CRAVINGS FOR LESS! Dine @ Hainanese Delights.

Want to treat yourself a delightful way? Then shop at Robinsons and dine at HAINANESE DELIGHTS: UNLIMITED HAINAN RICE for Php.120.
 




What is Hainan Rice? It is a dish with many variations, but its origin lies in a small island coast of mainland China. The special rice is the true star of the dish, bursts with a symphony of flavors and is specially prepared to absorb the unique stock flavor of the dish, making it both delightful and delicious.






TIP: If you will dine in a restaurant new to you, best thing to do is to ask what their specialty is. So, I ordered their best seller Hainanese Delights, it is where the name of the restaurant is derived.
 




It’s a chicken dish, similar to the taste of Pilipino bowl of Tinola, but my taste bud says that I like it more. *haha* The chicken meat was tender and perfect with the hainanese rice, (kakaiba yung lasa ng chicken, hindi sya komplikado) which carries the savory flavors of China.






Actually, hainanese rice also best with beef, pork and dumplings too. The special rice is light and delicate to the palette; the bursts of flavor combined with the sumptuous grain have your mouth watering for more. I almost forgot how many scoops of rice I have eaten. (kahit kelan at kahit saan, sulit sakin ang mga unlimited!)
   




Hainanese Delights brings the best and real Hainan flavors to be enjoyed in every bite.
 




Hainanese Delights is only available in Robinsons Malls and Shopping centers. C’mon, experience a delightful Hainan flavors.
 

Take Me Away! Chill All Day at La Mesa Eco Park.

On this next article, we went to La Mesa Eco Park for another affordable adventure.






La Mesa Eco Park is located in Quezon City. You can get there by riding the MRT/LRT and most buses or FX en route to or from SM Fairview. My friend and I rode the MRT to Quezon Avenue station and rode an FX from there. A tricycle ride, which costs P10.00, will take you straight to the entrance. Entrance to the park costs P50.00 (incredibly cheap!) but if you have a Quezon City resident in company, it will be even better because the entrance fee will be reduced to P20.00.

On the way to the park is a very relaxing path which will instantly make you forget that you are in the middle of a busy city.





At the park, you can pretty much do whatever you like. There are plenty of activities that you can choose
from.

There is a Wall Climbing Area and a Nature Path for those who seek adventure.

Swimming complex for those who wants to swim.






Plenty of cottages all around the property for those who just wants to relax and enjoy the feel of nature
around them, and so much more.
 



And of course, because we’re always on a tight budget, we just chose to walk around and then chill in the free tables scattered around the property (the cottages cost P500.00 which was a little too pricey for a group of only four). It was so relaxing there that it felt like the best thing to do. 

 



Eventually though, we couldn’t resist the prospect of cool water in the pool that we just had to get in. The entrance to the pool will cost an additional P80.00, but I have to say, it was well worth it.

 



In conclusion, La Mesa Eco Park is definitely a must-visit. It fits all the requirements for a perfect cheap getaway. Not only is it budget-friendly, it has a very peaceful environment that can be an absolute stress-reliever and it is also an entire property full of fun things to do.
   




I am already looking forward to my next visit to La Mesa Eco Park.

Fashion at Its Cheapest! My Latest Fashion Find at Bench.

This brown tee with shiny – unicorn – sun – swords – and – other – fancy – stuff prints form Bench which I have bought last week for only 229php. The Bench store in Robinsons Nova Market is on sale all year round. Trust me. Majority of the clothes I wear are bought here.

P.S. I apologize if you won’t find any photos of the store here. They don’t allow taking pictures. You don’t need ‘em anyway.

Fashion at Its Cheapest! Mogao and Hey Dude.

Sometimes all you have to do is to step out of your comfort zone. Be noticed. Be loud, in the most silent ways. Adding a little sparkle on your life is essential. Same goes with what you wear. For some people including me, wearing anything that’s eye catching is a big no – no. I am a minimalist when it comes to fashion, I prefer wearing clothes in colors like black, white, brown and gray – my favorite color. They’re dull, plain and boring if you would ask other people. But those are my choices. I like to camouflage.

But I guess changes are inevitable. I made the first bold move by joining a school pageant. I have to stand out. Or at least be noticed. Dressing up is a pre – requisite on every beauty pageant. I needed new clothes. I have to go shopping. With only 1k in my pocket and hope in my heart that I’d be finding something special, I rushed to the nearest SM Mall and that’s SM City Fairview. I meticulously checked every store, racks after racks, and here’s what I discovered:

I came upon this newly – opened store on the ground floor of SM City Fairview and its called MOGAO. For fashionistas and recessionistas alike, it’s a go – to. They sell trendy clothes in amazingly low prices! Tops for as low as 100php, and jeans and pants ranges from 300 to 600 per pair. I was able to buy two white short sleeved polos with details on their front part. I can say that the first one is quite unusual for my taste.

I was also able to buy these gray cotton blazer and black vest which are both slashed to half of its original prices. They’re both from Hey Dude found in the Pre – teens Wear section of the SM Department Store. For those who haven’t gone through this area of SM Dept. Store despite their petite sizes, I suggest you do.

Going back to the pageant, I didn’t win any of the title. But I came home happy. I had pushed myself and stepped out of my comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to wear something “not you” once in a while. Check out Mogao and make a statement with pieces that are trendy yet affordable. They have branches in most SM Malls and even in Divi.

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.