Wanderlust Week #2 - Binondo Plus!

Another tick off my 25 things list last week. Yay! Last Saturday, I was with my high school friends for another wanderlust day. It was actually my idea to go on a Binondo food trip since I have never been there and I heard the food was simply irresistible. My friends gladly obliged since they too wanted to take part in my little adventure. We met at Carriedo LRT Station since it was the most accessible place for all of us. We just walked our way towards Ongpin Street and wandered around Binondo using our trusty Google maps as our guide. I made a lot of research prior to our trip and I narrowed 7 places that we should go to. Unfortunately, we only got to visit 6 places because of lack of time. But, as I always say, it's all goooood.

The entire trip consisted of the following food stalls/restaurants: Fried Siopao - Wai Ying Fastfood - Cafe Mezzanine - Carvajal Street - Sincerity Restaurant - Estero area. 

Top L-R: Shanghai Fried Siopao, Masuki, Wai ying Fastfood;
Middle L-R: the busy street of  Benavidez, Chinatown Welcome Banner, Cafe Mezzanine;
Bottom L-R: Carvajal Street, Spa-la-la (I love the name of the store!), the homey street light of Binondo

Fried siopao madness. The fried siopao was surprisingly good!
At 16php, we had our tummies giddy for more.

We then walked towards Wai Ying fastfood where you can reportedly find the best Nai Cha. Indeed, their Nai Cha did not disappoint. We also ordered other sumptuous meals such as Shrimp Chong Fan, Curry Beef Siomai, and Hakaw. I personally loved their Hakaw and their Curry Beef Siomai was surprisingly good. I never thought you could mix curry and siomai in one dish! Soooo good.

Clockwise from top left: the famous Wai ying Nai Cha, Curry Beef Siomai,
Shrimp Chong Fan, and Hakaw, my personal favorite!

We then walked ahead and went to look for the Estero but ended up instead in Cafe Mezzanine where my good friend, Gilson, and I tried their Moon Cake with 2 eggs. It was my first time to try a moon cake and the taste was indescribable. There was a surprise egg in the center which contributed to the sweet-salty ensemble of the cake. Delicioso! 

The intricate design of this mooncake made it more special.

Our next stop was Sincerity restaurant but on our way there, we sidetracked towards Carvajal street since the lights and the colorful decors were amazing to behold, attracting all of us to just pass by there. The place was about to close though and so we did not get to see the colorful fruit and vegetable stands. We finally arrived at Sincerity restaurant and ordered their famous Sincerity Chicken. It was pretty okay. My gustatory receptors were not that exceptionally impressed though.

Sincerity Chicken (L) and Spicy Fried Frog Legs (R).

Our last stop was the Estero where the (in)famous Spicy Fried Frog Legs were old at a meager price of 110php for sharing. I must admit the thought of eating frogs appalled me but then again, I am advocating a YOLO life so I went for it. Besides, I searched the internet for any casualties regarding their Frog Legs but I haven't seen any reports of it. Haha! Sigurista, teh! So it came to me as a surprise that frog meat actually tastes like chicken but has the consistency/texture of fish meat. It was not that bad after all. In fact, I would not hesitate to eat it again the next time we  get to visit Binondo.

At Wai ying Fastfood. From L-R: Gilson, Luisa, me, Maymay, Edward

We were all full after the food trip. But the night didn't end there. We traversed the Manila road from Binondo to Quiapo to get our dose of card reading ("hula") with Madame Remy. For my hula, Madame Remy said I love to travel and that that is my number 1 passion right now. With regards to my love life, there are problems here and there that need to be solved. I will be a milyonarya someday and that I shall have 2 kids. I will also be receiving a special surprise within 2 weeks. Ain't that awesome? Haha! I love the milyonarya part. I didn't get to take a picture of myself though. Instead, I took pictures of my boys killing it with Madame Remy. Edward, in particular, dropped some awesome questions. And Madame Remy's favorite word: MAAARI. Hahaha! Whatta fortune teller!

Left: The busy road from Ongpin to Quiapo. Right: Gilson and Edward getthing their hula with Madame Remy.

Our last stop was at the Ayala Triangle Gardens where we get to experience the Lights and Sounds Show. This is a daily show held at ATG Makati City every 6:00-9:00 PM and is being brought to the audience by Ayala Land and Makati Tourism. The show started last November 16 and will be continuing its magical spectacle until the end of December. I love the concept of lights and music being merged into one pro bono show. The entire show was masterfully invented and skillfully executed. It was for me a brilliant way to cap the night! 

Pardon the blurry picture. You've got to see it in person to appreciate it, I guess.
But ain't the lights lovely? (:

L-R: Sean, Maymay, Gilson, me.

My good friend Luisa was not around for the show but another friend came, my BFF, Sean, with whom I bestow the nickname vayets/vayetch. A quick trip to KFC and a little chat with my high school friends made this trip very memorable. Once again, the Jo(e)vialist in me is giddy and another YOLO moment was conquered!

Weekend Musings

I have been wandering around the Metro since last Wednesday and it was such a refreshing thing to feel happy, light, and carefree again. I love hanging out with my friends and I love sharing my thoughts to them. Contrary to what the house of Stark believes in the book Game of Thrones,  'Winter is NOT Coming' in my life right now. I am declaring it and I'm gonna prove it.

P.S. I have another #25things ticked off my list. Wait for the coming blogs on this week's wanderlust.

Prost!

YOLO + Spa and Ramen on the Side

So. I mentioned in my previous post that I will be meeting my girlfriends for a relaxing massage and dinner. And indeed we had a relaxing massage and sumptuous dinner!

Our first stop: Nuat Thai - Kapitolyo, Pasig

(L) Gwen, Anette, Tita, Luisa; (R) Me, Gwen, Luisa

The place was quite hard to find at first. We had to make a U-turn because we went the opposite way. The place was quite small but it was cozy and the smell was minty - just the way I like it. My friends and I opted for a Thai massage with oil while Tita opted for a Swedish massage. We were then led to a dimly lit room and our feet were cleansed with lukewarm water. We each then had our own beds and we were asked to change into pajamas (Yay slumber party!). The 1-hour Thai massage then began. It was a new experience for me because I usually opt for the Swedish + Shiatsu massage. There was a lot of stretching. And by a lot, I mean A LOT. Good thing I don't have a stiff body so I tolerated everything well. We were then served with hot tea after the massage but it wasn't really that good. Hehe. What I loved about the massage is that it is really relaxing yet not so painful and you really feel recharged after! The other spa places I go to provide a pre-sleeping type of massage - the one where you can easily fall asleep after. This one gives you a kick in the butt. You feel alive after and you'll have more energy to do other things afterwards. Overall, I give Nuat Thai 3.8/5 points. I'm definitely cmoing back.

Next stop: Ramen Cool - Kapitolyo, Pasig

What captivated us were the bright lights and the cute glass wall designs. We ordered their bestseller, Nabeyaki ramen, and Shrimp and Eggs sushi for sharing. Each of us also bought solo orders of Gyudon, Chicken Teriyakidon, and Tonkatsu. I must say that their Nabeyaki ramen is the best ramen I have tasted so far and their Gyudon was not that bad. I was however quite disappointed because the restaurant did not use authentic Japanese rice. Nevertheless, the people were courteous, the food was good, and the conversation was awesome.

It's Christmas time at Ramen Cool! The Christmas tree is too cute!

 (clockwise from top left) Gyudon, Nabeyaki Ramen, Chicken Teriyakidon, Shrimp and Eggs

With my pretty friends Gwen and Luisa.

 Now for the YOLO part. My friends and I all agree that we are undergoing something that is popularly known as the "Quarter Life Crisis". Each of us discussed our own personal struggles in school, in work, in love, in our relationships, and in our own personal struggles to get to know ourselves better. There was a lot of laughing, some teary-eyed moments, some teasing, and a few gossiping involved. Last night's lesson indeed was Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once) and so we vowed to live each moment happily and to be more stress-free in the coming days. I am so glad to have very supportive friends who share the same sentiments that I have and who I know will be with me in my search to live a Jo(e)vial life. Y.O.L.O.!

Cheers to the Freakin' Weekend

So. I got no posts yesterday because I was on duty 24/7 and it was one pretty hectic night, compared to the other nights I was in wards. But today is a new day and I am excited because I will be meeting my girls later for some relaxing spa time and dinner. Ain't that a girly thing to do? Haha! Yes, I do admit that I am a sucker for these girly things and it is just but fitting that I get to have these quick fixes once in a while. Don't you think so?

I hope the spa later would also have flowers on their beds. Haha!

I hope all of you guys have a refreshing weekend ahead. Cheers to the freakin' weekend! :)