1. The original Pepper Lunch is definitely better than the pinoy copycat version, Sizzling Pepper Steak in Trinoma. The quality of rice used is consistently yummy. I learned that Pepper Lunch uses a patented Rice Robot to measure the rice and the amount of water to wash it. (Talk about Japanese geek technology) Also, the sizzling plate temperature is raised to 270 degrees centigrade to cook the meat instantly when it is delivered. I remember that Sizzling Pepper Steak plates are not as hot as the Pepper Lunch ones.



2. Pepper Lunch in Rockwell will open on May 16, Friday! Currently, they are on a tasting preview for immediate family, close friends and Chuvaness' blogger friends within the week. Don't be surprised if you see this boarded Pepper Lunch outlet in Rockwell with some people entering it. You need to know the secret password to enter before Friday.


a sneak peak inside the interiors of Pepper Lunch in Rockwell...



3. The Pepper Lunch Philippines is 30% cheaper than Pepper Lunch in Singapore. The pricing for Pepper Lunch in the Philippines is lower than Singapore but a similar to the prices in Thailand. The Pepper Lunch franchise ensured that the quality of food is consistent across the region via standardize equipment, procedure and sources of raw materials.

Pepper Lunch, Philippines Menu: Pepper Lunch Menu: Sizzle it Your Way!


Shake! Shake! Salad! Seaweed (P99) and Spicy Tuna (P99) -- For this amount, I think I would skip the salad next time.

4. Most of the ingredients and raw materials are imported except for the bean sprouts and the greens. The Japanese are control freaks and they want to make sure that the quality of Pepper Lunch in Manila is the same as the ones in Singapore or other franchises. Imagine all the meat, fish, corn, beans, etc are imported. This would also explain why the prices are on the high side. But at least, you don't need to fly to Singapore to satisfy your craving for authentic Pepper Lunch meal.


Beef Pepper Rice (P235) with Drinks. Only P198 A La Carte (without drinks). All prices are inclusive of VAT and No Service Charge (I love it!).


Salmon Pepper Rice (P315) with drinks. Only P275 A La Carte (without drinks) - Our Favorite.

5. Pepper Rice is flavored with Black Pepper that is prepared every morning. They use only the outer shell of the peppercorn which is most fragrant.


Cut Steak and Hamburger Combo (P350). Only P280 A La Carte (without drinks). The cut steak was a little bit fatty than expected. We all love the hamburger steak. This is the favorite of Chef Jeroen, husband of Chuvaness.




6. The killer food in Pepper Lunch is their Hamburger Steak! We all have to agree that we love the Pepper Lunch Hamburger Steak paired with the sweet onion sauce! If you order the Cut Steak and Hamburger Combo make sure that you order the Onion sauce in the counter.



Steak and Hamburger Steak
1. You can cook both sides of your steak on the place as the beef is raw.
2. When the steak is ready. Please put a steak sauce (Amakuchi - Honey Brown Sauce or Karakuchi - Garlic Soy Sauce) on it.
3. You can place the cooked steak on vegetables so that it will not be overcooked.
4. You can also cook the vegetables on the place. Then you can taste it with a steak sauce.


Pepper Rice. Hurry!! Mix Them Up!!
1. Please mix them up equally as there is a butter and sauce in the middle of the plate.
2. The more you mix them up, the more delicious "Pepper Rice" you get!!! Why? You will see it!

7. I bet that you won't have time to read the instructions after the food arrives. Immediately after the food arrives, you need to immediately mix it to maximize the heat of the plate and to cook the food really well. I posted the official instructions above so that you can be more prepared to eat in Pepper Lunch. Anyway, the waiters will be glad to help you in cooking your food.



8. Pepper Lunch Philippines is the only franchise that have desserts in their menu! I'm glad that they decided to include the dessert to complete the meal experience for the Filipino market. The desserts are proudly Philippine made.



Macha Cheese Cake (P140). Unique concept and taste but it reminds you of eating soap as Mila would describe it.


Molten Milk Chococolate Cake (P120). Safe, Cheap but Delicious.


Vanilla Crepe Cake. Simple and Soft.


Aidan's first comment restaurant card. Here are some of the downsides when eating in Pepper Lunch:

-- The prices are relatively on the high side.
-- Like in any Japanese or Korean grill places, you would smell like your food after eating.


Aidan with Chef Jeroen and Chuvaness who always hides from the camera.
Pepper Lunch, PhilippinesRockwell Mall, Food Court Level

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

I'm super excited to see the Manila production of West Side Story this coming September in Meralco Theater !

The Repertory Philippines production of West Side Story will be directed by Audie Gamora (who himself starred as Bernardo). Christian Bautista will play Tony, and Joanna Ampil as Maria. I'm excited to see Joanna Ampil in a musical who is very successful in her performances in Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar and as Fantine in Les Miserables in West End, London.

Watch out for this!

West Side Story is a musical written by Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music), and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). The story is based loosely on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which was, in turn, based on a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke entitled The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet (1562), which was in turn inspired by the legend of Tristan and Isolde.

Set on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the musical explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The young protagonist, Anton ("Tony"), who belongs to the white gang, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theater. Bernstein's score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes "Something's Coming", "Maria", "America," "Somewhere," "Tonight", "Jet Song", "I Feel Pretty", "One Hand, One Heart", and "Cool".

(Source: Wikipedia on West Side Story)

Good News! All the people who commented on the blog post: Genki Umbrellas - The Coolest Transparent Umbrellas in Town... (until everyone has one) will be given a Genki Umbrella for your review. I will be sending an email separately on the date and time of the Genki Umby pick-up in Kape Isla, Serendra. Tamang tama, umuulan na. I want all my OAP readers to look cool in the rain :) You can send me a photo via email or a comment on this post about your genki umbrella. You can also post the review in your blog and please let me know so that I can link you up! (Link Love from OAP!)


I love these cool umbrellas so we decided to launch the Genki Umby Photography Contest! It is simple to join. Just send me a creative photo of the Genki Umbrella via email. I will be posting all the photos I received in OAP. My wife and I will decide the most creative photograph (captions would help). We have a surprise gift to the person who would have the craziest and coolest photo.

Thanks to Jane for sending the first Genki Umby Photo!

" The Genki Umbrella is a significant item during my almost 1-month stay in Japan. It was light to carry around the huge park and just big enough to cover me thus letting me enjoy the rain without getting wet. Attached is a photo of me using a Genki Umbrella during a drizzling visit to Ritsurin Park. " - Jane of Between Bites www.janedchua.com

Kape Isla is turning out to be our favorite bloggers' hangout in Serendra. They have all the elements to enable a blogger to be productive:

FREE WI-FI. They are the only FREE WI-FI in Serendra. Internet access should be FREE! I don't understand why establishments continue to charge a fee to have internet access.

Good Advocacy. Kape Isla promotes Philippine Coffee. So every time you drink a cup of coffee, you support the Philippine Coffee Bean industry.

Writer's Ambiance. On weekdays, you can have all the cafe to yourself. Most people go here to write, to study or to surf the internet. I want to promote Kape Isla a bit so that it does not close down.


For less than P100, you can enjoy Kape Isla all day long. However, they should have a killer dessert or meal to attract people to visit their place.
Kape Isla Menu
Hot Drinks, Coffee, Pandesal, Pasta, Salad, Rice Meals
House Specialties, Bars, Cookies, Loaves, Danishes and Cakes

It is very hard for me to provide an update on the Rogin-E challenge because I'm progressing slowly. I would like to celebrate my small successes and share them with you:

1. The challenge was able to bring me back to the gym last April. That is a significant personal achievement for me because after 5 years, I am going back to the gym again. It feels good to feel those ab crunches' pain again.

2. I lost some weight enough for me to fit in my old clothes. This gives me the motivation to continue with my goal even without this Rogin E challenge.

3. I'm more determined now to replace the guy here in the Rogin-E website (someday...). Check out the Rogin-E unbreakable challenge section in the website.

My immediate goal is to weigh under 200lbs... a long way to go.... Thanks to Rogin-E for pushing me to pursue my personal unbreakable challenge.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

I was amazed that the Canada's World Pyro performance continued despite the heavy rains. The Genki umbrella was cool and we were able to use it as props for our shoot. My brother, Rommel was able to take a shot of the lightning above. He was experimenting on taking the fireworks with lightning.

Some additional tips for the World Pyro:
1. The WPO will continue rain or shine. It seems to be raining every Saturday night these days.
2. It is also very interesting to take World Pyro shots with lightning in the background.
3. For Genki umbrellas would be perfect for the World Pryo either to use it to watch the show or use it as props.
4. All the restaurants in the San Miguel by the Bay offer a very good view of the Pyro.
5. If you want to get a good parking spot in San Miguel by the Bay, better to go by 5pm to get a slot. By 6pm, it becomes very difficult to get a parking spot.


The rain stopped already before the 9pm performance. I was bored with the monochromatic performance of France.


We were not able to execute this properly but the idea was to have a Hooter Girl with a Genki umbrella in the foreground and World Pyro in the background.


We tried the super hot 911 wings while waiting for the fireworks. The wings still failed our expectation because it was not too hot at all and something is missing in the taste of its wings.


I was able to talk to Madel and Rhya about how they felt about the Hooter's comments in this blog post: Hooters Philippines. I learned that most of them came from Fridays The Fort and some were just hired because there were limited people applying to be a Hooters girl. In 100 days, they will be evaluated and so expect to hopefully see new girls after that period.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Related Posts: 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Miss the Opening Nigh of Avenue Q's Final Run!

OAP is selling the best value tickets for the opening night of Avenue Q’s Final Run!
In partnership with Ticket 2 Me, I’m personally selling limited tickets to the June 13, Friday 8pm Opening Night and June 14, Saturday 8pm Opening Night for the Avenue Q Final Run. The shows will be sold out before June. I want my OAP friends to never miss this opportunity to watch Avenue Q's final run!

MOTHER'S DAY OFFER!!
Also, we have surprises for people who will buy their tickets from OAP. For all the people who already bought Avenue Q tickets from us, we have already reserved each buyer one Genki Transparent Umbrella! That is a way of saying thank you for buying your tickets early from OAP. For those who will buy Avenue Q tickets over the weekend (until Mother's day), we will also give you a FREE Genki Transparent Umbrella! We will prioritize Avenue Q buyers (of course) for the Genki umbrellas -- but only until this weekend. Remember, this offer is valid only until Sunday.

“Avenue Q is what has become of Sesame Street while we're away getting a college degree.
Coming back, we find a grungier, less innocent neighborhood.”
- Socky Pitargue, Tennis and Conversations

Avenue Q: The Final Run! June 13, 2008. Friday. 8pm. RCBC Theater
June 13 Seatplan. Reserve Your Best Seats Now!

Orchestra Center (P 1, 300). Special Online OAP Price $ 30.0
Orchestra Sides (P 1,100). Special Online OAP Price $ 25.0
Loge (P 1,000). Special Online OAP Price $ 23.0
Balcony (P 500). Special Online OAP Price $ 11.0

All Major Credit Cards are accepted. No Service Fees or Processing Fee. Compare Prices @ Ticket World.

Avenue Q: The Final Run! June 14, 2008. Saturday. 8pm. RCBC Theater
June 14 Seatplan. Reserve Your Best Seats Now!

Orchestra Center (P 1, 300). Special Online OAP Price $ 30.0
Orchestra Sides (P 1,100). Special Online OAP Price $ 25.0
Loge (P 1,000). Special Online OAP Price $ 23.0
Balcony (P 500). Special Online OAP Price $ 11.0

All Major Credit Cards are accepted. No Service Fees or Processing Fee. Compare Prices @ Ticket World.

Alternatively, you can reserve via email (anton@diaz.ph) and pay me in regular peso rates by depositing payment in my BPI bank account.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Are you a fan of transparent umbrellas that you've seen Charlotte holding in Sex in the City or Scarlett Johansson of Lost in Translation (see a sample of the umbrellas in Shopcrazy)? The company asked me to review and feature it. I don't usually write these kind of stuff and I told them that the only way I will put it in my blog is if they would give me 100 umbrellas to give away to OAP readers. They agreed.

So, I'm giving away 100 transparent Genki Umbrellas which comes in white, pink and violet. Just buzz me if you want a Genki umbrella.  Reviews and photos will be greatly appreciated.  Please send them at anton@diaz.ph.

I'm reserving the first few umbrellas to OAP readers who already bought Avenue Q tickets and to past winners of the IKEA contest. For the rest, I'll give it on a first come first serve to people who would ask for it. We need to meet, of course, so I can give you the umbrella, preferably in Makati or Serendra area. I will be giving umbrellas away until supplies last! I can assure the first 50 people who commented below to have one.

BTW, the umbrellas are really cool! I like the white while Rache loves the violet...and pink. Though they are only cool until everybody in Manila has one. The umbrellas that I have to give away are manual umbrellas and they say that the plastic used is easily worn out. Also, you cannot use it for sunny days since it is transparent.

Watch out for my Genki umbrellas photos -- I'm just waiting for the rain so I can get a shot of the Genki umbrella in action.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

PS If you want to buy in bulk, I can connect you with the distributor here in Manila.

I Love Berries is so far the best Frozen Yogurt in Manila! They don't have an outlet yet and they are doing their rounds in the bazaars. Unlike Cold Spoon or Haven Frozen Yogurt in Pampanga, they use fresh fruits and their frozen yogurt is more creamy than tangy in taste. Aidan did not like the frozen yogurt in Cold Spoon because of its maasim taste but he loves to eat the yogurt his Momma buys for him. I Love Berries Froyo is similar to the taste of Pink Berry and I'm sure Aidan would love its creaminess taste (like ice cream already).

You have to try their Tropical Mochi Frozen Yogurt! You can find them this weekend at Karl Edwards Bazaar in NBC Tent on Mother's Day weekend (May 10-11). This is the closest thing that you can get in Manila. Please let me know what you think of their Froyo (as people would call it :) For more info: check out their multiply site: iloveberries4.multiply.com

The name of Chef Ed Quimson has been name-dropped and attached to restaurants a number of times. From Fig & Olives which replaced the original Chef Ed's, to the now closed Filos at the Fort, to the so-so spanish food at La Esquina in Splendido, to Tootsie's in Tagaytay. But these restaurants never came close to the famous Chef Ed's spanish mestizo cuisine which only the original Chef Ed can do. I've been intrigued by this chef with no formal culinary education except in the Tuazon's kitchen. I have been tracking him down to get to taste his cooking. Finally, I was able to fulfill that quest when I got invited to a special food writer's preview of Paseo Uno's Pasos del Tiempo (A Walk Through Time).

He is now part of the JAKA group and working closely with Heny Sison. Mandarin's Paseo Uno will be featuring Chef Ed's Quimson's Filipino heritage dishes with Spanish Influence. In short, he is featuring the dishes they ate at home, cooked by his mother and grandmother in the Tuazon's kitchen. His dishes will be featured on May 26 to 31 at Paseo Uno and he will be there in Mandarin Hotel to celebrate the Filipino Heritage Festival. Here is a scoop: his carinderia named Petra and Pilar will soon open in the JAKA building. But what I'm excited is that he is planning to open 21. It is a special by-reservations only room for 21 people for P15,000 only (consumable for food). Chef Ed will do a freestyle cooking for 21 people that will surely rock the foodie world of Manila!

Going back, I got to taste Chef Ed's menu line up for Paseo de Uno and you'll know that you are in the presence of slow-cooked-with-love food that your taste buds will never forget. We (my wife and I) were honored to be invited together with respected names in the food writing industry. We were in the presence of great food and great food writers -- we are so thankful for that. In return, I would like to share with you our experience with The Chef Ed Quimson's Spanish Mestizo cuisine based on home recipes of the Tuazons.

Chef Ed's Quimson's Menu @ Paseo de Uno's Pasos del Tiempo (May 26-31, 2008)

Sotanghon con Caldo. Sotanghon soup with a ball of chicken, ham, pork & prawn.

The amateurish adjective delicious is not enough to describe the soup. It is unique, home-cooked, and the type of soup where you just close your eyes and savor its taste.

Baked Fish Fillet with layers of potato, tomato and onions in white wine. Served with toasted bread immersed into the soup to absorb the white wine sauce.

The good thing about Chef Ed is that there is no cooking secrets and he is generous enough to share how he created the food. He said that the white wine sauce was made of olive oil, soy sauce, laurel, lea perrins and white wine. I don't cook but I appreciate how complicated the taste of the soup because of its ingredients.

Carne Frita, appetizer. This is Chef Ed's favorite and this is how his grandmother would cook it. I honestly did not like it because it was all meat and it is more appropriate to be a pulutan with an ice cold beer. ( Chef Ed -- Isn't this out of place in the overall menu? )

Pollo ala Caserole. It was lechon manok with bread stuffing inside. It was very predictable in taste.

Roasted Turkey with Tuazon Stuffing. The turkey and sauces were cooked to perfection. But after eating the Tuazon stuffing, I wanted to be a part of the Tuazon's culinary clan. You got to try it!


Lengua con Alcaparras. This dish alone brought the house down. I was silent eating this because I know I was in the presence of great food. This was the best lengua we have ever tasted and all the food writers would have to agree. The secret was in the tomato sauce mixed and aged over 5 days. Just imagine by the time the festival start, the tomato sauce will be tastier than ever. The lengua was cooked the day before. I admired Chef Ed for the patience and excellence in cooking this food. If you love Lengua like Rache, you should not miss this!


Sotanghon Chicharo and Shrimp.
The lengua was the highlight of the meal and everything after that tasted ordinary but perfectly cooked.

Chicken Galantina. Most of the food writers did not finish this dish. Is it because they are full already or did it fail to meet their expectations? I guess leaving the food on the plate is the food writer's polite way of saying I don't like it that much. (I'm just learning the ropes here, hehe)

Arroz con Leche and Dulce de Santol.
The Arroz con leche which is rice with cream, cinnamon and cooked like creme brulee, is an interesting dessert. Rice Pudding is very popular in Europe but the Tuazon version was made exciting by the cinnamon.
One of the desserts to rave about is Chef Ed's Dulce de Santol! Just look at how much sugar was put into it and just imagine putting mantikado ice cream on top of it.

If you are a Chef Ed Quimson groupie like me, don't miss Paseo de Uno's Pasos del Tiempo on May 26-31, 2008.  Don't forget to try the soup, lengua, turkey and the dessert. Make sure that Chef Ed is there to ensure that the food is prepared under his supervision. Thanks to Mandarin's Paseo de Uno for inviting us!!

Katrina R. Lardizabal, Restaurant Manager
Paseo Uno, Mandarin Oriental Manila, Makati Avenue, Makati 1226
Telephone: +63 750 8888
Email: kathrina1@mohg.com

Paseo de Uno Buffet Prices.
Monday to Sunday Lunch P 1,290 Net
Sunday Brunch P 1,590 Net
Breakfast P1,010 Net
Sunday - Thursday Dinner P1,450 Net
Friday to Saturday Seafood Night P1,590 Net

Chef Ed Quimson's featured menu above will be part of Paseo de Uno's buffet.

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

PS. For those who cannot afford Paseo de Uno's buffet, watch out for the opening of Petra and Pilar which is a carinderia concept with the most expensive food item at less than P200. See you there!!

Purple Feet is a restaurant that uses freestyle cooking.  which is inside the Wine Depot in Makati. There are no visible signs that the Purple Feet restaurant is inside. Freestyle cooking is an interesting and unconventional concept. There is no menu except for a Food and Wine Pairing recommendation which changes every week. If you bring a date, you need to be confident enough to order. I like the concept but you should know how to get the best of freestyle cooking. I'll share with you some of my tips (please do share your own tips when ordering in Purple Feet).

Tips when ordering Freestyle:

1. Freestyle cooking works best if all the ingredients are fresh. Begin by asking what are the fresh catch of the day or what are the freshest ingredients available. If needed, please specify that you don't like frozen ingredients to be part of your meal.

2. Decide if you like seafood, meat or chicken. You can also specify your food restrictions like, if you want to be healthy, on a particular diet, or a vegetarian. Ostrich and rabbit meat are also available in the menu should you prefer it.

3. Freestyle cooking is an art. Artists work best if you give them an end result rather than specify the nitty gritty details. Here are some of the words you can use to describe how you want your food to be prepared, cooked, and served:

Feed me, I'm hungry.
Chef Marco, Surprise me!
I want my food to be exotic.
Romantic. I want to fall in love with the food.

The trick is to challenge Chef Marco! Be creative with your descriptions of what you want your food to be. Expect to pay about P1,000 to have a very good meal.

4. Pair it with Wine. I would like to experiment with wine and food pairing one of these days. I'm not an expert on wine (not yet at least) so you can ask them for recommendations. They pride themselves of their motto: " Our Wine List is Our Wine Shop"! Remember, rules on wine like meat should go with red and fish should go with white wine are already old. These days, just go with what you like.

5. Pat the Chef on the back for a job well done. If you like your food, give a generous tip or simply give a compliment to the chef. If not, please give a constructive feedback so that they can improve.

It may be awkward to stand in front of the chalkboard menu. Check out Purple Feet before you go with your date so you'll know what to get. The cost of the meal is based on the ingredients that you choose.
Purple Feet Menu
Wine by the Glass Reds and Whites
Food and Wine Pairing Menu (Changes Weekly)
Vittorio Expresso and Beverages

Prepare a budget of P1,000 / head when you eat in Purple Feet. I prefer to eat inside.


Outside is actually more romantic during the cold season...


Stuffed Mushroom (P300+) in Red Sauce. Expensive and it was overcooked.
1 L Santa Vittoria Water. P80. They only serve this kind of water.

Rache ordered Lengua in Red Sauce and so she got this boring meal of Lengua in tomato sauce and vegetables. We did not like this dish because the lengua needs to be cooked longer to absorb the taste of the sauce.

Pam ordered Stuffed chicken with white sauce (I think). She got a disappointing meal of Chicken Stuff with Prawns & Scallop and Seafood Sauce. The sauce was very good but the prawns and scallops were frozen.

I ordered Cobbler with Prawns and described to Chef Marco that I wanted my food to be exotic. What I got is Cobbler stuff with prawns, creamy havarty, cheddar and foie gras sauce on the side. It was served in a chopping board decorated with spices.


Aidan tasted it first and he totally loved the Foie Gras sauce. We had to agree and I love Chef Marco for my food that night :)


Aidan kept on running around Wine Depot because he thought it was a supermarket. We were very nervous that he might hit those boxes of wine.



Chef Marco Legasto at Purple Feet
#217 Nicanor Garcia (formerly Reposo St.)
Bel-Air, Makati City
Telephone: +632 897-3220, +632 897 8167
Email: winedepot@winedirect.com.ph

Don't miss these 10 Awesome Experiences in Batad, Banaue! Also, check out Our Ultimate Guide to Batad, Banaue Rice Terraces.

I totally love these environmental friendly Swiss Sigg Bottles! My bottle was sponsored and I took these shots of my Sigg as a token of gratitude. It is also a good foreground subject for my Banaue and Batad Shots...


Do you want to have a Sigg drink?


Sigg swimming in the Tapiya rapids...


A profile shot with the local flora in Batad. Tapiya falls is hidden in the background.


Sigg overlooking the Batad Rice Terraces


Sigg and the Tapiya Falls.


Sigg in the sea of greens...

For inquiries contact Ms. Marj at mobile # +63 922 848 1874
Exclusively distributed by: DKI Corp.
G/F SOL Bldg. 112 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati 1129
Tel: (02) 893 2532/33 Fax: (02) 812 5422
Email: SIGGswitzerland@gmail.com
Website: www.sigg.com

I'm proud to have survived the Batad, Banaue trip organized by Michelle Morelos, photographer and JP Alipio, one of the Young Explorers of National Geographic. For those of you who have been to Batad, we share a special bond of being able to survive the Batad trek to see the Batad Village and the great Tapia Falls. It was a difficult trek and I slipped a few times in my Crocs. (Mental Note: Use proper hiking shoes when going to Batad). For those who have not been to Batad, this is one of the 100 awesome places you must see in the Philippines.

With each trip, I love the Philippines even more. Batad now holds a special memory in my heart together with our group who survived Batad. Thank you to all the people who were kind enough to share their tips and comments. I'm paying it forward with an Ultimate Guide to Batad, Banaue incorporating all the tips you shared and the experience I gained during the trip.

Our Ultimate Guide to Batad, Banaue (version 0.9)

Awesome Batad, Banaue
Flavors of Batad
Banaue Rice Terraces Myths
Tour Guides of Batad
Where to Stay in Batad, Banaue
How to get to Batad

I underestimated the greatness of these rice terraces. I just realized the terraces are 2-3 meters high and falling down from the terraces could be fatal. They were created 2,000+ years ago and each terrace would take 2-3 years to create. You need to be physically fit if you want to go up and down through the village. It took me 2 hours just to walk and cross the village towards the Tapiya Falls.


The steep climb down Tapiya Falls was easy. It took us 30 minutes of leisure walk to go to the hidden Tapiya. In the back of our minds, we are already agonizing on how difficult it is to climb back up.



It was raining when I took this shot. This was a priceless moment when the entire group was swimming in the mini-rapids of Tapiya falls. It is 2x bigger than Pagsanjan Falls and swimming near the falls is a priceless experience.



On our way back, it was raining very hard. We had no choice but to brave the rains and climb back to our inn. It was very dangerous... I was wearing crocs, the trails were muddy and worned out, and the rains were pouring non-stop. We can slip any moment. In the middle of the hike, I got cramps but I learned how to breathe through it during my marathon training. Thanks to Him for keeping us safe.



It took us 2 hours to hike back up to Hillside Inn from the Tapiya Falls. My entire camera bag was wet and not even an umbrella or rain coat can protect our body from the heavy rains. I learned my lesson to bring the black plastic bag to protect my bag and to bring a heavy-duty rain coat for situations like these.



We survived! Back in the Hillside Inn, the Lipton Gold Milk Tea brought by Unilever ABM, Minnie Fong was an instant hit! I must admit, I am now a convert of drinking milk tea instead of coffee. I was drinking it after every meal. JP commented that it is like the Nepalese Milk tea but just in a 3-in-1 pack. I will remember to always bring a pack every time I go to cold places like Banaue, Baguio or Tagaytay.

Here are my other survival stories...

I survived my first time to ride an 8 hour bus ride to Banaue. I never rode a bus before because I prefer to go on road trips. I think I can get used to it and create a backpacker's guide :) haha!


It was scary to walk through this make shift steel bridge in the town of Banaue. I survived crossing this bridge.


I also survived sleeping in simple accommodations with no aircon or electric fan. It was also my first time to use common bathrooms and take a bath in super cold spring waters in the mountain.


I survived the Batad rice terraces trek by walking through these small steps. Thanks to the cool walking stick that JP provided us. You must bring a walking stick on your Batad trek!


I survived not being able to be connect to the outside world for 3 days via text, call or email. In the Hillside Inn, there are only certain spots where you can get a one bar signal (if you are lucky). The photo above was the spot for all the Smart subscribers. I love my Moto Q above.


Thanks to Michelle, Arnel, Ben, JP and Roland for the safe and organized Batad, Banaue Trip!! It was memorable because of the dangerous experience we went through together.
I can't wait for the next adventure!

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

After 5 months of waiting, Hooters Philippines opens in Manila Bay, Esplanade, Mall of Asia! Finally, Filipinos can now taste Hooter's famous chicken wings in Manila. I'm sure you are excited like me. The best time to go is now while the Hooter girls from the US are training the Manila Hooters. Most of them will leave on May 2, some will leave on May 7 while the Hooters from Guam will stay on for a few more weeks. They opened just in time for the World Pyro Olympics -- Awesome!

Here is a photo essay of Aidan's first Hooter experience and some tips:


A photo-op with Hooter Girls or eating the chicken wings? Aidan surprisingly loves the chicken wings.


Aidan must be thinking " Excuse me, can I please finish my chicken wings?"



T-shirt (P367) says, " Hooters Girls can't take their hands OFF me!"


Hooters Girls Philippines (white sandos only). Our top 3 favorites are Leslie, Rhya, and Erica. Maybe you can request them when you reserve...


Diana, the store manager from Guam, will run the store this summer. She is the cutest among all the Hooters Girls...


Chickboy Aidan with Hooter Girls in the bar... I forgot to tell them to do a group hug...


If you are celebrating your birthday, you will be ask to stand up on the table with the girls chanting "Take that shirt off"... Be ready to take your shirt off...


Naked 10pcs. Chicken Wings (P375+) Medium and Mild. There is something about the service or the ambiance that makes these thin chicken wings tasty and delicious. Sometimes it is not about the taste, but it is about the service.

Hooters Manila Menu
Hooterstizers and Nearly World Famous Chicken Wings, Seafood
Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads
Drinks, Desserts and Hooters Stuff
Hooteriffic Cocktails and Hooters Beers


Every 30 minutes, they would dance on top of chairs... this one was to the tune of YMCA.


Seriously, Hooters is for the family :)


Hula Hoops anyone?



Original Hooters Manila Shirts... we bought one for Aidan and I'm planning to buy Rache a white sando and orange shorts :)


Finger lickin' good chicken wings...


The first Hooters store opens in Esplanade in Mall of Asia. It is currently located in:

Hooters of Philippines
Building D Units 1-6, San Miguel by the Bay, Mall of Asia, Pasay city
www.HOOTERSphilippines.com

Hooters Hotline: +63 906 956 4066
Eric Gutierrez - General Manager (ebgutierrez@grp57.com) +63917-899 6660

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

P.S. Tip: Reserve here for the World Pyro...

I was not planning to post this anymore but a lot of recent OAP readers requested me to post the next Big Garment Sale. They are not giving out invites anymore since they already issued membership cards as the gate pass for this sale. We love this sale but we try to avoid it because of the crowd and we always end up charging 5 digits to our credit card.

BIG GARMENTS SALE!!!

Top US UK Brands

May 1-3, 2008. 8am to 6pm

Blk. 4 Lot 3 Acefree St. Sterling Ind'l Park, Iba, Meycauayan City

Telefax: 02-2996061/Mobile +639189918677

Note: Please bring your membership card as your gate pass.

For first timers to this sale, it is either you go with a person who has a membership card or call them if you can apply for a membership card on site. You can mention that you are friends of Anton of Our Awesome Planet.

I've been to Corregidor more than 3x already and this is the first time that I enjoyed every moment of it with Rache and Aidan (for the first time). Thanks to Carlos Celdran for creating a very cool itinerary and for attracting the best company! I would like to share with you the 10 best ways to experience and enjoy Corregidor.

1. Sunset Cocktail. Carlos is brilliant! He asked all the participants to bring potluck items for our sunset cocktail party. We had our cocktail party at the Battery Grubbs. The Corregidor Inn provided the waiter service while the participants brought the cheese, crackers and cold cuts. Carlos brought some Chile wines perfect for the Corregidor Sunset.




2. Dinner Bonfire by the Beach. Dinner Bonfire at the South Beach is another brilliant idea. Someone in our group brought the pasta while some brought the dessert. We brought the Mary Grace Chocolate cake to the party. The background music was sounds of the 1940s.




3. Ghost Hunting at the Hospital. When I first came here, it was super scary because of the imposing Balete tree guarding the hospital. In Filipino beliefs, the Balete tree is the home of the spirits. A few months ago, they cut down the Balete and the Ghost hunting @ night was more bearable. It is better to bring point and shoot camera with a third eye to capture the floating "orbs" The hospital was used as the barracks of the Jabidah secret group. The names of our muslim brothers who died in the Jabidah Massacre were written on the hospital walls.




4. Exploring the Lateral Tunnels of Malinta, Finally, I was able to explore all the lateral tunnels in Malinta. I highly recommend it and it was not scary as you would imagine. When we did the lights out inside the tunnels, there were no negative vibes not unlike in the ghost hunting in the hospital.



5. Experiencing the Lost Corregidor. Corregidor is the greek-like ruins of the American Empire during the 1940s... It was a paradise if you were assigned in Corregidor. Before going to the Rock, please read the Corregidor accounts of Selma Harrison Calmes, M.D.. ( Link provided below). In the Corregidor museum, check out the table wares used in one of the last Thanksgiving dinner in Corregidor.


The Lost Corregidor. The Home Front Life Before WWII Part 1 | Part 2




6. Star Gazing at the Eternal Flame. With San Mig Light on one hand, we watched the stars and the distant lights of Roxas Boulevard. The backdrop for the stargazing is the solar-powered Eternal Flame dramatically lighted every night. How we wished we could have brought some tents to sleep in the grassy area and wait for the sunrise.






7. Malinta Tunnel Lights & Sounds Show. This is still one of the best light and sound show in the country today. It tells the story of the fall of Corregidor and its liberation right inside the Malinta Tunnel.




8. Exploring the Mile Long Barracks in the Top Side. Your Corregidor experience won't be complete without walking through the halls of these mile long barracks. Try to find the ruins of the swimming pool inside the barracks.



9. Conquering the American and Japanese Tunnels. Don't miss to go inside this short American concrete tunnel in Battery Hearns. Compare it with the Japanese tunnel near the Eternal Flame of Freedom memorial.




10. Strike a Pose. Thanks to Carlos, I was able to bring Rache and Aidan to Corregidor! And we shall return with syoti Josh...


I'm happy and sad that Corregidor is not attracting the local and foreign tourists that much. I'm happy because we can enjoy Corregidor without the crowds. Last Saturday, we had the beach and most of the historical places to ourselves. However, I'm also sad because most Filipinos are missing on one of the most profound historical site in the Philippines.


I Wanna Rock with You with Carlos Celdran(Recommended :)

Summer Schedule:
APRIL 26 - 27, 2008
MAY 24 - 25, 2008
JUNE 7 - 8, 2008
JUNE 21 - 22, 2008

Departure 8:00am Saturday. Arrive Manila 3:45pm Sunday.

COST: Php 4,400.00 per person.
Child without bed: Php 3,300.00
Single occupancy for one room Php5,400.00

And be sure to bring a little snack or drink to the sunset potluck cocktail too.

Contact: Kristine Castro 5268888 loc. 9502 or anyone from the Reservations Department of Sun Cruises for more information and current rates.

See Carlos Blogpost: Rocking the Rock Again.

Corregidor Philippines' Standard Tours
Sun Cruises.
CCP Bay Terminal A, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd. Pasay City (Near Harbour Square)
www.corregidorphilippines.com
Sales Telephone: 527-5555 loc 4511/ 12
Reservations: +63 922 337 0068 / + 632 834 6857 to 58

Day Tour with Buffet Lunch (P1,999). Child Rate ( P 1,111)( Includes roundtrip ferry transfers / shrine, entrance, and terminal fees / guided island tour / buffet lunch )
ETD in Manila (8.00am). ETA in Corregidor (9.15am). ETD in Corregidor (2.30pm). ETA in Manila (3.45pm).

Overnight Package: Single Occupancy (P2,880) Twin/ Double Triple Sharing (P1,999 + 500). Child without bed (P1,550), with bed (P2,250).
( Includes roundtrip ferry transfers / shrine, entrance, and terminal fees / guided island tour / 1 buffet lunch on day 1 / overnight accommodation at Corregidor Inn )

Optional Lights and Sounds Show: P150/ person

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.