Kaye Galang Paa @ Aji House of Yakitori :)

Last Saturday, my Galang Paa brought me to Dasmarinas Cavite for a foodie adventure at Aji House of Yakitori :) This is a Japanese inspired restaurant slowly making its name in the market. So let me share to you the Japa-nice experience I had here.. :)

California Maki (Php 120.00)

We started the meal with this starter.

I can say there's really nothing special with it, just the typical maki we can usually find at any Japanese resto.. 

Aji's Kani Salad (Php 155.00)

This Aji Kani Salad is very refreshing in the palate. :) I loved the freshness of the different lettuce the have in this dish. And the dressing was superb. I can taste the puree mango they added in the dressing. And take note the dressing is their own kitchen creation. :) 

Tofu Garden Salad
(Php 155.00)

Since we finished the Kani Salad in less than 5 minutes, we opted to order another specialty salad that they offered. And this time, we ordered the Tofu Garden.

This one has an oriental taste for me because of the dressing that they used. 

But overall they're salads are both a thumbs up for us. :))

Katsu (Php 150.00)

This is the one I ordered, well for the price I paid for, it's worth it. The Katsu is tender as what I expected. I also liked the side coleslaw that they served and the rice was an A+ for me because it's heavy in the tummy and you will know that it's really a premium kind. :) 

Kaarage Wings (Php 160.00)

This is what Mama C. ordered since she was super hungry when we got there. And based from her these wings made her night. The wings were tender and you can really taste the Kaarage powder they used to its very bone. :) haha.. Btw, the Kaarage powder they are using is being imported from Tokyo, so you'll know it's really powerful and authentic.

Green Tea Iced Tea (Php 65.00)

This one is another recommendation from their resto. The Green tea is relaxing and very mild in taste. :) And you can bring home those cute bottles for remembrance. :))

French Pressed Coffee (Php 80.00)

Woah... After the #busoglusog session they offered this French pressed coffee to us. They have 3 variants of this famous coffee from Silang, Cavite. They have Robusta for mild coffee, they have Arabica for aromatic coffee, and the Barako, well no need to explain further. So I opted for the Barako since I'm getting sleepy after this foodie adventure (haha bondat mode) and I really got amazed to the Barako coffee they served It made me wide awake. I loved the smell of the freshly pressed Barako coffee. Another A+ for the coffee.

Me with Mama C, Tita W, and Kuya Mark of Aji
(this is before the eating session, Pero mukang busog na ako. Haha)

This is their menu board for their group meals..

The Arigatou Cup :))

This is me after the #busoglusog session :))

For an overall experience, I can say that this food trip at Aji House of Yakitori is worth a try and I recommend this to those from the South. I will definitely go back for their Salads and hopefully I can try their Tori House Specialty by that time. #

Food: 4/5

Price: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Ambiance: 5/5

Cleanliness: 5/5

For further details about Aji House of Yakitori, please click the link below :)

ww.facebook.com/ajihouseofyakitori



Travel Buddies by choice.. :)

Very well said..

Many will think I'm quite insane to travel with someone I just knew for nearly a year now, not that close with you, nor not even in a relationship with you.  But going out with you for quite some time, chatting with you for months, and been able to travel once to almost halfway of our country with you, was enough. I just knew you'll be a perfect travel buddy for me. So if they still can't get it, let me give them this 10 Reasons Why I Love to Travel With You :)

Let me start with my number 10:

You're adventurous and brave enough to face your fears. 

Travelling with someone as adventurous as you makes me feel brave. You are teaching me how to face some fears I have since my younger years. From walking up and down the hill to get a breathtaking panoramic view of the sea, to plunging into the waters of the unknown, the passion on trying new things than our norms, was really a One of a kind experience. And for that, I am grateful to you. (first-time ko yun e)

Number 9. We shared everything. 

With you there's no just mine or just yours. We divided everything into half. From our expenses, toiletries, plates and utensils, to the food we eat, even to the smallest bite of camote and maruya we shared it. (walang lamangan. Haha) 

Number 8. Less talk, more of a nature lover.

I like travelling with you because I find peace and serenity. We talk less and we just enjoy admiring the beautiful scenery in front of us. (it's all worth it)

7. You know how to negotiate/    compromise/communicate.

You know how to negotiate with people around, you have your own "pambobola" skills that worked with the "ates". 

                           

Number 6. We have the same dream destination.

It's nice to know that we have the same places in mind to visit. Not a crowded place, we find peace and happiness in a hidden Valley or falls. And not all the people you'll meet in your lifetime would enjoy such simplicity in life the way we enjoyed it.

No plans, whereever our barefoot
Brings us.. :)

Number 5. You're like my living GPS, I'll never get lost when you're around.  

Well, no need to explain. You're my map reader, my guide in crossing pedestrian lanes. (kasi at this age hindi ako marunong tumawid. Haha)  

4. You're controlling/You can tame me.

With you beside me, my spoiled brat attitude didn't get anywhere. I became a kid who tends to follow what an older brother ordered her to do. (bawal pabebe! bawal arte. Haha!) If you said, jump then who am I to ask.

Number 3. With you there's no malice, no labels, just pure travel buddy.

No matter what label other people put in this insane setup like ours, we simply don't care. Because only the two of us will understand the logic of travelling together. (no more falling nor catching. Haha)

Number 2. I know you'll take me home safely.

You being a "kuya", I know I'll always come home safe and sound. I know I'll be home in one piece because one of your priorities in travelling is not just to enjoy but to be safe as well. If you think I can't do it, you won't push through with it. It's still better to be safe than sorry. :)

And the Number 1 on my list.

I Trust You with All of Me.

Trust is a big word, hard to earn from a person as they say. But being with you for quite a while made me feel that I'll be alright. You never took advantage of anything because you're a man with principles, dignity, ego, and everything. If it's anyone else, I don't know what could've happened to me. So with that, I thank your parents for instilling that gentle manner to you. 

I could not ask for any travel buddy but You. :)

So while we're still both free like a bird. Let's travel the world together while we can, let's go to places we're dreaming off. Let's live and enjoy life to the fullest my dear travel buddy. Thank you for accepting my insanity in terms of travelling. Haha! Looking forward to our next destination..!#

Less plan. Less disappointments. 

Behind that Happiest Smile, Lies the Saddest Brown Eyes..

It's Life and Death

Sixteen years, two months, six days, and almost an hour ago when she first got robbed by fate. Fate took away the greatest treasure that a 10-year old girl can have. Fate said its time to part. Fate said it was time to go. But until now she still wonder, She still asks for reasonable explanations for those whys, because she's missing you, she's still missing you and she will always be missing you. 

When she look back on that day, she still remember, she can clearly remember. The day before it all happened, you played with her. Even in your weakest point you still managed to play with that porcelain doll you gave your little girl that Christmas before you left. 

How hard she wished for one more day,
Or one more hour, or another minute
With Her....

On that same day, you were brought to that building, when she first stepped in there, she knew deep down inside her there's something creepy with the place. She wanted to stay with you over the night but you begged her off to go home because she have school the next day(was that your plan so she won't see how painful the last minutes were?!). 

The next day came, she was not able to go to school, she pretended to be sick (maybe somehow she also felt what's about to come). Around 8 o'clock in the morning, she answered the phone, it's someone from that building, in a rush asking to speak to grandpa. After the phone call, they were suddenly gone with the wind. An hour or two passed by, while she was busy doing some art works, clueless with what happened, another relative came back. She was asked to dress up, she's needed in that building. No other words. She was deafened by the silence of that trip. She felt there's something wrong going on but they were too scared to tell her. They arrived in that building in almost 20-30 minutes, she did not hesitate to take the elevator. It's like someone's telling her to take that plight of stairs. The first step, her knees were already shaking, then the second until to almost fifteen steps to the first plight. As she climbed on the second plight of that stairs, her heart started to pound so fast, there's a lot of what ifs in her mind by that time. She successfully reached the floor. She walked to the first hallway to her right, then to the last door on her left in front of the ICU(ba talaga?!), she opened the door. There's a lot of them inside that room, it was so hard to find you. They are all bursting out with tears. That's when she cried out loud, she hugged you, she tried to wake you up, there was no response at all. She lost you in just a snap. 

It's hard portray you're
strong enough, when
deep inside you're
 tearing apart

On the night of that same day, the news spread out like wildfire, a mass of people came to grieve with the family you left behind. Around 10pm, the house was set up for a funeral, yellow lights were lit up, that red carpet on the floor, she didn't notice how they fixed it, but it was there she can see it. She wanted to throw it out, because she still can't believe it. She pinched herself, still hoping it's just a bad dream or a nightmare. But then, before the clock strikes one in the morning the next day, there you came, in a white box with gold lining. This is not a dream, she told herself. This is real and happening in front of her that very moment. From the time they set you up in between those yellow lights, then they opened the box to see you, it was you. It's really you. Your little girl, stand still in the corner of the room, her ignorant eyes, unaware of what's going to happen next. She's still praying until that time, that you'll rise up from that white box. But it never happened. It never did because from that day you were gone forever. 

Days passed, there's a lot of people grieved with the family you left. Your little girl still managed to play outdoor games with her friends, still injecting in her mind that you're just gone somewhere for a vacation or for work. From time to time she will sit with some of your visitors, she will be asked how is she, but she never learned how to open up. She does not know how to express the grief, sadness, loss, loneliness, hopelessness, angst, and the pain she was feeling inside of her. She will just nod or look further away from them or the worst tell them she's okay even though it's tearing her apart. That's it. That's how she responds until now.
On the last day of your wake, they held a mass for you. The priest started the story of life, death, and the purpose of everything. Her little ears listened very carefully on what he needs to say. So he said, life is temporary or just borrowed. Once our purpose in this life was fully done, then it will be our time to go. That the body depreciates in time and Death is just a separation of the soul to its body. That Death could be painful to those who will be left behind, but for those who died, death will be the beginning of a new life and the end of their suffering in this sinful world of ours. At first, this was hard to digest for a 10 year old mind, there were a lot of questions. Why does it have to be her? Why not anyone else? Why was the time so short? Was ten years with her long enough? She even came to a point where her faith was truly tested and questioned her God of the decision to take you away from her, she's just 10 and you're just 37(not even 40 when life begins). But then, who is she to question all the things that life throws at her. The reasons given to her was quite hard to understand and to accept but as time progresses, as she aged, and tasted life on her own, she learned to absorb all those words that the priest said to her. Life has its own purpose. Everyone has its own beginning and ending. From the time we were born, everything was already planned. We may not know when our time will come. But she's sure once this arrived it will be a fulfillment of one's life prophecy.

As for that little girl, hopefully, when

Hidden in her lonely
brown eyes..

she faces death again, it will be much easier for her to accept the same devastating moment like that. Hopefully, she won't have to feel alone again. I know it was so hard to move on for her. But then she partly made it. I know. She's stronger than what she thinks she is. I know she will survive. Knowing everything happens for a reason. Every person she came across with has a purpose in her life. Every event in her life teaches her a lesson that she will keep forever. We know losing someone in an untimely manner may hurt that much, but it also taught her on how to be strong enough to survive. How to pretend to be okay though you're not. How to put a pretty face despite the pain. And how to hide those saddest lines in her brown eyes.#

Truly a Painful Truth

An Open Letter to An Almost....

Dear You,

I remember when I first saw you, you are being bullied by a nurse and an evil mom in the corridor of our office because they said, you're just pretending you got caught in an accident to avoid going to work.

I had nothing to do to stop them because I am too busy with someone else..

Days, months, a year, passed by; I had this biggest revelation of a heartbreak at the office. That's when it all started.

We are seatmates for almost three years now. We talked about any thing under the sun, we talked about family, love and heartbreaks, we talked about our dreams and aspirations in life, and even places we like to visit someday. At work they thought we were an item because I always come to the rescue when they are saying bad things about you. I will always be the first one to smile when you throw all your corny jokes. I always share what I have with you, from food to mugs, and anything that they thought should not be shared to "just a friend", but we were like that, always like that. And seems just damn fine with us. 

I wrote this letter for you, to tell you how thankful I am that I found someone I can lean during the days I simply wanted to give up. Thank you for always reminding me to smile every morning. Thank you for making me feel better about myself. And thank you for simply loving me.
I'm sorry if you think that I took you for granted or if I let you go. But always remember you'll always have someone in me that you can lean on. Always a friend in me.

There will never be an US in the world of romantic love, but there will always be an US in Friendship :) Thanks for being there for me, limitless. :) haha

Love Your Forever Angel, 

Me :)

And So He Loves Me Not... A Tale of A Friend-zoned..

As the saying goes, "It's Better To Have Loved and Lost Than Never To Have Loved At All". Well, so true and right, at least you got to experience this once in your life. The magical feeling of being in love as they say. Where you've taken the risk and opened up your heart to love someone.  But sadly, you just got rejected. This is what we call, "Unrequited Love". Well, based on Google, Unrequited Love can also be called One-sided love or Unreciprocated Love. This means that only one person is loving and the other person rejects the love. Or we can say dismissed? Or probably they declined the affection you feel. Or sometimes in this generation we used to call it "Friend-zoned" haha!

 

At first it was hard to understand, why of all people you suddenly got this kind of rejection. It was quite hard to move on even though you guys really did not reached that "in a relationship" status. Or probably it was hard to move on because of the fantasies you already made up in your mind that eventually you can romantically end up together (I hate daydreaming!!) but then btoh of you ended up nowhere. (as in nganga! haha)

"And so he loves me not"

Well, let me tell you a short story, (uhm, A Tale of a Friend-zoned".. haha!) Let me introduce you to Joni, our main character in the story. Joni was a very sweet, kind, and loving person. She works in a law firm as a junior legal counsel. One day, there's this new guy hired in their office (lets's call him Mr. G), Mr. G is a smart, tall, and slightly "mayabang" guy, someone with beautiful eyes that has its own language (well, figuratively speaking! haha). When Joni first laid eyes on Mr. G, she knew there was something unusual with what she sees. At first, she was just content having eye to eye connection when she passes by Mr. G's work station, until one day they were paired together for a certain case. With this situation, Joni took the opportunity to get to know Mr. G far from what she just sees in the office. There were days when they spent time together until late a night to study the case. And there were also times when they set aside work issues and just to talk about life and love alone.

Little by little they were opening up personal issues about themselves and Joni thought it could be a good start with Mr. G as they get along the way. Days passed by even after they won the case, they continued exchanging messages and they somehow meet each other outside the office to watch movies together or with some friends. Until one day, they decided to join an immersion in one of the charities that their law firm is helping out. So they were brought to a secluded place in Zambales and get to experience living with the Aetas. In this place, they were involved to charity works like medical missions, teaching kids the basics, and livelihood projects for the Aetas. In this seven-day immersion with the Aetas, Joni discovered how simple, good and loving Mr. G's heart is. Though he's slightly "mayabang" at work, he has this soft heart when it comes to people who needs his help. Joni cannot contain herself but to fall each day with the goodness he is seeing in Mr. G. Until one day, after they came back to their real world, Joni have decided to admit the feelings she kept inside her (for months) for Mr. G. from just looking at him afar to falling in love with him. But tears suddenly fell from her eyes when she got his reply and just told herself, "and so he loves me not." The end. 

Well, in life not everything can be a happy ending. Sometimes fairy tales does not always depicts reality. There are times we have to accept the fact that not every thing we planned for ourselves will be ours by the end of the day. As for Joni, she just have to move forward with her life and accept the fact that Mr. G is not "the One" for her as she imagined. The unrequited love she have for him will  always be there or will eventually fade away. And as for Joni and Mr. G, I hope one day they can still be good friends like  they were before or they can still manage to have the perfect ending they are looking for.#

Some things are really better left unsaid. 

One Memorable Trip of Chasing Mayon

the famous Mayon Volcano hiding from me..'

Last July 12 to 16 , my "Galang Paa" brought me to Albay to see my long time dream destination, the famous "MAYON VOLCANO". I planned to go to this place for the nth time but I'm not able to fulfill it(hanggang plano lang talaga haha!). But good thing one good friend of mine (let's call him Mr. C) agreed to guide me and to take me to Albay with no plans nor itineraries.

So it happened exactly on my birth date, aboard a little bumpy Cebu Pacific flight we arrived

ang laing at tinutungang manok..

at the Legazpi airport that sunny afternoon. Since it's so freakin' hot, we decided to have our first stop in Albay at the Pacific Mall Legazpi where I had my first true bicolano meal, "Ang Laing at Tinutungang Manok" from the 1st Colonial Grill. I liked the laing, its spiciness and the rich coconut milk that you can taste. I didn't like the tinutungang manok since I'm not a fan of saging na saba in a viand. Then came to us for our dessert

is the equally famous Sili, Pili, and Tinutong na

my certified Uragon pose with Mr. C and
the sili, pili, bigas ice cream

Bigas flavors of ice cream. I chose the level 1 for my sili ice cream and Mr. C had level 2, the experience is surprising. The sili ice cream tastes good you will feel the kick after a few spoons of it(ang hot sa lalamunan. haha!). I also liked the tinutong na bigas flavor it's something new for my taste buds, then the pili tasted like a regular vanilla ice cream. After this sumptuous meal, we headed to the transport terminal for Tabaco City. So aboard a public transport van we reached Tabaco in an hour ride. At Tabaco, kuya driver dropped us at the Church of St. John the Baptist, where I prayed and thanked God for another year He gave me, all the blessings, and of course for the safe trip to Albay. Then after this we headed to Malinao, Albay where I was adopted by Mr. C's family for 5 days.

On day 2 of my Chasing Mayon trip, we rented a tricycle for the entire day from Malinao Albay. Our first stop was the Cagsawa Ruins.

my feeling matangkad
shot by Mr. C

 The famous bell tower is the only thing left after the explosion of the Mayon in year 1814. Just like a regular park, it has souvenir stores around and here you can also have your "feeling matangkad" pictures with the bell tower. 

Next stop after the ruins is the Daraga Church, where you can see a beautiful backdrop of Mayon. Sadly, the clouds is all over Magayon when we reached Daraga so I'm not lucky like Athena and Kenji.(haha! feeling dating a gangster ang peg)

Before lunch time, we stepped foot at the Embarcadero Mall in Legazpi City. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to go to Albay, but when I got there I was dismayed of the place since it looks so dry and lifeless.(pictures does not depicts reality all the time) Or probably we just got there at a wrong time and day that's why.(haha! parang love ba? wrong timing!)We had our lunch at Embarcadero after the long travel from Cagsawa and Daraga. After lunch, we traveled almost 30 kilometers to get to Misibis Bay, but since this is an exclusive area for elites we went up to Cagraray eco-energy park.

after all the uphill and downhill of the road,
this view is all worth it.

Cagraray is a park that was funded by the government. It has a small chapel, swimming pool, an overlooking amphitheater, zip line, and a hanging bridge. It's recommended for families and group of friends who wanted to spend some quality time in a picnic and enjoy a scenic and serene place like Cagraray. 


On day 3, Mr. C brought me to one of the hidden falls in Malinao, the "Vera Falls". We rode a habal-habal (single motorcycle) for around 30 minutes with an uphill and downhill of the road(so don't imagine how we looked like while aboard), then we walked down the stairs around 100 steps before we reached Vera Falls. This falls made me realized how lucky and blessed we are with God's creation. I can't stop staring at the water falling down from the mountain, I feel so amazed of what's in front of me. The water is cold, clear, and so relaxing.

stolen shot taken by Mr. C while I'm staring at the Vera Falls

ako at
ang mushroom

After lunch, we headed back to Mr. C's home and rest for a while. Then around 3:00 in the afternoon, we trekked to what I will call "Hacienda C". We walked for almost 30 minutes before we got to Hacienda C, where I saw a lot of root crops, coconut trees, and banana trees in different kinds. So this is what Mr. C is telling me, it's all organic. He said Tatay C (Mr. C's dad) only use natural fertilizer for their crops, though it takes a lot of waiting time before you get the fruits of your hardwork, this is safe and all natural. In the hacienda, we looked for fresh mushrooms and different leaves(I don't know the name basta halo-halo, niyog niyog) that Mr. C cooked for dinner. By the way, I also had my freshest coconut juice at the hacienda when Mr. C climb at one of the

ang halo halong
gulay ni Mr. C

coconut trees(iba talaga pag fresh. yummy!). It's almost dark when we descend from Hacienda C, back home Mr. C show off his cooking skills by preparing the "halo-halong dahon" we harvested from the hacienda. Well, as a chef myself, I admit that the "halo-halong gulay" he cooked is delicious. I did not expect it to taste that way since it's only pure "halo-halong dahon", mushrooms, and coconut milk. I had my first fresh button mushroom and it really tasted so good unlike the mushroom you can buy in a store.(iba talaga ang fresh!!)

@Salvacion
Church

On day 4, it's Mr. C's birth date. :)
We rented the same tricycle again to tour us around the other side of Albay. Since it's Mr. C's birthday we decided to go to Joroan Albay, where we came to pray at Nuestra Senora de Salvacion Church. I lit 5 candles, for my family's good health, safety, for kuya's embarkation(wish granted. thank you papa God), and the two other candles for my secret wish and prayers. Then after this we dropped by at a school to meet one of Mr. C's bestfriend, Sir Dao. After a short talk, we headed to San Lorenzo Church we offered our prayers and thanksgiving for another year given to us and this overwhelming experience of our trip. After visiting the Churches, we dropped by the famous DJC Halo-Halo of Albay.

DJC Halohalo

It was a powerful halo-halo, unlike the regular halohalo that you can buy in Manila. I specifically like the overflowing leche flan and ube on top of my halo-halo. Then we went back to Tabaco to buy something to cook for Mr. C's birthday bash at home. Tatay C cooked 5 kilos of pancit bato(derived from the name of the town where it is being manufactured)and bihon while Mr. C cooked the fried chicken. The entire day spent well with family and friends.

Day 5 came in an instant, I did not expect that I'll fall in love with the place in my short stay. I simply want to extend my days there but I won't be permitted, I need to go back to reality, to my real world. So with a heavy heart, I packed all my bags and waved goodbye to the place where I called home for the last 5 days. I said see you again to the people who treated me as family and who made me realize how simple life is. I can say that this is really One Memorable Trip of Chasing Mayon.#

with the C family