Il Mercanti in Metrowalk

Il Mercanti in Metrowalk

It’s our company’s standard to regularly provide training, as part of the continuous improvement for every employee. 5 of my colleagues will be having their training in Boni on a Friday afternoon and 3 of them decided to drop by Il Mercanti in Metrowalk, Ortigas after the 8 hours English training.

It was already set for the 3 so they decided to ask anyone who could join them.

Lish, Cha and Maycee

Friday, Manay Regi and Ate Cindz were supposed to drop by Elbow Room after shift for the down payment of reservation for our Sunday karaoke event and will head to Il Mercanti after. I joined them in Elbow Room and we waited for the 3 girls, their training is up to 10PM. So, we roam around Metro Walk and check some stalls.

Me, Manay Regi, Ate Cindz and Bel

At 8:30 pm, their training was done. There was heavy traffic going to Metro Walk so we started scouting for yummy-foodie-goodie. On attendance was me, Regi, Cindz, Lish, Cha, Maycee and Mark (Maycee's boyfriend)

There were several delectable choices. I was a fan of Banchetto, a lot of choices and really delectable. Il Mercanti needs to work that out.

• 3 for 100 Cakes
• 45 Pesos Mini Cup cakes
• Burger
• Kwek-kwek, isaw and other tinuhog items
• Rice and Ulam in a box
• And my usual favorite the Glomy’s Empanada

Glomy’s Empanada has been a regular in Banchetto, and now in Il Mercanti.

For first batch, I had the Empanada. I ordered for seedless, as I don’t really like eating mongo. But for first timers, try the special so that you can have a taste of everything. Ilocos Empanada (Batac’s Special) contains longanisa, grated papaya, mongo, and egg plus the orange coating made of rice flour and star anis.

Glomy's Empanada

The Pregnant Regi enjoying her empanada

I also had the 3 for 100 Cakes, 2 brazo de mercedes and 1 6pcs macaroon for take out.

I had the cakes refrigerated overnight and they taste way much better when I taste it when buying.

Brazo de Mercedes

Macaroon

Overall IL MERCANTI was good but they have a way lot more to develop to be like Banchetto. 

Also, I’m not sure if some vendors really practice food safety as I encounter a hair strand in my cake. So ensure to look into your food especially when eating in a place like trade fairs or food bazaars.

Make it a Habit: Eating Healthy

Make it a Habit: Eating Healthy

I once attended the Victory Fellowship in UP together with Cheryl Joy “Bajoy”. Bajoy is one of my housemate, a very good ebullient friend and Keribells one important piece.

“It will take 21 days to make a habit” quoted by the Lecturer. Yes, it’s hard. But we can catch-up. In this case, we are given a bookmark with 21 Bible verses for 21 days of reading and understanding. I bring the bookmark in the office so that I can easily Google the verse for my reading and understanding. I was able to manage the five day challenge, and I’m feeling a lil’ contented. And so weekend came, the bookmark was left and I was not able to read on the sixth and seventh. So the habit was break, but then we can still catch things up. So I do 2-3 verses every Monday until finish. As of now, I still check verses online daily.

Anyway, let’s move to habit that we want to achieve. Eating healthy!

This is also a big challenge for me as I work in a BPO industry. We usually sort to eating at 24-hour food chains, especially, I’m at night shift. McDonalds, Jollibee, KFC and all others we see regularly.

I saw a post in twitter regarding McNuggets made of beef. I didn’t read through the article, but I sorted to Google-ing the ingredients and components. At some point, I understand everything but when tertiary butylhydroquinone pop-up in my eyes, I was like, what in the world was that? I did some research and I’m not so sure if you would want to ingest an additive to fuels http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tert-Butylhydroquinone .

One thing I want to work on is NOT-TO-EAT food with ingredients I can’t even pronounce.

1.       Do your grocery weekly - Get the stuffs which you can easily cook.

In supermarkets and public markets just get something handy to avoid spoiling

Vegetables:

-          You can get vegetable/s enough for 1 cooking. If you can go for organic, a lot better (It’s just a little pricey).

Tip: my cousin Maya, advice me to soak the vegetable for 5 minutes in 1 Liter of water with 2 tbs. spoon of Sukang Iloko (Ilocos Vinegar). I’m not sure why but she says there is component in sukang iloko that can reduce/eliminate pesticide components and other unwanted elements clinging to the vegetables.

                Meat / Fish

-          Don’t get kilos of meat; just get enough for your consumption.

Dairy

-          SM sells organic eggs (well, I hope!)

Sugar

-          Use the Muscovado Brown Sugar. They say brown sugar is much healthier, try using muscovado brown sugar. Try a spoon of Muscovado sugar and add about 3-5 drops of water, this turns into molasses like when dissolve.

2       Do variety

With the availability of different kinds of food items, get stuffs that you would want to try. If you don’t know how to cook it, then Google it!

Here are some great food blogs, I usually look into (A very good help all the time):

-          http://casaveneracion.com/

-          http://panlasangpinoy.com/

Whether you are too busy or whether you work in whatever time and place, it’s not an excuse that you will eat all crappy foods you can found everywhere. Take a time to nourish yourself and always make sure to find time for Me-Time.

Anawangin Adventure Part 2 - Trekking Guide

The original plan is Sat - Sun Out of Town. However, JR appeals "bitin" the timeline is too short.  So we decided to travel Friday early morning and head home Sunday morning. The date is set.


It was actually summer, but I would suggest best time to go there is November or after the rainy season. By this time, mountain is lush green and just a small number of travelers / campers. If you want to experience the cast away feel where you and your group are the only human in the place, go there on a weekdays. Don't target the peak season.


For a group of 10 and more, you can arrange a tour package. For small groups like us, here is a guide that you can follow.


On the way


There is a straight bus going to Zambales. Ride Victory Liner in Cubao and ask for drop-off in the town of San Antonio (Php 250 - 300). I'm not sure if bus is aircon, so to make sure take the Olongapo Bus, plus their aircon buses has wifi!


If you like cut trips like me, here is what we do.


We took Five Star Bus in Cubao going to Dau (Php 140). If your traveling by dawn, try riding ordinary bus which will only cost you about 80 pesos. Best you travel 2AM or earlier. The ride is about 2 hours, take a good nap. In Dau, you can have early breakfast. There's a 24Hr - dine-in / take-out Jollibee and others.


Take the Victory Liner going to Olongapo (Php 140), Take a good nap for about an hour or 2 travel time. Make sure to re-charge for the trek.


Once in Olongapo, you can immediately ride a bus going to Iba Zambales, Ask for a drop-off in San Antonio Municipal Hall.

At the back of the Municipal Hall is San Antonio Public Market. Buy your food, drinks and other necessities there.


Anawangin is a secluded place where you can only see pine trees, sand, mountain, in short it's only nature in there. During peak season, there are available store built-in with price. So make sure to prepare things.


Before going, make sure to make arrangement with a guide. For the second time, my contact guide is Kuya Rene (09086428236). Tell Kuya Rene your plan so that he can prepare as well.


We reached San Antonio almost 9AM. We immediately hit the market and buy the stuffs we need. Kuya Rene also pick us up at the market. At 10AM we started the trek.

Kuya Rene, introduced us to our guide Anthony.

And we started the adventure.


I would suggest to get a mountaineering backpack with lots of pockets or ensure to have a bag were you can easily put your bottled water or energy drink.

Trekking is no-easy-thing. Ensure that your feet are ready, take walks and runs to prepare your feet. I regularly jog so I can easily cope-up with the trek.


It was sunny and very hot. Put your long sleeves on and hat for protection. Ensure to bring about 1L of water or energy drink.


For mountaineering and trekking equipments, you can check out Sandugo for your tramping needs. Well, my guys get me a Sandugo trekking sandals so the trek was very comfy for me.


More on my next article - way to the top and easy going down.

Anawangin Adventure Part1 - Prep

About a year or less, Regi and I usually takes Friday night as time for 2 bottles (sometime 2 buckets for us). One time we invited some officemates and friends to join us.  One of our operations lead (boss Chris) says he’ll follow and ask that we just continue in his place. Elak (Gerald from my previous blog – Fiesta in Indang) also came and he invited his cousin JR.  At that time, JR looks like a playful boy and a newbie in the world of Career. I didn’t get the chance to talk to him since Regi and I usually talk a lot about everything, except maybe for petty conversation like where does he work and the likes.

Just recently, Elak invited JR to come over our place. This time, I had learned things the guy is in to. BTW, JR now looks different; now a little mature, bigger and manly.

As we talk, he suddenly mentions he is into mountaineering, not professional but he has experience.

Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about Mount Pulag (somewhere Baguio or Mt. Province). I advice him I’m interested joining him as I am targeting Mt. Pulag. Mt. Pulag is Philippines 3^rd highest peak (based on news I heard and if its correct).

Photo Courtesy of www.kellyaustria.com

JR says that I should start with short trek and hike to prepare for Mt. Pulag. Hmnn, I was thinking if me being hardcore in jogging, running and walking couldn’t be able to finish it? But yes, I need training since I’m a newbie with trekking and hiking.

The following week, conversation still continues in email. This time we are now talking about the future and we end up with Anawangin in Zambales.

Anawangin is one of the coves in Zambales where the only way you can reach it is either trek or boat. The place became famous after the showing of Bea Alonzo and Sam Milby’s movie.  Anawangin is beautiful with its Pine trees, secluded ambience, mountains around and the overlooking cove.

I have been to Anawangin 2 times going there by boat. Since I'm not after swimming, trekking is a good idea. I heard the trek is about 4-5 hours.

Before we go to the trekking adventure, here are some photos of Anawangins beauty.

Adventure, Trekking and Cost guide on Part 2. Happy reading!

Fiesta in Indang, Cavite and a drop-off to Tagaytay, Philippines

It was my 3rd year in my company and supposed to be the 3rd time to be invited in a fiesta in Indang, Cavite. Gerald "Puge", my office mate and a very good friend always invites us to attend their fiesta every March, sunday of the 3rd week. This year, Gerald did not bother to invite us. Their barangay chairman postpone the event as their community church is under renovation.

The fiesta in Indang was just a simple and normal fiesta you can see in every town. It's struggling but the people are amazing! Each household prepares variety of food from breakfast to dinner from usuals to extravagant.


2 years ago, we were about 20 who attended the feast. Last year, were only 6. Since I've been to Batangas, Cavite and Tagaytay number of times, I know that the road is terrible due to traffic and I really get bored easily as I don't usually sleep when I'm on the road. I ask my guys that we leave early. We meet in Taft and take the bus 7am (supposed to be 6). As usual, mostly are late.


In our group, Keribells, I was the so called mataray and masungit. So they have all the excuses they could ever have when talking to me. After 5 minutes, everything will be ok as this guys are the best group of friends one could ever have. I was with Jojo, AG, and Rita and John Paul and Ems last year.

Puge is very accommodating and so is his whole family. The moment we get to their place, food is served!


In the afternoon, performers go house to house.

and the parade...

Finishing the feast, we end up playing the palabunutan (yung sisiw yung premyo).

Before we say wrap-up. We had another round of more Kain! Thanks to Puge.


And it's a wrap! Finishing the day, is a drop-off to Tagaytay for coffee. The usual for me, hot grande white chocolate mocha, non-fat, no whipped.


Some pictures, chit-chats and lets call it a day!