How my 2021 ended.

Less than 4 hours to welcome 2022, and I can hear the sound of fireworks from a far while I work silently in my room. 

I tried to think of anything special that happened to me this year and I cannot think of any. Most of my happenings involved work and ... a lot more of work. 

I felt the days were fast and that time was limited to finish my tasks or to do lists. 

I cannot say I am 💯% happy but all I can say is that I am grateful and still thankful. 

Almost 2 years of working from home and I must say that work wise, this has been a challenging year for me. 

Overall, a tough year to the point that I do not even know how I was able to go through every issues thrown at me. 

I sincerely hope and pray that 2022 will be a lot more better and promising in terms of personal growth and career. 

Ciao 2021,

Mari

Bohol 2018 | Beach and Island Tour

Bohol ✈ getaway with officemates turned friends! 

Here's what we did in Bohol!

Our first day was spent getting ready for the island tour and walking by the beach. 

We stayed at Island World Panglao, about 15mins away from the sea.

Surprisingly, Panglao seemed crowded and very much different compared to my first visit way back 6 yrs. ago (estimate). High-end hotels and new restaurants left an impression that Bohol looked similar to Boracay. The beach was crowded too!

Still, we had a pleasant time. 

We went to Bohol to relax and we were able to do that! 

♡,

Mari

Souffle pancakes and Coffee at am.pm Philippines

By far the 'best' souffle pancakes I had in Manila 😁

am.pm is a Hong Kong brand and this is their first branch in the Philippines. 

Nice place to hang out with family or friends. 

The cafe's interior looks lively and fun.

Pancakes: Apart from the usual jiggly description, am.pm's souffle pancakes melts in your mouth. No kidding! Though I like both flavors, creme brulee and chocolate, I still prefer the latter. Maybe because creme brulee and egg almost tastes the same? 😅

Nothing special with the coffee americano ☕ and my sister likes her milktea drink. 

TAPped!

Taste 4/5

I like both dark chocolate and creme brulee souffle pancakes 😁

Black coffee tastes okay.

Ambiance 3/5

Space is small, only few seats for dine-in.

Price 3/5 

For me, it is pricey.

Souffle pancakes, anyone? 😉

♡,

Mari

Work from Home | A cup of coffee a day (Nespresso)

我喜欢咖啡 ❤

Sharing my coffee experience with Nespresso capsules for a year, aside from brewing, dripbags, teabags and coffee press 😁

Latest ☕ compilation:

 

Coffee is part of my life. 

My day starts with a cup of coffee and sometimes ends with another cup as well.

Prior pandemic, I frequent cafes and coffeeshops and missed counting the times when I go back and forth the office pantry to satisfy my coffee needs. 

Things changed when the pandemic lockdown started since I have to be creative at home in preparing my coffee. 

I have a lot of coffee options, some I bought from trips and some were given to me as gifts.

 

I even tried making my own version of 'kori kohi.' 

Then I discovered that Nespresso sells their mini machines at a discounted price from time to time. When I chanced upon it, I bought one 😁 (I got mine in red).

Wonder why I chose Nespresso brand over other machines? 

It's because they offer a lot of flavors apart from the limited edition flavors from time to time.

Also, thanks to my aunts for introducing this brand to me 😁 

I had my first Nespresso coffee when I stayed at my aunt's place. Few years after, I went to another aunt's place for a visit and found that she also had one. So I told myself, I will also buy one but the cheapest version 😆

Not really sure if the pandemic pushed me into buying a machine but at some point, I realized how much I've spent on coffee in a year 🤣 (like seriously 🤪)

I can say that a cup of Nespresso a day is more economical than a cup of tall, venti, large, or grande in any coffeeshops. Also, I can freely switch to brewed coffee or dripbag since I'm just at home. 

Going back, what I really like is their wide range of coffee flavors. 

 

Each flavor has it's own intensity. If I want a mild one, I can choose between intensities 4 to 6, while beyond 7 is reserved for days when I need to stay awake past midnight due to work 😅. 

I also got a Nespresso milk frother for free because I bought capsules in a bundle. It was a good deal!!! 

I use the frother from time to time, makes me feel like I'm a barista 😄 I also add cinnamon and whipped cream on top. Sometimes, I add ice. 

So now have the option to just chill at home! Very nice isn't it? We just order pastries or desserts for take-away. 

Surely, for a family who likes coffee very much, an espresso machine is a good investment. 

(If you have a bigger budget, then maybe you can buy machines the same as the ones seen in the cafes.)

Do you also like coffee? 

你喜欢咖啡了吗? 

♡,

Mari

Coffeeshops in PH: Kape Lokal

Manila Buffet | Suki-ya (Japanese Yakiniku and Shabu-shabu)

Hooooray for another shabu-shabu buffet experience!

Finding the right soup is not easy. I still like Shaburi's miso soup and I think Suki-ya is also another good option. Hopefully they'll have another branch near Makati area 😁

 

We were told that we can choose 4 different types of soup since we were a group of 3. Hence, we chose Kimuchi, Butaniku, Sukiyaki and Shabu-shabu. 

Since quarantine guidelines were implemented, all sidings were plated and you will have to ask them what you want from time to time. We wanted beef, hence we added around 60php on top of the usual rate per head.

Shabu-shabu soup tasted like Konbu or clear soup. It doesn't have a strong flavor like Kimuchi. Soaked chicken/squid balls and you'll be satisfied too. 

Sukiyaki is your typical sweet soy-based soup and great with beef. I think most japanese restaurants offer sukiyaki beef flavored meat. 

Butaniku is flavourful. I find it a bit salty as well but okay with pork and chicken meat.

Kimuchi gives off a different feeling. Although the description stated miso soup, it isn't like that for me. The soup has a biting taste - mixture of spicy and salty in one. So far I like this best since I'm a fan of 'whatever spicy' 😄 

While eating boiled meat and side dishes from Kimuchi soup, I recommend Shabu-shabu soup in between to save your tounge 🤣

We spent about 2 hours eating and enjoying each soup! 

We had a great time except when we saw baby cockroaches 😐 

Maybe they need to fumigate the area. 

Any buffet suggestion? Leave a comment!

♡,

Mari

eight. | lettersfrommari

 

Still, thank you.

♡,

Mari

Davao 2019 | Malagos Chocolate Farm and Puentespina Farm

No regrets.

We spent a day at Puentespina Farm: stopped by at Bird Sanctuary and ended the tour at Malagos Chocolate Museum.

We availed their Tree-to-Bar experience package and were provided with towels and cold drinks to freshen up.

Interestingly, the first leg of the tour was about the cacao farm. Overview of the process was mentioned before we went to see the cacao trees.

There are two types of cacao trees cultivated and used for chocolate production at Puentespina Farm. They demonstrated how they open each cacao fruit and we even tasted a lot 😁 The fleshy part needs to be removed before the real process begins.

The beans needs to be dried for some time before they sort it out and made into chocolate.

Our guide peeled one dried cacao bean for tasting and told us that its 'cacao nibs.' It tasted bitter-sweet but more on the bitter side 😄

After the farm visit, we went to Malagos Chocolate Museum.

The museum speaks volumes of information mainly on chocolate! (Obviously!)

We stayed there for a bit before finally having a cup of hot tsokolate and suman. Happy tummy prior the chocolate workshop activity.

For me the fun part was the chocolate workshop session. 

We were allowed to choose what to put in the chocolate mold. I chose almonds, mint leaves, chili, cranberries and a lot.

We were given melted chocolates and two boxes for packaging. You may check our video to see what we did. I think I had about 20pieces per box.

Malagos chocolate bars/nibs have a wine aftertaste (or was it just me?) And I really like it!

I bought chocolate bars for pasalubong 😊 My family and friends like them too.

Are you fond of chocolates too? 😉

♡,
Mari

Davao 2019 | Samal Island and Davao City

When was the last time I've been to the beach? 🤔

I think this was my second time in Davao City and Samal Island.

Samal Island:

We've spent a day in Samal Island. We visited few tourist spots and had a bit of 'water' fun! The memorable part was when our photos were taken with 'effects' 🤣

Real leaves and water were used as props 😁

 

I also like the night market because of food 😄
The price is okay and BBQs won't let you down!

 

We also spent a day at Malagos Chocolate Farm and visited a coffee shop, Bramble.

Have you been to Davao and Samal?

♡,
Mari

Davao Cafe | Bramble

 

Who would have thought that we'll be seeing a lot of pink in a cafe 😄 

Not that it wasn't normal 🤣 I guess most cafes have this vibe now. 

Bramble was TAPped!

Taste - 3/5 (overall)
They don't have much options, but coffee was decent.

I like their food but I can't say its 'wow'

Ambiance - 3/5
The place is small, and there were a lot of tables.

It was noisy, I felt that I had a headache afterwards because voices were echoing around us 🤣

But if there's not much customers, you'll had a great time taking photos inside and outside the cafe.

Price - 3/5

Can you let me know other laidback or chill cafes in Davao?

♡,

Mari

2021 Coffeeshops/Cafes prior Manila ECQ v.1

Met few close friends prior ECQ version 1.

In my opinion: 

Best coffee: % Arabica and Wildflour Cafe+Bakery

Best dessert/pastry: %Arabica

Check out below cafes/coffeeshops:


Waffle Waffee

Taste - 3/5 (overall)
Coffee - 3.5/5

Waffle - 3/5

Ambiance - 4/5
Not crowded (depends), and great place to meet up with friends.

Price - 3/5
Almost same with any other coffeeshops.


Cafe Moka

Lunch at Nono's is 😊

Taste - 3/5 (overall)
Coffee - 4/5
Cheesecake was average

Ambiance - 3/5
Small place, we sat outside.

Price - 3/5
Almost same with any other coffeeshops.


Wildflour Cafe +Bakery

I had kimchi rice meal too! 😁
 

Taste - 4/5 (overall)
Coffee - 5/5
Hazelnut Bomboloni - 3/5

Ambiance - 3/5
Dine-out set up, office buildings nearby

Price - 3/5
Pricey than the usual cafes.


% Arabica

We had lunch at Fireside first 🙂 
  

Taste - 5/5 (overall)
Coffee - 5/5
Pastry (apple) - 5/5

Ambiance - 4/5
Have you ever been into a class where the seats are elevated? 😅
Felt like I'm attending a class, but I'm giving it a 4 because I think its refreshing 🤣

Price - 3/5
Rates same with other cafes.


♡,
Mari

Coffee Tales in Japan | Starbucks Reserve, Hoshino Cafe, Blue Bottle Cafe, Amanoya Bakery, FaSoLa Cafe and MOS Burger

Here's the cafes/coffeeshops we've tried, aside from the usual cofffee sold at convenience stores.

1. Starbucks Reserve

By far, second to my most unforgettable SB brand experience. 

They partnered with Fukusaya, a well known brand that sells castella cakes (and other baked goods). I really like their cakes! ♡

If only I live there, I'd definitely try each coffee in the menu! ☕♡

Here's my review:

Taste - 4.5/5

Great coffee and dessert choices 💯

Ambiance - 4/5

Although I like the location and ambiance, I recommend to visit this branch during lax hours. 

Price - 3/5

It is a bit pricey than the usual. 

2. Hoshino Cafe

Went here for lunch + snack. So I had pasta and coffee 😁

Taste - 4/5

Ambiance - 4/5

Price - 3/5

3. Blue Bottle Cafe

Located inside a mall.

Taste - 4/5

Good cup ☕💯

Ambiance - 3/5

As it is inside the mall, seats are limited.

Price - 3/5

Typical rates with other cafes. 

4. Amanoya Bakery

Located at the 5th Station in Mt. Fuji. Best for quick 'recovery' if you feel tired of the long travel time. 

Taste - 3/5

Coffee tastes like your usual brewed coffee. 

The bread they sell tastes okay, nothing special. 

Ambiance - 3/5

Don'r expect much as this place seemed to be made for really a very quick rest only. 

They do have chairs and tables. 

Price - 3/5

Same with other regular cafes.

5. FaSoLa Cafe

Located at the Narita Airport. 

Taste - 3/5

Typical americano/brewed coffee. 

Ambiance - 3/5

Few tables and chairs available, space was not enclosed.

Price - 3/5

Expect to be pricey than usual because it is inside the airport area. 

6. MOS Burger

Thumbs up for selling coffee😁

Taste - 3/5

Usual brewed coffee taste

Ambiance - 3/5

Typical fastfood ambiance

Price - 3/5

Same rates with other shops. 

Tara, ☕? 

♡,

Mari

My Everyday Crisis (perhaps)

Hmmmmn 'quarter life crisis?'

What about 'mid life crisis?' 

Maybe 'everyday life crisis' 

Or at some point, you just feel 'lost.'

Well, I do, I did, and I think I will always be a person who seemed lost(?), who seemed to be always in the so called 'quarter life crisis' issue.  

In every partial decision/s that ended not so well, I pacify myself that this is part of the so called 'quarter life crisis.' 

I kept using the same lame excuse, until finally, I told myself that I need to accept the fact that I'm just too lazy to do better 😅

Like I wanted something bigger, but I easily hold back since I'm fine with things being 'simple.'

Yes, I shouldn't be satisfied with just doing 'simple.'

But I am fine to just give what is due, instead of giving my best.

And the cycle continues.

Hmmn, so what? Every person has their own timeline and despite a lot of setbacks along the way, I go with the flow with an open mind and heart. 

Then my usual scenario...

Have you ever been in a situation where you opted to start all over again? 

I DO. I ALWAYS DO. 

And I keep on asking why I put myself again into something that I am not sure of when I can actually 'upgrade.'

It's like whenever there is an option to upgrade vs a chance to start a new path, I somehow choose the latter, maybe because I am a person who likes challenges (?).

Few friends would/will ask why shift into a different path again? 

I couldn't find the right words but all I know is that I have to, like I need to find more of my purpose (cliché). 

Is this part of a post-quarter life crisis phase? I don't think so. Maybe more like an everyday life crisis scenario 😅

Am I the type of person who do not care about my future? 

Certainly not. 

There were days when I felt lonely, sad, disappointed, depressed, and whatever 🤷‍♀️ (I try not to dwell on these now)

At some point, I still use the same excuses. 

But hey, one thing will never change. 

For everything was/is just a redirection (and will always be that way). 

Who knows, maybe just around the corner, I will find something that makes living more meaningful.

Don't you think so? 

 

♡,

Mari

Japan 2019 | Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival, DisneySea, teamLab Borderless, Mt. Fuji etc.

Finally! Travel with my coffeemates again 😊

Although we have different plans, we surely made sure to have time to visit few places together!

Not much plans on the day of arrival due to lack of sleep.

  

So we just went to the observatory and ended the day eating edamame and bbq.

The next few days were spent at shrines and parks.

 

One of the highlights of our trip was to see the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival. 

It was one of the biggest fireworks festival held in Japan. We didn't booked a ticket at the Tokyo Skytree since it was a bit pricey.

We watched near the river. As you can see in the video, the view wasn't that okay. However, we still had fun even if our legs were in pain. 

We did a lot of walking 😅 So the street foods and snacks that we ate prior the event, were justified.

By the way, I really love Suzukien's premium matcha gelato! Totally worth your money!

We've visited two shrines and part of my prayers were actually answered (after the trip!).

We also spent a day at the Tokyo Disney Sea and another day at teamLab Borderless.

 

Trully amazed how teamLab Borderless made it (not sure what their theme now is). Although the moving designs all over the place made me dizzy, I still enjoyed our time there. There's this sense of being one with nature and I guess, the background music also helped.

As for DisneySea - more on Disney characters related to water! (Very obvious 😁). It was summertime, so the weather was nice and good to walk around. We watched a musical play by Ariel and the 'effects' were great! 

Amusement parks brings out the 'child' in me.

Last, we availed a day tour trip to Mount Fuji.
 

I like the scenery around Fuji. Happy to see Mount Fuji from afar. We stopped at the 5th station and it was cloudy, we saw a glimpse of the alps, but hooray! You can still see the mountain if you're at Oshino Hakai.

The fruits that they sell seemed sweet and fresh, but we didn't buy any. (I regret not buying!)

Other videos:

 

Check my other Japan travel posts! 

Nikko, Japan
Tokyo, Japan

Day Tour in Kimono

Sashimi, teamLab Planets etc.

Makata by lettersfrommari

Makata (poet) is a brand name suggested by my Aunt Sharon (thank you 🤗) and I really like it! ❤

Since young, I am like writing or expressing myself through poems and letters.

Sometimes, I feel that every poem sounds alike, but I know deep inside that it meant different.

Each poem, regardless of length, represents my sincerity, though I know that some lines may sound negative (I don't plan to hide it).

Same goes with my letters or quotes.

Since I wanted to make gifts meaningful, I've decided to print my poems or quotes on notebooks, notepads, pouches and tote bags.

 

At the same time, I am now trying to sell the items 🙂

Drop a mail or comment if you're interested 😁

Thanks in advance!

♡,
Mari

Manila Buffet | Hosaku - Yakiniku Hot Pot International Buffet and Soy Yummy

Ensure that you follow healthcare protocols and guidelines.

Since we came early - hot taho first at Soy Yummy:
 

They should have added more sugar syrup 😁

At 5pm, we went inside Hosaku to try their yakiniki and hotpot.
 

 

For soup, we chose mala (slightly spicy as per their staff's explanation) and sukiyaki (tastes sweet).

(I'm a bit disappointed, the mala soup was not really spicy. Still, both soups taste okay.)

Throw the veggies and meat into the pot! 

We also grilled different types of meat but had more beef 💯

For sashimi - saba, salmon and tuna 🤤 

if only I can eat more! 

Choices for dessert are not that many, but I like their tiramisu. 

Also, for drinks, I recommend hot tea or fruit juice.

I still prefer Shaburi, another hotpot restaurant.

♡,
Mari

Christmas Holiday 2020 | Intramuros, Manila

We spent Christmas in Intramuros 😁

We planned to make a day tour video but it didn't happen. Still, we had a great time!

Spent a pleasant 2 nights at White Knight Hotel (health protocols were observed during our stay).

Day 1 -  We didn't do much other than buying few stuff for noche buena. We also dropped by Kapetolyo for coffee and snacks. By evening, we had a simple dinner and joined the family gathering via online.

  

On Christmas day, we walked around Intramuros and re-visited the different historical sites. 

Informative day since my Dad will simply tell us bits and pieces about the buildings or streets. 

We had lunch at Ristorante delle Mitre.
  

I consider this place as one of our 'go to' for meals whenever we are in Intramuros.

They serve delicious home cooked meals.

On our last day, we had breakfast at La Cathedral Cafe. Sort of eggsilog breakfast - sunny side up egg, rice and beef tapa. 

I prefer to go here in the evening as it is much cooler, given the location (roof top).

We then went to Barbara's cafe for coffee and dessert, to capped the day.

Tara na sa Intramuros!

♡,
Mari

Manila Buffet | Sambokojin, Dad's, Kamayan and Saisaki in one!

We had lunch at Sambokojin last month and availed offer for the buffet crossover priced below Php 1000/pax. 

Overall, the experience was good and we stayed for almost 2 hours. 

Next time again!

Another quarantine buffet experience:

Kintan BBQ Buffet

♡,

Mari

2020 List of Merienda, Dessert, Snacks (shop online)

Hello everyone!

I'm sharing below list of desserts that we've tried last year for merienda! Have you tried any of these too?

Which one tasted best?

1. big AL's Chocolate Caramel Loaf Cake (below Php 500)
 

Moist and chocolatey cake. It melts in your mouth!




2. Everyday.ph Macaroons

 

Best macaroon I've had! A close friend sent a box for Christmas (thanks Aline 😘) 😊

It was so good! Soft with balanced sweetness and coconut bits, perfect with Ka Bernie's Kopi Kapeng Barako 💯

I also found out that she bought it from our friend! (Patty, ang saaaaraaaap!!! Mixoo 🤗)

3. Plantita cupcakes by Panaderya.ph
(below Php 200)

Cheeseroll, ensaymada and pandesal - my constant breads from this online bakery. 
Now they've launched cupcakes with a specific theme - plants.

For plantitas out there, you can check this out!
 

I like that their cupcakes were moist.



4. Mang Tootz' Banana Rhum-a (not new but definitely will not pass a chance to eat this!)

 

Turon turned fingerfood, glazed with their special sauce of sugar and rhum! Topped with sesame seeds and cinnamon powder.

We bought 5 pieces each and was satisfied!

Bought 20pieces for take away 😁 

5. Weirdoughs PH

Are you in for something weird?

Yes?

Then try Burong Santol flavored donut by Weirdoughs PH. It's sweet with little sourness in taste.

 

6. Burnt Basque Cheesecake by Chele Gonzales

Get a slice at their booth in Mercato High StrEAT!

Tastes like eggpie 🙂 

7. Salta
 
Ever heard of panbombs?
  

 

SALTA sells panbombs in different flavors, as well as other breads (check their website).

We tried panbombs in 3 different flavors - hazelnut, matcha and shortcake. We certainly love the hazelnut flavor amongst the 3.

We also tried their cheesepillows and can attest that its really good! Pair it up with your pasta 🙂

8. Kermit Pizza 

 

Been craving for pizza and saw that Kermit sells frozen pizzas!

I bought mini margherita pizza to try and other than the crust that turned hard after I toast the pizza, I don't have any problems.

I still prefer pizza fresh from the oven vs frozen pizza!




9. Lola Nena's 

I first heard this shop from friends because of their trending triple cheese donuts!

We've tried their classic donut, toasted siopao and pancit.

Brings back childhood memories! I recommend this to those craving Pinoy merienda 💯

Did you get hungry? 😁

♡, Mari

Japan Nov 2019 | Daiwa Sushi at Toyosu (Tsukiji) Fish Market, and teamLab PLANETS TOKYO

We spent a day each for sashimi, sushi and an interactive museum.

 

We were supposed to eat at another sushi place but the restaurant was fully booked. So, after spending a lot of time checking and being disappointed, we chose to visit 'Tsukiji' market (now relocated at Toyosu) and try our luck at any of the sashimi places.

Fortunately, we went there very early and need not require waiting/queueing in line.

For sashimi, we chose Daiwa Sushi

Salmon and tuna that melts in your mouth. Way to go for breakfast! This really made our day and totally completed the trip. I wish I can go back and eat sashimi again.

Thanks to my bestie 🤗

Last stop after going wherever: teamLab PLANETS

We got lost and thanks to the bus driver and locals for helping us!

I'm totally amazed and inspired! This interactive museum is much better than teamLab Borderless, in my opinion.

I like the idea of playing water and arts together. So cool!!! I wish mama bear was able to join us! If ever, I'll be happy to do another visit with her 🙂

From the simple sandbags, to threading waters with arts, and then moving borders and lights - really! They're all awesome! 💯

Let's go back!!!

More of Japan: 

Nikko, Japan
Tokyo, Japan

Day Tour in Kimono

♡,
Mari

Poem | Unexpected

 Before the day ends, 

Unexpected

♡,

Mari

Japan Nov 2019 | A day in Kimonos and Yukata

That time, we decided to visit temples and parks while wearing kimonos and yukata. 

We started walking around Senso-ji then rode a train going to Ueno park. Then stopped by an icecream shop for refreshments 🤣

I like Ueno park. The trees and flowers were in different colors at that time. It felt peaceful.

Going back to Asakusa, we queued again for a good meal at Asakusa Gyukatsu! 😊

Overall, lovely day indeed!

More of Japan Travel:
Nikko, Japan
Tokyo, Japan

♡,
Mari

Japan Nov 2019 | Spent days in Tokyo

After staying for a few days in Nikko, we travelled back to Tokyo! 

And all hell lose 🤣

The plan is to leave the airbnb early so we can check more places, and yes, it didn't happen.
We (always) slept late (like 4am) 😁 Thanks to the non-stop stories and food on the side.

So, we've readily accepted that the first meal of the day is brunch 🤣

I cannot remember the exact sequence of what we did but here's the list, you might want to check it out as well: 

1. Yebisu Beer Museum
2. Food trip!
3. Gundam Odaiba/DiverCity Tokyo
4. Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa
5. Akihabara
6. Gundam Cafe
7. Asakusa Suzukien (best Matcha gelato! Try level 7 - no regrets ♡♡♡)
8. Tokyo Sky Tree 

We also spent a day around Mount Fuji area!

More of Japan: 

Nikko 

In Kimonos and Yukata

♡,
Mari

Nikko Japan: Edo Wonderland, Toshogu Shrine & more

Reunion with childhood friends! Fun tour in Japan 😊

We were supposed to be 5, but Mama Bear wasn't able to join this time 😔

The weather was cold during our stay in Nikko (no kidding!).

Anyway, I'll just go over what we did since I can't remember exactly what happened back in 2019.

Three of us went ahead to Nikko, and we traveled via train and bus. Japan's transportation is amazing. As long as you know the train/bus schedule, you're good. Otherwise, take the pricey cab 🤣

It was about a 4 to 6 hrs of travel ( estimate) from Narita to Nikko.

Nikko is home to the famous World Heritage sites such as the Toshogu shrine.

We booked an airbnb that we thought was nearby the heritage area but turned out to be 2 to 4 stations away from the place.

Here's a quick video recap:

1. Edo Wonderland

We planned to stay for half a day, but we opted to stay the whole day since the place gave a glimpse of old Japan.

We even wore kimonos and yukata to enjoy the day. Our activities aside from eating, included watching a samurai play that really looked so real! The effects were also good! We had a photo with the actors right after! 

We also saw another play but its about geishas and wow, I wonder if she's really a maiko/geisha! Then we participated a samurai training too that included riding a dummy horse while shooting arrows 🙂

It was a day full of interesting activities!

We left at closing time and enjoyed a relaxing onsen at an onsen spa.

It was very cold and the onsen bath really helped!

Note: be mentally prepared to be naked when you step inside the onsen area.


2. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE: Toshogu Shrine, Shinkyo Bridge, Rinno-ji Temple

The next day, we fetched another friend at the train station before going to the shrine.

There were a lot of visitors too and food stalls. We had gyoza first!

The park itself is big and you'll be lost if you don't plan ahead on where you want to go or what to see.

As the place is full of trees and flowers, timely season as well, it felt like being one with nature.

The next day, we were supposed to visit the waterfalls, but due to time constraints, we chose to return to Tokyo, with a plan to see the Tokyo Skytree.

More of Japan Nov 2019 Travel:

Tokyo

In Kimonos and Yukata

♡, Mari

BGC Coffeeshop | Elephant Grounds

After eating a lot at Mercato High StreEAT BGC, we then settled to have coffee and desserts instead of having dinner 😁 

Elephant Grounds was TAPped!

Taste - 4/5
Double shot espresso for the win 🥰
Desserts are good too! Don't skip their icecream!!!

Ambiance - 3/5
Most of the time, the place is full. Although it did try to achieve the 'relax and third wave cafe' look, I still find the place a bit small and that you'll hear other table's stories (but this depends on their voice).

Price - 3/5
I can't say affordable but price range is average. You can have a cup of coffee for 150php.

Still, Elephant Grounds won't shortchanged you when it comes to quality and taste!

Kape tayo? 😊

♡, Mari

Food Trip: Mercato High StrEAT in BGC

Finally, ISAW!

My friends and I were talking of bbq or streetfood for few weeks now and we're so happy that we were all able to meet for some bbq time!

Prior today, I was with another friend when I've chanced upon the newly organized Mercato HighStrEat in BGC. We looked around and can confirm that new Mercato indeed befits its name - HighStrEAT! Not because of the location but because of the choices 😅

Example, Wolfgang, La Picara etc. - exceeded my expectations 🤣

Good thing the usual affordable stalls are there! 

Going back to the present, I came here with another set of friends! We ordered what we craved for weeks now - bbq, isaw, takoyaki, tacos (El Chupacabra), cheesecake and more!

We were so full that instead of looking for a dinner place, we opted to dropped by for desserts and coffee at Elephant Grounds!

So much for cravings 🙂

♡, Mari

Self Care at Breeze Oriental Spa & Massage

Since June, I've been complaining of back and shoulderaches. In short, I wanted to get a nice relaxing massage but given the current situation, I can't do anything about it. 

Hence, when the government allowed the massage spas to slowly re-open, I made it a point to get a massage before the year ends.

There were only few massage spas that re-opened and we chanced upon Breeze Oriental Spa & Massage. We made a reservation to be sure that we won't wait in line.

Here's a short video of how it went by:
 

The first thing that we did when we enter the place was to fill the form for contact tracing. We were then asked for the type of massage that we want and we availed the Revitalize Oil Massage that will last for an hour. We also opted for individual rooms.

After the session, I became a fan! It was trully a nice experience. I didn't expect that they are trained to even know the pressure points of the body, making the massage experience trully unforgettable. I mean, they're very accurate to press which is which.

My friend and I wanted another hour 🤣
We might get the Thai massage next time.

And yes, you're welcome 😉

♡, Mari

Tea Time: Tsujiri, brand originated from Japan

There was this one time that we went to Greenbelt for coffee but ended up trying Tsujiri. 

Tsujiri is a brand from Uji Kyoto, Japan and I've assumed that their tea is imported from Uji too.

Uji matcha is a top quality matcha in Japan and is used during tea ceremonies.

I had Yuzu O-Matcha and it was refreshing! The combination of citrus and matcha is something that I didn't expect to turn out good. Maybe because it is served with ice.

I got to taste my sister's order - Signature O-Matcha. I saw that it was prepared the traditional way and when I sipped, I felt like I'm having a tea ceremony minus the sitting position and the yukata 😊

The cake was good too! Next time, we'll try the matcha lava cake.

The place is small, so few seats were available.

 

Tsujiri was TAPped!

Taste: 5/5
Perfect for matcha lovers out there!
I feel that every matcha drink is superb given that we've tried two and it was good!

I stopped myself from ordering another Yuzu O-Matcha! I hope they offer a bigger size in the future.

Ambiance: 3.5/5
If you want a place to relax and stay longer, then this is not the place for you since there were only limited seats available.

Place is okay for a quick rest.

Price: 4/5
A bit pricey but definitely, worth it 🍵💯

Matcha-rap! 🤭

♡, Mari

Coffeemates at West Town's Coffee

Yay! Met my coffeemates after several months! 

For our Christmas breakfast date, we made a reservation at West Town's Coffee. I had a hard time reaching out to them since they don't really respond. I even resorted to messaging the concierge building just to confirm if the cafe have a bike parking.

Good thing they serve good coffee!

TAPped!

Taste - 4/5
Food is okay and they have a lot of choices too!
They also serve Turkish coffee and a lot more. If only this cafe is near my place then I'll definitely be here most of the time for a cup of ☕!

Ambiance -4/5
They offer seats upstairs and I guess the vibe there is nice too.
I am not sure if its because of quarantine but the cafe isn't crowded. You can actually bring your work there!

Price - 4/5
Reasonable prices for both coffee and food.

Hope to visit them again next time!

Thanks gels for the gifts 😘🤗
Our next stop - massage place! (Breeze Oriental Spa & Massage)

♡, Mari

Coffeeshops in Taiwan

Travels won't be complete without a dose of coffee. 

We've tried two cafes while in Taiwan, alongside milkteas, sweets and streetfood!

1. Keelung Senki Coffee
Ordered americano whipped cream and I wasn't disappointed.

We also paired it with a slice of tiramisu, which was also deliciously good.

It was a bit raining and very cold when we went here after snacking at the nightmarket.
The place is small but has a 'homey' feeling.

2. Simple Kaffa
After visiting Huasan park, we chanced upon this cafe. I ordered cappuccino for take-away since its their closing time already.

Coffee was strong in flavor and smooth. Their place is nice, like those cozy third wave cafes.

Good place for catching up with friends.

P.S. don't miss the ice cream sold by Fourth Union Credit! 

Take a look on the THINGS WE DID IN TAIWAN

♡, Mari

The Curator Coffee and Cocktails

My first time here was years ago. I remember that when we went there, the place already shifted to a bar (we didn't know). 

So in the morning, the cafe is open, then by 6pm, they open the bar.

I think we had black coffee alongside different test tubes in a rack, which I think were sugar syrup? To be honest, I felt that out of pity, they allowed us to order coffee even if the kitchen already shifted to bar menu 🤣 Thanks again! ☕

Anyway, went here last time to meet a close friend. I had a fun time 🙂 I'd probably think that my friend works there too as he really knows everyone! 🤣 Thanks to the kind and funny baristas 🙂

Also, thanks for the free taste! I forgot what its called, but if ever you plan to visit Curator, do try their cocktail drinks too 💯 

 

Curator was TAPped!

Taste: 4/5
Bikini sandwich tastes good that I should have ordered black coffee instead of trying my luck if I'll like the Shake-O-What-O.

As for the said drink - uhm, I still prefer the usual black coffee with milk 😁

Ambiance 3/5
The place is small so don't bring too much friends especially as Manila is still under quarantine.

Price 4/5
Shake-O-What-O is a drink that is unique to this cafe, hence, give it a try!

Price ranges from 100 and up, since cocktail drinks tend to be more pricey.

♡, Mari

Thoughts and Prayers 2020 | Taiwan Travel

A blessing that we were able to unwind prior the global lockdown due to Covid-19. 

Our itinerary was based on the things and activities that we wanted to do in Taiwan and naturally, we all agreed to attend the lantern festival.

Sharing you the summary of our 'unforgettable' 2020 travel 🤣

First Part

 

Arrived in Taipei and left our bags at the hotel before we walked around Ximending.

Prior that, while at the airport, we rented a wifi device before heading to Taipei (recommended!)

We availed a day tour via Klook and went to see the following places/attractions in:

Taichung:

Zhongshe Flower Mart

Flower lovers will definitely like this place. Everywhere we look, there's different types of flowers that I myself is not sure of the names or types (sorry, I am not a plant person but I appreciate these beauties).

Walk around the whole area and feast your eyes to the colorful flowers all at once 😊

Rainbow Village

From colorful flowers to colorful houses!

To save the village from demolition, Huang Yung-Fu, now known as Rainbow Grandpa, painted houses in different colorful designs.

When we arrived, I first thought of how will it be if these houses were actually classrooms?
Isn't it a joy to spend learning surrounded by colorful doodle arts and designs!

Gaomei Wetlands

After all places colorful - the tour ended at Gaomei, where the cold never bothered us anyway (lol).

The wetland was said to be famous for sunsets. t

In oir visit, the wind was really strong. I personally thanked my facemask, otherwise, I feel that my whole face will be numbed and maybe I'll develop blisters 🤣

From afar, you'll also see the towering windmills! Anyway, the sunset was indeed nice but somehow it didn't pass my expectation since I've seen a lot of sunsets back home.

After the sunset, we boarded the tour bus and went back to the city.

Next stop: Keelung

Second Part

Keelung

     

We stayed in Keelung area to see Jiufen area and the lantern festival in Pingxi.

Keelung City is a port city near Taipei.

Keelung Night Market

A lot of food choices! It was a bit raining but we persisted 😁

We like chicken chop and beef! We also had hakaw and more.

Xu, Zi-Sang Historical Home

The house looked creepy and it wasn't maintained, hence, visit or step inside the place at your own risk 😅

Jiufen

Jiufen is a mountain town known as an old town. The view from above is wonderful!

I think we kinda got lost as the narrow alleyways looked the same.

We saw a lot of food, souvenirs, teashops and milktea 🙂

• Xing Fu Tang
              Brown sugar milktea tastes good!

• Amei Teahouse
              Known for their best quality teas! We weren't able to try their tea due to volume of guests and limited time.

Pingxi

Pingxi is a rural district in New Taipei.

Our fist stop was Shifen Waterfall, also know as 'Little Niagara of Taiwan.'

It was cold but we were very excited for the lantern festival. At around 6pm, we went to the area where we can watch the release of hundred lanterns at a time.

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is a yearly festival where people gather to write their dreams and wishes for the year on the lanterns before releasing it to the sky.

We didn't do it since we need to register first and it might take so long for our turn to release the lanterns. Hence, after watching 3 to 5 sets of lanterns released above, we opted to go back home.

We passed by food stalls and tried some! We also went to Shifen Old Street to check the old railway and lantern shops.

We then head back to Keelung. We were so thankful since the organizers prepared free transportation for everyone. All you need to do is find the bus that stops in the area you will be going and wait for your turn to be seated.

A tiring day, plus the cold weather and rain, still, worth it!

Last Part 

 

Taipei

After staying in Keelung for 2 nights, we went back to Taipei for a quick city tour and food trip before flying back to Manila.

For easy guidance and transport, we availed the bus tour and chose the places we wanted to visit.

Mengjia Longshan Temple
A temple for Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian faiths (source: CultureTrip).

We stayed here for a bit and paid respect.

Taipei 101
World's tallest building from 2004 until 2010.

We just went to the garden area and didn't really avail an observatory ticket.

We ate at Din Tai Fung while checking the news about the possible lockdown due to Covid-19.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park
It was a winery turned park (source: Undiscovered Taipei).

We strolled around the park before passing by a coffeeshop!

There were restaurants inside as well.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial
A place built for Chiang Kai-Shek, who led Kuomintang (National Chinese Party) and transferred to Taiwan (source: BBC UK).

We weren't able to witness the changing of the guards but it's okay!

As usual, we ended the day with food 😁

Comes midnight, I've received an email that our flight was cancelled and the option is to board the 2am flight 😫

Imagine our adrenaline rush at that time! It's either we extend our stay or we go for the 2am with only an hour or so to board the flight. We don't know how we managed to pull it off 🤣

We didn't make it on time so we asked them nicely since.

Good thing they were kind enough to assist us. So yes, hello Manila in 2hrs and really, it was very tiring 🤪

Memorable travel in 2020! 

Check the COFFEESHOPS we've tried! 

Mari ❤

Letters from Mari | Remember

Letters from Mari

 

♡, Mari

New Year, New Look for 2021

Fast forward to December, and here I am, very much excited to treat my hair!

Since I previously had my haircolor and treatment at Azta Urban Salon, I decided to return to them for just a haircut.

I arrived around past 10am, did the quarantine procedures before I sat and waited for my turn.

I was then asked what I wanted to do with my hair and told them that I wanted a trim and maybe treatment. They offer a 20% off for haircut and treatment and another 10% off if I avail another service such as haircolor.

In short, I availed the following services: haircut, keratin treatment and haircolor (touch up only).

Louie, the assigned hairstylist, was helpful (others were helpful too).
 

I left the salon past 2pm and very much satisfied with the result. 

I had late lunch and walked around the mall to check if I need to buy anything. 

No Brand - mostly sell Korean products such as noodles, snacks, ice cream and a lot more!

So much for snacking 🤦‍♀️🤣

Happy New Year 2021!

♡, Mari

2021

 Only You know my heart's desires 🙏

♡, Mari