Thursday, November 4, 2010

Celebrating Lovey’s 45th birthday at Tong Yang Shabu-Shabu & BBQ Restaurant

My wife’s 45th birthday last October 26 couldn’t have started any better.

We heard the 6 a.m. Mass at the Good Shepherd Parish in Fairview to thank God for the gift of life and the blessings she has received for the last forty five years of her earthly existence.

After the Mass, we had a nice breakfast at our favorite Starbucks branch beside FEU Hospital. On birthday leave today, Odette opted to give her mother a visit in Project 8 where I dropped her off before going to work.

In the evening, our whole family went to celebrate at SM Fairview. I chose for us to dine at Tong Yang Shabu-Shabu and BBQ Restaurant because it was a place inside the mall that we haven’t eaten yet and secondly because of its overall gastronomic appeal.

It was way back in 2002 that my family along with my parents last ate at Tong Yang and it was in their well-regarded Quezon Avenue branch. It was a memorable moment as we celebrated my being selected as among one of my office’s outstanding employees of the year. At that time, Odette was on the family way, she was carrying our third son, Joshua.

Not as voracious an eater like me and the two older boys, Junior and Sonny Boy, my wife decided to buy food from a nearby food outlet for her and the two younger children, Joshua and Faith. Agreeably, Tong Yang’s buffet deal is quite good but only if you are really a hearty eater.




It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Tong Yang Restaurant


I’m not sure if all Tong Yang branches have the same buffet prices and offerings, but in SM Fairview New Annex where the branch we went to is located, they offer P299 lunch and P399 dinner buffet deals from Mondays to Fridays. During Saturdays, Sundays and holidays both lunch and dinner meals go up to P499. For an additional 65 pesos, you can compliment your “all you can eat” meal with an “all you can drink” deal. Drinks include various soda products, juices, beer, brewed coffee and tea.





Cooking delectable buffet food at the Tong Yang Restaurant


All avid travelers like me know that half the enjoyment of traveling is in the journey itself. By analogy, cooking one’s food at the restaurant’s table pot and hot plate whose outcome is pretty much based on your preferred taste and cooking manner, is nearly half the gastronomic experience in Tong Yang. The remaining half is savoring the food you just prepared, getting up and going for more food and doing it all over again!


Various flavors and spices are available. I chose the spicy soup base for my invented shabu-shabu. Everything else lay grilled, basking in the melted chunks of butter in our table hot plate. Definitely, my Tong Yang food is not for the fainthearted.




Faith looks over the various buffet items


That’s not too say that diet conscious eaters have no place in Tong Yang. Its food selection is considerably extensive covering most food groups including your salt and fresh water fishes and nutritional leafy greens. The store does claim to have more than a hundred (100) buffet items. On the other hand, judging from what I saw myself, to reach that number, they may have counted everything including the onions, the garlic, the various sauces and then some!





Bonding moments at Tong Yang


Personally, I love the Japanese food section at Tong Yang - SM Fairview. The place is not that big but they were able to squeeze in that section beside the glass wall where passersby can have a glimpse of the food items inside. A bit of advice --- if you’re looking for shrimps and don’t find any among the food trays, ask the staff to bring you some. I don’t know if this is some sort of a restaurant policy but some food may only be obtained by request.




My favorite area - the popular Japanese food section


The number of people eating at the restaurant night was fairly big considering it was a Tuesday night. But it’s always practical to arrive a little earlier than most patrons to get the first crack at the food items available.

Overall rating for Tong Yang - SM Fairview: Four (4) out of five (5) stars


Postscript:

My wife’s 45th birthday couldn’t have ended any better.



Cute and creamy ice cream cake from Dairy Queen


Before going home from SM Fairview, I bought Odette a good sized ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. Earlier we already bought a roll cake for her to bring home but a special birthday called for a special cake. We didn’t have dry ice or any coolant but thankfully it did not melt on the way back home. We were even able to sing a birthday song to Odette before digging in to this frozen delight.



Birthday girl and her cake


She and everyone else in my family simply loved the cake! If you want a taste of heaven, do try them out.




With family friend and neighbor Dennis and nanny Maymay






From young loving family - Happy 45th birthday, Lovey!


Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Immaculata Retreat House


“…let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone

and you can rest a while.”

Mark 6:31 TEV


Everybody needs some time off.

Time to rest. Time to reflect. Precious time to renew one’s relationship with his loved ones…most especially with God.

I can’t remember how I first knew about the Immaculata Retreat House. It was in late 2005 when my former CFC chapter organized a Marriage Enrichment Retreat (MER) 1 at the Immaculata where the unit I shepherd served as the service team. After my ocular inspection of the place, I endorsed it for the MER, believing this venue well suited our activity requirements.




The cross of Christ is the first image you will see as you approach the Immaculata


A few weeks ago, I returned back to a newly refurbished Immaculata Retreat House as retreat master to a new MER 1 my CFC chapter had organized and opened to our cluster. Like the one in 2005, this pastoral activity was a huge success. Thanks to God’s providence, the selfless efforts of his servants and the venue he led us to utilize for this retreat.

The retreat house is run by Conventual Franciscans whose roots can be traced all the way back to the 13th century during the time of St. Francis of Assisi. There are actually three orders of Friars that make up the First Order of Franciscans, all of which live by St. Francis’ so-called Rule of 1223. The Conventual Franciscan Friars who wore gray colored habits were those early friars who cared for people in large urban areas and lived in houses called ‘convents’. On the other hand, the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) popularly known as the “Brown Franciscans” also date back to the time of St. Francis. Officially though, they received their name from Pope Leo XIII only in 1897, the year he merged many smaller branches of the Order into one. The third branch, the Capuchin Friars (who also wore brown habits) was the result of 16th century reforms of the then existing branches.

There were several Franciscan Conventual missionaries who set foot in our country during its rich history preparing the ground for their order’s missionary work of evangelization. They include Blessed Odorico from Friuli, Italy, Venerable Giambattista Lucarelli of Pesaro, Italy and St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, a Polish Friar and Martyr in the concentration camp of Auschwitz during the Second World War.

But it was only in 1979 that the first group of missionary friars of the Casa Mariana in Frigento, a community belonging to the Province of Naples arrived to establish a Mission here in the Philippines.

1982 saw the birth of their first formation house in the country. Under the guidance and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the house was dedicated to her and named the Immaculata Formation House located in Greenfields I Subdivision, Novaliches, Quezon City.




Outside the main conference hall


Concurrent with its development into an Apostolate and Retreat House in 1994, additional structures were constructed to meet the growing needs of the apostolate leading to the establishment of four entities in the premises: the Immaculata friary (1994), the St. Anthony Clinic-Mission (1994), the Immaculata Retreat House (1994), St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Parish Church (2000).

Generally used for retreats and recollections, Immaculata also offers venues for symposiums, conferences, training seminars or even reception for weddings and baptisms.

With advance notification, the retreat house could provide one’s group with a recollection facilitator if needed. Also, there are resident priests available for the Sacraments, spiritual direction and counseling.

Physical amenities include single bedrooms with their own comfort room, single, double and dormitory rooms with common CR, plus 3 air-conditioned rooms. There is a renovated chapel and 2 very functional conference halls that could accommodate around 70 to 100 participants. The refectory/dining hall is easily accessible and there are kiosks available on the grounds for group sharing.





Sumptuous food for the body






Sisters Mariel and Marjorie Crisostomo form part of Immaculata’s efficient and friendly staff






The renovated chapel lost its carpeting but some of the old ottomans are still around





Madonna and child welcome you at the lobby


Today marks the birthday of Mama Mary! It is in her honor that I compose this blog post about a retreat house Conventual Franciscans named after her immaculate conception of our Lord and Savior.






"Give praise to Him because He is good; exalt Him by your deeds; for this reason He has sent you into the whole world: that you may bear witness to His voice in word and deed and bring everyone to know that there is no one who is all-powerful except Him."

St. Francis of Assisi







The main building of the compound








This building holds the parish offices and priests’ quarters







The rear side of adjacent St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe Parish Church







The parish church’s frontage






Rooms are modest but very functional








Holy Mass at the St. Maximilian Hall






Happy couple participants enjoy a hearty meal at the refectory







Looking for a place to “rest a while”?


Immaculata may just be the right place God had in mind for you.

Immaculata Retreat House is located at the Marytown Circle, Greenfields 1 Subdivision, Novaliches, Quezon City.



Thursday, July 8, 2010

Late lunch at the Taaleňa Restaurant



Hungry for lunch, the kids and my wife have been rather fidgety along the trip from Nasugbu to Tagaytay City last July 1. We have gone to a decent eating place called Green ATS on several occasions already so I thought it was time to try out something different. Risking the ire of my famished family members I decided that we check out one of these restaurants that we often passed by along the Tagaytay ridge for a new gastronomic experience and possibly a great new scenic view of the famous Taal Volcano.

On both accounts, I was right. The delayed lunch was worth our while.

The name of the place couldn’t be more appropriate - the Taaleňa Restaurant. Quite near the Tagaytay Rotonda (around 800 meters away), the Our Lady of Lourdes Church and the Canossa Retreat House, it rests at the very heart of the Tagaytay landscape. With an unobstructed view of the volcano, the restaurant is housed in a Spanish-style manor called Casa Taal which is said to have the capacity to handle as many as 600 people. Aside from an impressive view of the entire Taal Lake and Volcano Island with the Highlands peaks, from its vantage point you can also observe Mounts Makiling, Malarayat, Makulot and the Batulao peaks including some areas of Balayan Bay.



Five years in existence we were told, with good food and a captivating view of the famous volcano, I wonder how we could have passed by such a pleasant site so many times in the past. It must have been the thought of expensiveness that kept us away from places like Taaleňa, a consideration not exactly unfounded.


Joshua and Faith roam the beautiful surroundings





Spacious venue for weddings, baptismal and other special occasions




Restaurant facade facing the lake




Finally...lunch!


But relatively higher prices aside, the food we ordered was delicious! We couldn’t eat in Tagaytay without having ‘bulalo’ so we ordered two bowls of their version of the ‘Bulalong Batangas’. My family and I loved the rich warm beefy soup. Another Taaleňa specialty we ordered was their take of the ‘Crispy Tawilis’. The fast vanishing sardine-like fish from Taal Lake was really crunchy, enough to make you eat the whole thing. Of course, dipping it in spicy vinegar would make it a more pleasurable experience! The pork ‘sisig’ was also tasty but quite sweet for my taste. As appetizer, we had an order of ‘sizzling mushrooms’ which I felt with its golden brown gravy were cooked perfectly!

The long time recipes used by the restaurant are said to come from the De Leon Clan of Lemery and Taal, Batangas famous for their discriminating taste in food and culinary know-how.


Native food worth the long trip


With the restaurant all to ourselves, a singing duet approached us while we were munching on our lunch meals, singing our requested ABBA songs like ‘Fernando’ and ‘Chiquita’ with veteran precision. It was a welcomed distraction though under more regular circumstances, I would more willingly prefer to enhance my eating experience with just the stunning ambiance, of say…the Taal Lake.


Enjoying the stunning ambiance of Taal Volcano




At any rate, it would suffice to say that we’ll definitely be back to try out their other specialties.

Taaleňa Restaurant is located at Casa Taal, Km. 54, Silang Crossing West, Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City.

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars



Monday, July 5, 2010

A tale of two Nasugbu beaches (El Cacar and Canyon Cove)

When I first heard that this year’s June 30 was declared a special non-working holiday on account of President Noynoy Aquino’s inauguration as the country’s 15th President, I started thinking where I could spend it with the family. So many places I wanted to go, so many things I wanted to do, so many happenings I wanted to experience and share with my family. On the eve of the inauguration day, I even got a text from a CFC (Couples for Christ) brod that he could give me no less than 16 tickets to the said inauguration. They were tickets to reserved seats in front of the stage no less. I didn’t vote for Noynoy but I do wish him well and believe in his sincerity to lead his country out of poverty and endemic corruption mainly through good and effective governance. But historic as it may, the thought of bringing my family through endless queues and checkpoints, sweating it out in a sea of thousands of supporters under the threat of heavy rains was simply not on my mind.

Our final travel destination began to finally form when Odette my wife accepted a two-day team building consultancy job to be held in Nasugbu, Batangas from June 30 to July 1.

I wanted to spare her of at least the hardships of commuting very early to the place considering no company driver and vehicle was assigned for her travel. I thought it was a good compromise because the kids wanted to swim and beach resorts obviously ran abound in the municipality of Nasugbu, a place we have not been for quite a long time now.

With a very timely financial allowance given to employees in my office, good off-season rates and low room occupancy rates and the availability of CFC brod Rico Nicolas whom we hire for many of our out of town travels, our family was off to Batangas!

Our destination - El Cacar Beach Resort.



El Cacar Beach Resort


During the summer months, I have been trying to browse through the internet in search of good beaches to bring my family. Looking at the Nasugbu area, one name came popping out. Formerly known as La Alpea Resort, El Cacar located at Apacible Blvd., Bgy. Wawa, Nasugbu, Batangas seemed to be a popular destination.

The shortest and only route that I know of to Nasugbu, Batangas (from Metro Manila) is via Tagaytay City. You can take either the Coastal Road or the South Super Hi-way (via Carmona). Then take the Aguinaldo Hi-way to Tagaytay. Though I strongly suggest that you take the Sta. Rosa exit from the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) when going to Tagaytay. When you reach the T Junction, turn right, go pass by the Tagaytay Rotonda and straight on to Alfonso, Cavite until you reach Nasugbu, Batangas. Follow directional signs to Nasugbu’s town proper. When you see the only Jollibee in that area on your left side, turn left on that adjacent street. When you reach the dead end or the beach, turn right. About 250 meters away, you will see El Cacar Beach Resort on the left side or the beach side of the street.

Make sure you talk to the resort owners directly instead of the middlemen outside the premises to avoid additional costs. Call up Pam Ramos at their Paraňaque office or look for her brother Eric at the site itself.




Outside our room with CFC Brod Rico Nicolas





The ‘Pamela’ room


The resort itself was more or less what I expected. With no misleading claims that they are class A or B, this unassuming middle of the pack resort is well suited for the budget conscious vacation traveler. The two bed air-con room (‘Pamela’) we got with cable TV, ref and own CR for the off-peak day trip rate of 2,000 pesos was still quite reasonable, though rates posted at their sites were still the old ones and need to be regularly updated.

As soon as we settled in, I accompanied my two younger impatient kids who were raring to swim to the beach itself. The sight we saw bombarded me with mixed emotions. From afar, the sound of rushing waves and the view of the blue sea and fine sand was very inviting. However, as we approached the beach front itself, the unsightly presence of garbage everywhere was very saddening to say the least. Man-made wastes particularly plastic bags, sacks and packaging material lay on the beach sands and came floating on the rushing waters. Name your pick of junk food, chances are you’ll see its wrapper floating around.





The resort’s beachfront






Environmental waste was scattered all over


Apparently, property owners practiced cleaning their respective beach fronts, thus the varying degrees of cleanliness across the stretch of the Nasugbu shoreline. Since a considerable amount of the garbage that ran ashore presumably came from nearby areas, much has yet to be done to raise the environmental awareness and concern of the whole local population.



The kids loved the strong waves




Sonny does a remake of a ‘Karate Kid’ scene



Litter notwithstanding, my family tried to make the most of this otherwise beautiful beach. The moderately strong waves this part of the Batangas coastline was a highlight of our enjoyment. All our four kids loved the challenge the waves posed, anticipating and hoping every one that came was a ‘big’ one! “Is that all you got!” Joshua constantly yelled as if taunting the seas. We would all have a fun time seeing Joshua get what he asked with an onslaught of large waves crashing all over us one after the other!



Surfing, anyone?



Despite the strong waves, the beach was moderately safe for young kids especially with their floaters worn as the shoreline was rather shallow for a considerable distance. Batangas beaches have the tendency to be rocky making it more difficult to walk or swim through them. Fortunately, the beaches here in Nasugbu have fine grayish sand that is gentle to one’s feet.





Lunch with Jollibee Chicken Joy






This white cat pestered us all throughout our lunch time





Rolling with the waves


After lunch, we continued to relish the splashing waves, rolling with them as they moved rapidly toward the seashore.





Equipped with floaters



The route to the beachfront



By mid afternoon, one by one we had to leave the beach to clean up and prepare to accompany my wife to her training venue which was said to be nearby.

Overall rating for El Cacar Resort: 2 and a half out of five stars


By four o clock we were on the move again.


Next stop - Canyon Cove Residential Beach Resort





A short ten minute drive from the Nasugbu poblacion, you enter into a totally different Nasugbu beach property. Canyon Cove Beach resort is a condotel with a stunning beach view and shoreline. Touted as a worry free investment for prospective members, homeowners and unit owners, the resort boasts of world class amenities some of which we did see as we initially went around the place. Actually, the place is still undergoing construction/renovation in many areas being under new management, a joint venture development project between Tagaytay Grassland, Inc. (TGCI) and the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB).




At the Condotel lobby








Mediterranean-inspired villas that house the condominiums are interspersed inside the cove while Condotels located at the North and South wing of the main building; many enjoying a commanding view of the South China Sea.







Stunning beachfront



Surprisingly, the cove’s beach has white sand. I’m not sure whether this is a natural occurrence or may have been transported there from somewhere else. At any rate, the beach surface as you submerge still tends to be rocky as my kids told me.




Inside Lovey’s assigned room






Junior enjoys the room’s breathtaking view


Captivated by the stunning ambience of Canyon Cove, what we originally planned only as a whole day of rest and recreation became an overnight affair as my wife eventually convinced me for everyone to stay if the company that hired her as a training consultant would allow our family to stay in her room. A request that was happily granted. It was also good that CFC Bro. Rico Nicolas whom we often contracted for his transportation services agreed to stay with us in Nasugbu.

And so…the thrill of Nasugbu continued!





The calm and enticing waters of Canyon Cove






Several villas remained unrehabilitated







Dinner time at Nasugbu's Chowking outlet


My family stayed much of the time inside the room watching cable TV as Odette did her stuff as trainer. We did go out for a while in the evening as we had dinner at the town’s Chowking outlet. Unless you were filthy rich or famous as the actors currently doing a shoot at for a telenovela in Canyon Cove while we were there, I wouldn’t recommend that you dine in at the resort because of the pricey prices.

For all its progress, Nasugbu didn’t really have so many fast food restaurants as one would imagine. But I guess in a sense that actually adds to its somewhat rustic appeal.






Overnight bonding with my family






Breakfast at Jollibee


As my wife had her morning meal with the company officials, we had our breakfast at Jollibee – Nasugbu. It was a fast breakfast as the kids particularly Joshua and Faith have been raring to jump into the Canyon Cove pools and have fun at white sand beach since yesterday.





Faith and Joshua enjoy the wide child-friendly pools...






…and the combed white sand beach!





The older Kuyas (brothers) are ‘allergic’ to the Sun

Like my two older sons Junior and Sonny Boy, I decided not to try the waters anymore content in just exploring the beach front, hanging around one of the beach’s cottages and looking after my two younger children.

Unlike their older siblings, Joshua and Faith basked in the heat of the sun as they enjoyed the resort’s child-friendly swimming pools. I think they better liked those swimming pools as against the beach that while comparatively cleaner than the nearby beaches, still had many of those irritating rocky pebbles that could hurt your unprotected feet.

Still, Canyon Cove is a Batangas destination that I would recommend provided you really, really save for that special family weekend vacation.

Overall rating for Canyon Cove Residential Beach Resort: 3 and a half out of 5 stars






Nasugbu’s St. Francis Xavier Parish Church with its arched ceiling and wood carved chandeliers


As we left Canyon Cove early in the afternoon, we passed by a historic landmark of Nasugbu, the St. Francis Xavier Parish Church to thank God for our safe and joyous excursion.

While the edifice is relatively new considering much of its construction happened only during the 1990’s, the history of previous parishes and churches in Nasugbu, now a 1st class municipality in Batangas has been rich and for a time underwent a sad and dark turn of events.

The Roman Catholic Church in Nasugbu once was under the jurisdiction of the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Balayan. The first chapel was constructed in Barangay Looc along with a convent for the parish priest. Later, the town transferred to its present location in the Sitio. An “old church” (lumang simbahan) in 1852 was dedicated to the Nuestra Seňora Virgen de le Escalera and Saint Francis Xavier. Sadly, the church was desecrated during the war for our independence against Spain in 1896. As the people of Nasugbu rose against the Spanish colonial regime, members of the Spanish Army locked up almost 500 men, women and children inside the church and then set fire to it. The Holy Mass was never again celebrated in that church after that ungodly massacre.

Another parish church was built on the present site on Laurel Street. Eventually he growing population in the municipality required the construction of a much larger church which led to the construction of the present Nasugbu Church. One point of interest with regard to the physical features of the church is a whole set of the carillon bells from France installed in 2006 at the church tower.

Of course, one also has to appreciate the beauty of the main altar with its expensive hardwood carvings. The altar has a restored antique wooden cross with the crucified Christ surrounded by statues of the Immaculate Conception, St. Francis Xavier and Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the whole province. The focus of course of the whole altar is on the Tabernacle of the Most Holy Sacrament where the real presence of Christ resides!





Beside the church’s baptismal font





The Nasugbu Church is declared a Pilgrimage Church under the Centennial Celebration of the Archdiocese of Lipa


Thank you, Lord for such a wonderful family outing in Nasugbu! Hope we could come back again to these idyllic places in western Batangas.

That afternoon we had another adventure in store…hopefully a sumptuous late lunch in Tagaytay!