Pampanga: Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung, Everybody's Cafe and more from Pampanga

We had a really great Pampanga food tour today. Breakfast was at Everybody's Cafe where we were served a genuine Kapampangan breakfast composed of tsokolate batirul, pandesal, tamales from Cabalatian and rebuelto. Panghimagas included sweetened saba with ice, and plantanilla (sweet egg crepes with latik filling) from the kitchens of Imang Salud. The group laughed in amusement when we said that breakfast was light.

We passed by the Bacolor and Betis churches before proceeding to Bale Dutung in Angeles City, Claude Tayag's famous residence. On the bus, we served the group five gallons of buko sherbet which you can buy in Brgy. San Jose in San Fernando in a wooden vat!

At Bale Dutung, aside from the usual appetizers which included crackers with buro, taba ng talangka and pesto dips, pako salad, lumpiang ubod and chicken inasal, we were served five ways of eating lechon!

The first way was eating the skin with liver sauce. And they did it fiesta style, allowing the guests to skin the lechon on their own. The second way was Claude's own pritchon. The lechon meat and skin was fried to a crisp and served with soft tortillas and a choice of tomato, onion, basil, kinchay, kimchi and oriental sauce for the filling. It was really good!

Before moving on to number three, we were served begukan (made of pig's ears) and eggplant boats. For number three, it was sinigang na lechon. We were told the lechon bones were thrown into the broth to give it more flavor. They then brought out grilled lechon ribs marinated in inasal sauce. That was really good! The last dish was inasadong lechon pata!

To end our five hour lunch at Claude's, we were served halo-halo with the different Kapampangan ingredients which includes pastillas, leche flan, mais, saging and beans. The day did not end without our pasalubong for the group which included Imang Salud's ensaimadas and the inverted brazo de mercedes bites from Aurely's. Everyone told us to stop feeding them!

Our next tour is on December 20 which is the day of the Giant Lantern Festival. So book now at info@ivanhenares.com if you want to join. It's PHP4,800 per head and this tour will extend up to the evening to watch the Giant Lantern Festival.

One blogger can win two SEAIR Adventure Passes and more!

If you're a blogger (and that includes Multiply, Friendster, etc.) you can give a 15 percent discount on SEAIR tickets to your readers and get a chance to win two SEAIR Adventure Passes by joining the SEAIR Bloggers Referral Program.

1. This referral program is open to all bloggers. Each blogger must sign-up for the competition by e-mailing the following details to bloggerpromo@flyseair.com:
LAST NAME:
FIRST NAME:
E-MAIL:
CONTACT NUMBER:
BLOG(S)/URL:

2. After sending the e-mail, please wait for a confirmation which will include a referral/promotion code. Processing of referral code may take up to one week. The organizers reserve the right to refuse any application.

3. Bloggers will be able to offer a 15 percent discount to their readers via their referral code that will be unique to each blogger. One blogger, one code regardless of how many blogs a blogger has. Bloggers can also promote their code via e-mail, text or any other communication medium. Please see Terms & Conditions of SEAIR Fly Voucher for details on the referral code.

4. The program period is from 12:00 a.m., October 20, 2008 to 12:00 a.m., December 15, 2008.

5. Bloggers must blog about the SEAIR discount and tell their readers to use their referral code when doing an online booking in the SEAIR. Do not forget a link to the SEAIR website: http://www.flyseair.com where they can book a flight using the referral code.

6. Each blogger will receive one (1) point for every round-trip ticket which is booked and issued online using the blogger's promo code.

7. The selling period is the same as the program period while the flight dates covered by the discount will be from October 20, 2008 to February 14, 2009.

8. After 12:00 a.m. of December 15, 2008, the points will be tallied. The bloggers with the top five scores will be awarded SEAIR gift certificates provided they have at least fifteen (15) points.

9. The prizes are as follows:
1st Place - Two (2) Adventure Passes
2nd Place - Two (2) round-trip gift certificate to Batanes, Busuanga or Boracay
3rd to 5th Place - One (1) round-trip gift certificate to Boracay

10. Winners must be able to provide a valid government issued photo ID to claim their prize. Names in the registration must match the one in the identification.


TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SEAIR FLY VOUCHER
1. SEAIR Fly Voucher may only be redeemed through online booking
2. Voucher value is redeemed by entering its Code at the appropriate box in the website, www.flyseair.com
3. Offer expires after the given period of the voucher validity
4. Travel period should be within the period identified in the voucher
5. Voucher value will be deducted from the basic airfare
6. An error prompt will be shown if voucher value exceeds the airfare amount made during the booking
7. Minimum number of passenger per booking may be required unless specified in the voucher
8. Voucher may not be used in conjunction with other offers such as special fares and any other promo
9. Discount is not valid for Leisure Escape Packages or any packages offered by partner resorts or travel agents.
10. Standard terms and conditions of the fare and ticket rules will be followed
11. If there will be any cancellation or changes in the booking made, refund of the discount or any reinstatement of the promotion is not allowed
12. Voucher may not be exchanged for cash value
13. SEAIR has the right to cancel the promo code voucher at any time without prior notice

Manila: Mario's in Tomas Morato

Last month, I had a great dinner at Mario's in Baguio. Originally located on Session Road (it burned down about a decade ago), it's one of the city's restaurant icons, and is known for its great steaks, wines and Casear's salad. The new branch is now located along Upper Session Road near Nevada Square.

That's why when I got invited to a blogger's dinner at Mario's Tomas Morato, I didn't think twice. Fil Benitez, the son of the owners Mario and Nenuca Benitez wanted to introduce us to his new concept "Cordillera hip dining" at the very cozy Tomas Morato branch, hoping to bring the original Baguio charm of Mario's to the lowlands of Metro Manila.

Appetizers were ready for consumption as soon as I arrived including a large tray of Oysters Rockefeller, setas al ajillo and gambas con chorizo. We made sure to start the meal with Mario's popular Caesar's salad which is prepared right in front of you.

For the main course, I got myself filet mignon this time around. In Baguio, I tried their chateaubriand steak (heart of tenderloin) which is good for two and served with fettuccine alburo. The rest of the bloggers tried out the other steaks and Paella Valenciana. I made sure to order mango jubilee for dessert! They have a buffet menu on Sundays and that's something I want to try out since the food at Mario's is surprisingly affordable.

In the photo is owner Fil Benitez with Toni of Wifely Steps, myself, Spanky of Manila Boy and Stephie of The Happy Girl.

Canada: Bonjour Quebec!

I was in Quebec, Canada to attend the International Forum of Young Researchers and Professionals in Cultural Heritage, the annual meeting of the International Cultural Tourism Committee of which I'm a member, and the 16th ICOMOS General Assembly.

Things have been so hectic since that trip and I haven't had much time for myself. So in the meantime, you can check out my photos which I update quite regularly:

2008-09-26 Quebec, Canada (Vieux Quebec)
2008-09-27/29 Quebec, Canada (Vieux Quebec)
2008-09-30 Quebec, Canada (Vieux Quebec)
2008-10-01 Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Canada (Whale watching near Tadoussac)
2008-10-02 Quebec, Canada (St. Lawrence River cruise)
2008-10-03 Quebec, Canada (Île d'Orléans, Montmorency Falls & Vieux-Quebec)
2008-10-05 Montreal, Canada (Old Montreal)
2008-10-06 Montreal, Canada (Olympic Stadium & Mont Royal)
2008-10-07 New York, USA
2008-10-08 Washington DC, USA
2008-10-10/11 Los Angeles, California, USA (Hollywood)

I still have one more post on Thailand so watch out for that. Come to think of it, I still have some Indonesia and Singapore posts from last year. So I'll throw that in as well before continuing with the Canada (Quebec & Montreal) and U.S. (NY, DC & LA) posts. But I'll work my way back and start again with my recent local trips. (November 2, 2008)

Thailand: Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha

The Grand Palace, which includes the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is one of the must visits when you are in Bangkok. It was the official residence of Thailand's kings up to the mid-20th century but is still as grand as its name implies. After resting a bit at the hotel, we took a cab to the Grand Palace.

As soon as we got off our taxi, a guy in a khaki uniform wearing a pin which looked like some kind of royal emblem approached us and pointed us toward a gate on the side. I was a bit suspicious since I knew where the main gate was having been there twice before. When we got to the smaller gate, I saw a sign which said "no entry" (obviously, it was not an entrance). Then a guy came out from the gate telling us that the temple was closed early today since it's prayer day for the locals and told us to come back tomorrow. Then he pointed to a tuktuk waiting by the gate and they started selling us a guided tour. Irked, I told shouted "no" to them and brought my family back to where we got down. We almost left but I decided to walk by the entrance I remembered and saw it was open. So I checked inside only to find out the Grand Palace was indeed open!

It's sick that such happens right at the gate of the Grand Palace itself. Were the authorities playing blind to such a modus operandi happening right at their doorstep? It was a good thing I had been there before. But I could just imagine other people they had fooled into taking those over-priced tuktuk tours. When we exited the palace, I saw the same guy in the khaki uniform still standing at the gate and I looked him straight in the eye with disdain.

Well, enough of that bad incident since any visit to the Grand Palace is a grand experience! The first thing you'll see when you enter is the Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. You'll need to be in proper attire when you enter the compound. No shorts or sleeveless shirts. It was good that they have long trouser and sarong rentals there since my mom was in shorts and had to rent a sarong to enter.

The Emerald Buddha is actually made of green jade and is clothed in gold. There are three sets of gold clothing corresponding to Thailand's three seasons namely hot, rainy and cool. And the king himself changes the clothes in ceremonies marking the change of season.

When you enter the main palace area, you won't miss the Chakri Mahaprasad Hall, a building influenced by the Italian Renaissance style but distinctly Thai. By the time we reached this hall, the palace security were herding people out for closing. So we were there just in time to have the area all to ourselves. We proceeded to Siam Paragon right after. But we had to go through Bangkok's snarled weekend traffic to get there.