Take Me Away! A Nature Trip at Mendez, Cavite.

Cavite is one of the best places to go to when you want to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city. Not only is it near and affordable, there are plenty of places to visit. On this particular trip, my friends and I went to Mendez, Cavite. There are buses that go directly to Mendez at the Lawton Terminal. The bus ride is about 2-3 hours and the fare costs about P80 for students.

Our first stop was a place called Sintang Lupa. Sintang Lupa is a property owned by a German environmentalist named Kristoff and his wife. They have a beautiful house, a peaceful surrounding and a breath-taking yard.

But the main attraction is actually the roof of the house. Instead of a regular roof, they have a garden on top of the house filled with different kinds of plants. It helps clean the air and keeps the house cool. The house had actually been featured before in Mel & Joey’s Hanep Bahay.

Luckily, we were permitted to climb to the roof. The view alone would make you never want to leave but add to that the wonder of standing on a garden on top of a house. It’s absolutely remarkable.

Our next stop was Ulo Spring in Panungyan, Mendez. Part of the fun was getting to the spring. It took about 15-25 minutes of walking. It was not a walk in the park because the terrain changed a lot but it’s actually exciting and you’ll feel like a real nature trekker.

We gathered from our guide that Ulo Spring was in fact developed by the local government before but the efforts were destroyed by a storm. But still, the place was nice and very peaceful. The spring still flows to a small part where you can still enjoy the crystal clear and cold water. If you look around, nature is all you’ll see.

If you decide to go to Cavite or any other places, make sure to cooperate with the local government unit. They are very helpful and will point you to the right direction. They might even provide you with a guide. This also works if you’re on a tight budget, and can’t afford to go to places where you have to pay an entrance fee or if you’re tired of the usual tourist spots. Ask the locals for the best or most beautiful places in their town. Some of them are happy to show new people around the town to the places they take pride in.

Bargain Shopping Galore! Ukay Tagaytay!

I have discovered on my recent trip to Tagaytay that the city has so much more to offer. One of them is the numbers of ukay-ukays which thrift shoppers like me will surely enjoy.





Our 3-hour bus ride ended at Olivarez Plaza – it has 5 ukay-ukay stores open to the public. One of them is owned and managed by the Kabunyan Family, and has all sorts of apparel – from short sleeves (Php 120), long sleeves (Php 150), shorts/tokong (Php 150), pants (Php 180-280), dress (Php 180), bags (Php 180-600), and shoes (flats, high-heels, sneakers).





According to their sales clerk, all items are imported from neighboring Asian countries – Korea, Japan, China, and Hong Kong.





And you wanna know what the best thing about the place is? It has free Wi-Fi.





Walking around the plaza, we’ve spotted four more ukay-ukay stores, all of which has the same price range for items. One of them even has toys for sale!






We left the plaza after an hour or so. After 5 minutes of walking, we’ve seen another ukay-ukay.





What distinguishes it from all the other ukay-ukay in Tagaytay is that it has an overlooking view of Taal Lake.





They have the cheapest price around town; items for as low as Php 10/each. With that kind of price though, I didn’t expect good-as-new items. I’d rate it a 6 out of 10.


Here are some of the few best buys I happen to came across during my Tagaytay ukay-ukay hopping with friends:

Cravings for Less! Mushroom Burger @ Tagaytay Saves the Day!

Any plans for the weekend? Staying at home watch some movies and hibernate is a good idea. But, inviting your colleagues have some escapade is definitely the best. Looking for a place to spend your weekends? Why don’t you just put your cardigans and sweater on, start the engine and enjoy the beauty of the South!

Tagaytay is the second summer capital of the Philippines, known for its cold atmosphere and awesome view of Taal Volcano. From Manila, it’s just one bus ride approximately 2 to 3 and max of 3 ½ hours due to heavy traffic. Ber-Season is approaching meaning to say, experience colder weather, foggy and perfect time to eat and crave. FYI, Tagaytay is the home of the best ever “BULALO”. Almost every restaurants and cafeteria in the city serves a hot bowl of delectable Bulalo.

After a long walk while enjoying the scenic spots, I’m already starving; so my feet took me to a cozy diner named Mushroom Burger.






The ambience was warm and it’s like a stopover for travelers.






All meals are less than a hundred pesos, perfect for those with big appetite and tight-budget themselves. Like any other fast food they offer noodles, rice meals, burger, fries and some others.







I’ve tried their best seller KING Mushroom Burger for only PhP.94. The smokey flavor of the mushroom mixed with pork and TLC is perfect, and I add lots of ketchup, that’s how I want it.






After the last bite being a king, I also conquer a platter of Hong Kong rice with beef and mushroom and egg, and then I’m full. SOLVE!






What are you waiting for? Pack your things up. Enjoy Tagaytay and Dine at Mushroom Burger!

Fashion at its Cheapest! Cheap Finds at Bench SM Fairview and Robinson's Nova Market.

Let's admit it. We all love to shop. We all love trendy clothes. There's something about getting yourself a new pair of jeans, a bottle of perfume, or a trendy top. Stepping out of that chic boutique with paper bags in your hands, ah, the feeling is priceless. Everytime we go to the mall, something catches our attention and we tell ourselves: "I love the color of that bag." or "That's a really nice shirt. " and "I would love to have that." Only if our budget allows us. We envy those people who can afford to buy flashy stuff. But you need not to worry because MALL SALES are here to stay. For college students who are always on a tight budget, it's a blessing.

Personally speaking, majority of my clothes are bought during mall sales on the Philippines' biggest lifestyle and retail giant BENCH. They offer great finds in a very affordable prices. Here are two of the items available:

Navy blue cardigan from Bench.

Price: 349 pesos

SM North Edsa

Perfect for the rainy season. This is definitely a must have for guys who are always on the go.

Slim cut overhauled black jeans.

Price: 499 pesos

Robinson's Nova Market

Great for students who love denim.

Check out their mall sales happening today on SM Fairview and Robinson's Nova Market. Enjoy.

Take Me Away! A Sweet Escape to Arroceros Forest Park.

Drained after making a thesis? Worn-out after a particularly long week from school? Don’t you just want to hop on a bus or get on a plane and get away from everything? And for one second in your absolutely chaotic life to just… relax?

This is obviously not an easy task. As a student, I have to find a place, a retreat, where I will be able to relax and enjoy the surroundings without making too much dent on my savings. An example of such place is the Arroceros Forest Park.

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Arroceros Forest Park, located right outside the LRT Central Station, is like an oasis at the middle of a desert. It is situated near SM Manila and is within walking distance from many universities. It is open from 8am to 5pm only, and is absolutely free. The entrance to the park is actually easy enough to find.

The first things you see when you enter are trees… a lot of trees. Trees, so full and thick, line up the pathways that it almost feels like you are standing in a forest. In fact, you might actually forget that on the other side of the fence is a highway full of cars going by. Lush greenery, just the sight of the pathway would relax you and make you nostalgic. The only sound you’ll hear are the loud chirping of the birds and the sounds made by many insects. I find the sounds, even the ones from the insects, oddly relaxing.

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If you enter deep into the trees, you’ll find benches scattered throughout the property. I found that this park is not the sort of place where you take your family and have a picnic, or ride bicycles around with your friends. It was more of a place where you go alone to think, or to read or write, or whatever things you enjoy to do on your own. The park is big enough and actually not too famous so you’ll only find a few other souls in there. It is located right smack in the middle of a busy city, an oasis with actual trees and offers peace that is just hard to find in an urban area.

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So if you’re looking to find a place where you can attain solitude and peace, Arroceros Forest Park is definitely a sweet escape for you.

Bargain Shopping Galore! A two-storey establishment of massive bargain items.

You could only appreciate thrift shops, famously known as ukay-ukays, if you are willing to spend hours sorting through hundreds of racks with clothes, bags and shoes of various shapes and sizes to find a perfect fit. As for me, I've been checking out ukay-ukays since my early high school years, so I really don't mind standing for hours as long as I’ll find something that will tickle my fancy.

For my first post, I will feature one of the many ukay-ukays found along Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila – one of my favorite “bargain shopping destination”.  One of the biggest ukay-ukay in this area is located at the corner of Gonzalo Puyat (or Raon) St., and Rizal Avenue, a minute of walking away from LRT 1 Carriedo Station. I’m certain you’ll find something to buy in this 150-sq. meter, two-storey establishment. Taking of photos were prohibited but I was able to ninja my camera.

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Found at the first floor are the bags and shoes. The shoe section – which I personally enjoyed – has flats (prices ranging from 200-500php), high-heeled pumps, wedges and sandals (prices ranging from 300-600php), leather boots, both men and women’s (prices ranging from 300-700php), and authentic rubber shoes – Nike, Addidas, Converse, Levi’s, Merrell, Fila, name it, they have it here – (price ranging from 700-2,000php). I happen to spot pairs of Doc Martens for 1,400php, too!


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The bag section has many styles, sizes and shapes to choose from. I’ve been looking for a leather messenger bag for quite some time now, and I happen to see one for 580php. Other kinds include backpacks, shoulder bags, tote bags, gym bags, body bags, and class A designer bags. They have this rack full of class A Louis Vuitton (2,800-4,000php), Gucci (2,000-4,000php) and Dolce and Gabbana (2,000-4,000php) shoulder bags.

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The management has been strict when we went to the second floor of the establishment so I wasn’t able to take photos. Located upstairs are another hundred racks of ladies’ wear – dresses, blouses, skirts, pants, tank tops, and even gowns. They also have men’s pants, jackets, and caps upstairs. Prices range from as low as 50 pesos an item, up to 500 – it depends on the condition and brand of the piece.

Since I was running low on cash that day, I didn’t purchase either of the messenger bag or Dr. Martens I’ve been eyeing. But I’ll definitely go back after saving up enough money to buy either of the two, that is, of course, if the bag or the pair of shoes is still available.