Out Of The House

Wedding Bells: Joycee + Mark!

February 20, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 1 Comment

My friend Joyce and her ex-boyfriend turned husband Mark proved yesterday that love really is sweeter the second time around. Yes, I’m still on a wedding high.

I wish I had better photos but we were seated at the back most of the time, and this was the best that the zoom on Mr C’s digicam could do.

Reciting their vows

You may now kiss the bride

I’m so happy we made it to the church.

Hi Joycee, I see you too!

First timer. Make a wish!

Waiting for the bride and groom to come out.

Converted to B&W coz the photo’s over exposed.

Happy newlyweds.

Joyce.

Mark.

Me.

At the reception.

Silly.

So happy we got to be there on Joyce & Mark’s special day!

A Visit to Ark Avilon Zoo

February 8, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

When my in-laws came home for our wedding last year, we really did our best to make the most out of their time in Manila. One of the places we got to visit was Ark Avilon Zoo in Pasig. Originally, my father in law wanted to visit the big Avilon Zoo in Rizal, but since we were short of time and the weather wasn’t all that friendly, we decided to go for the simpler destination instead.

It wasn’t the kiddo’s first zoo visit, but it was the first time he got to feed animals in an interactive environment. He had so much fun with his dad and grandpa, and this made me really happy that we chose to go. Thing is, I’m not really the type who considers spending time with animals as a fun weekend activity, and so I was extremely glad that we only went to the mini zoo. The nice thing about Avilon is that it’s clean and well maintained, so at least I managed to calm my nerves after a while.

Checking out the souvenirs with Lolo Bach

The little guy got so excited when the Guinea Pigs started running towards him

I’m glad that the kiddo got to spend lots of time with his Lolo Bach while they were here. I know how important it is for grandparents and their grandkids to spend time together so I really hope we get to see them again soon, whether it’s back here in Manila or in the US.

What activities do your kiddos like to do with their grandparents?

Ark Avilon Zoo
Frontera Verde, Ortigas Avenue Corner C-5,
Pasig City, Philippines
(632) 706-2992 / (632) 706-2483 / (632)706-2993
arkavilon@yahoo.com.ph

A Day Before "I Do"

February 5, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Stumbled upon some fun photos from a day before our wedding while sorting my files earlier. Just thought I’d share. These were taken at the Bellevue Hotel the night before we said “I do.” It was the closest I had to a night out with the girls before finally settling down.

Maid of Honor, fresh from dengue. Trying on her dress.

Me being vain.

Me being a vain goofball.

Mommy Ira and Flower Girl Sofia doing their nails.

Bridesmaid # 1 + MOH after they escaped to the poolside to get a drink.

Please don’t eat me Rocky!

Sisters + our sistah from another fathah.

Sisters

BFF

My bestfriend who tried so hard not to cry hahaha!

Gulat?

Tabachingching Flower Girl excited for her bath.

Swimming sa bath tub!


Pretty. I want this on my wall at home.

Southbound! vol.2 – A Visit To The Zoo

November 28, 2011 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

The second stop on our Southbound family day trip last November 1 was Residence Inn, Tagaytay. This wasn’t the kiddo’s first time to come here, but the last time we were at this zoo, he was only around 3 years old. He probably has no recollection of his first visit, so this particular trip felt like a fun and exciting first time for the little one. I, on the other hand, get all nervy and squeamish at zoos because I’m not really fond of wildlife, or the great outdoors. I’d even go as far as to say that I’m perfectly content seeing them all on National Geographic. But of course, in the interest of giving my 5-year old an memorable experience, I’m proud to say that I managed to get through most of the afternoon with a smile.

Just finished their photo op with a giant snake

Apart from some pretty birds, the rest of the animals at the zoo actually looked frail and skinny. I really felt bad for them, and I wonder if they are being given enough food and water. A few months back, I had the chance to visit the Ark Avilon Zoo, and the animals there were much livelier than the ones at Residence Inn. I was particularly bothered by the monkeys, tigers and lions, as they looked rather grim.

This bird has better eye makeup than I do!

In my honest opinion, the entrance fees At Residence Inn are ridiculously high. If I remember correctly, we were charged around 250 Pesos per person. Considering the amount of money one needs to shell out to enter, you would think that the animals would look a little more healthy and filled with life.

Anyway, here are a few more photos from our afternoon visit:

We finished looking around just in time for the Animal Encounter and Cultural Show. The Encounter was a lot of fun for the kids who got to experience holding some of the zoo animals. When it was time to call mommy volunteers, one of the ladies tried convincing me to go onstage. I’m glad that I forcefully declined because the mommies were made to carry a giant snake! I would have completely freaked out. Meanwhile, the little guy willingly joined the animal handlers in front when he was called to volunteer. I’m glad that he enjoys learning about animals, and he’s not afraid to get close to them and touch them.

The Kiddo being interviewed during the Animal Experience show

The program culminated with a cultural dance presentation, and you could try to dance the tinikling at the very end. As always, I chose to sit that one out. Yes, I can be boring like that.

These dances originated from the northern part of the Philippines

Residence Inn has other activities too, like zip lining, a restaurant and souvenir shop. So, when was the last time you visited the zoo?

Residence Inn Tagaytay
Km. 65 Barrio Neogan, Tagaytay City
(02) 899- 9828
http://zoomanity.com.ph/2011/03/residence-inn/

Zonta Muntinlupa’s Moroccan Bazaar

November 13, 2011 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

It’s bazaar season again in Ayala Alabang! Every year I look forward to weekend after weekend of bazaars at the Cuenca Community Center, and I try to check out as many of them as I can. This year’s series of bazaars kicked off with the Zonta Club of Muntinlupa’s Moroccan Bazaar held last October 22-23. So far this has been the only bazaar for the year that I’ve visited. It’s a good thing I stumbled upon some nice finds when I was there.

Notable Stall #1: Aklateklat / Local Loco Deli
09189193913 / palabrasletras@yahoo.com / ilovelocalloco@yahoo.com
www.aklateklat.com

The Aklateklat brand is actually something I discovered a few years back in Powerbooks. I love their leather book jackets and unique bookmarks. This is really something for the bookworms. I was looking at buying a pink jacket for my pocketbook sized paperbacks, but they didn’t have it on hand. This was probably a good thing, since theirs was the first stall I visited, and it would have been a bad thing to wipe out my budget right at the start.

The stall was shared with Local Loco Deli, which featured assorted locally made and grown food products. They sold coffee beans from different provinces, bottled longganisa bits, tapa and tinapa flakes, and different kinds of vinegar and other sauces. Everything they sold was 100% Pinoy.

Notable Stall #2: Z.E.N. All Organic
09178360403 / zenallorganic@gmail.com
#/zenallorganic

I have extremely sensitive, high maintenance skin, and the sudden emergence of all of these locally made, all natural and organic products has made my life so much simpler. Z.E.N. All Organic has the nicest smelling soaps and an assortment of other personal care and beauty products which are all 100% organic.

Notable Stall #3: Gia Narciso’s Note Pads

Call 09175793535 to order

I love to write, and I actually have a small collection of notepads, stationery and sticky notes. I would love to receive everything from this stall as a Christmas gift. The designs are all original, and the pads and notebooks are all made with high quality paper. I’m actually considering buying my Christmas gifts for my son’s teachers from them. For those who are interested, they will be back in Cuenca for the St. James Bazaar on November 26-30.

Notepads with matching notebooks in original designs

Notable Stall #4: Quazar Electronics & Gadgets

Call Majeid at 09228122587 to order.

www.tipidpc.com (User: quazar_10)

I love it when techie things come in pretty packages. Quazar’s stall was home to some of the cutest thumbdrives I have ever seen. They have all sorts of thumbdrives, from Angry Birds to cans of beer, car alarms, fastfood items, balls and cameras. My favorite would have to be their SLR designs. They come in 2GB and 4GB storage capacities.

Perfect gift for photographers and photo enthusiasts

Notable Stall #5: Japanese Salad Dressing

09178137462

My dad is addicted to Japanese salad dressing, particularly the sesame flavored ones. He has them bought somewhere in Makati, which makes it a little inconvenient when we suddenly run out. Fortunately I discovered that they already sell the stuff here in Alabang. Aside from the bazaars, you can also find them at the village Saturday Market. It’s nice to know as well that the dressing comes in many other flavors. Personally, while I do think the sesame variant is good, I think it might be time to explore the other flavors as well.

Notable Stall #6: Artwine Home of Adorable Felt Products

09174292684

http://shopartwine.com/

The handmade felt pouches on display were so cute that I just had to approach this stall and take a closer look. They had all sorts of designs in bright, fun colors. Going through their website, I discovered that these are also available at Fully Booked.

While I was busy looking around, my two boys decided to try some of the food that was being sold at the bazaar.

I was kind of expecting that there would at least be Moroccan food being sold, but I was told by a friend that the Moroccan theme was only adapted for the decor. One design element I really liked were the little trivia boards scattered around the area. It was actually pretty fun reading them and learning a little more about Moroccan culture.

He enjoyed looking for all of these trivia signs

At the end of my bazaar shopping spree, I ended up taking home these neat goodies:

Notepad + Notebook Set from Gia Narcisso

Vigan and Cabanatuan Longganisa Bits and Monk’s Blend Bukidnon Coffee from Local Loco Deli

Young Bamboo and Pink Guava Bath Soap and Strawberry Lip Butter from Z.E.N. All Organic

It’s too bad that I’ve already missed two bazaar weekends, no thanks to my erratic schedule. I’m hoping I’ll be able to visit the upcoming ones, specially the biggest annual bazaar held in Ayala Alabang, the St. James Bazaar. It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Cuenca.

Southbound: Cliffhouse Tagaytay

November 12, 2011 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

One day, Mr C, Ate B, the Kiddo and I took off on a roadtrip to Tagaytay. We wanted to make the most out of the long weekend, and so we decided to head somewhere we could just relax and spend quality time together. One thing I really appreciate about living in Alabang is that we are just a few hours away from great vacation spots. Even a simple day trip up to Tagaytay, Batangas or Laguna is enough to wash away day to day stress, and some much needed R&R is exactly what we got on this trip.

We were really lucky that we didn’t hit any traffic on our way, although I was really anticipating clear roads since most vacationers had already left for their respective destinations a few days earlier.

Passing thru Nuvali en route to Tagaytay!

First stop was Cliffhouse for brunch. I had been to Cliffhouse before on an impromptu Tagaytay dinner roadtrip with my family. Of course, in the evening, you don’t get to appreciate the view, so I was really loving the ambiance that morning, even though the skies were gloomy and grey.

Of course, the first thing we did when we got there was take pictures so we’d have a lot of them to share with our relatives abroad. Warning: Photo dump coming up!

We eventually got hungry, as expected. Since Ate Baban hadn’t tried the food at Firelake yet, we decided to eat there.

Braised Australian lamb shank served with saffron-herb risotto, whole roasted garlic and lamb stock reduction (PHP740)

Asparagus and mushroom risotto with home-made sweet fennel sausages (PHP310)

Grilled Norwegian salmon fillet with butter-glazed vegetables, warm couscous salad and Dalandan butter sauce (PHP470)

We were all stuffed after that super yummy meal, but of course, there’s always room for dessert! While the others got scoops of ice cream from FIC, I decided to try Mochiko for the first time. I chose the green tea flavored ball, and while I really enjoyed the ice cream inside, i wasn’t too fond of the sticky rice coating, and I found it pretty difficult to eat.

They look so cute when they’re next to each other like this

Brunch was only the beginning of our Southbound Day Trip. Read part 2 here!

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Firelake Grill Tagaytay
Unit 3 Cliffhouse Tagaytay, Aguinaldo Highway
Lungsod ng Tagaytay 4120
(046) 483 2069 / (0927) 914 4604
http://www.firelakegrill.com

Mochiko
Unit 3 Cliffhouse Tagaytay
Tent 2 Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City
(0999) 884 0624
#/mochikomochi