Michi Photostory

April 17, 2011

Morong Star Beach Resort and Hotel

I was able to go to Morong Star Beach Resort yesterday because I joined the B.M.W. Summer Retreat of Psorphil. Travel time from Alabang to Morong, Bataan is four hours so it is really far. The place is big and spacious so it can really accommodate retreats, conventions, company outings, team buildings, and others.

The food and drinks are just ok; there is nothing to rave about. The service is just ok.

The resort offers both beach and swimming pool. There is Adventure Park, playground, zip line, fun cart, and live band. The resort offers different amenities like basketball, volleyball, darts, billiards, chess and table tennis.

The rates are affordable whether for a day tour or an overnight stay. The rooms are also big but the aircon was not able to cool the whole room, so it is really hot.

Food in Morong Star Beach Reosrt and Hotel

If you live in Bataan, this can be one of your choices but for me who lives in the South area, I rather go to Laiya, Batangas.

Morong Star Beach Resort and Hotel
Panibatuhan, Morong, Bataan, Philippines
Tel.nos: +63 634-6216
Fax: +63 635-0307
Email: info@morongstarbeach.com

http://www.morongstarbeach.com

April 12, 2011

Advantages and Disadvantages of Stay At Home Mom

Choosing to be a full-time mom is one of the hardest decision that every woman face. We have to admit that women today is very different, they no longer want to be a full-time mom because they also have their own dream and career. For them, having a child is a not a good reason to quit a job.

But there are also women who are willing to sacrifice their own career and dream just to be with their child, 24/7. For me, each woman has their own reasons and there are no right and wrong decisions, whether you choose to be a full-time mom or working mom.

Here is my list of advantages and disadvantages of stay at home mom, you are free to add and share your own list.

Advantages

1. I no longer need to file vacation leave or sick leave if I want to travel or if I am sick.

2. I can witness every milestone and development of my child.

3. I am always present whenever and wherever he needs me.

4. I have quantity and quality time with my husband and my child.

5. No need to hire helper or nanny.

6. I have more time to read books, to surf the net, to finish my son’s photo album, to cook, to bake and other stuff that I was not able to do when I was still working because of limited time.

7. I have flexible time.

Disadvantages

1. No more salary, bonuses and allowances.

2. I have to give up the corporate world and shift my career as a full time mom. No more promotion.

3. Less social gatherings. No more teambuilding, company outing and Christmas party.

4. Less chance to meet new people
5. You will hear some nasty and tactless comments.

April 05, 2011

Ilog Maria Products

Ilog Maria Honey and Propolis Shampoo – handmade from natural ingredients: Honey for conditioning and hair growth. Propolis for scalp infections, dandruff, falling, and graying hair. Natural oils like palm kernel oil, castor oil, and coconut oil for gentle cleansing. Aromatherapy-grade essential oils from herbs and fruits nourish and heal your scalp while fighting skin ailments.

P70 and P140

Note: This is my first time using organic shampoo and I will definitely use this to free my hair from chemicals. The shampoo is a little bit runny and there is no foam when you lather it on your hair. The scent is very different from ordinary shampoo but I love the smell.

Propolis and Cider Liniment – penetrates deeply to soothe tired and stiff muscles and tendons by stimulating blood circulation. This aids in the fast removal of wastes from fatigued muscles and supplies vital oxygen, food, and energy to muscle cells. Hastens repair of damaged tissues. It contains propolis, honey cider, plant extracts, essential oils of menthol and camphor, and other natural ingredients.

P95

Note: I do not like the smell but it really soothes and cools your muscles.

Honey Propolis Throat Spray – anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidant. It freshens breath, eases sore throat, quiets smoker’s cough, and keeps gums healthy.

P75

Note: I find this effective and it is really handy. It tastes like Bactidol.

Honey Beeswax and Propolis Lip Balm P65

Note: I love this lip balm, definitely must have.

Ilog Maria Sting-Less – Citronella mosquito repellent with propolis, natural plant, and fruit oils. It has pleasing smell that lasts for hours. It provides antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-viral action.

P70

Note: I’ve been using Bgone lotion and Bgone spray for almost 3 years and I find it really effective to repel mosquitoes and other insects. But when I saw Ilog Maria Sting-Less for P70, I did not hesitate to try this product. I love the scent but I think it only lasts for a few hours unlike Bgone spray and Bgone lotion which lasts for 4 to 10 hours.

Ilog Maria Healing Massage Oil- An aromatic and soothing blend of essential oils, herbs, flowers, fruit, nut oils, honey, and bee propolis.

P155

Note: I really love the scent of this massage oil, it really soothes and relaxes your muscles and there is no doubt that it is excellent for healing massage, reflexology, and shiatsu.

Spearmint and Oatmeal soap – Cooling and refreshing. Perfect for hot days. Alleviates skin asthma.

P35/P60

Note: It is absolutely true that this soap is perfect for the summer season because it really cools and refreshes your body. I love the minty scent of this soap. It is also for sensitive skin.

March 31, 2011

Tuna Steak

Honestly, this is my first time to cook tuna, not canned tuna. I asked my hubby what am I going to do with it and he said just grill it. But instead of just grilling it, I ended up making tuna steak.

1. Marinate the tuna in soy sauce, pepper and calamansi juice for less than 30 minutes.
2. Pan-grill the marinated tuna.
3. Saute the onion and put the marinated sauce.
4. Put the sauce on top of the grilled tuna.

It turned out well and my hubby enjoyed the tuna steak.

March 23, 2011

Lunch at Viewsite Restaurant

There are so many restaurants in Tagaytay that you can try, it ranges from cheap to expensive one. We usually eat at Leslie’s because of their Bulalo but this time we want to try something new. We usually passed by Viewsite restaurant if we are going to Caleruega but we never tried it, so we decided to visit the place and try their food.

What’s nice about this restaurant is the scenery, you can see the Taal Volcano while eating your meal.

The service crew are very friendly and accommodating, when I ordered Bulalo soup for P80, the lady told me that she will give me free soup so no need to order for Bulalo soup. The food servings are good for 2 to 3 person. The price is very affordable and it ranges from P170-450 per viand.

We ordered Sizzling pusit and inihaw na liempo. My hubby loves their pusit but I enjoy my inihaw na liempo. No need for soy sauce because their liempo is flavorful.

Tagaytay-Batangas Highway

Mendez Crossing East, Tag. City
Tel. No. (046) 860-05-48

March 22, 2011

Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm

I have been using organic products for quite some time now and I have tried different brands such as Greencow, Human Heart Nature, and now Ilog Maria products. I have been reading a lot of good reviews about Ilog Maria products so I have decided to visit the place.

Ilog Maria is located in Silang, Cavite, around seven kilometers before Tagaytay, Rotonda. It is not difficult to get there if you just follow their map. I only have limited pictures of the store because there are so many people at that time.

bees

comfort room

There are several organic products that you can choose from; there are soaps, shampoos, throat spray, candles, aromatherapy oil, insect repellent, lip balm, massage oil, and many more. The price is really affordable compared to other organic products.

I was able to buy all these products for P990.

Honey Cider Vinegar - P140

Propolis Throat Spray - P75

Propolis Cider Liniment - P95

Honey Propolis Feminine Wash - P45

Mini Soap – P35

Spearmint and Oatmeal soap – P60

Massage Oil – P155

Lip Balm – P65

Honey Propolis Shampoo – P70 (small)

Lavender aromatherapy oil - P90

Peppermint aromatherapy oil - P90

Sting-less insect repellent- P70

For my next posts, I will share with you my product review.

Ilog Maria Store Hours

Tuesday to Sundays 8:30AM to 5:30PM
Closed Mondays

March 14, 2011

Birthday at King One Rotary Hotpot

I always want to try shabu-shabu, but Healthy Shabu-Shabu is so expensive, good thing that there is King One Rotary Hotpot. It offers eat-all-you-can meals and bottomless drinks for lunch and dinner. It was my first time so I was really clueless but the staff was kind enough to help and assist.

Read: Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot

He will ask you what soup you want to put in the pot, you can choose two soups from the following choices; Korean kimchi soup, Hongkong curry soup, Plain soup, Spicy Szechuan Soup, Century egg wansoy soup and Satay soup. We choose Plain soup and Satay soup.

Then he gave us a checklist of the ingredients that we want to eat, all we need to do is to tick the box of the ingredients that we want and he will serve it. We were also given free short order dishes.

It is best if you sit beside the conveyor belt so it will be easy for you to get what you want or ask the staff to prepare what you want. P499 for eat-all-you-can is really worth it because you can eat almost everything that you want, there are seafood, meats, vegetables, dimsum, dumplings, mozzarella balls, noodles and many more. There is no doubt that there are so many people who visit this place, you can see different races here, there are Chinese, Korean and of course Filipinos.

Hobbies Of Asia

M2A Lower, Hobbies Of Asia
Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Blvd.
Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines

(63 2) 556-1370, (63 2) 556-1827

March 11, 2011

Lunch at Amici

One of my comfort food is pizza so if there is a restaurant who serves pizza I always want to try it. Amici is not a new restaurant but it took me so many years before I finally taste their pizza because they have limited branches. Aside from pizza, they also serve pasta, salad, gelato, and other meals. It is a self-service restaurant so you have to go to the cashier to take and pay for your order. You will receive a number and wait for your food to be served on your table.

Read: Lunch at Amici Alabang

We ordered Tutta Carne Pizza, Carbonara and Pollo Arrostito. We are all satisfied with the taste of the food. We even love it compared to Italliani’s food. The price is very reasonable and the serving is good for 2 – 3 people. We did not miss their gelato and my son loves it.

Italian Sausage, Ham, and Pepperoni

Amici, Don Bosco School

Don Bosco School, A. Arnaiz cor. C. Roces

Makati City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(02) 818-4444

March 09, 2011

Dinner at Bag of Beans

Hubby was on leave and I was craving for food so we decided to go to Tagaytay. I always read good reviews about Bag of Beans so I decided to try this. I thought it is just a small place; I was so surprised that the place is huge; you can choose indoor or outdoor tables.

There were so many people at that time so it was really hard to find a table and most of the good spots were taken. The place is really relaxing and I guess a nice place if you want to unwind, read a good book or just sip a cup of coffee.

Read: Breakfast at Bag of Beans

It is not just a café but a restaurant also because they serve other meals aside from bread and coffee. We ordered Roast Beef and Pork BBQ Slice, I was so disappointed with the taste because it tastes like beef nilaga. My hubby is making fun of me because we already ate beef nilaga at home during our lunch. Pork BBQ slice is just ok, so we’re not really happy with our order.

We bought raisins bread. I do not like raisins but I love their raisins bread. Next time I visit this place, I would try their bread and coffee but will not order roast beef again.

Bag of Beans

115 Aguinaldo Highway Mendez Crossing West, Tagaytay City

Phone (46) 413 2724 or (916) 525 2382

World Psoriasis Day 2010

It has been 9 years since I had psoriasis, sad to say that there is still no cure for this skin disease but it is not contagious. It is really a struggle for me to accept that I have this because there is no one in the family who has psoriasis so I still have no clue where did I inherit this.

Two years ago when I started to feel depressed because it is all over my body, I really feel so sad because I am doing everything just to prevent the flare-up, I tried all the topical medications and even phototherapy but there is no improvement. Having psoriasis is not easy because the medicines and treatments are not cheap.

But I still thank God for giving me the strength to go on and making me realize that I am not alone. It is true that I am not alone, for the past few years, I thought that I am the only one who have this in the Philippines, and thank God that I was able to join Asian Psoriasis Club, where I met other people who have psoriasis. It gives me relief that there is someone who can really understand my situation.

So when I heard that there is Fun walk on October 20, 2010, I did not think twice because I really want to be part of this and show the world that Psoriasis is not contagious.

courtesy of likha camera club

Lunch at Mano’s Greek Taverna 2010

Tagaytay is one of our favorite places if we have nothing to do at home. It is a best place for us to eat and relax. We usually passed by Mano’s Greek Taverna restaurant but we never tried it because the place is not really inviting. The place is just a plain blue and white building, even their table cloth is white and blue. It is no longer surprising because the owner of the restaurant is a Greek and the color of Greece flag is blue and white.

I heard and read a lot of good reviews about this restaurant so since we are on a food trip mode, we decided to try Manos Greek Taverna. The place is not an air conditioned room so expect that there are flies buzzing around.

We ordered Moussaka and Grilled Porkchop, I do not like the taste of the lamb so I chose porkchop. I don’t eat eggplant but when you taste their Moussaka, you can’t tell that there is an eggplant so I enjoyed it. I also love their porkchop, price is very reasonable because of the big serving. They do not accept credit card.

Mano's Greek Restaurant

Calamba Road
Brgy. San Jose (Olevares)
Tagaytay City
Tel. No. (mobile) 0916 429 8358
Fax (046) 860 2559

March 08, 2011

Snow World

Last stop of field trip is Snow World at Star City. We decided to go to Snow World first before anything else. We have our own jacket plus the Snow world jacket but it is still not enough to keep us warm. It is really cold inside and my son is not moving at all so after taking a picture my mom and I decided to leave immediately.

Gadgets are not allowed inside, so we have no choice but to avail the service of the official photographer inside. The cost of this picture is P100.

Avilon Zoo

After Science Centrum, we went to Avilon Zoo in Rizal. It is the largest zoo in the Philippines. The place is really far, it took us more than 2 hours to get there from Marikina. It was really a long, bumpy and winding road travel.

Visitors can interact with animals or feed them and even take some pictures for a minimal fee.

It is better if you bring your own baon because there is no other nearby restaurant except for the restaurant inside the Zoo. The place is really big; don’t forget to bring cap or umbrella, water to keep you hydrated and extra clothes. It took us more than 2 hours just to tour the place.

Bo. San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal

Tel. Nos.: (632) 941-8393 * (632) 948-9866 (63917) 899-5126

Fax: (632) 941-8530 * Email: info@avilonzoo.com.ph

ZOO SCHEDULE

Weekdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Weekends & Holidays 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

ENTRANCE FEES

Php300.00 Adult

Php200.00 Children less than 3.5 feet

FREE Children younger than a year old

20% Discount on Senior Citizen Card Holders

Science Centrum

My son was only two years old and he was not yet into school but he joined his cousin’s field trip for experience. It is like a family excursion because we were all there except for my hubby.

Itinerary for the day: Science Centrum, Avilon Zoo and Snow World in Star City.

Ethan with Lola

Exhibit Hours

Monday to Saturday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Address

E-Com Bldg., Riverbanks Center,Barangka, Marikina City

Contact Numbers

(02) 942-5136
(02) 942-5091

Entrance Fee

Php. 100.00 only

City of Springs 2010

It’s my hubby’s birthday and the weather is not fine but there is no reason not to celebrate. We are supposed to go to Tagaytay but unfortunately, we were not able to get any room for that day so the second choice is Los Bańos resort. Good thing that I was able to find the Splash Mountain flyer, we used to go to this place for day tour swimming since they have several pools both for kids and adults but this time we plan for an overnight trip.

We immediately called them but unfortunately, there is no more room available, they refer us to the City of Springs Hotel. We avail the De Luxe Room with Jacuzzi, the price is reasonable enough because you have your own mini pool or Jacuzzi inside your room.

You can bring your own food if you want though they have their own restaurant, of course, the price is quite pricey.

Klook.com

March 02, 2011

Divine Mercy Hills El Salvador

Our flight is still 3PM so we still have time to roam around Cagayan De Oro or nearby places but zipline and water rafting are not included in my itinerary because of my two-year-old son.

After visiting this church we decided to go to Divine Mercy Hills El Salvador or Divine Mercy Shrine El Salvador in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental.

The best way to go there is to hire a cab, the asking price is P750 and we haggle for P700. I was surprised to see that there were so many people who visited the place. There is nothing really special about the place aside from the big statue of Jesus, 15.24 meters. If you are a Catholic and religious type, you will appreciate the place.

We only stayed for 30 minutes and we went back to the hotel.

Cagayan De Oro

It is time to say goodbye to Camiguin and go back to Cagayan De Oro. The departure time of Paras Sea Cat is still 4:30Pm so we need to wait for more than 3 hours and then another two hours of travel time.

From CDO port, we took a cab going to Pearlmont Hotel, our accommodation in CDO. It is quite near to CDO port so I only paid P70. After checking in, we went to Limketkai Mall to eat our dinner at Bigby’s and buy mineral water.

We are supposed to go to Night Market in Divisoria but we are all tired especially my two-year-old son, so we just go back to our hotel.

Pearlmont Hotel

Limketkai Drive

(8822) 72-9455; 72-9111; 72-7477

(88) 856-2653 to 55

(8822) 72-8913

Lunch at J&A Fishpen

J&A Fishpen is a very popular restaurant in Camiguin so do not leave the island without trying this restaurant. All kinds of seafood are fresh because they have their own fish ponds where you can choose your own fish, shells, or other seafood and cook it the way you want it.

If you’re not fond of seafood, don’t worry because there are non-seafood dishes too. The price is really affordable. No food pictures because we were really hungry after our tour. We ordered grilled bangus, grilled liempo and steamed halaan. It is very near Benoni Port so you can drop by upon arrival or before departure. This was our last stop before we left Camiguin.