It was Mother's Day. I took the entire family out to celebrate. We were walking around in Glorietta when mama saw this cute yellow blouse in Bench. I figured, since it is Mother's Day, there is no harm in buying it for her. Once inside the store, mama didn't like it. Whew!
I thought I dodged the bullet there but mama started going around the store and found more items she liked. She started with a pair of shorts (around P600) and t-shirt. I saw a dress that I like for myself but when I asked the saleslady, she said they didn't have my size (XL, but going on L and M for some brands!). So I was disappointed and just let it be.
Until we went to the sales rack. These are shirts and blouses that are on sale for P560 for 2 pairs. Mama only wanted one, so we had to find another one to get the P560 price tag. I saw a nice shirt for myself, but was hesitant to ask if they have my size. This other saleslady (different one from before) approached me and said that they no longer have the size I was looking for but that she thinks I could fit in the large one which they have. Honestly, I think it was just a sales tactic, but I tried it on and it fit. And since I am on a diet/exercise/getting healthy regime, I felt good. I've been wearing the XL size for so long, it has become a default.
The shopping spree would have stopped at that, but I saw this cute printed pants from before and I was looking for a size 34 (what I think my waistline size is) and the same saleslady said, I could fit into a 29 or a 30. Since she helped me with the blouse from earlier, I humored her and tried on the pants. I was able to fit into the size 29 pants (something I haven't been able to do for a long time). I was happy and elated and very amused. When I got out of the fitting area, the sales girl had other items she thought would look nice on me. I tried all of them on for her. I rejected those I didn't like and put aside those I liked. My mom also re-started her shopping spree.
My little brother wanted a shirt of his own and I conceded. Since my mom and I already bought clothes for ourselves, one more additional shirt for my brother wouldn't hurt.
This same saleslady assisted my mom and my brother and me. She focused on us and I felt kinda special. But I also noticed that whenever there are other shoppers within her vicinity, she immediately answers their questions.
My dad was also just looking on, he looked like the type of guy who would rather be somewhere else than waiting for a gf/wife/daughter to finish shopping. So I asked the saleslady to find a pair of walking shorts for my dad. She found him several pairs. My dad is not easily enticed to shop. He would rather just stay at home and wear his old clothes. But I think the feeling that we were treated like VIPs by that saleslady, who focused on our needs made him want to buy things for himself too.
In the end, my bill almost maxed out my credit card. ALMOST.
I was only planning on getting my mom the cute yellow shirt. I ended up getting so much more. All because of that saleslady. I'm just sad that I am so bad with names, I can't remember her name anymore. But I will remember her when I see her again.
Friday, May 23, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
DAD's Eat All You Can Experience - Mother's Day Celebration
May 11, 2014 - Mother's day is probably one of the biggest holidays here in the Philippines. We don't celebrate it the way we celebrate Christmas or New Year's but everybody celebrates it.
A former classmate said that Mother's Day is like your birthday, only there are many other celebrants like you.
I think that description is very accurate. As a family, we decided to celebrate it at DAD's Eat All You Can.
My mom, dad and my little brother all wanted to go there. I would go somewhere else if given a choice, but since it is Mother's Day, I decided to indulge them. We went to DAD's in Glorietta. We arrived there at 11am (BIG MISTAKE). By this time, there is already a long line of customers waiting to be seated, and when I had my name listed down, we were #39 on the list. I went back after 30minutes to check the progress and #1 hasn't even been accommodated yet and the list is up to #78 waiting.
We decided to skip lunch and just wait for dinner. I asked the reception lady what time should we come back to reserve for dinner buffet. Since it was too early and they are not yet accepting 'reservations' for dinner. She told me to come back at 4:30pm. I went back at 4:20pm, so I could be first in line and they have already started taking names earlier. I was already #20 on the waiting list. That pissed me off big time. I kept coming back there just so I could have my name listed and they kept on telling me it was still too early. So how come they had people on the list before the 4:30pm start?
They started letting people in at 5pm. The process is that your name will be called twice and if you are not there, then they'll scratch your name off the list and move on to the next family.
#1 on the list was a Dr. Gomez. The reception lady kept on looking for his family but they were not there. Other families waiting for their turn had to tell her to move to the next on the list to be fair to others.
After about 30minutes, we were finally seated. My family attacked the buffet right away ( we skipped lunch for this). We were all hungry. Good thing is that they now offer bottomless shakes, juices, softdrinks with the buffet. I had several shakes with my meals.
The staff and the waiter assigned to our table was very friendly. We enjoyed our stay there and was fully satisfied. We paid P888 per head though, which is more expensive than it was 5months ago. In December, we only had to pay P648 per head. Nothing much has changed in their buffet offerings except for the unlimited drinks.
I think this price increase is unjustified but my family seemed to enjoy themselves so I'm satisfied.
I won't go back to DAD's on my own or with friends though. I was extremely turned off with how the reception staff/reservation staff handled their customers. Some customers were asking them questions and they just ignored them.
On a special day like Mother's Day, they should have been equipped to handle the volume of people that would come in and should have had a procedure in place.
I think my good times with DAD's is over. I am looking forward to trying other buffets with my family in the future. A bad customer experience can really lead to a lost of business.
It might just be me and my entire family (4 total), but we have friends and friends of friends and I am sure to share this experience with them. I didn't feel like a valued customer here because of their reception. They should probably train them more since they are the first people that their customers interact with.
I am very disappointed. It ruined what could have been a perfect day for my mom and my family.
A former classmate said that Mother's Day is like your birthday, only there are many other celebrants like you.
I think that description is very accurate. As a family, we decided to celebrate it at DAD's Eat All You Can.
My mom, dad and my little brother all wanted to go there. I would go somewhere else if given a choice, but since it is Mother's Day, I decided to indulge them. We went to DAD's in Glorietta. We arrived there at 11am (BIG MISTAKE). By this time, there is already a long line of customers waiting to be seated, and when I had my name listed down, we were #39 on the list. I went back after 30minutes to check the progress and #1 hasn't even been accommodated yet and the list is up to #78 waiting.
We decided to skip lunch and just wait for dinner. I asked the reception lady what time should we come back to reserve for dinner buffet. Since it was too early and they are not yet accepting 'reservations' for dinner. She told me to come back at 4:30pm. I went back at 4:20pm, so I could be first in line and they have already started taking names earlier. I was already #20 on the waiting list. That pissed me off big time. I kept coming back there just so I could have my name listed and they kept on telling me it was still too early. So how come they had people on the list before the 4:30pm start?
They started letting people in at 5pm. The process is that your name will be called twice and if you are not there, then they'll scratch your name off the list and move on to the next family.
#1 on the list was a Dr. Gomez. The reception lady kept on looking for his family but they were not there. Other families waiting for their turn had to tell her to move to the next on the list to be fair to others.
After about 30minutes, we were finally seated. My family attacked the buffet right away ( we skipped lunch for this). We were all hungry. Good thing is that they now offer bottomless shakes, juices, softdrinks with the buffet. I had several shakes with my meals.
The staff and the waiter assigned to our table was very friendly. We enjoyed our stay there and was fully satisfied. We paid P888 per head though, which is more expensive than it was 5months ago. In December, we only had to pay P648 per head. Nothing much has changed in their buffet offerings except for the unlimited drinks.
I think this price increase is unjustified but my family seemed to enjoy themselves so I'm satisfied.
I won't go back to DAD's on my own or with friends though. I was extremely turned off with how the reception staff/reservation staff handled their customers. Some customers were asking them questions and they just ignored them.
On a special day like Mother's Day, they should have been equipped to handle the volume of people that would come in and should have had a procedure in place.
I think my good times with DAD's is over. I am looking forward to trying other buffets with my family in the future. A bad customer experience can really lead to a lost of business.
It might just be me and my entire family (4 total), but we have friends and friends of friends and I am sure to share this experience with them. I didn't feel like a valued customer here because of their reception. They should probably train them more since they are the first people that their customers interact with.
I am very disappointed. It ruined what could have been a perfect day for my mom and my family.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Cake Planet - Dona Soledad Better Living
My friend Clarissa finally found time to hang out after almost 8 months. We decided to do a sweep of Betterliving Paranaque area as that place is complete with almost everything one would need.
We started with Starbucks and then dinner at the new Korean place and lastly my favorite Cake Planet. Since I have a blog now, I decided to blog about Cake Planet too.
This place never disappoints me. I brag about it to anybody who hasn't tried their cakes yet. And anybody I bring there is won over by their cakes. I have tried almost every cake variant they have. From the famous Mango Empress to their Macadamia Sanzrival. Red Velvet, Lemon Cake, Yema Cake, Moist Chocolate Cake, Lava Cake! Name it I have probably tried it. They also offer pasta that can rival most pasta dishes from high end restaurants.
The place is small and very quaint. Just 4 small tables inside that would seat 4 each table and 2 tables outside for those who wants to smoke.
What I love about Cake Planet is it is very cozy. They offer brewed coffee and different types of tea. It is never crowded. I don't know how this place sustains itself but it does. It has been open for years so I guess it is turning out a profit. But every time I go there, it is never full. This is probably why I really love it there.
Clarissa and I tried the Chocolate Macadamia Sanzrival and the ingredients are generous. You can see and taste the macadamia nuts unlike others where you have to really imagine yourself eating macadamia to taste it.
I recommend this place to anybody. And if you are willing to try it, just leave me a message and I'll go there with you. Just to find another excuse to go there.
By the way, the cakes here are pricier than usual, cakes go from P150 to P180 but I swear it is so worth it!
I'll be posting pictures as soon as I visit Cake Planet again. My phone is an old old one with a bad camera. Hopefully I get a better one so I can take good pictures.
We started with Starbucks and then dinner at the new Korean place and lastly my favorite Cake Planet. Since I have a blog now, I decided to blog about Cake Planet too.
This place never disappoints me. I brag about it to anybody who hasn't tried their cakes yet. And anybody I bring there is won over by their cakes. I have tried almost every cake variant they have. From the famous Mango Empress to their Macadamia Sanzrival. Red Velvet, Lemon Cake, Yema Cake, Moist Chocolate Cake, Lava Cake! Name it I have probably tried it. They also offer pasta that can rival most pasta dishes from high end restaurants.
The place is small and very quaint. Just 4 small tables inside that would seat 4 each table and 2 tables outside for those who wants to smoke.
What I love about Cake Planet is it is very cozy. They offer brewed coffee and different types of tea. It is never crowded. I don't know how this place sustains itself but it does. It has been open for years so I guess it is turning out a profit. But every time I go there, it is never full. This is probably why I really love it there.
Clarissa and I tried the Chocolate Macadamia Sanzrival and the ingredients are generous. You can see and taste the macadamia nuts unlike others where you have to really imagine yourself eating macadamia to taste it.
I recommend this place to anybody. And if you are willing to try it, just leave me a message and I'll go there with you. Just to find another excuse to go there.
By the way, the cakes here are pricier than usual, cakes go from P150 to P180 but I swear it is so worth it!
I'll be posting pictures as soon as I visit Cake Planet again. My phone is an old old one with a bad camera. Hopefully I get a better one so I can take good pictures.
Shrimp Shack - MOA
May 4, 2014 - After months of not seeing each other, my kumare and I finally found time to bond. We decided to go to MOA with her husband Mel, who is also a good friend of mine.
It was a rather enjoyable time as we bought items for the kids and a gift for my mom for this coming Mother's Day.
As usual, a few hours of walking around shopping left us hungry and tired. We wanted some japanese food but got curious when we passed by a little known place called the Shrimp Shack. Who wouldn't be curious? Unless you are allergic, shrimp is something that you would prefer to eat. So we ended up going there. The place is small, probably around 10 tables that would seat around 30-40 people, but it is quite and clean. A definite plus in a restaurant, but then one would wonder, at almost 7pm the place should be packed but it is not.
We got seated right away (the place is empty, we were the only customers). We asked if they have a sink where we could wash our hands and they didn't have any. One would expect that for a place that offers shrimp as the main ingredient for most of their dishes, you would have an area to wash your hands. The most enjoyable part of eating shrimp is using your hands. We had to ask them if we could use some of their alcohol that we saw by their counter.
The food prices are quite on the mid-scale level. The cheapest would be P155 to their most expensive P320. My friend Mel ordered their Surf & Turf for P320. This is a platter with shrimp, angus beef, 2 scoops of rice and macaroni salad. I ordered chicken instead of shrimp, the cheapest one on the menu for P155. I forgot what they called it, but it looks like a chicken teriyaki. Basically it is chicken fillet with a teriyaki-like sauce and 2 scoops of rice and macaroni salad. Not bad for P155. And my kumare Sheila ordered the Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti for P220. It is pretty self explanatory, it is spaghetti with shrimp.
Sounds pretty amazing for the prize right? Wait till you get your order. The servings are so small, I wish I had eaten in a carinderia instead. My chicken fillet was so thin it doesn't justify the P155 price tag. And the 2 scoops of rice? It equals around half a cup as the scoops are so small. The macaroni salad, I was glad the serving was so miniscule I didn't have to suffer much since it tasted bland.
The Spaghetti according to my Kumare is overcooked and leaves you a funny after taste. Although the shrimp is fantastic. Mel, who ordered the platter, didn't enjoy it was well. He said the same thing, the serving is so small, you could barely appreciate your food. Basically, we just wasted our money. We should have gone japanese like we originally liked.
So my final verdict on Shrimp Shack at MOA, I will never go there again. Unless I am loaded with money and I am on a diet and I start hating good tasting food.
Try it at your own risk.
It was a rather enjoyable time as we bought items for the kids and a gift for my mom for this coming Mother's Day.
As usual, a few hours of walking around shopping left us hungry and tired. We wanted some japanese food but got curious when we passed by a little known place called the Shrimp Shack. Who wouldn't be curious? Unless you are allergic, shrimp is something that you would prefer to eat. So we ended up going there. The place is small, probably around 10 tables that would seat around 30-40 people, but it is quite and clean. A definite plus in a restaurant, but then one would wonder, at almost 7pm the place should be packed but it is not.
We got seated right away (the place is empty, we were the only customers). We asked if they have a sink where we could wash our hands and they didn't have any. One would expect that for a place that offers shrimp as the main ingredient for most of their dishes, you would have an area to wash your hands. The most enjoyable part of eating shrimp is using your hands. We had to ask them if we could use some of their alcohol that we saw by their counter.
The food prices are quite on the mid-scale level. The cheapest would be P155 to their most expensive P320. My friend Mel ordered their Surf & Turf for P320. This is a platter with shrimp, angus beef, 2 scoops of rice and macaroni salad. I ordered chicken instead of shrimp, the cheapest one on the menu for P155. I forgot what they called it, but it looks like a chicken teriyaki. Basically it is chicken fillet with a teriyaki-like sauce and 2 scoops of rice and macaroni salad. Not bad for P155. And my kumare Sheila ordered the Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti for P220. It is pretty self explanatory, it is spaghetti with shrimp.
Sounds pretty amazing for the prize right? Wait till you get your order. The servings are so small, I wish I had eaten in a carinderia instead. My chicken fillet was so thin it doesn't justify the P155 price tag. And the 2 scoops of rice? It equals around half a cup as the scoops are so small. The macaroni salad, I was glad the serving was so miniscule I didn't have to suffer much since it tasted bland.
The Spaghetti according to my Kumare is overcooked and leaves you a funny after taste. Although the shrimp is fantastic. Mel, who ordered the platter, didn't enjoy it was well. He said the same thing, the serving is so small, you could barely appreciate your food. Basically, we just wasted our money. We should have gone japanese like we originally liked.
So my final verdict on Shrimp Shack at MOA, I will never go there again. Unless I am loaded with money and I am on a diet and I start hating good tasting food.
Try it at your own risk.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Lasema Jjim Jil Bang Sauna and Spa
April 26, 2014 - My officemate and I purchased 2 vouchers from Ensogo Phillippines (now LivingSocial) for P280 each. We're both working out and somebody told us that the best way to relax our tired muscles would be to go to a sauna rather than have a massage. Apparently, getting a massage would ruin the muscles you've built. And since we are both dead-set on losing weight and becoming fit, we searched high and low for a good sauna. Luckily, we found this deal.
Lasema Jjim Jil Bang Sauna and Spa is a Korean sauna. It features both wet and dry sauna, hot and cold pools and an ice room. They also offer massages and body scrub and has an in house canteen. It is not a restaurant but a canteen. I will get to that later on.
After work, we set out to find Lasema Jjim Jill Bang. Thanks to our trusty Google Map, we found it. It was easy to find anyway, it is a few blocks away from Columns Makati (the building across RCBC). You just need to walk a few blocks and you'll see a huge sign that says Lasema Spa. We entered a very non-intimidating building, it actually doesn't look like a venue for a spa, but then all buildings usually look like that. Upon entering, we saw this sign saying 'This way to Lasema Jjim Jill Bang'. We turned right and were surprised to see the restrooms. That set off the mood for the day, we laughed at our stupidity because the entrance to the Spa is actually behind the sign and not before the sign. Anyway, we backtracked a bit and found the real entrance.
The lady at the reception was not too friendly. But she's also not rude. I would say, she is probably already tired since we went there at 6am, so she's probably coming off from a graveyard shift. The lack of a smile and a friendly welcome did not deter us. We're not VIPs anyway, so we're not expecting to be treated like special guests. But still, a little smile won't hurt.
She was very efficient though. We didn't have to wait too long to register. She gave us 2 small towels (too small to wrap around your body), a pink shirt and a matching pink shorts. We were given number bracelets with keys to our lockers and was told to go through a door.
When we went inside, we were surprised. The reception area was a bit shabby, but the interior was well maintained. It was roomy too. We proceeded to the locker area and immediately changed clothes. The plan is to just go through the dry saunas. The wet saunas and pools require us to be naked and we're not particularly into the idea.
The dry area has 3 hot saunas and an ice room. The first one is the Yellow Mud and Oak Sauna. It has a very woody smell, you would expect that from a roomful of chopped oak trees. The smell was very disconcerting at first, specially if you are a city girl like me. But after a few seconds, you start to relax and get used to it. Supposedly, this room is very good for your skin. We stayed there for 15minutes (we were hoping that this would help us achieve that korean skin!) but the recommended is actually 10minutes only.
You have to have a rest period in between saunas. The facility recommends that after a hot dry sauna, you proceed to the ice room to relax. We didn't do this because we didn't read their posters. We ended up proceeding to the next sauna immediately. This is our favorite and we had to go back here twice because we loved it so much. The second sauna is the Salt and Charcoal room. It's basically a room with charcoal walls and half of the floor is filled with pink salt. I suspect it is the Himalayan Pink salt. The upper half of the walls are lined with charcoal, but the lower half is lined with chunks and chunks of this special salt. It is supposed to help detoxify the body. The only thing that mattered to me at that time was how the heat coming from the walls seeped through my tired body and i was immediately relaxed. Immediately meaning within seconds I was ready to sleep and die a happy woman. We had maxed our 15 minutes and decided to try the wet sauna.
At this point, we just wanted to embrace the whole korean sauna experience. And if it means getting naked, then so be it. We went back to the locker area and stripped down to nothing. Headed to the wet area and we saw 3 interesting pools. We tried the first one, at 39 degrees, the green tea pool. I don't think I could drink green tea again after dipping in a pool full of it. It was probably one of the best 10minutes of our stay there. Working the graveyard shift has left our bodies tired and stressed. After 10minutes, we decided to take a dip at the cold pool. It's just plain water at 27 degrees. It wasn't very cold but cold enough to start working its magic. We realized that doing this relaxed us more than just staying at the hot pool.
We wanted to try the Ginseng pool, but it was still too hot for us, 43 degrees. So we tried the wet sauna, which they call the Jade wet sauna. There is a mosaic at the ceiling with probably some jade stones in it. I'm not sure what it's supposed to do, but it was still very pretty. We only stayed here for 5 minutes, because it was honestly too hot for us. But nonetheless, it was a very very satisfying 5 minutes.
We decided to try the Ice Room and the Clay Dome at the dry area, but i was getting hungry. So we went to the canteen and ordered boiled ramen, man doo (pork dumpling) and the ginger and brown rice drink.
First the boiled ramen is actually instant korean noodles, but since I haven't tried it yet, it was still an experience for me. It is better than our usual Lucky Me noodles though, but for P150 it is expensive for instant noodles. The korean convenience store near our office sells this for only P25. But I'm hungry and I want to try it. Im embracing the whole korean experience remember?
Now the Man Doo is actually very interesting. It is frozen pork dumplings. Instantly prepared as well. The guy at the canteen placed it in a microwave and then drained the water off of it and it is ready to be eaten. It tastes very well, something I'm not expecting from frozen food. I suggest you try this if you ever visit Lasema Jjim Jill Bang. This is also P150.
The Ginger and Brown Rice drink is basically the winner. It is a sweet drink that doesn't taste like ginger or brown rice. None of the flavors overwhelmed my inexperienced palate. Basically it is prepared by boiling both the ginger and the brown rice in water for several hours then they add sugar and boil it a little more and then store it in a fridge until it is really cold. Please please try this, it is so worth its P100 bill.
I never thought a feast of instant food could be this satisfying.
After we had our fill of food, we decided to finally try the Clay Dome, at 73 degrees. We lasted 30 seconds, we couldn't even stand too long since the mat lining are also too hot. But some of the korean guests stayed there for several minutes, so I guess it is just a matter of being used to it. It looks like an Igloo and there is a niche at the walls wherein they oven-bake their eggs. It is hot enough to basically cook eggs.
We proceeded to the Ice Room to try it last and like what happened at the cold pool, it was unexpectedly relaxing. The cold is not piercing and it took us about 15minutes before we started to fill the cold seeping in. So that means our time with the Ice Room is over.
We decided to take a nap at their sleeping areas, they call it The Cave. They look like brick ovens actually, with a mat. You crawl inside it, turn off the lights and sleep. I can't believe that after a few minutes, I am sleeping and had the most refreshing and deepest sleep in my entire life. I have insomnia and sleeping problems, so I could really appreciate a dreamless sleep. and the 30 minutes I spent there is enough to recharge my overworked mind and body.
It is almost time to go but we still haven't tried the Ginger Pool. The temperature went down to 41 degrees but it was still too hot. We eased our way down into the pool, trying to get accustomed to the heat, and we are so grateful we tried it.
Everything in this whole experience was relaxing, satisfying, refreshing, invigorating. A must try. I'm planning on making this a regular thing, maybe monthly or quarterly at least.
Lasema Jjim Jil Bang Sauna and Spa is a Korean sauna. It features both wet and dry sauna, hot and cold pools and an ice room. They also offer massages and body scrub and has an in house canteen. It is not a restaurant but a canteen. I will get to that later on.
After work, we set out to find Lasema Jjim Jill Bang. Thanks to our trusty Google Map, we found it. It was easy to find anyway, it is a few blocks away from Columns Makati (the building across RCBC). You just need to walk a few blocks and you'll see a huge sign that says Lasema Spa. We entered a very non-intimidating building, it actually doesn't look like a venue for a spa, but then all buildings usually look like that. Upon entering, we saw this sign saying 'This way to Lasema Jjim Jill Bang'. We turned right and were surprised to see the restrooms. That set off the mood for the day, we laughed at our stupidity because the entrance to the Spa is actually behind the sign and not before the sign. Anyway, we backtracked a bit and found the real entrance.
The lady at the reception was not too friendly. But she's also not rude. I would say, she is probably already tired since we went there at 6am, so she's probably coming off from a graveyard shift. The lack of a smile and a friendly welcome did not deter us. We're not VIPs anyway, so we're not expecting to be treated like special guests. But still, a little smile won't hurt.
She was very efficient though. We didn't have to wait too long to register. She gave us 2 small towels (too small to wrap around your body), a pink shirt and a matching pink shorts. We were given number bracelets with keys to our lockers and was told to go through a door.
When we went inside, we were surprised. The reception area was a bit shabby, but the interior was well maintained. It was roomy too. We proceeded to the locker area and immediately changed clothes. The plan is to just go through the dry saunas. The wet saunas and pools require us to be naked and we're not particularly into the idea.
The dry area has 3 hot saunas and an ice room. The first one is the Yellow Mud and Oak Sauna. It has a very woody smell, you would expect that from a roomful of chopped oak trees. The smell was very disconcerting at first, specially if you are a city girl like me. But after a few seconds, you start to relax and get used to it. Supposedly, this room is very good for your skin. We stayed there for 15minutes (we were hoping that this would help us achieve that korean skin!) but the recommended is actually 10minutes only.
You have to have a rest period in between saunas. The facility recommends that after a hot dry sauna, you proceed to the ice room to relax. We didn't do this because we didn't read their posters. We ended up proceeding to the next sauna immediately. This is our favorite and we had to go back here twice because we loved it so much. The second sauna is the Salt and Charcoal room. It's basically a room with charcoal walls and half of the floor is filled with pink salt. I suspect it is the Himalayan Pink salt. The upper half of the walls are lined with charcoal, but the lower half is lined with chunks and chunks of this special salt. It is supposed to help detoxify the body. The only thing that mattered to me at that time was how the heat coming from the walls seeped through my tired body and i was immediately relaxed. Immediately meaning within seconds I was ready to sleep and die a happy woman. We had maxed our 15 minutes and decided to try the wet sauna.
At this point, we just wanted to embrace the whole korean sauna experience. And if it means getting naked, then so be it. We went back to the locker area and stripped down to nothing. Headed to the wet area and we saw 3 interesting pools. We tried the first one, at 39 degrees, the green tea pool. I don't think I could drink green tea again after dipping in a pool full of it. It was probably one of the best 10minutes of our stay there. Working the graveyard shift has left our bodies tired and stressed. After 10minutes, we decided to take a dip at the cold pool. It's just plain water at 27 degrees. It wasn't very cold but cold enough to start working its magic. We realized that doing this relaxed us more than just staying at the hot pool.
We wanted to try the Ginseng pool, but it was still too hot for us, 43 degrees. So we tried the wet sauna, which they call the Jade wet sauna. There is a mosaic at the ceiling with probably some jade stones in it. I'm not sure what it's supposed to do, but it was still very pretty. We only stayed here for 5 minutes, because it was honestly too hot for us. But nonetheless, it was a very very satisfying 5 minutes.
We decided to try the Ice Room and the Clay Dome at the dry area, but i was getting hungry. So we went to the canteen and ordered boiled ramen, man doo (pork dumpling) and the ginger and brown rice drink.
First the boiled ramen is actually instant korean noodles, but since I haven't tried it yet, it was still an experience for me. It is better than our usual Lucky Me noodles though, but for P150 it is expensive for instant noodles. The korean convenience store near our office sells this for only P25. But I'm hungry and I want to try it. Im embracing the whole korean experience remember?
Now the Man Doo is actually very interesting. It is frozen pork dumplings. Instantly prepared as well. The guy at the canteen placed it in a microwave and then drained the water off of it and it is ready to be eaten. It tastes very well, something I'm not expecting from frozen food. I suggest you try this if you ever visit Lasema Jjim Jill Bang. This is also P150.
The Ginger and Brown Rice drink is basically the winner. It is a sweet drink that doesn't taste like ginger or brown rice. None of the flavors overwhelmed my inexperienced palate. Basically it is prepared by boiling both the ginger and the brown rice in water for several hours then they add sugar and boil it a little more and then store it in a fridge until it is really cold. Please please try this, it is so worth its P100 bill.
I never thought a feast of instant food could be this satisfying.
After we had our fill of food, we decided to finally try the Clay Dome, at 73 degrees. We lasted 30 seconds, we couldn't even stand too long since the mat lining are also too hot. But some of the korean guests stayed there for several minutes, so I guess it is just a matter of being used to it. It looks like an Igloo and there is a niche at the walls wherein they oven-bake their eggs. It is hot enough to basically cook eggs.
We proceeded to the Ice Room to try it last and like what happened at the cold pool, it was unexpectedly relaxing. The cold is not piercing and it took us about 15minutes before we started to fill the cold seeping in. So that means our time with the Ice Room is over.
We decided to take a nap at their sleeping areas, they call it The Cave. They look like brick ovens actually, with a mat. You crawl inside it, turn off the lights and sleep. I can't believe that after a few minutes, I am sleeping and had the most refreshing and deepest sleep in my entire life. I have insomnia and sleeping problems, so I could really appreciate a dreamless sleep. and the 30 minutes I spent there is enough to recharge my overworked mind and body.
It is almost time to go but we still haven't tried the Ginger Pool. The temperature went down to 41 degrees but it was still too hot. We eased our way down into the pool, trying to get accustomed to the heat, and we are so grateful we tried it.
Everything in this whole experience was relaxing, satisfying, refreshing, invigorating. A must try. I'm planning on making this a regular thing, maybe monthly or quarterly at least.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Starbucks' New Drink: Banana Mango
I like Starbucks. I have fond memories of Starbucks with my friends.
Yesterday, I got an email from Starbucks regarding their new drinks. One caught my eye, Banana Mango. Sounds refreshing. Sounds different. This is not your usual Starbucks offering.
So I went today to try it. It is also an added bonus that if you use your Starbucks Card, you get 2 stars instead of 1.
I like it. It was a very hot day. Very humid too. The moment I took a sip, I immediately felt refreshed. It was a nice cold drink. You can taste the banana in it, mainly because it was made using fresh bananas and a hit of the mango. It was very smooth to drink and did not use sugar, so all the sweetness comes from the fruit. I like it about that.
Other than the drink being likable, there is nothing that sets it apart from the usual fruit smoothies that we are used to. I had the grande Banana Mango for P170 and I could have had 2 drinks from Fruitas or Fruit Magic for the same price of the same flavors.
I think this is just a way for Starbucks to diversify their drinks, but in my opinion, they should just stick with coffee and tea.
I still love Starbucks.
Yesterday, I got an email from Starbucks regarding their new drinks. One caught my eye, Banana Mango. Sounds refreshing. Sounds different. This is not your usual Starbucks offering.
So I went today to try it. It is also an added bonus that if you use your Starbucks Card, you get 2 stars instead of 1.
I like it. It was a very hot day. Very humid too. The moment I took a sip, I immediately felt refreshed. It was a nice cold drink. You can taste the banana in it, mainly because it was made using fresh bananas and a hit of the mango. It was very smooth to drink and did not use sugar, so all the sweetness comes from the fruit. I like it about that.
Other than the drink being likable, there is nothing that sets it apart from the usual fruit smoothies that we are used to. I had the grande Banana Mango for P170 and I could have had 2 drinks from Fruitas or Fruit Magic for the same price of the same flavors.
I think this is just a way for Starbucks to diversify their drinks, but in my opinion, they should just stick with coffee and tea.
I still love Starbucks.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Rodeo Ranch - SM Bicutan
April 15, 2014 - Took my brother and my dad out. We wanted to try out the new place at SM Bicutan. I heard from my friend Gie that they have relatively good food. Relative good food means, the taste is not exceptional but better than what one would expect for its price.
Since it is a new place, they are not yet that organized. There was nobody to assist you when you wanted to be seated, but at least I didn't wait for too long unlike what happened at North Park the day before (see my other post here).
It was quite enjoyable actually. We ordered the bulalo for P179. The dish is good for 2-3 persons. And the 1/2 kilo lechon macau for P289. When they served our dishes, they were not kidding about the 2-3 persons... They lechon macau is actually good for 4-5 persons actually. Since my dad likes soup, we asked them for an extra bulalo soup and they readily complied, without extra charge. Their unlimited rice was served differently too. They give you a huge bowl with around 6 servings of rice. This way, they don't have to keep on coming back to our table. Their unlimited rice is P40 per head compared to the P34 per serving. I'm not a food critic, but I will recommend this place for now. Their servers are obviously new and overworked. I can see how tired they are, but they still managed to smile and attend to our requests on a timely manner.
We ended up paying only P734 for the entire meal. Unlimited rice, bottomless drinks, 1/2 kilo lechon macau and a bowl of bulalo soup. Yummy! I only wish I took pictures, but my dad and brother were already hungry I didn't have time to take pictures.
Since it is a new place, they are not yet that organized. There was nobody to assist you when you wanted to be seated, but at least I didn't wait for too long unlike what happened at North Park the day before (see my other post here).
It was quite enjoyable actually. We ordered the bulalo for P179. The dish is good for 2-3 persons. And the 1/2 kilo lechon macau for P289. When they served our dishes, they were not kidding about the 2-3 persons... They lechon macau is actually good for 4-5 persons actually. Since my dad likes soup, we asked them for an extra bulalo soup and they readily complied, without extra charge. Their unlimited rice was served differently too. They give you a huge bowl with around 6 servings of rice. This way, they don't have to keep on coming back to our table. Their unlimited rice is P40 per head compared to the P34 per serving. I'm not a food critic, but I will recommend this place for now. Their servers are obviously new and overworked. I can see how tired they are, but they still managed to smile and attend to our requests on a timely manner.
We ended up paying only P734 for the entire meal. Unlimited rice, bottomless drinks, 1/2 kilo lechon macau and a bowl of bulalo soup. Yummy! I only wish I took pictures, but my dad and brother were already hungry I didn't have time to take pictures.
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