The Island Explorer

Next on the list in the newest restaurants to open at the Eastwood Mall is Buenisimo by Cafe Isabel. Of course, Cafe Isabel is one of the institutional restaurants in Manila, owned by Chef Gene Gonzales. Their new venture is located at the 2nd floor of the Veranda in Eastwood Mall. The place looks expensive, so we were apprehensive at first. But when we entered, the place actually felt homey, sans the clientele who are mostly executives from the offices nearby. I was confused at the menu that they served. I thought Buenisimo offered Spanish or Italian cuisine, but turned out, it presented a whole range of dishes, from pasta, to Filipino favorites, to those normal continental ones. We were given freshly baked foccacia bread with plain butter. We ordered the Calamares (P198) to start. It was firm, not too tender. But the breading was packed, and it held on to the squid. Two sauces were served with the Calamares. One was a garlicky cream sauce, and the other one (red) tasted more li...

Now that Red Mango is open in Manila (they also serve great waffles), here's another chain that I wish would arrive in Manila too. Introducing Yogurberry, one of the most popular froyo brands from Korea. I had my last Yogurberry when I was in Kota Kinabalu. It was located at the Warisan Square near the Waterfront. I love their froyo naked, but my companions dressed it with fruits (strawberry, kiwi and mango, which is a real good combination). I realized that 3 years ago, I wanted to bring Pinkberry or Yogurberry badly to the Philippines. I even inquired about the franchise costs and all. That was when Pinkberry boomed in the US. After 2 years, the FroYo craze hit the Philippines. I should have followed my instincts before.

It felt like a movie, this trek. I felt like I was part of a movie set, with new scenes after each trail bend. The next day I woke up at 8AM, hoping get back on the hike by 9AM. My plan was to leave for Shangrila at 2PM, after reaching Walnut Garden where I would have lunch. So, after a heavy breakfast, I went ahead alone. There was still group of young backpackers behind me, but I didn't mind them yet, until I passed the waterfall that flowed right on our path. The waterfall was a sight, as it crashed gracefully onto our path. I stopped to feel the cold yet fresh water. I also got the chance to speak to the group of backpackers that was on my back. Turned out they came from the Tea Horse Guesthouse, the place where I should have stayed. The group was mixed, like almost everyone, except for two from Denmark, were all solo travelers as well. There was a Japanese and an Albanian girl. The rest were all guys from Australia, Israel, and Finland. They told me to join them, as they cont...

Let's assume most people still want to get out of the city despite the huge crowds outside Manila this Holy Week and other Summer holidays. Let's also assume that we can't spend that much (recession). And the travel time must only be 3 hours maximum. So, where do we go? 1. Anawangin/Nagsasa Coves with Capones/Camara Islands Combo (Damage: P3,500 per person for an overnight) Since it will be full in Pundaquit, you can opt to take a day trip from Subic or even Olongapo. Stay there in the evening, since you really need just a day in Anawangin/Nagsasa. But stay for the sunset in Anawangin/Nagsasa and head back to mainland as soon as the sun tocuhes down. Anawangin/Nagsasa still offer the best nature and beach experience near Manila. 2. Bondoc Peninsula, Quezon (Damage: P1,000 per person) The Quezon province is one of the most undiscovered beach areas near Manila. Aside from the already popular Polilio island group, the other option is the Bondoc peninsula. Around 15 minutes aft...

TIP: When traveling international, try to book online at www.philippineairlines.com, where they offer the great and most affordable fares, the Econolight. Their rates are most of the time cheaper than Cebu Pacific. Imagine, a roundtrip to HK can cost as low as $100 (P4,900). Cebu Pacific does have these low rates as well, but they're almost always unavailable when you plan to travel within the next week. I fly on both carriers, so I just get the cheapest among the two. When CEBPAC is on sale, they are unbelievably low, but I think you can get the lowest rates at any time with PAL.

When I first planned my trip to China, I never thought I would end up exploring Yunnan. I was just supposed to go to Guilin and Yangshuo for a week. That was it. Now, I am on top of a mountain facing another mountain so close to me I could touch it. Down below was the great Yangtze River. Welcome to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Touted as one of the MUST THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE, trekking the TLG is indeed something life-changing. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest in the world. The Yangtze cuts powerfully through a massive mountain range, and the result is a spectacle. Located around 120 km from Lijiang, the TLG has become of the fastest rising tourist spots of China. I haven't heard anyone in my trip who didn't recommend taking the trek up its trail. And so I did. From Lijiang, I took a mini bus to Qiaotou, the starting point for the trek. The bus took two hours, along an already spectacular scenery. We reached the TLG Gate, and someone came in the bus to collect the...

I made it into Lijing after 4 hours in a small bus that constantly stopped for passengers. We even had to load some sacks of rice along the way. I dozed off for most part of the trip, so the next thing I knew, we were approaching a city, that is the new Lijiang, on a cloudy day. The bus stopped in front of what seemed to be gate of the Old Town. My inn was located inside the Old Town, the main attraction of Lijiang. I got down and tried to ask for directions. Unfortunately, nobody could understand me, so I tried calling the inn. I was told to go to Sifang Square, where I would meet someone to escort me to the inn. Turns out I was far from Sifang Square, and with the maze that is the Old Town, I got lost. Lijiang Old Town (or Ancient Town) is a labyrinth of cobblestone alleys. The place was huge, way bigger than Dali. I began to like it though, as you really feel you're in a Chinese movie set. Preserved shop houses lined the alleys, streams flow everywhere. I followed the crowds, un...

The first time I heard about Brooklyn Pizza was through a friend. I was craving for New York style pizza. My friend then asked me, "Haven't you tried Brooklyn?" I said no. He knew the delivery number and immediately dialed it. He did the ordering and after 30 minutes, the pizza man was at our door. That was the first time I had a superb white cheese pizza aside from Sbarro's. Since then, Brooklyn has been a favorite in my pizza delivery list. I found their pies more flavorful and less greasy than several of the New York Style pizzas out there. Recently, I visited their branch in Ortigas, at the City Golf Arcade along Julia Vargas Avenue. It was my first time to dine in their place, and I was quite surprised at my experience. The place was small but cozy. They even served complimentary garlic bread. We were having our first real meal of the day, so we ordered Buffalo Wings to start. The wings were spicy, and the tangy flavor was not too strong. It didn't need the s...