We all first met during the Manila Peninsula seige -first night I have ever experienced a “Metro-wide Curfew.” The trip that started it all: Ilocos Norte Heritage Photoholic Tour, November 30-December 3, 2007
Batch 1! Glad to see these guys again before the Christmas break and just recently at the Travel Factore New Year party at Club Industry last Saturday.
Image source: Francis Liamzon
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According to Wikipedia, Lemuria, like Atlantis and Zealandia, is the name of a hypothetical lost land supposedly located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is one of those ancient civilizations that carry with it mystic and allure. The Lemuria I was introduced to last Sunday is definitely not a sunken continent especially when it has made its mark hovering afloat as one of Manila’s best restaurants.
As the car veered toward the driveway leading to the The Winery where Lemuria is located, the privacy of the compound breathes a sense of secrecy and serenity. The garden greets with a smile as you step closer to the Mediterranean-inspired country house, nestled among flowering shrubs. The restaurant has limited space, adequate enough to accommodate 20 people. The interior display had a quirky appeal to it as Christmas decors abound –tablecloths had the Santa knits weaved on it.
From the same owner of Brumms Quality Wines Inc. Marian “Kitt” Bru Schroeder shares to us a space in her own front yard by transforming the upper deck of The Winery into a charming restaurant. The short menu echoes classics from the French-Mediterranean region. As for the extensive cellar, the restaurant offers wine from Germany, Romania, Austria, and from other areas in the European region.
The professional servers are well versed in the dishes and wine list and will gladly help you make a selection. Marjo attended to us with much fervor that makes the ambience so embracing.
On the Table:
Walnut and Focaccia Bread with Sun Dried Tomato and Butter (Free)
Walnut bread was moist, not too crumbly and had the right texture. It certainly whets the appetite for what’s more to come.
Mushroom and Gruyere Soup PHP 320
Generous portions that start with fresh, high quality ingredients make up the menu and the specials. We had the soup split into two and it seemed like the chef added more so we can share it satisfyingly in bigger portion. Gruyere with its somewhat beefy taste heightened what’s already a flavorful mushroom soup. Note that they also did not scrimp on the Gruyere cheese.
Chris wanted to order wine to go with the Sunday lunch but I declined since we were going to get a massage right after.
Braised Lamb Shank with Apricot and Red Wine Sauce PHP 880
I was undecided between the rib-eye or the lamb shank (having had this only a few days before) but trusting Marjo’s recommendation, lamb was again the preference that day. This was the only miss among what was prepared for us. It was a big chunk of meat, which made the carnivore in me really exuberant, positioned upright on soft polenta bed. The polenta was perfect and I wish I could say the same for the lamb shank. The lamb shank was quite dry sans a healthier color. The dish was accompanied by an extra serving of red wine sauce but the luscious sauce was not enough to mask the meat in drought. The meat was a bit on the tough side –that leaves me perplexed if the meat was supposed to be braised or slow-cooked. The worst for me is the unappetizing murky brown/grayish color of the inside meat and there was an unusual distinct taste to it –like old meat, that taste where sometimes leftover (thrice reheated) beef meat taste like at home.
It was something I wanted to shrug off but I couldn’t bring myself to touching the meat again much more have it in front of me so I reluctantly raised it up. Marjo was bewildered but apologetic. Bewildered because this particular lamb was taken from the same batch they served the night before and they received no complaints. The sous chef also approached our table and profusely apologized. I asked her if she saw anything wrong it as I invited Marjo and the rest of the team to try the part I haven’t touched. The sous chef (my bad for forgetting the name) was honest enough to say that she didn’t see anything wrong with it but offers that her specialty lies more on pastries and desserts. There was an affable exchange of points –where she explained that red wine must’ve caused the brown color and where I shared that I’ve had meat before cooked in red wine but this was strangely dark brown compared to the lamb shanks I’ve tried before. Marjo offered to replace the dish but I politely declined.
Kurobuta Pork Belly PHP 760
Braised pork belly served with garlic potato puree with peppercorn sauce on the side. Elegant in its simplicity of flavors, sprinkled with my favorite pink peppercorn –which I usually find in desserts instead of savories. Chris wiped his plate out just giving me a couple of bites. The pork belly was moist and flavorful –with just enough fat that you’d want to take.
Valrhona Chocolate Souffle Cake with Cinnamon Orange Ice Cream PHP 260 (Waived)
All the luscious desserts make me want to order more than one, but we settled on their bestseller. A soufflé is light, fluffy, baked dish usually served in a ceramic dish. The more unforgettable ones are the savory soufflés in Le Soufflé. The Valrhona Chocolate Souffle Cake of Lemuria stands on its own with a crunchy outer crust while harmonized with an orange ice cream balanced on a sweet crispy thin, which essence reminded me of a local cookie. The ice cream had a subtle citrus taste to it that complemented the sweet-bitterness of the chocolate.
Immediately addressing a client’s feedback shows that the staff takes great pride in this restaurant and works very hard along with the owner to make sure everything is done right. I really welcome the attention that was given and the flawless service during a slow Sunday lunch. The well-crafted ambience and the rest of the passionately prepared dishes were excellent –to say the least, truly an indication that Lemuria encompasses the hallmarks of the very origin of the name with great success. I’ve heard previous patrons rate it as “fabulous and friendly” and would always find a way to return to this restaurant of mysticism and elusiveness for the aura and cuisines with French Mediterranean flair. The courtyard villa is home to beautiful array of flowers and plants and as we walk towards our parked car, it ushers us for a visit yet again.
Thanks Chris for this Sunday lunch date. It’s been well over a year since I’ve wanted to try this place and surprise you… but you beat me to it.
Lemuria is located at 5 Julieta Circle, Horseshoe Village, Quezon City. If you want a Lemuria experience, kindly make a reservation at 724-5211/722-2185. For more info, visit their website: www.brumms.com.ph.
Email: kitt.schroeder@brumms.com.ph
Source: http://www.gmanews. tv/story/ 139502/Unlimited -text-messaging- voice-calls- temporarily- suspended- next-week
NTC imposed a temporary suspension on unlimited SMS and voice call promotions during the holidays. This was arranged in order to prevent network abuse during Christmas and New Year where SMS messaging and voice calls are expected to double. Both industry-known mobile networks’ unlimited promotions will not be in effect from December 23, 11pm until 6am of Christmas Day, December 25. This will also be implemented same time from December 30 to January 1, 2009.
I haven’t used the unlimited text service for a year and have no qualms about the promotions as long as lines are not clogged during the said dates –and SMS messages arrive on time. According to GMANews.TV, the country’s 65 million mobile phone users send an average of 700 million to a billion text messages a day. No wonder these mobile networks are able to overspend on advertising and sponsorship.
During the Red Ribbon launch, Rowena walks up to me and introduces me to a lady. This lady happens to be the winner of my Bratpack Diaries online contest. It’s always a thrill to meet my readers/blog visitors and gain new friends. It was such a pleasure to meet you Jenny! Congratulations once again.
Stay tuned to this site for more promo and online contests.
XOXO,
Between Bites
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Powerplant Mall Presents:
Chef’s Banquet at the Concourse
Level P1, Concourse Center Aisles
December 17-18, 2008
5PM-8PM
The Power Plant Mall holds a gustatory feast on the first three Wednesdays and Thursdays of December with the Chef’s Banquet at the Concourse.
Food aficionados will be welcomed to the Chef’s Banquet by a gastronomic buffet setup of appetizers and cocktails courtesy of nine participating restaurants of the Power Plant Mall. Those craving for the familiar taste of the Orient can choose from the Eastern Block’s Pho 24, Kaya, Kulinarya, Wild Ginger, and Zaifu. Meanwhile, representing the lineup of restaurants with cuisine from the Western Block are Café Mediterranean, Myron’s, Piazzo Pazzo, and Sugarhouse. All these restaurants each prepared three appetizers and a cocktail made especially for the event.
The Chef’s Banquet is no ordinary buffet because here, customers are free to mix appetizers and cocktails from the different restaurants and pay only for what they order. Highly-anticipated favorites to be savored at the said event are the Dak Bulgogi, Grarlax sampler, Samosas, Cigars, Dragon Rolls, Roast Australian Leg of Lamb, Fresh Shrimp Rolls, Zuppa Melone con Proscuitto e Basil, and Quichés. For those who still crave for more, they can also visit the participating restaurants’ main outlets found on the same floor as the event area.
A backdrop of laid-back luxury and jazz music, with furniture courtesy of Cebu-based Home Mavericks, completes this indulgent dining experience, which only the Chef’s Banquet can offer.
The Chefs’ Banquet is truly one mark-on-your-calendar event where visitors can sit back, relax, and have their fill of mouth-watering appetizers and cocktails.
Reposted from http://powerplantmall.multiply.com/photos/album/101/Chefs_Banquet_Menu_Dec_1718
Origins launched in 1990 and took the way we look at cosmetics to a different perspective.
The brand is ultimately about finding the answers in nature. Going back to basics but not quite. There are a variety of offerings where you can choose the products your skin needs.
Does your skin act dry, oily or totally confused? Want to de-pouf those under eye puffs. Want to erase the years? Does your head feel a size too small? Or do you simply want to spoil yourself silly? Whatever your specific concern, discover the most advanced, high performance Skincare, Hair Care, Bath and Body and Sensory Therapy® products - all formulated with the finest quality, most active and renewable plants, earth and sea substances.
Want to sleep better? Eat better? De-stress your skin? Boost your natural defenses against the changes of time? Origins collaborated with Dr. Andrew Weil, one of the world’s foremost experts in integrative health, to bring you this revolutionary, proactive approach to health, wellness and beauty using traditional, health-promoting plants and herbs and alternative healing techniques.
If you are concerned about the planet and the world we are leaving for future generations. If you’ve become more conscious of what you buy and consume. If you believe that healthy agriculture begets a healthy ecosystem and a healthy ecosystem is vital to the health of your system, experience the first full line of prestige skin, body and hair care products to be certified under the USDA National Organic Program.
Since I deal with different channel affiliates, they send some stuff once in a while, from flash drives, planners, usb port, shirts, etc. But the most in common are notebook or notepads. These are the most useful anyway especially when you are in and about meetings.
I’ve received tons of notebooks this year. Some I received in 2007, I still haven’t used. Others I give to my sister or friends. Sometimes I use them as prizes to house games or outdoor games. I’ve only used three notebooks this year although I liked more than three designs. But there is one notebook this year that means more to me than any other notebook or planner.
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf launched their 12 Cups of Advocacy campaign at their branch at the Fort. Instead of just extending the Christmas giving to friends and families, you can now heighten the “sharing” experience by giving to someone who is a complete stranger to us. CBTL has a lot of love to give to different organizations, namely Paws, Autism Society of the Philippines, Kythe, Bahay Tuluyan, Cartwheel Foundation, Cerebral Palsy, Hairbon Foundation, among others.
With each cup of your favorite coffee or tea at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, the CBTL barista will give you a stamp. Accumulating a total of 12 stamps means that CBTL’s pledge for the specific foundation you chose will be granted. CBTL will donate a corresponding amount or “help” to the chosen advocacy and donate the same in your name. Surely, the 12 advocacies welcome the assistance generated from this CBTL campaign. As if that is not enough, CBTL does not only leave you all fulfilled but empty handed. After completing your 12 stamps, CBTL gives you a commemorative notebook to remind you of the kindness and generosity you bestowed to your chosen advocacy. This time, a notebook for you means your help for others. This is definitely way above better than completing a track card just to get a popular notebook.
The advocacy I choose is Autism Society of the Philippines since this hits close to home. Bring awareness and education to the parents of autistic children by sponsoring valuable books for the library of the Autism Society.
Now, this is the biggie. If you have given to all 12 advocacies, CBTL will reward you with a one-year’s supply of your favorite brew. Give in to giving just by continuing to relish your favorite CBTL treats.
Busy and no time to do a charitable project this year? Head to the nearest Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf near you and find out how 12 Cups can actually reach out to someone who needs your help.
CBTL Album
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After the FranklinCovey Project Management training at ABS-CBN on November 24, Chris and I headed to Greenbelt for dinner. Little did I know that Chris’ dinner plans were actually more than just food on the plate. He made reservations for the Laffapalooza Comedy Cartel Showcase happening at Spicy Fingers Greenbelt 2. Whew, that was a mouthful and that was unquestionably what we got from these stand-up comedians. A mouthful of tasteful comical ingenuity –yes, they were so full of it!
Spicy Fingers was the event venue –it was actually our first time to dine at Spicy Fingers, which turned out to have a very diverse menu. We ordered a lamb dish, burger and an appetizer.
The first two acts were funny –where one (JB Dela Cruz) added a magic zing to his act. There were 10 comedians lined up that night. As far as my memory goes, Tim Tayag was the 5th act and boy, did he really fire up the house with his deadpan humor. I watched Tim a few times in the defunct Studio 23 show but the show I really associate him with is Living Asia’s On Foot. I met him briefly during the Nokia Soul of Manila adventure race in March of 2007. He was Team 2, teamed with Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Cathy Garcia.
After finishing the first course, I couldn’t decide if Tim Tayag was the second course priming you for the main entrée or the actual main dish that holds your memory even after leaving the restaurant door behind you. The next half was definitely much better than the amuse bouche and Tim Tayag with his comedic skills and stage presence as if on queue cleansed the palette –making one starve for more gasping mirth.
My lady instincts and reserved manner were clearly thrown out the window as I howled in hilarity –oblivious whether other people were already looking. Most of the acts were original and culturally weaved. Oh how I reminisce the feeling of joy seeing other people laugh because of you. Back in the days of “Sha dam da dam, sha ra dam,” I was the high school comic (or clown –if more appropriate) and I didn’t mind even if I was being laughed at. Being able to elicit that reaction of amusement from my friends were enough to make my day. Nowadays, my comic timing is as perceptive as Jimmy Santos’.
Other favorites include Mike Unson, Stanley Chi and Alex Calleja. Wrapping the Laffapalooza show, Alex Calleja still gathered a lot of belted out laughs even from the already tired laughed-out crowd.
Admission was P150 per head and it was the best P150 you would ever spend on. Our food bill was about P1,200++ and after having that much laughs, Chris would still say that that was the best peso he spent on.
I am thankful for laughter, even when milk comes out of my nose.
For inquiry on next year’s line of shows, please call:
Rochelle Bartolome
+632.5339316
+63905.3102030
Visit Comedy Cartel website: http://www.ecircleentertainment.com
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Year after year, Red Ribbon Bakeshop has constantly come up with delicious and delightful cakes concoctions, which we, Filipinos have tremendously grown to love and enjoy. 2008 is no exception as Red Ribbon surprised us with a whole new set of extraordinarily sumptuous cake offerings — from the perfectly light and creamy Dulce de Leche to the dense and moist Red Velvet Cake, and just recently, the uniquely delectable S’mores Chocolate Cake.
And just as we thought we have already seen and tasted it all, Red Ribbon reveals yet another divinely delicious masterpiece, perfectly in time for this season of giving.
Red Ribbon unveiled their latest premium cake creation in the New Coffee Walnut Bavarian during the bloggers event at Red Ribbon Libis last December 10, 2008. Madz and Isis joined me as we braved the heavy Christmas traffic to get the first dibs at the CWB.
No less than a symphony of extraordinary flavours, combining exquisitely smooth coffee and Kahlua cream in decadently moist chiffon, adorned with walnuts, cocoa powder and dark chocolate bars. No doubt, it makes for the perfect gift.
Isis’ eyes lit up as soon as she saw the Coffee Walnut Bavarian -Red Ribbon’s first ever creation in its line of Premium Selections. The first bite was exquisite, the flavours alternate between the Kahlua cream and delicate mild chiffon. The last bite is of course reserved for the rectangular shards of chocolate at the side of the cake.
The Coffee Walnut Bavarian is a superb work of art that satisfies our penchant for giving our loved ones only the finest – something that does not only please our eyes but our palates, as well. Every forkful can make even the most discerning of the ones we’ll be giving, swoon with joy.
image source: Jayvee
So make the extraordinary gesture of sharing this piece of heaven to those most dear to you. Visit any of the Red Ribbon Bakeshops or call 8-7777 (for Metro Manila) and take the pleasure of having them indulge in this season’s most delightful masterpiece of all.
Night in New York City is a rush
An intoxicating blast of energy that takes over every fiber of your being
You don’t merely experience such a night, you consume it.
Now you can even inhale it
Delicious Night captures the magic of a dark city
The anticipation of discovering the forbidden
The electric undercurrent that permeates everything
That sense of expectation, of intrigue.
Of pure mesmerizing seduction
Delicious Night embraces all possibilities of the night
Experience the never-ending rush
Uncover the City
DKNY Delicious Night
A new passionate scent to light up the dark
Delicious Night Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml SRP PHP4,000
Delicious Night Eau de Parfum Spray 50ml SRP PHP 2,900
Delicious Night Eau de Parfum Spray 30ml SRP PHP 2,300
The electric rush of a NYC night captured in an iconic apple bottle of melding shades of moonlit purple. The scent is a seductive cocktail of chilled Pomelo, blackberry martini, and blooming night florals, simmered with amber, and black incense.
I can’t stop eating. Between bites, I am peddling dreams, taking photos, hitting my drums, conversing, boxing, and eveything else I can squeeze in between... A foodie who is guilty beyond reasonable doubt on crimes of passionate dreaming. I love to laugh. I want to build gardens of sunrise and sunsets. Life is unscripted, write about it.
I am…
Animated.
A glam ghost and the biggest dork
I used to be the ultimate drama queen
A ghetto queen, a jack of all trades
A player of basketball, billiards, boxing, Counterstrike
And anything that women are supposed to be poor at
A revival, a reinvention, a rarity, a simplicity and complexity
I am a lover of food, Bubba, music and photography.
I love the heat of the sun on my skin. And the wind blowing my hair
I love wild laughter.
I love making adventures out of the routine
I love the lowest and highest points of my Life.
Email: betweenbites@gmail.com
