Over-eat, Over-fed, Over-buffet, Over-cooked Eat All You Can at Tong Yang

Tong Yang is a Chinese for winter sun which marks the longest night and shortest day of the year.

 

Located at Jupiter street Makati, the restaurant is not a place you want to miss. Chinese buffet at its best. This is a place where soup and grill meet.

Or fry. Watchamacallit.

A place where it does not need a chef to satisfy one's craving.
Crabs and shrimps are not available from the buffet table but you need to ask the attendant to serve you one.

 Sushi for appetizer and several choices of shabu shabu, noodles, dips, and desserts. Most are displayed without any label. You would need to ask which is which from the attendant like I know what I am dumping inside my tummy.

Lighting maybe a little bit poor and too dim for lunch and air-conditioning  needs to be a little bit colder. Seems to be stocked on a certain temperature that one still needs a fan to feel comfortable.

Prices may vary depending on the day and time you visit the resto.

All in all, we've got a happy tummy.

And our friend got a....

Nancy Binay Living Under Her Father's Fame and other Pre-Election Dilemna

Election: The time where politicians exercise their right to be voted by the people.
Where we can see politicians working their dumb asses under the heat of the scorching sun, with all smiles, waves, handshakes and flying kisses, in exchange for a name listed on a ballot.
Where a gunman and sniper work hand in hand for a bucket of cash. Where running Mayor will hire someone to kill co-running Mayor due to fear of losing.
When a small amount of money, a lunch with the whole barangay and a kilo of rice will give a count.

Where an empty wall becomes a big  canvass of a politician's unfulfilled promises and streamers are full the politicians face.

It is the time where Nancy Binay, as described by Wikipedia, the  the most vilified senatorial candidate in the 2013 elections, due to her political dynastic connections, lack of experience in high-level administration/legislation, and supposed lack of intellect would run but not wanting to engage in debates and informs the public that she is well fit for the position although she knows nothing.

Where Vice-Ganda gets applauded for making the right choices of senators (experienced and intellectually motivated).

Where Cynthia Villar downgrades the Filipino nurses and still has the guts to face the Filipino people.

Where Chiz Escudero uses Heart Evangelista for publicity but does not have any platform and haven't had any improvements from Bicol to senate.

Where liquor-ban is implemented but excludes foreigners.

The election dilemma where people's idealism of good governance will be taken inconsideration as numbers inside a ballot box waiting to reveal the next Philippine history.

A Must-Read before Casting The Vote on May 13, 2013

Couple of my friends stumbled on Oliver Gutierrez' Facebook Page and it turned out that this guy has something interesting to say. Let me share it with you. 

While walking down the street one day a Corrupt Philippine Senator was

tragically hit by a car and died.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there
is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so
we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is
have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where
to spend eternity."

"Really?, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down,
down to hell.

The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In
the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends
and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake
his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at
the expense of the Filipino people.

They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the
finest champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a
good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it
is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter
is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls
moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good
time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter
returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose
your eternity."

The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never
have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would
be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to
hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land
covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags,
picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from
above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.

"I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there
was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank
champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland
full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil smiles at him and says,*
"Yesterday we were campaigning ...Today, you voted."

"REMEMBER TO VOTE WISELY!"*

Pranzo in Spaghetti Factory

Lunch can be the most challenging part of the day especially when you are inside the mall. No available sits, long queues and messy tables left by the previous user.

At the old spaghetti factory, it was just the opposite.

Located at the second floor of the newly renovated Glorietta, this place is not that spacious but a great place to just enjoy Italian cuisine.

Their music won't give you much either. But there are no long standing queues, no messy tables, and an available table is there once you enter the resto.

In my own opinion, this place is over staffed for the shift but still lack manpower.  It took them exactly 10 minutes to give us a glass of water while waiting.
You've got to ask because they won't give you some less you ask for one.

 On a positive note, you've got to choose your pasta and the sauce to go along with it which I think is really cool. A nearly-personalized pasta dish.
A little downside though, you need to wait longer than the usual for your order to be served and that a dish is served one after the other, not at the same time.

Most visitors recommend the Red Seafood Pasta and Pesto pasta. As of this writing I haven't had any recommendation of any Pizza yet, but maybe we can give it a try next time. 

You may also need a laugh.

A little disturbing sign inside the restroom is this:

Not bad though. Simply to put it, be very careful not to wet the bowl. Thank you. lolz.

Cena Italiana a Mary Grace

March 5, 2013.
One tuesday evening was a dinner unplanned. Mary Grace cafe along Piaza Serendra offered us an ambiance of acoustic music.

Pasta, pizza, pastries in one. To my surprise, their menu includes vigan longanisa, beef tapa and fried bangus which is rather unusual. This is called the Filipino Basket Breakfast.

Two orders of pizza and two kinds of pasta filled our tummies.

Planning our summer get-away was perfected on this place.
The resto dates back in 1997. It's history was humbled by a young girl's dream. Here are more information about Mary Grace Cafe Restaurant.

At the end, hungry tummy filled smiles on our faces.

The Mann Hann Scenario

The regular end of our shift is one o'clock PM. We hail a cab from Makati to The Fort and catch up with Sunday service which usually begins around two o'clock PM. We lack sleep, and we miss lunch. This is the regular scenario every Sunday. 

After the church service, we would normally scout a place to feed our hungry stomachs. Upon entering Market Market, The first restaurant available is Mann Hann. Not so crowded and spacious.

Before our lunch was served, we had a taste of Dairy Queen's Dilly Bar. Sometimes, while waiting for the food to be served, we really couldn't wait to have desert first before the main course.

 Their site provides a little background about the place. 
Website: Mann Hann

Location:

Mann Hann Market! Market!
26th St. cor. C5, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone Number
(+63 2) 845-0319

We would love to visit again. Hopefully, they would have wifi this time. 

Memories of the Unsung Heroes

After experiencing nature at its best, at Villa Sylvia Mountain Resort, we decided to drop by The Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery. A good 5-minute jeepney ride from the resort.

This is a cemetery or a burial site as we call it under a church. This church used to be a secret meeting place of revolutionary leaders in 1896. It was built under the leadership of a  Franciscan missionary named Father Vicente Velloc.

Getting in...

Inside the church:

 It is more of a chapel than a church. It houses aside from the altar, 10 pews, 5 on each side which will accomodate roughly around 50-70 people at most.

The Crypt:

We were told that there are no famous hero buried here, but still, the main fact that they fought for independence and freedom, they're still heroes who remained to be nameless. 

Most of the time, aside from tourists, architectural students come here to visit to study its unique structure. 

Never leave Laguna without visiting this historical landmark, where first plans of battle were made in to place to enjoy our independence.