Our #CoffeeBean experience at Evia

I'm a pretty picky customer, a little difficult sometimes but reasonable. You can't just make me try this brand from this, much more make me switch from my brand to another one. I become a promoter of establishments and brands that are consistent and those that always deliver excellent service or superb product quality. I'm just like any other paying customers, I want to get my money's worth. And, if I leave a restaurant or a store happy, trust that I will come back. I will even refer to friends + colleagues + relatives. And again, I will come back.Ü Sometimes there's even a bonus — I write about the experience here in my little space on the Internet.

Last Sunday was all about this: I have been loyal to a lot of brands for as long as I can remember, but every now and then, you take a side trip when you find something new. Sometimes, you'll be surprised that you're even considering changing old habits because of exceptional brand experience.

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A Sunday habit is about to change
I have this Sunday morning thing that I do when I'm up unusually up at 7 o' clock in the morning. I just have mornings when I need good, strong coffee but don't really want to dress up because I'm just too sleepy to do so. My Mom and I would drive-thru Starbucks Evia for our Sunday morning caffeine fix. She gets her Americano and I always have my Short, Non-Fat Caramel Machiatto at 120°.

Feeling spontaneous last Sunday, instead of the usual Starbucks drive-thru, we parked the car to check out the stores in Evia. And, that's when I discovered Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf beautifully tucked away in a corner at Evia Lifestyle Center. I love how spacious this CBTL is. It also has these huge glass panels that allowed a lot of natural light to pour in making this store conducive for studying and a pleasant place to do some take-home work. Inside, it's not cramped and it has this right mix of vintage and a chillax-ed ( chill + relax ) South vibe that will make anyone want to go inside and stay for a while.




Good Coffee. Great Breakfast. Excellent Customer Service.
I love coffee. I like mine milky and bold. That's no secret. However, I sometimes want to have my coffee with food. So, while coffee ( or it may be their sugar — sometimes, it just doesn't click ) isn't one of CBTL's strong points, they do have awesome breakfast meals that other coffee shops don't have. If you have not tried any of these breakfast sets, I suggest you try 'em out soon because you won't get disappointed.Ü I normally get the Brek o' Day but last Sunday, I went for something that I haven't tried. I ordered their Eggs Ben while Mother Duckie had her usual Brek o' Day with Chicken Sausage. And since it was Sunday treat day, we shared a Strawberry Cheesecake to complete our favorite meal of the day.Ü

And finally, delivering a good and memorable CBTL experience was the team on duty last Sunday. I remember that there were a lot of customers that morning, but service didn't falter. Our barista / cashier also showed my Mom, who is a senior citizen, extra TLC. The receipt and the stuff that she needed to sign were brought to our table instead of making Mom wait, which she appreciates and seems to remember. I overheard my Mom talking to one of her friends a while ago and was telling this Tita that they'll have tea or coffee soon at CBLT Evia. Isn't Mom a cutie?

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How about you? Are you a coffee person like me? Are you loyal to any particular coffee brand or coffee shop?Ü Any coffee thoughts you'd like to share?  ☮..Peace + ❥_Love + Good Vibes. RUSS.

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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✎  Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf ( Evia )
☎  +63.917.5692160, +632.4371737
✉  0007 GL Everyday Building, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Las Piñas City

FOOD TRIP: JAY-JAY'S BF PQUE

One thing I love about holidays is how roads are almost spotless. It's usually a nice time to drive around and if you get extra lucky, you end up discovering something new. Early this month, after Mom and I had our bonding over grocery shopping, we passed by this new building along Aguirre Ave. here in BF Parañaque. Although it wouldn't be my first time to dine at  Jay-Jay's Inasal  ( I frequent the branch in Macapagal ), it was a good time to try the only restaurant at this time in the new building on this food strip in BF.

Before you continue reading, allow me to warn you that this is going to be carb-filled post but please indulge me on this.Ü You're in for some comfort food staples of Filipinos that warm one's heart and tummy. Jay-Jay's happens to serve a lot of these favorite Filipino dishes.

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Pork Tocino, P135 or approx. $3

For the love of comfort food
Tocino is one of the best all-day breakfast meals of Filipinos. So, the moment I saw the signage from the road, I already knew what I was gonna have and it's what I always get when I dine at Jay-Jay's Macapagal Branch: Pork Tocino — it's cured pork that is a little sweet & best eaten with vinegar dip and it's something that will always have a spot in my heart. [ Read: Homemade Pork Tocino Recipe ]

Admittedly, I was disappointed when I saw their Tocino Meal. There were just a few slices on my plate and mine sure didn't look too enticing, but I was up for it anyways because I haven't had breakfast yet that morning. I just got used to seeing the huge & really generous serving of the same meal in Macapagal so this doesn't get my two thumbs up.


Initially, I had no plans of getting Chicken Inasal, but my Mom said that the two of us would look funny eating at an Inasal Place and not have it. I obliged. Chicken Inasal is a popular dish from Bacolod that's "not marinated or prepared like the usual chicken barbeque found in the rest of the country. The marinate does not make use of soy sauce and consists of other ingredients to create a unique flavor found only in this part of the Philippines. There are different variations to this dish's preparation". [ Read: Bacolod's Chicken Inasal ]


Chicken Inasal ( No Rice ), P99 or approx. $2.20

The Chicken Inasal ( got the pa-a or chicken thigh ) was a good call because I haven't had one in years. I remember how my friends and I used to drive in the middle of the night all the way to Greenhills from our little kingdom here at the South, just to have Chicken Inasal in the most popular Inasal place in San Juan. Yes, this dish is that good. So, if you ever get to visit Manila or even Bacolod in the future, the Chicken Inasal should be on your list of local dishes to try.

That morning, Mom was in the mood for a classic comfort food — The Palabok, a noodle dish with this thick, orange, shrimp-flavored sauce with bazillions of toppings such as flaked smoked fish ( Tinapa ), Adobong Pusit, pork, shrimp, sliced wedges of hard-boiled eggs, chopped green onions, roasted garlic, chicharon and is best enjoyed with some calamansi. [ Read: Manila's best pancit palabok ]


One thing that I like about Jay-Jay's is that they have this relaxed, South casual dining vibe and yet they have good brewed coffee. The reason why I'm saying this is because there are some casual dining restaurants that will just serve their guests with overpriced 3-in-1 coffee. I'm glad that the experience with Jay-Jay's is different. It's always a superb deal to find a place that serves a un-pricey great coffee.

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Regardless how carb-filled they may be, we all have those moments when we just need our favorite feel-good comfort food. It's nice that Jay-Jay's BF Parañaque offers a wide selection of different Filipino dishes and people can have them even at 3:00AM! I just wish that they'd be more generous with their servings.Ü  ☮..Peace + ❥_Love + Good Vibes. RUSS.

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★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
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✎  JAY-JAY's INASAL
☎  +63 943 7066848
✉  Ground Floor - MetroSouth Mall, Along Aguirre Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque ( across Scuba World )

#FoodTrip: Early Bird Breakfast Club - Century City Mall

I so looked forward to this breakfast, er lunch at Early Bird Breakfast Club (EBBC) the Saturday I watched Spiderman in Century City Mall. I failed at getting the whole Early Bird experience the first time I was here because there was a mix-up with our orders and we were awfully rushing for the movie that we were gonna watch that time. Despite that, I went back ( and will go back ) because Early Bird Breakfast Club is so worth more than one visit.

Take me to a place that serves all-day breakfast OR super winner Filipino almusal with extra strong brewed coffee and I'm sold! Early Bird Breakfast Club has both and this establishment is one of the reasons why Century City Mall is starting to grow on me. Hm, ask me where to eat ... I would most definitely answer EBBC and here are three reasons why I love Early Bird Breakfast Club:

1) There is magic in here! The place gives me this morning vibe even if I dine late in the afternoon, best thing is I always leave EBBC happy.
2) I can rest easy and enjoy my favorite meal of the day because it's so homy inside EBBC.
3) They have something amazing for everyone + everything goes well with their coffee. Heck, they even have champorado and risotto!

A good day starts with tasty news. This is their menu.Ü


This has to be the best morning paper ever.

An all-day breakfast place is heaven!
I now know where to go when I need a power all-day brekky meal that is not-so-typical. The two times that I was here, choosing what to have was challenging. Their menu offered a wide and varied selection & everything is pretty. Everything's delicious!

"Everyone runs around trying to find a place where they still serve breakfast because eating breakfast, even if it's 5 o'clock in the afternoon, is a sign that the day has just begun and good things can still happen. Having lunch is like throwing in the towel." ~ Jonathan Goldstein, Lenny Bruce is Dead

His and Hers. Babycino and MY Coffee.


The hearty and heavy Viva Longganisa will make you say, "Viva!".


Bacon & Egg Nest.

I really really wish that they open a branch either in Alabang or in BF. I'm positive that all South people will love the aesthetic dedication that the Early Bird Breakfast Club team wholeheartedly gives and to the delight of their customers, it's evident both into their food and the ID of their restaurants. ☮..Peace + ❥_Love + Good Vibes. RUSS.

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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✎  EARLY BIRD BREAKFAST CLUB - CENTURY CITY MALL BRANCH
☎  +632.4031897 and +63.905.3311897
✉  Unit L124, Ground Level, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Ave. cor. Salamanca St., Brgy. Poblacion, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines

Food Trip: A Le Petit Cheri kind of morning

Breakfast is my absolute favorite meal of the day. A nice, hearty fix in the morning puts me in a cheery mood that can last for hours. I love breakfast because it makes me happy and it's the meal that fuels the rest of my day. Then comes my extraordinary days when I require myself to have an extra special breakfast because of an event or a big presentation for work. These make me want to start my day with a bang. As odd as this sounds, my morning meal greatly affects the next 8 or x-hours of my day, the same way that my mood is affected by whatever it is that I'm reading in the morning. Yes friends, I had one of these mornings two weekends ago :)

I had an event scheduled far South and planned to have a heavy, happy morning meal. P suggested that we go try a new place at the Molito Lifestyle Center across Alabang Town Center. I badly wanted to go to Designer Blooms Cafe, but since I'm a regular at DBC, we checked other restaurants on this strip. Just when I was about to give up because most restos were still closed at 8:00AM, lo and behold, Le Petit Cheri, the establishment at the corner of this food ( and bike ) strip, was open.

Crepe Station
Bonjour!
I am giving them props for putting a great deal of effort in dressing up the place. Natural light that pours through the huge glass windows complements the Paris bistro-inspired interiors. I have always thought that these things could do wonders to make a dining experience extra good. After seeing all these, I had my expectations set.

It wasn't easy to pick just one dish for breakfast. It's a good problem, right? There were just so many to choose from. Their selection was a mix of French, American, and Filipino food and everything on their menu seemed delish! After minutes of trying to convince myself to not have any of the usuals that I always get, I ended up ordering Tapsilog ( Tapa + Sinangag + Itlog ). P ordered the same thing. Sadly, their 7-piece Tapsilog served with microwaved fried rice, failed to deliver :(

Admittedly, P and I weren't happy with the Tapsilog. Furthermore, we also got disappointed with the service. Our server would just put our plates on the table without considering where the coffee should be, etc. It felt like service on a shrug and we found it inappropriate for a place this elegant in a location as prime as Alabang. Obviously, there was a disconnect somewhere.


Saving Grace
Don't worry, that morning wasn't so crummy. Their Brewed Coffee and the Chocolate Truffle Cake that I got made up for the Tapsilog. For dessert, P went for one of their crepes. Poor guy sulked after a few bites and told me that for him, Cafe Breton still makes the best crepes.


Vitamin Coffee


P's Mango Crepe


My choco morning treat that kept me running all day.

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Albeit the slightly so-so experience and P deciding not to come back, it can get a #happytummy post because my day did went well that Saturday. I plan to bring my Mom to Le Petit Cheri one Sunday morning for our brunch date. I would like to give the place another shot and explore the other stuff on their menu. Except for the Tapsilog, I think it may be worth giving a second chance.  ☮..Peace + ❥_Love + Good Vibes.RUSS.

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★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
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✎  LE PETIT CHERI
☎  +63.917.5110138
✉  Unit 8, Molito Lifestyle Center, Madrigal Ave, Muntinlupa City

5 ways to not get pissed with Metro Manila traffic

27-December 2010. I had a job interview set at 8 o' clock in the morning that day. I left my house at 7:20AM and 20-minutes later, I was at the office of my hiring executive. I enjoyed an easy 20-minute drive from my place to Manila. Sadly, this was not normal. A few weeks after joining my current company, I noticed that I was constantly adjusting the time that my phone needed to alarm in the morning. If I wanted to get to the office before 8:00AM, I need to leave my house by 6:00AM.

Going to work was not much of a problem unless there's an accident or an unusual incident on Skyway. However, the build-up at the end of Buendia Exit is always hell and this never fails to irritate me because at least 20-minutes of my time is wasted at this intersection. I would have stressful mornings and bad days. It was not healthy. And finally, I've come to accept that Metro Manila traffic is something that you cannot really get away from. So, instead of letting it affect me, I've found ways to be a bit productive whilst in the middle of traffic.

Read a book  Image Credit: Mine — Having a book in your car or in your bag always comes handy. You can always use the time when traffic isn't moving to have a bit of brain exercise because reading makes you smarter. This mental workout helps build your vocabulary and exposes you to different worlds & varying cultures. At the same time, it flexes your imagination and improves memory skills. On top of all these cognitive benefits, reading books is also a good source of inspiration! I get a lot of ideas from the stuff I read — places to visit, things to do, and new adventures to try.

Make-up on the go  Image Credit: The Guardian — This does not really apply to men.Ü As much as I try to finish all of my morning routine before I step out of my house, there are days that I applying make-up has to be done in the car. Of course, you only do this when your car is not moving. When I was growing up, I'd always see my Mom do her touch-ups in the car. One of my friends' Moms even has rollers on her hair when she drives to work. It's pretty amazing how we women do these things and it's one of the reasons that make us good multi-taskers.

Breakfast!  Image Credit: Mine.Ü — This is only encouraged if you have a driver. So, this means that if you drive yourself to work, this is not for you. You certainly don't want to be part of statistics. There have been reports ( it's #3 on this list ) that a lot of road- car accidents have been attributed to eating inside a vehicle. Sometimes, I really just like to eat or have my morning coffee inside the car while in traffic. Do you sometimes do this?

Responsible social media duties  Image Credit: Mine — Please do this with extreme caution.Ü When the traffic situation is similar to a parking lot, I normally tweet about this. Sometimes, I upload a photo in Instagram. This actually helps. I found myself spared from getting stuck on the road from tweets and IG posts of friends, most especially during rush hour and typhoon-habagat season. You instantly know which roads to avoid. It also helps you decide if you need to pass the time some place if traffic isn't moving.

Thinking time  Image Credit: Mine — I do get to have some thinking time when I'm stuck on the road in the middle of traffic. I spend this alone time to reflect on things in my life, my experiences, how I feel about everyday, what's important and what isn't, my plans, and stuff that I want to do. Ironic as this may sound, I do get to rest my mind a bit and it's actually very therapeutic. I've come to like these moments of peace amidst honking horns and other sounds of the city. Peace does not necessarily mean the absence of noise, right?

That's Metro Manila traffic for me. I've learned how to deal with it and how to live with it. Although part of me still wishes that Metro Manila traffic will improve. If we could only do things the way Japan does - we need a miracle! In my wildest dreams!! How about you? How do you bust off traffic boredom?Ü

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Peace + ❥ Love + Good Vibes. RUSS.

BREAKFAST IS GOOD FOR THE HEART

One of my fab-o friends and I had a very interesting conversation. I'd rot in hell if I don't share it because I want to know what you guys think.
As I got older, I've come to love and enjoy breakfast ... plus breakfast dates. I get this effortless + strike anywhere + no assumptions + no strings attached kind of thing and it's   brimming with possibilities. 

You'll get pogi points if you take a girl on breakfast date & get her fave brekky meal!

 J:   I heard lunch is for people who use each other? Hmmmm ...
 R:  What the hell?
 R:  Am I waiting for something that's gonna make me fall off my chair?
 J:   I picked that up somewhere. :))
 J:   Dinner dates r for those who see somethin' promising.
 J:   Otherwise, there's lunch for just whatevs. LOL.
 R:  That's so, um ... chos! So what's for people like me?
 R:  I like breakfast dates more. Yea, better than lunch and dinner.
 J:   I haven't heard anything ish about breakfast so I guess u're good. HAHA.
 J:   Me loves bfast too more than the other 2. :)
 J:   Especially if it's befast with someone you wanna always wake up next to. :p
 J:   Bfast in bed would be the ish!!! :P
 R:  Right!! And, you might just find yourself ditching all scheduled activities for the day.
 R:  You'll never know :D

#1
You can be in your PJs and still look cute & pretty. You can go without combing your hair and this applies to both men and women. The ladies can just pull their locks into a pony tail or tie it up in a bun. Really, there is no dress code – unless you’re at a really posh hotel that’s uber strict with these kinds of things. When I'm on a trip, I like wearing these bright-colored bandanas so I could be as bright as the sunshine :D  

#2 
You learn so much about another person during breakfast while they do their stuff—doing their own mix of "sawsawan" for their "blank-silog” all-time favorite meal, glugging coffee, milk, or pineapple juice, spreading butter & jam ( notice how they have their feet propped on the chair ), reading the papers, watching UFC, boxing, basketball or whatever sport, getting a dose of current events via DZRH or DZMM, putting that DVD of that Filipino movie they never get tired of watching, and the list goes on! You can have the most mundane yet interesting and mentally stimulating conversations. 

#3
Technically, alcohol can be opted out of the equation but of course, that's optional. It's really nice to go on dates without booze. Some of you may not agree with me because there are people who depend on alcohol to loosen up and to lose their inhibitions. Do you really want that?  

Ready to plan your next breakfast date? :)  
❥ __R.