ZOORI (Zoo at Residence Inn) is a perfect spot to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Taal Lake and Volcano while having some fun with exotic animals amidst lush surroundings.
I visited the place recently together with fellow bloggers as well as candidates of the Miss Tourism Queen Worldwide 2018.
First, we enjoyed a very Pinoy lunch of Chicken Pork Adobo, a Zoompia (their gigantic version of a spring roll) and Puto Bumbong. We had our repast at the restaurant gazebo while taking in the majestic view.
Afterwards, we discovered that we were in for a treat: an animal show in which the Miss Tourism candidates from different countries gamely interacted with the featured critters which included snakes, lizards, a tarantula and more.
After the show, we explored the many attractions that the ZOORI had to offer: from the mini-zoo with an interesting collection of birds and livestock, the zip line which the beauty queens lost no time in trying out, and the cable car for us who were decidedly less adventurous.
Before we left, I went to the shops and scored some good finds: a wolf hat for my baby boy, a couple of scoodies and a long cardigan for me.
Unfortunately, we ran out of time. I would have loved to check out ZOORI’s other attractions such as Wall-Climbing and Horseback Riding, or had an eat-all-you-can Korean Barbecue at Samgyupsalamat.
But those are what return visits are for. 🙂
Still, it was a fun afternoon that showed me and my fellow bloggers more the entertainment and recreation possibilities available in Tagaytay.
ZOORI is located KM 65 Barrio Neogan, Tagaytay City, open daily from 8am to 5pm. To commute going to ZOORI, take a bus ride from Cubao to Alfonso, Balayan or Nasugbu. Alight at Residence Inn Tagaytay along the National Highway.
Rates:
Adult: Php249
Child (3 feet to 4 feet): Php199
Children below 3 feet free of charge
Special Packages:
Entrance with Paradizoo: Php299
Entrance with Paradizoo and Set Lunch at the Gazebo: Php499
Entrance with Paradizoo and Samgyupsalamat: Php699
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat and Photo with Birds: Php799
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat and Zipline: Php899
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat, Dessert & Coffee and Zipline: Php999
Here’s a tip: you can get discounted tickets to Paradizoo Theme Farm by signing up for a free YOGO customer account and ordering tickets via the YOGO PH app (download now on Google Play or the App Store).
You can also enjoy savings when you book your tickets via Klook.
For inquiries, email zoomanityonline@gmail.com or call +63 046 4131244 | +63 966 1938965. Know more about Paradizoo and other Zoomanity’s attractions at zoomanity.com.ph.
For queries, call +62 046 413 1244 or +63 02 847 0413.
Disclosure: Together with fellow bloggers, I was invited by the Zoomanity Group to tour and experience the attractions at ZOORI. The tour was sponsored by the company and was not paid for by the attendees including myself.
Life in the city can feel somewhat stifling: modern life enables you to do so much but most of them require you to be sedentary, cocooned in air-conditioned rooms with your eyes glued to device screens, or traversing the drab concrete jungle.
Sometimes, we just crave for a bit of green space, areas with verdant life that refreshes the mind, body and soul. Several studies have already cited the health and social benefits of green spaces, which include stress reduction, enhanced mood and improved social interactions.
Just outside the metro in Mendez, Cavite, one can find Paradizoo, one of Zoomanity Group‘s theme parks. Here you can find green spaces in abundance, with 12-hectares of land that offers a combination of Paradize and Zoo that makes each visit uniquely relaxing and entertaining.
Inside the park, your eyes are treated to wide expanses of greenery with attractions such as:
Vegetable Garden. Paradizoo employs best faming practices, particularly in vermiculture, bokashi soil, hydrophonics and composting, to produce fresh and organic vegetables.
Flower Garden. Horticulturists and lovers of decorative plants will love the sheer variety of colors and shapes of flowers to be found here.
Meditation Garden. A quiet and peaceful place where one can relax and reflect, this is a boon to busy professionals who want to unload themselves from the cares of city life for a while.
Families will also welcome the opportunity to enjoy some time playing in the great outdoors with activities such as:
Archery Attack. An instructor will teach you the proper way to aim at and hit targets, which you can later use when doing mock battles with your companions.
Farm Frenzy. Meet and cuddle up (and let out your inner Disney Princess, hehehe!) as you meet new animal friends like rabbits, hamsters, birds, goats and other critters.
Plant Me Home. Want to take a bit of the greenery home with you? In this area, you can select flowers and vegetables from garden plots that you can buy and bring home.
Fun Z Bubble. Roll across the fields with the kids in this fun and exhilarating activity.
And when you’re parched or famished from all the exercise and outdoor activities, drop by the Paradizoo Cafe for some well-deserved snacking. You can also check out the cool souvenirs that you can buy and bring home with you.
As much as I love the city, it’s sometimes important to take a break from it for a while and get some respite in amidst the sunshine and greenery. Afterwards, I feel like I’m ready to face life in the city again, refreshed and re-energized.
Paradizoo is located along the Mendez-Tagaytay Road in Mendez, Cavite, open daily from 8am to 5pm.
To commute going there, ride a bus to Tagaytay City or at Olivarez terminal. Afterwards, then ride any jeepney or bus to Mendez and inform the driver to drop you off to Maglabe Drive. Lastly, take a trycicle ride to Paradizoo.
Rates:
Adult: Php199
Child (3 feet to 4 feet): Php149
Children below 3 feet free of charge
Book your eco-farm journey by emailing zoomanityonline@gmail.com or by calling +63 046 4131244 | +63 966 1938965. Know more about Paradizoo and other Zoomanity’s attractions at zoomanity.com.ph.
Here’s a tip: you can get discounted ticketsto Paradizoo Theme Farm by signing up for a free YOGO customer account and booking via the YOGO PH app (download now on Google Play or the App Store).
You can also book your tickets via KlookDisclosure: Together with fellow bloggers, I was invited by the Zoomanity Group to tour and experience the attractions at the Paradizoo Theme Farm. The tour was sponsored by the company and was not paid for by the attendees including myself.
Coconut and its various derivatives have long been touted for their contributions to the flavors and health benefits of food prepared with them.
My foray into Kultura Filipino’s “Crafts for a Cause” exhibit where I chanced upon the Coco Dolce stall, however, was the first time I heard about using coconut products in chocolate production.
This unusual feature is in line with the tenets that Coco Dolce producer, The Freefood Co., operate by. Its guiding principles include: better health, helping rural areas develop into sustainable communities, and respect for the planet and its resouces.
Its chocolate bars, therefore, are made from a rich blend of fine cacao beans, low-glycemic coconut sap sugar, virgin coconut oil and vanilla. These ingredients were sourced from Mindanao’s organic coconut farming communities and from local growers of indigenous cacao and nuts across the country. The resulting chocolate products are free from GMOs, harmful processing agents and preservatives and other chemicals that may adversely affect one’s health.
Organic coconut sap sugar, in particular, has a low glycemic index level of 35, making Coco Dolce bars suitable for people who need to manage their sugar intake.
The bars are manufactured by chocolate artisans using the traditional conching method. This involves the heating and mixing of the chocolate’s ingredients over long periods of time. The process helps in developing the chocolate’s flavor through frictional heat, release of volatiles and acids, and oxydation.
I bought two of Coco Dolce’s 45g chocolate bar variants: the Milk Chocolate (whole milk powder added to the other ingredients) and the 65% Dark Chocolate.
The bars hold well without refrigeration yet has a smooth texture upon biting. The chocolate flavor is rich, helped by the non-cloying and milder sweetness of the coco sugar.
Over the holidays, I plan to gift some bars to my titos and titas who are trying to control their sugar intake. Because the holiday season is a time to enjoy good food, right?
There’s much to stress about with today’s busy urban lifestyle.
For working moms like us, juggling our multiple roles and responsibilities at home, at work, and in the community can be harrowing. Meeting expectations from superiors and colleagues at work, seeing to the needs of family members, and serving the communities we are part of do sometimes take their toll.
A chronically stressful lifestyle will have serious effects on both physical and mental health. Manifestations of stressful living range from headaches, stomach upsets and chest pains to lack of motivation, difficulty sleeping and anger or irritability.
Given all the demands on our time and attention, working moms can’t afford to be sidelined by symptoms of stress.
Some well-meaning folk would just give the advice to “keep calm and carry on.” However, that is easier said than done.
I discovered one such silver lining when my sister-in-law gifted me with a bottle Prosource Calming Oil.
In this handy 10ml bottle is a mixture of natural ingredients that include virgin coconut oil, ginger, lavender, eucalyptus and menthol. The bottle’s roll-on mechanism also helps in quickly applying the oil to alleviate discomforts and various effects of stress, such as:
Headaches
Neck, back and joint pains
Muscle pains
Gas pains
Dizziness and motion sickness
Colds and coughs
This calming oil is a boon to me whenever I experience driving anxiety. When I feel the headache and nausea coming when I’m behind the wheel, I rub some calming oil on my temples. The cool, soothing sensation on my skin and the fresh scent help to manage my discomfort, allowing me to successfully reach my destination.
This was also helpful when my little boy got sick; massaging it onto his back and chest helped in quieting his bouts of coughing enough for him to get a good night’s sleep.
Stress may be a part of life, but it need not be life-limiting.
Prosource Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is available in most Watsons and Mercury Drug outlets nationwide. It retails at Php120/tube.
As with most plants, cacao beans, from which chocolate is manufactured, take on the characteristics particular to the region where they were grown and harvested. This is called their terroir.
Cacao beans that have been blended lose their terroir, hence the preference of some chocolatiers for single-origin chocolate products.
Davao-based Malagos Agri-Ventures Corporation, for example, produces the award-winning single origin premium Malagos Chocolate. This product line grew out of the resolve of the Malagos company matriarch, Mama Charita Puentespina, to reinvigorate the Davao’s cacao industry which crashed in the 1980s.
Instead of just exporting cacao beans to serve as raw materials for foreign chocolate manufacturers, Mama Charita drove the company’s cacao growing and post-harvest practices, as well as campaigned to make cacao a priority crop in the region.
Today, Malagos Chocolates is an internationally recognized and awarded brand. It is made from high quality cacao beans, grown in the Malagos farm in the foothills of Davao’s Mount Talomo.
The beans are carefully fermented, sun-dried and roasted in temperature controlled roasters, then ground to a fine texture at par with international chocolate standards. These processes are all done without the product ever leaving Davao, making Malagos Chocolates all natural, single origin and tree-to-bar.
I chanced upon Kultura Filipino’s “Crafts for a Cause” exhibit over the weekend and replenished my chocolate stash from the local brands featured there.
I picked the 65% dark chocolate; being the lowest percentage cacao content among the brand’s offerings, I think this variant offers the best balance between sweet and bitter chocolate flavors.
And apparently, I’m not the only one that thinks so. Malagos Chocolate’s 65% Dark Chocolate has won international awards, particularly in Academy of Chocolate’s Tree-to-Bar category in 2017, and in the World Drinking Chocolate Competition organized by the International Chocolate Awards in 2015.
Fancy a bite of this award-winning, single origin dark chocolate treat? Malagos Chocolates are available at SM Kultura Filipino branches in SM Mall of Asia, SM Makati, SM Megamall, SM AURA, SM North EDSA, Taal Vista and Pico Loro.
Degustation is the careful and deliberate tasting of various food with an eye towards appreciation of the science and artistry that goes into their preparation as well as their effect to the senses.
To mark its 29th anniversary, Ilustrado Restaurant introduces an 8-course degustation menu which will be available to its patrons throughout the month of October.
The menu was conceptualized by Ilustrado Restaurant’s Chef de Patron Bernice Pimentel, inspired by, of all things, a classic Pinoy song.
“My almost three year old nephew is in a “bahay kubo” sing-song stage and I can say that the vegetables in the song followed me everywhere making its way into our degustation menu.” shares Chef Bernice.
The influence of “bahay kubo” is apparent in the menu’s deliberate use of homegrown ingredients and incorporating them into continental dishes.
In fact, Chef Bernice’s plan for the restaurant’s own farm to table concept is already in the works. Among these initiatives are a partnership with Luntian Farms and growing the edible flowers that serve as garnishes for her dishes right at home.
Together with fellow foodies and food bloggers, I was able to sample this innovative degustation menu, which is priced at Php1,250 (plus 10% service charge). The menu included items that may also be availed of ala carte, such as:
Kangkong Pesto Brioche served with Boursin Cheese. The freshly baked brioche is amazingly light and fluffy, wonderfully accented by the herby cream cheese.
Kesong Puti Croquettes at Lato (Php175+). These are croquettes made with local white cheese, sea grapes (or locally called lato, which gives a burst of flavor from the sea with each bite), baby mesclun and Salsa Verde Aoili.
Oyster Laing Rockefeller (Php195+). Seafood dish made of Aklan oyster topped by the classic Bicolano laing made of coconut, chili and dried taro, with added parmigiano reggiano, lemon juice and panko. These add a rich creaminess and a spicy kick to the oyster.
Sayote Egg Drop Soup (Php125+). Chayote soup with a quail egg dropped in for added richness that warms the tummy, served with crunchy crostini.
Burong Mangga Sorbet. Pureed green mango churned and cooled into a sorbet to cleanse the palate in preparation for the main dishes.
BBQ Pulled Pork Tostadas (Php215+). Tender slow-cooked pork marinated in Pinoy-style barbecue sauce, served with refried mungo beans, papaya slaw on top of fried tortillas.
Sea Bass Sinantol (Php350+). Buttery Chilean sea bass fillet pan-seared then oven-broiled and served with fried rice sauteed in the Bicolano dish sinantol, as well as arugula.
Egg Pie Brulee (Php175+). Bruleed egg tart with dots of rose creme chantilly, slices of fresh strawberry, green grapes, and ripe mango. Accompanied by edible flowers, this dessert provides a sweet ending to the meal.
The degustation menu modernizes and localizes the continental viands it includes. It brings somewhat-forgotten local produce such as lato, sayote and santol back to the forefront of modern Philippine cuisine. The portions are well-calculated such that diners are able to appreciate each dish in its entirety but are not overwhelmed by flavor or quantity.
In keeping with a degustation’s aim to satisfy as many of the senses as possible, the menu features visually appealing and colorful food presentation, appetizing herby, fruity and earthy smells, and interesting interplays of various textures and flavors with each dish served.
This wonderful menu is best enjoyed inside Ilustrado Restaurant’s well-appointed premises. The converted Spanish era seminary, its aged wood furniture and antique bric-a-bracs all give the resto an old world appeal.
But do hurry: this delectable degustation menu will only be available within October.
Ilustrado is located at 5440 General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila, open daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm and from 6pm to 9pm. For queries and reservations, call +63 2 5273674 or +63 939 9206822, or email catering@ilustradorestaurant.com.ph. For more details and updates, check out Ilustrado Restaurant on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Filipino cuisine is full of Spanish influences, no doubt owing to the more than 300 years of Spanish colonization of the Philippines.
One of its legacies is Callos, a hearty stew made with ox tripe, ox feet, Spanish sausage chorizo de bilbao, chick peas and peppers, slow-cooked in an herb- and spice-infused tomato sauce.
Callos’ roots go all the way back to Callos ala Madrilena, which, similar to many stews of this style, actually had humble origins. In fifteenth century Europe, tripe was quite inexpensive, making it quite accessible to the more common folk. It does require intensive cleaning and a long cooking time, making it quite impractical for today’s home cooks and working moms to make.
Fortunately, Mr. Cochinillo, the man and the establishment behind the succulent roasted baby pigs known as cochinillos del cielo, offers Callos among other items in his for-pick-up menu. The callos is vacuum-packed prior to freezing: by removing air from its storage bag preserves the color, texture and flavor of the dish.
Mr. Cochinillo does have strict instructions on reheating his callos so you can enjoy it at home:
Defrost the package but don’t use the microwave to thaw it.
In a pot, put one or two tablespoons of pure olive oil.
Saute the defrosted content of the package over low heat until it boils.
This small package of Callos priced at Php700 is good for two people. A larger pack good for six to eight people is priced at Php2,500.
Other frozen, vaccum-packed items available from Mr. Cochinillo include:
Mr. Cochinillo’s Fabada (infused with cochinillo): Php600 for regular (good for 2 people) | Php2,000 for large (good for 6 to 8 people)
Rabo del Toro: 2,500 (good for 6 to 8 people)
Cochinillo del Cielo: Php800 (good or 2 people)
To order your Callos from Mr. Cochinillo:
Step 1: Fill out the online order form or call +63 2 6330043, +63 2 9524102 or +63 917 545 4888.
Step 2: After receiving a confirmation message via email or phone, deposit payment to Carlos V De Guzman | BPI | Account Number # 2900-0063-84. Afterwards, email a copy of your deposit slip to orders@mrcochinillo.com.
Step 3: Go to the pick-up location – No 5 Parakeet Street corner Swallow Drive, Green Meadows Subdivision, Quezon City – at the specified time to ensure the crispiness of the skin and tenderness of the meat of your cochinillo. Be sure to bring the deposit slip when you claim your order.
Disclosure: I received the package of frozen Callos as a giveaway when I attended the Bloggers’ Night hosted by Mr. Cochinillo.
With the approaching holidays comes the much-awaited season of parties and get-togethers. Pinoys, in particular, love to celebrate with food, lots and lots of it. I recall my mom and titas slaving away in the kitchen, preparing their signature dishes for our family gatherings.
While I’m passionate about food, I’m not too keen on stressing myself out in the kitchen. Fortunately, thanks to a Foodie Meet-up held at Alex III’s Tomas Morato branch, I, together with my fellow foodies, discovered that I can treat my loved ones out to a feast of classic Filipino favorites, thanks to its Instant Party Menu.
Alex III’s Instant Party Menu consist of two sets of dishes. Both priced at Php2995, these feature home-grown Filipino party food enough for a group of five. These are all prepared and cooked with the same love and tradition that goes all the way back to Aling Asiang (or Mrs. Engracia Reyes), the matriarch of the family behind the Aristrocrat restaurant of which Alex III is an offshoot, being a business started by one of Aling Asiang’s grandsons.
Set One
This set includes:
Choice of 1 viand among Chicken Barbecue, Pork Barbecue, Barbecued Pork Belly and Whole Fried Chicken
Special Pancit Canton
Fresh Lumpiang Ubod or Lumpiang Shanghai
Kare-Kare
Crispy Pata
Steamed Rice
Set Two
This set includes:
Choice of 1 viand among Chicken Barbecue, Pork Barbecue, Barbecued Pork Belly and Whole Fried Chicken
Whole Fried Chicken
Whole Crispy Lapu-Lapu with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Camaron Rebosado
Special Pancit Canton
Shanghai Rice
Each set is served with garlic peanuts, a sushi sampler, your choice of soup (of which we sampled the Hototay and Sinigang na Salmon), bottomless iced tea and your choice of dessert (of which we sampled the Leche Flan and the Pandan Jellied Tapioca).
Both sets present diners with a combination of flavors that are dearly familiar, being dishes that were served during family reunions and fiestas when we were growing up. They also serve as a way for working moms like me to reconnect our present-day celebrations with the warmth and traditions of our childhood: that despite the hectic schedules and fast-paced lifestyles, we have a way to get together with our loved ones to exchange old memories and make new ones, while enjoying good food and good company.
With Alex III’s Instant Party Menu, the tradition of fun family celebrations with good food is made even better.
This branch of Alex III is located at Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Bayoran, South Triangle, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations and queries, call +63 2 3711414 or +63 2 3711415. Its spacious, tastefully appointed and well-lit interiors make it a great venue for large family gatherings or office parties.
Other branches are located at:
201 Wilson Street, Little Baguio, San Juan City (open daily from 11am to 11pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 7240882 or +63 2 7264444)
29 Matalino Street, Diliman, Quezon City (open daily from 11am to 10pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 9261266 or +63 2 9268942)
53 Pontiac Corner Chevelle Street, Fairview, Quezon City (open daily from 11am to 10pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 3766286 or +63 2 3765179)
By the way, did you know that for your parties at home, you can have your favorite dishes from Alex III delivered right to your doorstep? Minimum order for delivery is Php500. For more details, contact the Alex III branch nearest you.
Disclosure: I attended the Bloggers’ Day held at this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
While the lechon (roast pig) is a staple in many Filipino gatherings, few might know that there is a version of this delicacy that originated from Segovia, Spain. The Cochinillo del Cielo, characterized by crispy light golden-brown skin and buttery, falling-off-the-bone meat, is a piglet that is roasted after feeding on sow’s milk from two to six weeks. The true test to a good cochinillo is that it is so tender, it can easily sliced by a delicate porcelain plate.
Mr. Cochinillo is the brand created by former DJ-turned-photographer-turned-business owner Tinee de Guzman for his roasted suckling pigs and other Spanish-influenced items on the menu. The pigs are roasted in brick ovens located right in his home.
It all started when a friend of his was considering renting a venue he owns for a party and he volunteered to cater it as well. Among the dishes he claimed to be able to prepare, but actually hasn’t done so by then, is the cochinillo. His friend ended up just ordering this dish. Fortunately, he had a month leading to the party to learn and perfect his cochinillo recipe.
Tinee’s style of preparing cochinillo is no mean feat. As he relayed to the chef his friend hired for the party: “To be able to prepare this, you have to have time, you have to do everything properly. You have to clean it; you have to defrost it properly; you have to have it marinated before and after. Your oven has to be at a perfect temperature.”
That amusing start to his cochinillo business was in October 2012.
Since then, his cochinillo has been garnering praise from publications and food pundits and the orders just kept coming in.
In a party he recently held for bloggers, he relayed how he expanded his repertoire with other Spanish-themed dishes, which we were also able to sample. These included:
Seafood Fiduea/Fideo. A dish akin to paella but uses short noodles instead of rice, then cooked over a wood fire.
Fabada. Beans cooked over firewood and infused with his signature boneless Cochinillo del Cielo, which we enjoyed together with garlic bread.
Rabo de Toro. A rich stew made with bull’s tail, slow-cooked to absolute tenderness and rich earthy flavor.
During this event, Tinee also unveiled his newest offering, the Cochinillo rubbed with Goose Oil which further enriches the flavor of the pig’s skin and meat.
The dishes served gave a taste of the richness of Spanish cuisine which also called to mind many of the flavors we Filipinos grew up with and loved.
The following menu items are all available for order at his online store – mrcochinillo.com.
Cochinillo del Cielo: Php6,500 for regular (good for 8 to 12 people) | Php7,500 for large (good for 14 to 18 people)
Mr. Cochinillo’s Black Pig (Baboy Ramo): Php12,500 (good for 24 to 26 people)
Seafood Paella | Paella Negra: Php5,500 for regular (good for 16 to 20 people) | Php9,500 for large (good for 26 to 30 people)
Seafood Fideua | Fideua Negra: Php5,500 for regular (good for 14 to 18 people) | Php9,500 for large (good for 26 to 30 people)
Mr. Cochinillo Paella: Php6,000 for regular (good for 16 to 20 people) | Php9,500 for large (good for 26 to 28 people)
Frozen Items (vacuum-packed to ensure freshness):
Mr. Cochinillo’s Fabada (infused with cochinillo): Php600 for regular (good for 2 people) | Php2,000 for large (good for 6 to 8 people)
Rabo del Toro: 2,500 (good for 6 to 8 people)
Callos: Php700 for regular (good for 2 people) | Php2,500 for large (good for 6 to 8 people)
Cochinillo del Cielo: Php800 (good for 2 people)
(Note: Mr. Cochinillo has specific instructions on reheating these items, and does not recommend microwaving them.)
Ordering is as easy as 1-2-3:
Step 1: Fill out the online order form or call +63 2 6330043, +63 2 9524102 or +63 917 545 4888.
Step 2: After receiving a confirmation message via email or phone, deposit payment to Carlos V De Guzman | BPI | Account Number # 2900-0063-84. Afterwards, email a copy of your deposit slip to orders@mrcochinillo.com.
Step 3: Go to the pick-up location – No 5 Parakeet Street corner Swallow Drive, Green Meadows Subdivision, Quezon City – at the specified time to ensure the crispiness of the skin and tenderness of the meat of your cochinillo. Be sure to bring the deposit slip when you claim your order.
If you want to serve succulent cochinillos or any of the tasty dishes offered by Mr. Cochinillo at your family gathering this Christmas, it would be best to order as soon as possible. Note as well that cochinillo orders for pick-up from December 1, 2018 to January 3, 2019 will have a surcharge of 10% (but it will be so worth it!).
Disclosure: I attended the Bloggers’ Night hosted by Mr. Cochinillo. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Anilao is a barangay in the municipality of Mabini, Batangas. Over the years, it has become known as a divers’ paradise, its clear blue waters teeming with diverse marine life. Being only a few hours away from Metro Manila, it can offer some respite to city slickers seeking time away from the hustle and bustle.
If you’re dreaming of a beach trip you can pack with memories of fun and adventure aside from the usual swimming and sunbathing, why not go to Anilao? There’s just so much to do and discover, such as:
Diving
Anilao is best known for its diving scene, being the place where many of the country’s most experienced SCUBA and free divers converge to venture underwater or to coach diving newbies. If you’re new to diving and don’t want to invest in the required gear, you can rent these out at most diving resorts in the area.
Diving in Anilao can show you so many wonders beneath the waves from colorful lion fishes and wrasses darting about to exotic neon-colored nudibranchs that seemingly float here and there.
You can also catch sight of unusual views such as the ruins of a sunken restaurant at the Dari Laut dive site.
Snorkeling
If diving is not your cup of tea but you still want to peek into the rich wildlife that Anilao has to offer, you can always go snorkeling instead. This way you can observe the many species of marine life that reside Anilao’s waters without the need for training or bulky equipment.
Jetskiing, Windsurfing and Kayaking
You can pretend to be on a spy adventure ala Tom Cruise in the Mission Impossible series, with the wind blowing through your hair as you zip through the waves.
Or how about harnessing the power of the wind and waves by windsurfing?
Both of these are great items to tick off on your bucket list, particularly if you’re type who feels the need for speed.
However, if you want a leisurely glide over calm waters instead, then kayaking is for you. Paddle along the shoreline and work off your stress while giving yourself a great upper body workout.
Trekking
If you want a change in scenery, do venture up the mountain, the Mount Gulugod Baboy that is. From its peak, you get a sweeping vista of the Batangas coastline and the vast sparkling sea. Enjoy a sunset picnic here and bask in the orange sunlight while taking in the stunning view.
Dining and Drinking
All those swimming, diving, snorkeling, jetskiing, kayaking and trekking will surely work up an appetite.
Take a bite (or two or more) of all the fresh seafood and meats grilled right by the sea. There’s something about the smoky smell of food grilling and the salty sea air that makes eating at the beach a gastronomic adventure.
Take a nightcap by sipping some margaritas at the beachfront while staring at the open water. Who knows? You might even catch sight of a passing pod of dolphins.
At the end of each day at the beach, you may just want to curl up on a comfortable bed and read your favorite book. After all, R&R stands for “rest and relaxation,” right?
All these and more are in store for you and your beach buddies at the newly opened Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort. Situated along the Anilao shoreline, it provides a haven for beach lovers and adventure seekers with well-appointed yet quirkily decorated rooms styled according to different beach activities.
I visited the place recently together with fellow bloggers as well as candidates of the Miss Tourism Queen Worldwide 2018.
First, we enjoyed a very Pinoy lunch of Chicken Pork Adobo, a Zoompia (their gigantic version of a spring roll) and Puto Bumbong. We had our repast at the restaurant gazebo while taking in the majestic view.
Afterwards, we discovered that we were in for a treat: an animal show in which the Miss Tourism candidates from different countries gamely interacted with the featured critters which included snakes, lizards, a tarantula and more.
After the show, we explored the many attractions that the ZOORI had to offer: from the mini-zoo with an interesting collection of birds and livestock, the zip line which the beauty queens lost no time in trying out, and the cable car for us who were decidedly less adventurous.
Unfortunately, we ran out of time. I would have loved to check out ZOORI’s other attractions such as Wall-Climbing and Horseback Riding, or had an eat-all-you-can Korean Barbecue at Samgyupsalamat.
But those are what return visits are for. 🙂
Still, it was a fun afternoon that showed me and my fellow bloggers more the entertainment and recreation possibilities available in Tagaytay.
ZOORI is located KM 65 Barrio Neogan, Tagaytay City, open daily from 8am to 5pm. To commute going to ZOORI, take a bus ride from Cubao to Alfonso, Balayan or Nasugbu. Alight at Residence Inn Tagaytay along the National Highway.
Rates:
Jellybeans in the City 