Tagaytay

An Enchanting Taal Vista Evening and our Staycation, Day2

September 19, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 4 Comments

In case you missed it, please check out yesterday’s post about our first day at Taal Vista Hotel, Tagaytay. I ask you to do this because I need for you to see the gorgeous (but blurry, sorry) photo of the hotel garden at night. Notice the path of lights and the tent-like structure on the right side of the photo? That’s where we had dinner during our Tagaytay staycation.

That was the special surprise that our hosts, Celine and Treena, Chef Edwin, and the rest of their team at Taal Vista Hotel put together for us. It was such a magical setup, perfect for a proposal, an anniversary celebration, or any ordinary night when you want your special someone to feel extra special. Yup, you can have the hotel arrange a beautiful dinner under the stars for you. So romantic! It was a great anniversary dinner for MrC and I, although we had to share it with the rest of our group haha!

A Special September Weekend at Taal Vista Hotel: Our Anniversary Celebration, Year Two

September 18, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 21 Comments

Before anything else, I have to apologize because this post is a few days late. I was supposed to publish this last Sunday, but then I got sick and really wasn’t able to function properly until, well, now. So this post has been sitting in my drafts folder for a few days, but the good news is (and believe me, it’s good news for you guys too, you’ll find out why later), it is finally here. This is the story of our Taal Vista Hotel Staycation!

MrsC Loves Taal Vista Hotel — Taal Vista Hotel, I LOVE you!

Tagaytay Weekend: My Kind of Monday Morning

October 9, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Tagaytay is one of the nicest places to be in the morning, especially during the cooler months. Being able to spend a quiet Monday morning in Tagaytay sure beats rush hour traffic, a barrage of emails and a full to-do list. A yummy breakfast at a lovely restaurant overlooking Taal Volcano makes the morning even sweeter. And so, that’s what I gave myself as a birthday present last February!

I realized just now that I don’t have a photo of the view from Restaurant Verbena. But take my word for it, it was a gorgeous morning with just enough sunshine to make everything beautiful, and a little nip in the air that made us feel like we were actually taking a break from our real lives.

The package we purchased from Deal Grocer came with breakfast for two, and the little guy still gets served free breakfast at hotels. As Mr C would say, “That’s a lotta savings!”

English Breakfast Tea for me, since I don’t like barako coffee

As expected, the little guy wanted pancakes. Mr C ordered the Tinapa Omelette and I had Huevos Rancheros. The servings were huge! If you plan on having breakfast here, make sure you’re hungry!Breakfast at Restaurant Verbena includes coffee, tea or hot chocolate, and a mini buffet of fresh fruits, juices, and assorted breads. While waiting for our food to be served, we started munching on bread and fruits. I love bread, and so I was beyond happy that we could have as much bread as we wanted that morning. Yes, this is why I’m fat.

Huevos Rancheros (PHP390.00)
Gently cooked in a Spiced Bell Pepper, Chorizo and Tomato Salsa and served with Garlic-Roasted Potatoes

Tagaytay Tinapa Omelet (PHP360.00)
Creamy Omelet with Smoked Tinapa, Garlic Rice, Parmesan-Baked Tomato and Tagaytay Pimiento Salsa

Country Pancakes (PHP360.00)
Two Fluffy Pancakes, Breakfast Bangers, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon & Maple Syrup

I would have wanted to get more bread, but since the breakfast plates were so heavy I didn’t have room for it anymore. Instead, I had a small serving of fruit and juice. Nothing like something sweet to end a satisfying meal.

We all really enjoyed the yummy breakfast at Restaurant Verbena, and our stay at Discovery Country Suites. The staff was very accommodating and cheerful, which is a huge plus. I definitely want to stay there again so we can experience their other rooms, and the rest of their breakfast specials. I love that Tagaytay is just a short car ride away. It’s my favorite place to go for an instant escape. Maybe I should start planning our next trip!

RESTAURANT VERBENA
DISCOVERY COUNTRY SUITES
300 Calamba Road,
San Jose, Tagaytay City
4120 Philippines
+(63 46) 413.4567 (Tagaytay)
+(63 2) 529.8172 (Manila)
+(63 927)523.2139
dcsrsvn@discovery.com.ph
www.discoverycountrysuites.com
#/DiscoveryCountrySuites

P.S. I’d love it if you could visit the other posts from my Tagaytay birthday weekend!

Tagaytay Weekend: Dinner at Restaurant Verbena

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

Our family spent the night at Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay as part of my birthday weekend celebration last February. Since we were already there, we decided to just have dinner at Restaurant Verbena instead of going out to eat. I’d heard good reviews about the place, and was really looking forward to trying the food. I was a bit unsure though of what I would feed the little guy. TLC is not a picky eater, but the food at Verbena isn’t really suited for little kids.

I first asked for the Organic Mozzarella Cheese Pot as an appetizer because in our family, you can never go wrong with anything made of cheese. I was disappointed when the server told me that the dish was not available because they had run out of mozzarella cheese. That meant that the Crispy Fried Mozzarella was out too. Our meal wasn’t starting out as smoothly as I had hoped it would, and it was a bit frustrating. My dinner dates were getting hungry, so I just ended up picking a few things I thought we all might like, and hoping that the little boy wouldn’t fuss over our meal. It’s a good thing we were served bread with assorted spreads to help keep our hunger at bay and our moods light.

Bread + Liver Pate, Herb Butter and Sundried Tomatoes

Tagaytay Weekend: Lunch at Buon Giorno

June 3, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Our last stop on my birthday weekend getaway last February was Buon Giorno at Cliffhouse Tagaytay for a late lunch. It was an overcast day, and the Tagaytay air was chilly. As soon as we arrived, Mr C went ahead and took his mandatory panoramic photos of the place and the view.

Welcome to Cliffhouse
Buon Giorno is the restaurant on the right, overlooking the lake

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/