Author: iAn L.

Why do you travel? If not a business requirement, you just probably want to escape the corporate jungle once in a while, or to vent out a saturated working week dealing with annoying folks. You may also want to see the world at different vantage points, learn the ways of life, experience variety, meet interesting individuals on the road, or quench your thirst for adventure. But whatever reasons you may have, I know you will agree that there is so much good in traveling. The more you spend time at different places, the more motivated you are to keep on moving. ... 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

Dried mangoes are everyone’s favorite. That chewy and fruity feel is super addictive. As a matter of fact, I developed the liking the moment I took the first bite. That was long time ago. However, every dried mango experience I have brings me back to the first-time euphoria. With Profoods’ Best-Sellers (dried mangoes, etc.) The Philippine dried mangoes are one of the country’s top food export. Tons are shipped to Japan, the US, China, Canada, and many other countries around the world. Hence, when the organizers included Profood plant tour in the Cebu Food Crawl 2016 itinerary, I suddenly got excited. ... Read more

For four straight days, bloggers from Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Bohol, and Manila hopped around Metro Cebu to experience the best of Cebuano food scene. We tasted interesting variety of flavors and witnessed inspiring success stories. On our list were established restaurants and upscale diners, as well as the impressive surviving small players in the industry. I will share about them individually in my future articles. Cebu Food Crawl Dilemma Everybody looked weary when we arrived at Ayala Center Cebu activity center. Ayala was the last stop of the last day of the 2016 version of Cebu Food Crawl, ... Read more

From afar, it was like a huge gazebo, seating northeast of the Mactan Newtown roundabout. Around 24 gigantic pillars in total stand firmly on the octagonal sides to support the massive roofing. No wall covers—not even temporary draping. 500 seats were arrayed around the sturdy wooden tables, spread within the inner perimeter. At the very center are the tenants who were handpicked by the developer to cater authentic Cebuano taste to their patrons. Oyster Bay is among the handpicked tenants of Mactan Al Fresco Mactan Alfresco is the flagship dining destination of Mactan Newtown. It gives foodies a one-of-a-kind gastronomic journey in ... Read more

Perched at Cebu’s spic neighborhood, Casa Uno by Circa 1900 is a food spot that you have to reach prepensely. Though getting there is easy with a cab, getting out would be a bit of challenge. For those who do not drive, Uber and Grab apps are rather convenient. Casa Uno by Circa 1900 The restaurant occupies the heritage house seating at the southern end of Sanjercas Ville Extension Road. The old-world charm compliments well with the well-landscaped front yard. Surrounded with greens, the place seems an ideal abode for nature sojourners. There is rustic feel despite being located smack within the city. South ... 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

Gorgeous lasses greet you upon arrival. One of them leads you to a comfortable seat. She then introduces the specials and wait until you decided what to order. Royal, white leather seats are arrayed at the corners. A glass-topped table runs through the spacious section of the room. It is matched with cozy and comfortable chairs. At one corner, a small platform stands for performances. Beside it is the bar that serves beer, pure liquors, and cocktails. Moreover, the restaurant is strangely L-shaped. A weird divider adorned with firewood creates a lot of corners and smaller cubicles. It gives some sort ... Read more

I found it dimmer than usual at first glance. Though the lighting coordination complimented well to the interior design, I couldn’t say that the ambiance is inviting enough for the lower middle class. I heard that Dong Juan offers food for every “Juan”, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Ordinary individuals may find it too flashy, but not opulent enough to invite the rich. Or, maybe, I am just a confused blogger. Anyway, I noded to a Zomato’s invite after few months in hiatus. It brought me at the Persimmon branch of Dong Juan. Since I was the first to ... Read more