If you have one place to visit in Manila, make it Luneta – more formally known as Rizal Park. I hear it’s transforming for the better these days.

I get nostalgic because this is after all the Luneta of my youth where I spent memorable times in the play slides and tunnels, then eating ice cream and riding the open-air bus when traffic wasn’t still the nightmare it is today.

Am happy that the National Parks & Development Committee (NPDC) now reports much-awaited changes in Rizal Park to include a more vibrant Children’s Playground which boasts of CCTV cameras, newly painted giant animal statues, and children’s songs playing day and night.

Another must-see: the ‘dancing’ water fountain at the Lagoon, which was restored and will soon be choreographed to classic Filipino music with daily shows at 6:30 p.m.

More positive changes expected: sprucing-up of various gardens, installation of a free WiFi zone, repair of the park’s underground drainage system, and possible underground parking spaces and passages to ease the volume of vehicles.

NPDC is preparing for the celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s 150th birth anniversary on June 19. Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero, was executed by Spanish colonizers on December 30, 1896 on the same spot where his monument now stands at the Luneta.

“The Department of Tourism and several historical organizations will launch a Rizal Heritage Trail that tourists may follow all over the country, and Rizal Park’s huge Relief Map can be a teaching tool in this regard,” Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said in a press statement.

As for the overall improvement in Rizal Park, Secretary Lim had this to say: “People are so eager to have a beautiful park like this as an alternative to the malls. It is our goal along with the NPDC for them to feel that Rizal Park is a citizens’ park, a park for all,” he said.

From the free open grounds to the higher-end Bay Area hotels, Museo Pambata (Children’s Museum) and the two National Museums, Ocean Park and restaurant row just nearby, there is something here for everyone, notes NPDC Executive Director Juliet Villegas.

Rizal Park is additionally being touted as an events venue of choice with the hosting of the famed Cirque du Soleil troupe from June 23 to July 10, 2011, as well as the World Cup Philippines Year 2 on April 30 and May 15.

I was hurrying to work yesterday when I saw these two dogs. They were too cute to ignore. On impulse, I took my digicam from my bag to take a picture until I was nudged by a cigarette vendor to “donate” five pesos. Aha! That was what the baskets were for

Mind you they’re just askals (street dogs) but looks like they were trained well. I bet they can stay in that position for hours…. while wearing shades of course!

Soon enough, the dogs’ trainor ( I failed to get his name) let one hold a gun (gasp!) while standing on all fours. I was certainly impressed. The doggie’s tag read “Overall 1st Place” while the other one had inscribed “Most Talented Dog.”

Too bad I didn’t stay long enough to see what more of their talent was. But I hope to see them in the same spot some other time. What a breather. Only in Manila!

Just like the Rockwell in Makati, this one didn’t disappoint – although admittedly, I need to explore it more. The area consists of office towers fitted with contemporary work spaces. I think the best part is the generous landscaping and the majestic view of the Ortigas skyline from the top floors.

Of particular interest to me are the restaurants that have settled in RBC. There’s Cafe Mediterranean, Savor Filipina, Thuk Thai, Caffe Firenzo, Mary Grace Cafe, Hobbies Barbeque, Barbara’s and lastly

……. Buon Giorno! Cafe & Bistro. Yes, this is the sister resto of the popular Buon Giorno at The Cliffhouse in Tagaytay. The latter has always been a favorite for the simple reason that the deadly combination of scenic views + romantic ambiance + good food never fails!

Buon Giorno Rockwell may not have Tagaytay’s countryside appeal but am glad the excellent cooking stays the same. It’s good to know that one can also find a version of the in-demand Opium Bed in the Rockwell branch which has been witness to countless teary-eyed marriage proposals in Tagaytay.

No less than owner Mark Floro (who is also a famous commercial photographer) met us by the door and entertained us with tales of how we married his wife because of her minestrone

I didn’t see the minestrone that night, but I did have a comforting bowl of the Crema de Broccoli (P140) which consisted of the pureed greens mixed with dollops of cream

One of the best things about Buon Giorno is the pizza, and we didn’t have one but two flavors: New York (P295) and the vegetarian, described in the menu as consisting of “all the good stuff” (P265)

I liked sampling their scrumptious Canneloni Spinaci – rolled pasta filled with ground chicken and mortadella ham, then topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella.

The beef Wagyu with gravy was the star of the show, and I liked how its delectable goodness melted in my mouth. There’s a price to pay for eating Wagyu, and the price is happiness

I am not a big fan of risotto, but their pollo e funghi (chicken risotto with mushroom) turned me into a convert.

Fat ol’ me passed up on the dessert, but here’s a picture of the irresistible molten chocolate cake with vanilla gelato (P168) for your viewing pleasure.

I promise to be back again!

Buon Giorno!
G/F Tower 1 West
Rockwell Business Center
Ortigas Ave., Pasig City

Look for us in the outdoor piazza where we will be selling our cooked/baked goodies and attempt to replicate the food we blog about. Woohoo! If you read our blogs, do drop by and say hi … we would be happy to interact with our readers:)

Who’s joining and what we’re preparing:

annalyn.net – red velvet cupcakes, Santa’s sandwiches and my favorite piping-hot Bicol Express!

award-winning blogger Noemi Lardizabal-Dado of pinoyfoodblog.com – she will be making her gingerbread cookies. See her related post here

Melo Villareal, a travel and food blogger @pinoycravings.com who is also a passionate baker. He’ll be showcasing his Monster Cookies and White Chocolate Monster Cookies:) Melo has been selling the cookies at Parvati desserts shop in Trinoma and am already curious to try ‘em!:)

Thanks to the Mercato founders Anton & Rache Diaz, RJ Ledesma and Creative Juice for accommodating us

Here’s what my kitchen looks like today as I try to cram everything for tomorrow, while working in the office later. Hope everything goes well. It’s just another multi-tasking day

For now, it’s being marketed as a healthy, organic market but for us who love our burgers, bacon fat and pork belly, there are lots of appetizing choices too. Two hours was certainly not enough for me and the hubby to enjoy the flavors of this market. Now you know where to get your Christmas shopping done in case you want food gifts that are out of the ordinary.

Mercato Centrale is open Saturdays and Sundays from 6 am to 12 noon at the corner of 9th Avenue and 30th St., BGC (look for the covered tent near the Spa of Bonifacio High Street).

Some interesting people I saw at Mercato Centrale …. let’s focus on the food later

Milena, the curvy Czechoslovakian owner of Milena’s Cakes, was herself manning the stall selling vegan, gluten-free desserts like caramel melted choco cake, apple pie, lemonade diet pie and cupcakes. I tasted some and it was unbelievably good

Fashion models (from left) Raya Mananquil, Valerie de los Santos & Bianca Valerio show us how to dress fashionably for the weekend food tripping.

A certain blogger (okay, that’s me) with Mr. Our Awesome Planet, Anton Diaz. Anton and wife Rache organized Mercato together with RJ Ledesma and Janice Villanueva of Mommy Mundo. Photo taken by Azrael Coladilla.

The BGC weekend market carries the products of heavyweights in the culinary scene like columnist/chef Claude Tayag of the famous Bale Dutung in Pampanga.

Bale Datung’s Pan de Bagnet enjoyed long lines from foodies wanting to try the oven roasted pork belly enclosed in a ciabatta bun with some vegetable salsa. I ended up eating the thinly sliced liempo separately…it was easier that way

I was quite surprised to see only one stall selling Cebu lechon Maybe the lechon makers were overpowered by the organic vendors. As far as organic goes, I was happy to try some healthy fruit juices and shakes and bought a bottle or two for breakfast.

These eggs were so prettily-packed and caught my attention. I was happily snapping away with my camera, until I looked up and found the stall owner to be my college classmate Kim Bernardo-Lokin. I was impressed with the fact that the egg wraps were made from corn husks which are normally thrown away. Kim’s enterprise sells delicacies which benefits poor families from her home province of Pangasinan . Good luck dear!

Mochi ice cream and other treats from Fruits in Ice Cream. Irresistible!

The triple beef burger and bacon-wrapped hotdog from Flamed! looked sinful and interesting. I’ll try this next time I’m in a carnivorous mode.

Gourmet whoopie pies from 8 Twists Boutique Bakery. Whoopie pies are traditionally two small flat chocolate cakes with a cream frosting in the middle. I bought a box home…and none left for me to be tasted. It must have been good Hubby now says they’re too small to be called a whoopie pie….

The doughnut cheeseburger from Offbeat Cafe enjoyed TV coverage. I am curious about this treat and will have to try this next time too!

Quiche and pies from La Cuisine Francaise. They had an extensive selection of prepared food products on display, including tabbouleh.

Beautifully-packed Christmas goodies…this one is from Chef Philippe.

…… and many, many more. There are about 150 stalls for your shopping/eating pleasure. See you at the Mercato Centrale weekend market. I highly recommend it as a must go-to food destination in Manila:)

Does your family spend quality bonding time in Bonifacio Global City? What culinary memories and discoveries have you had here? If hanging out in Bonifacio Global City has become a big part of your life (like we do!) time to write down your best BGC family and food stories for a chance to win prizes. We will run the promo for three weeks until the second/third week of August and the weekly winners will each receive a P3,000 electronic gift card from the Ayala Malls. Please read the end of this post for the simple mechanics.

Bonifacio High Street is one of our fave spots in the metro. Love the fact that it’s pet- and family-friendly. It was designed in such a way that people, especially children, can freely roam and play in its open spaces. Manila is crowded with too many vehicles and high-rises as it is. We go to BHS to recharge, smell the breeze or just look around any of their specialty boutiques.

The kids love building Lego blocks at Hobbes & Landes, playing the sandbox at ROX, reading children’s books at Fully Booked or simply whiling the hours away at Time Zone!

When it’s time to soothe our hunger pangs, we eat in Boni High or cross over to the neighboring Serendra Piazza which has some of the most sought-after restos in the city. We especially love the steaks at Mamou, the corned beef sinigang at Sentro, more Filipino food at Abe and the Cupcakes by Sonja, among other restaurants that can be enjoyed here.

How about you?

In as little as two paragraphs, write about the food and/or family experience in and around Bonifacio Global City that impressed you (note: BGC covers such areas as Market! Market, Burgos Circle etc. but does not include McKinley Hill)

The first week winner will be announced on July 30, following these rules:

1. You must be a resident of Metro Manila.

2. Blog about your Bonifacio Global City experience with a link back to this post. Or -

Comment on this post with your answer (two short paragraphs!) and separately email me two photos (food, restaurant, place) using my email annalyn(dot)jusay(at)gmail(dot)com

3. After you have blogged or commented, spread the word in your Facebook, Twitter, Multiply and other social networking sites and kindly get back to me with the links.

In order to win, entry must be accurate and comply with the rules above. I will choose the best entry based on how it portrays the best Bonifacio Global City family and dining experience.

Deadline for the submission of entries:

Week 1: July 29

Week 2: August 5

Week 3: August 12

Good luck!

VIP tickets with dinner cost P1500 and I presume those who bought these tickets get the best view and best seats. We just decided to hang out in one of the veranda restaurants which were also selling tickets. We were at TGI Friday’s, to be exact, which charged P750 per person of which P500 was consumable (and the garlic chicken primavera I ordered was godawfully unpalatable).

I found out that the spot was far from ideal because the table we were in was blocked by the foliage of trees and this really irritating giant replica bottle of Tanduay in the background. Still, I managed to get these shots using my trusted Lumix LX3

The night was a battle between the pyrotechnics prowess of France and Japan. Japan’s fireworks was more impressive and had greater impact. They even managed to put up symbols in the sky, such as this smiley face ….

Next to compete are Singapore vs. Malaysia on March 7 while the Philippines will have a showdown with Australia for the closing exhibition on March 14. The fireworks show starts at 7 p.m.

For more information, visit the show’s official website.

1. Restaurant Le Bellevue on the 27th floor of the Manila Diamond Hotel is a favorite for viewing the bright lights of the bay-enclosed city, while savoring French cuisine

2. Cosa Nostra on Adriatico St. Malate is the cutest little spot in Manila. A small hang-out with five or six tables. Be sure to talk in whispers while you’re munching on your salad and pasta

3. I’d also go to another Malate mainstay, Cafe Adriatico, for a nightcap over coffee and Claude’s Dream, their divine-tasting buko pandan dessert

4. White Moon Bar, a new open air hangout at the Manila Ocean Park looks cozy enough. The perfect spot for enjoying the bay breeze and Manila’s famous sunset while lounging in their comfy sofas

5. Harbor View, another popular open-air restaurant with mainly Filipino cuisine on the menu

6. Harbour Square at the CCP Complex. I think of this place as the new Luneta – albeit a small version – where you can HHWW (hold hands while walking) amid a view of the buildings in Roxas Boulevard and the ships sailing Manila Bay

7. Don’t count out the Walled City of Intramuros too, and having dinner in the legendary Ilustrado Restaurant. I love their pastries!

8. Summer’s safe enough to try a Manila Bay dinner cruise. You can choose to just sail, or sail while partaking of a buffet for the price of P495. Another alternative is cruising in a 70-foot yacht by Realship Corp amid food, wine and piano music. All of the boats dock in the CCP Complex

9. And then there’s Lolo Dad’s.

Hubby and I had dinner here during our wedding anniversary recently. He liked very much the food at Lolo Dad’s Brasserie in 6750 Ayala Avenue, Makati and so I wasted no time in telling him that they also have a restaurant in Manila.

With its long-lived existence, Lolo Dad’s Cafe beats the notion that in business, location is everything. Situated in Quirino Avenue (near the Quirino LRT station), it’s a family house converted into a restaurant that can seat 50 people (including the function room for 20).

What we ordered that night:

An appetizer of seafood pot-au-feu for me, but the strong taste of the prawns and fish dumpling proved to be too much for my pregnant woman’s taste. In turn, I wish I had hubby’s Caesar’s salad with salmon gravlax, crispy pancetta and six-minute boiled egg instead

As a prelude to the main course, they served us a smoking teapot filled with flavorful raspberry sorbet. This was remarkable in itself.

For our entrees, I had Herb de Provence Roasted Rack of Lamb, while hubby had charcoal grilled duck breast with foie gras, butterscotch pudding and poached pear in saffron. These dishes came with a hefty price tag, but I truly savored every bite. As much as possible, I order lamb when out dining (whether in a Middle Eastern joint or in fancy dining) because we don’t cook lamb at home. Lolo Dad’s roasted rack was pure indulgence as I joyfully separated the meat from the bone.

For dessert, we had the Sampler of Chocolates and the Declension of Mango and Mascarpone Cheese. I thought it was sugar overload to have ordered two, instead of sharing just one, but Lolo Dad’s desserts were a feast for the eyes and the senses.

How about you, what is your favorite date place in Manila????

My own arguments against riding public transport are these – if you’re riding a taxi: you never know the driver’s temperament or if their meters are reliable. Some smell of LPG gas (because, well, they’re using it) and it’s really crazy hailing taxis during rush hours, the holiday season and when it rains.

As for FXs buses and jeepneys, I get claustrophobic and paranoid about holdup incidents. The only thing I favor are the LRT and MRT trains to easily get to Point Z from Point A, but the lines at the terminals can get really long too, and occasionally there are mechanical troubles which can stall your trip for hours.

I’ve had my commuter days and have my own horror stories to tell about riding public transport. One time, the taxi driver was really acting weird and appeared to be high on drugs. I leapt out of the taxi at the next stop light, but not without him shouting invectives at me. God knows where he could have led me then.

As a result, I’ve formulated some rules in riding a taxi in Manila:

1. Ride only on taxis ran by reputable companies. Never mind if you have to shell out extra pesos for it.

2. Practice precautionary measures like keeping the doors locked, carrying a self-defense spray and sitting at the back, instead of beside the driver.

3. Text the taxi’s plate number to a family member or friend as soon as you ride the car

4. Riding a taxi at 6 a.m. is safer than riding a taxi at 3 or 4 a.m. In the same way that riding a taxi in groups is safer than going it alone, at that hour!

On Facebook tonight, the horrific story of this young woman who was mugged by a taxi driver caught my attention:

Apparently, her friends want to spread the word on the horrific incident that happened to her. Here’s her tale: (pardon the length)

“After four months of not going to a club (LITERALLY), I finally did to show some support for one of my best friends, Mel and to see friends who I haven’t seen for the longest longest longest time. It was the first time I’ve ever set foot in Encore (to think I used to go to Embassy every week). It felt surreal to be out and without my boyfriend, LJ, who couldn’t come due to an early class the following day.

I only had 4 drinks: 3 Amaretto Sours and a Mai Tai. It felt good seeing a lot of my friends. We took so many pictures that my fully charged camera went low bat. Anyway, Mel and I decided to leave Encore by 2:30 A.M. Our friends stayed behind since the club closes at 3 A.M. Mel and I were taking separate cabs since she goes home to Mandaluyong and I to Makati. I WAS COMPLETELY SOBER. Not even a bit tipsy.

I remember telling her as we were leaving the club “It’s my first time going home in a cab alone from this club.” Mel was a bit concerned, even offering me to stay over her place for the night.. I told her not to worry, I ALWAYS get home safely.

So we went to get our cabs and I made sure Mel got into her cab first. Then I was looking for a cab who wouldn’t fix the price (you know how it is at The Fort) and there was one who volunteered that he’d use the meter. So I took his offer. I distinctly remember most of the waiting cabs were DAVIS cabs. Mine was not. And I was so damn stupid not to get his taxi’s name and plate number.

In the middle of the ride, I started changing into regular shorts and top. The driver wasn’t looking though but suddenly his hand reached for behind and I was surprised. He was saying, “MAY NAHULOG. Wallet mo ata.” I found a 50 peso bill on the floor. Then he said, “Ang dami mo sigurong pera. Mayaman ka noh?” I didn’t answer. I started getting nervous. I started looking for the cab’s number (which is usually written on the side of the doors). There were faint markings but it couldn’t be understood. The driver noticed my agitation and said, “Anong hinahanap mo? Plate number? Bigay ko sayo.” I was like, “Never mind.” I did NOT want him to know I was getting nervous already. Plus we were so near my house. I thought, what could go wrong?

But something did. Three streets away from my house, the cab driver “hit” a pothole or hump or whatever. He pulled over to the side and said, “Tangina, pano na yan? Na-lock yung steering wheel. Hindi ko maikot.” I was just looking at him, confused. I have no knowledge of cars so I do not know if he was bluffing or not. The meter was 75. I gave him a hundred. He had no change daw so I was like, “Fine, whatever. There’s nothing I can do about it.” I stepped out of the cab, in the middle of Bautista Street, a long street but near my house. It was almost 3 A.M. When I looked back, the cab was gone.

HOW IN THE WORLD WAS HE ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY IF HIS STEERING WHEEL WAS “LOCKED”?

I called my boyfriend up AND THANK GOD HE ANSWERED HIS PHONE. He was sleeping already, good thing the call woke him up. I was trying to remain calm. I told him my dilemma. Suddenly an empty cab drove by. A DIFFERENT ONE. I hailed it. I had probably less than half a kilometer to my house which was three streets away. The cab took me in and I ended the call.

Two more lefts, it was my house already. It was Camalig Street, then Bigasan Street. Suddenly the driver went left, the street just right before my house, Camalig. I said very politely, “Kuya, MALI. Atras ka, atras ka. Sa kabilang street pa. One more left.” The driver just kept driving like he didn’t hear. I said it again. Then he stopped and looked at me. Then he said, “Bayaran mo na.” I was weirded out. I was like, “Why? This is not even my house. It’s on the next street.” Besides, we haven’t traveled far. The meter was still at 30 pesos.

SUDDENLY, without warning, the driver grabbed my neck and jumped to the back. My first thought was, “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?”. But his grip was getting tighter and tighter. I literally couldn’t breathe and felt my consciousness slipping. As we were struggling, I kept scratching at his eyes and reaching for the lock of the left door. He was on top of me hitting my head repeatedly while his other hand around my neck. I was choking and choking when I realized the left side HAD NO FUCKING LOCK, which means I couldn’t get out. Which means I had to try my luck on the right side. Imagine my struggle to get to the other side as a full grown, heavyset man kept bashing my head, scratching my face, pulling my hair and hitting me. I kept scratching his eyes. It was all I could do. When his grip loosened a bit, I managed to open the right door with so much effort. Unfortunately he pulled me back with my hair. Imagine MY TERROR as the door closed again!!!!! I couldn’t scream anymore. Besides, who would hear me I was inside a fucking car. My neck was so sore and I was close to fainting. I kept scratching his eyes and reaching for the door until by some miracle, I opened it fully and screamed with what was remaining of my voice.

The driver said something like, “Tangina, it’s not worth it.” And literally kicked me out of the car. I rolled out onto the street with my shoulder bag which was slung around me the whole time with its remaining contents. The driver suddenly sped away. Till now, I don’t know his motive, whether it be rape or hold up. Or both. Or murder.

So there I was in the middle of the street, barefoot. Then I realized why the hell am I so wet?! I realized I was sitting in a pool of my own blood. There was so much blood dripping from the right side of my head, it was like a half-closed faucet if you get what I mean. I started screaming for help.

This time the apartment I was right in front of lights’ went on. Imagine the horror on these people’s faces as I literally crawled towards them bloodied and barefoot. When I reached out to them for help, I saw my arm. It was covered in blood. And I could feel that I was losing so much more. I asked for a cellphone. I still had the consciousness to call my boyfriend. The people who took me in were nice enough to let me call. They talked to LJ and informed him of what happened. They even cleaned me up. Suddenly there was the barangay people and witnesses. That’s when everything became hazy. The barangay people said that they had to take me to the hospital because I was losing so much blood.

I was taken to Makati Medical Center ER. I still remember as I was being loaded onto the wheelchair the horrified looks of the people outside the hospital. I even had a high school batchmate who was assigned as my nurse, Erika Bautista (THANK YOU SO MUCH). In her own words she said that when I came in I looked like I was already in critical condition. I am not exaggerating when I say this: I WAS LITERALLY COVERED IN BLOOD. Head to foot.”

The suspected culprit? A white taxi with plate number PXG 725 or PSG 725

Spread the word and stay safe people!

I was all raving about MoMo! Food + Drink when they opened. With free wifi, cool waitstaff and mouthwatering desserts as low as P50, it was destined to be the great hangout on Robinsons new Midtown Wing.Until they closed for renovations and revamped their menu. Unfortunately, things look headed for the worst.

Brewed coffee is now at P150 from the previous P75. At this rate, am better hanging out in the Shang-ri La.

My friend ordered their peach torte for P195, and it was nothing outstanding. The premium dessert, L’Opera at the nearby Manila Diamond Hotel is better and cheaper because it’s only P165.

The only good thing was that MoMo! serves these breadsticks with a serving of herbed butter, before your main course arrives.

I ordered their Hickory Pork Barbecue Ribs (P375) because it was recommended by the house. And I am given a platter with a siding of roasted veggies that tasted far from appetizing. Worse of all, the ribs were far from falling off the bone. It had chewy parts and tasted like it just came from being frozen. More ribs than meat too.

And as I paid P750++ for something that I honestly felt wasn’t value for money, I asked myself: “whatever happened to MoMo?” This was one case when renovations, a change of management and other what-nots turn for the worst.

Rating: go back at your own risk.