My 7 Links: Revisiting Old Blog Entries

Passing off a chain that came from word slayer blogger, AJ Poliquit, whose writing leaves me looking for tissues to wipe my nose. My 7 Links – This is a project by Tripbase “to unite bloggers from all sectors to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that … Read more

Moalboal, Cebu: A Beach Fix from the Office and School

One of the easier beaches to access when you have limited time in Cebu is Moalboal. It’s a quick beach fix whenever there’s a need for you to get away from the city while enjoying the sun, sand, and water.

I’m a beach boy at heart. I used to spend weekends with my cousins in different beaches in Davao which may have resulted to my fondness of taking a dip in salt water when opportunities arise. With so many beaches I’ve featured in this blog, I wonder why I haven’t been able to create a write-up about this nice retreat when it’s very much accessible from the city.

moalboal cebu beach
hut under the heat of the sun

I also have a couple of fond memories of Moalboal. Those occasions were spent with colleagues at work and with classmates in school – both of which I was able to do at the same time. Remembering those times when I had to work at night and then study during the day, I found my much-needed stress buster in this beach.

moalboal beach
Moalboal beach
photo by Bangbang

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Malapascua Island: A Silent Killer

Malapascua, you’re silent killer. I heard so much about you. How travellers describe your beauty without comparison. How a smile was the only response I received from people I asked about what you could offer. It was a rough ride before I reached you. Countless times when trips were postponed without reason. But when I … Read more

Selling Tumbler’s Homemade Ice Cream last Sinulog 2011

I didn’t get to take a lot of pictures last Sinulog 2011 because I was busy selling homemade ice cream; even if it was raining!

Last year (Sinulog 2010 blog article), I took part on the street parade and took a number of photos which was a blast because I got to practice my skills in photography. However this year, I only took a few. You can blame it on the bad weather as the water poured hard during lunch time.

tumblers cebu
Tumbler’s Ice Cream in Cebu

Weather predictions were clear that it was going to be a wet Sunday for Cebuanos but it never hindered the people from going out on the road and party. I went out with a couple of friends until I stopped by a former colleagues’ ice cream stall somewhere in Mango Avenue.


crowded

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Confessions of a First-Time Balut Eater

“You’ve never eaten balut?” – people were asking in unison as if I’ve committed a crime and were waiting for me to explain myself. But I didn’t know how to respond in defense. Rather than coming up with a lame excuse, I surrendered in admission.

I confess, I’m a Filipino but I’ve never eaten balut.

I get these dazed looks from people whenever I disclose this information. A silent pause is what comes next which serves as a signal for me to clarify the statement on why I’ve never tried this famous Philippine delicacy. I tell you this is a great ice-breaker during conversations.

balut eater
crack it open

BALUT is a popular (if not the most) Filipino street food which is a fertilized duck egg or chicken egg with an almost-developed embryo that is boiled and eaten in a shell. It has been considered as a trademark of Filipino culture because they say you can’t call yourself Filipino unless you’ve eaten one.

Now that it’s so popular, how come I haven’t eaten one? Probably because no one has really forced me so. I also haven’t forced myself too. When I finally had the chance to try it because this was the topic of our Facebook Group’s Blog Carnival, I was able to satisfy my curiosity.

philippine balut
veins

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JoEd’s Lutong Hapon: Affordable Japanese Food in Cebu

Craving for some CHEAP Japanese food here in Cebu? I suggest you try JoEd’s Lutong Hapon in Mabolo.

I first read about this small eatery on Carla’s blog which was also what an office colleague also mentioned in random. I was able to check a thread of this store in a local forum on how you can really find value for your money because of how affordable the prices are.

Japanese Cebu
JoEd’s Lutong Hapon in Cebu

I’m not a big fan of Japanese cuisine but I like to try out different food places when they’re new; most especially when they’re cheap. So during our lunch break, my officemates and I headed to Juan Luna Extension from Asiatown IT Park.

california maki
California Maki – 65 Php per plate

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Sands of Bantayan Island Cebu

Reminiscing one of the best beaches which is located at the Northern part of Cebu.

Sugar Beach
Bantayan Island, Cebu

I’ve only been to Bantayan once. I remember spending only 1,200 Php inclusive of fare, cottage and food for a 3D 2N package. It was a very good deal because I joined a group of people on their team building when I was still an agent. I remember how thick-faced I was to invite myself to their outing. Come to think of it, I’ve been to a number of places here in Cebu due to these group building activities. It helps because the expenses are divided among many people so you cut down on costs while enjoying the location. This happened in August 2007; back when I was barely legal (hehe).

Bantayan Island is located North of Cebu (around 4 hours – by bus and by barge) Can’t really give much specifics on how to get there as it’s been three years already. Maybe I should start my own backpacking series so I can provide more information on what to expect.

bantayan island
preparing for a photo op

After about 5 hours from Cebu City, I was met with this beautiful landscape. Green trees and white sand. The water did not disappoint either.

bantayan sand
sand in Sugar Beach, Bantayan

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Cebu Red Ribbon Crispy Chicken, Choco Fudge Cake and Black Forest

Pardon my ignorance but I thought Red Ribbon was only limited to cakes, pastries and some pastas. I know my older brother always ordered their Palabok platter whenever a special occasion arises. Little did I know that they also have rice meals available to whet the appetite of the Filipino eater.

red ribbon menuRed Ribbon menu at Cocomall branch

red ribbon store  Cakes and rolls display at Red Ribbon

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Cebu Zugboi Roasted Liempo and Roasted Chicken

If you’re in Cebu and you’re craving for some roasted liempo, I suggest you check out Zugboi Roasted Liempo and Roasted Chicken.

Zugboi Roasted Liempo and Roasted Chicken is owned and managed by Chef Alvin Kwan who earned his Culinary Arts diploma in Singapore. I arrived early and while I was waiting for my friends, Alvin, discussed about why he set up this business and his plans on expanding in the near future.

roasted pig liempo capitol
Zugboi Cebu at Capitol

cebu roasted liempo  chop chop.

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Bohol and back to Cebu

The trip to Bohol was great. Although among the 16 people who confirmed, only 10 joined, I still had fun. I’m actually a bit groggy from the travel and I haven’t gotten enough sleep so I’m posting some pictures of the places I’ve been to in Bohol.

Will be posting more in the coming days but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to create a good write-up. I’m still high with all the drama that has been happening in life and outside these days.

Bohol pictures.

bohol picture
feeling lost but not quite. stopover lunch

alona beach
Alona Beach sand

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CoffeeCat in Cebu Asiatown IT Park

CoffeeCat
Ground Floor of EBloc Tower Building
Asiatown IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City

One weekend, Doi and I decided to visit Cebu’s newest coffee shop, Coffeecat in Asiatown IT Park, in order to check out their coffee and yogurt offerings. We wanted a place to hang out and finish our freelance jobs as we still had some pending tasks to work on. We were there a day after their grand opening and the cafe was packed but we were able to find a free spot inside to sit.

Coffeecat cafe is a lifestyle coffee shop idea which is owned and managed by Coffeecat Corporation. This place originated in my hometown which is in Davao City and it has now arrived in the shores of Cebu at the eBloc Tower Building.

coffee cat menu coffeecat logo coffee cat
Coffee Cat menu, Yogo Yogurt Menu, Coffee Cat is now open in Cebu IT Park

cebu coffee cat coffee cat cebu coffee cat ed
Coffee Cat at the JP Morgan Chase & Co. Building, checking out the menu

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Chilling at Coffee Cat in Asiatown IT Park

Enjoying some food at CoffeeCat at the Asiatown IT Park. This is a new cafe that just opened and I later realized that this new wifi Cafe in Cebu originated in my hometown which is in Davao City. They branched out to the Cebu market which is actually a great move. Will blog more about … Read more

Boljoon Cebu collage

Just wanted to created a quick teaser of my time spent with colleagues in Boljoon, Cebu. It was a nice day for the beach and the fun was just cut short because of time-constraints. Nevertheless, I had a good bonding moment with my former teammates which made up for the whole event. Hope to have … Read more