, I'd go to a new place every quarter of the year if I could afford it!)




Baguio and Metro Manila:
I went to Baguio with choice friends some 3 years ago or so...Had a blast with Michelle, Dave, and Les. Until now, I don't know where we got the energy to go around Baguio the night arrived there considering we all had to work for 8 hours before catching up with our flight, and had a 6-hour or so bus ride going to Baguio. But we did go out, and we weren't tired then, mind you. We ate at local restaurants, and went to all the crazy places.



Palawan:
A few months after that, I went to Palawan with the same group. This is different. There was no retail therapy anywhere, but their seafood was beyond delicious! Their shrimps, crabs, fish...the beach! Oh, the beach and their caves. The people, the staff of the travel agency...Everything was beautiful, and everyone was amazing. A lot of history in that place, but I can't seem to remember all of it, haha..

Fast forward to later, I met my hubby (my boyfriend then --duh!--) and everything changed. Suddenly, my life is all about him. I still see my friends, but not as often as I did before. I don't mind though. He is everything to me. He is now my travel buddy, and traveling with him is easily 10 times cooler!

Here are the places that hubby and I have traveled together:

Bohol:
Bohol, Bohol, Bohol. I just can't say it enough. Gorgeous place, lots of tourist spots, powdery white sand beaches, and it has a mall! I love the food in Bohol, but did not enjoy it as much as I did in Palawan. Bohol is hubby's favorite place, so there. Enough said.


Bantayan Island:
This was almost a retreat for us. Shortly a month after Baby Elle died, we needed to get out and revive ourselves. We needed to get away from everyone, and just be connected with nature. Plust the fact that it's famous for its white sand beaches doesn't hurt...


Cotabato City and General Santos City
This place isn't new to hubby as he's from Cotabato City, but totally novel to me. I was imagining all sorts of military visibility and warcraft. And these places did not disappoint. Needless to say, both cities are beautiful, but I'm just not comfortable living there. Can't catch up on my zzzzzs peacefully there.


Metro Manila (again)
Intramuros, Casa Manila, Greenhills, Quiapo church, Tomas Morato strip, Mall of Asia, Science and Discovery Centre, Luneta Park, Ocean Park, Star City. All the cheesy places couples go when they are in Manila, and more.


Next stop?...I want to go to Manila again (for Enchanted Kingdom, Montalban Zoo, Zoobic Safari and Ocean Adventure) and Camiguin, but hubby wants to fly out to Hong Kong or Singapore instead. We'll see, we'll see.