Category: Philippines

The shop seats seemingly ordinary at first glance. Unassuming. The glass that separates the house of sweets from the outside refracts the day light, creating a glossy tint, which eventually reduces the transparency. You could not get an apparent view of what is actually inside. Behind the fragile walls is The Chocolate Chamber. The Chocolate Chamber banner outside its boutique at Sarrosa International Hotel Initially, you may wonder if it either sells your favorite Belgian chocolates, or houses a candy collection sourced from foreign makers. Your curiosity engender, more likely. You’ll probably make a stop and take a close look ... Read more

Dumaguete is colloquially known as the city of gentle people and is rightly so. It is the image the locals built for years and has been continuously sown even in the present. Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippines’ National Hero, couldn’t be wrong during his first visit in the city. The city is also known as a university town because, despite of its size, it houses four of the countries biggest universities and a number of colleges, institutes, and higher education learning centers. Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete As Negros Oriental‘s capital, Dumaguete is the best place for you to taste the province’s delicacies ... Read more

The chestnut-brown to ebony timber furnishing, the inky metal frames and railings, and the transparent glass panels give the façade of the newest branch of Rico’s Lechon a simple yet elegant look. Rico’s Lechon Axis Entertainment Avenue branch From the inside, the designs are not simple at all. The interiors are carefully matched to the finest details; from the seat upholstery, wall and ceiling hangings, flower arrangements, to lighting works, as well as the creative use of arches. The stairway works like a mini gallery of Rico himself with his notable guests. Above it are well-crafted bamboo and rattan enclosures ... Read more

We took our phones out from their shelters, connected to the WiFi, opened our respective Facebook apps, and started broadcasting the event via Facebook live. With the 100 Mbps internet speed, the 25 participants of Cebu Food Crawl 2016 simultaneously aired live videos from Cebu Marriott without interruption. The organizers even promised additional bandwidth to desaturate the data demand. Upon entering Gumamela function room, everybody noticed the delectable centerpiece of healthy sweets. The carrot cake slices and the whisky tumblers half-filled with banana chips, sweetened nuts, and yogurt were slavering. Healthy desserts by Cebu Marriott At one corner were fresh ... Read more

Weekday routines could be grueling. Working with difficult individuals, bumping into some annoying strangers, and getting stuck in an unrelenting gridlock strained me to my limits. That is why I love weekends. I can go to random getaways around the province to flush out toxic stress. Returning to work refreshed increases both my productivity and tolerance to pressure. But sometimes, travel could be equally stressful, especially when the weather and traffic conditions are not that cooperative. Hence, instead of going out of town, I spent one of my weekends within the city boundaries—in a place where the ambiance is close ... Read more

I couldn’t be sure if the sundown has passed. My phone ran out of juice and there was no other way for me to check the time. The sky was rather gloomy that day. Fine drizzles wetted the upper part of my shirt, which gave me an unusual chill. I stopped by at a mobile snack bar to get some siopao and refreshment. I remembered that I skipped lunch, so I had to grab some bites to fuel up. Not to mention, it was my birthday and I spent most of my day on the road. Traveling more than 15 ... Read more

The weather seemed uncooperative. Thick, gray clouds shrouded the horizon. It blocked the sunburst from hitting the surface. Below it was another stratocomulus layer hovering to the northeast—the direction of the southwest monsoon. Beyond it was a draping downpour, a harbinger of a miry adventure. The Visayan sea was rather chaotic that moment. Unpatterned ripples collided with each other—creating riptides—and repeatedly smashed the hull of the outrigger banca. The boat’s troubled buoyancy hardly kept us afloat. I could see how the worries gushed, whenever the forward bow alternately plummeted and scaled. Some of us were not confident swimmers though. We drifted to Malapascua at a poky speed, thus enduring the ... Read more

Sumo Sam is not a typical Japanese restaurant. The strokes of kanji printed atop the branding, the “hinomaru” circle on its logo, and the part of the name itself, sumo (a Japanese martial art) are your only clues. The restaurant’s look and ambiance, however, does not feel Japanese at all, despite the presence of some Nihon cultural figures and paintings displayed at the bar. The dining sets look modern and the ceiling lights are pretty contemporary, similar to any “hodgepodge” restaurants out there. Sumo Sam at Ayala Center Cebu Good thing that the selections on the menu cover a mélange of Japanese cooking. Your ... Read more

The simple vertical strokes of orange and red makes a fine and stunning contrast with the ivory walls. The tidy-stalked bamboo trees, the small mead that wrapped the lawn, and the classic-looking set blend perfectly to let you experience a zen feel. The Reception A simple and chic reception There’s nothing flashy in the receiving area. In place of chandelier is a hand-crafted spherical rattan which mesh added an atypical element to the lighting inside it. Two black solo couches seemed out of place with regards to color coordination, but give a comforting acceptance to the waiting guests. The reception desk is ... Read more