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The only regret I had when we dined at Casa Verde was that I didn’t order more! The food here was delish, now I wish they have a branch here in Manila. Although we ordered just enough for 5 people, I just wanted to try their other dishes. The place was packed when we arrived (didn’t get to call for reservations) so we had to wait for a couple of minutes before we had a table. I immediately loved the place since it was not too formal nor casual too.

We ordered for watermelon salad, carbonarra, The Dax, Brian’s Baby Back Ribs, and dessert. The watermelon salad was just so-so for me and so is the carbonarra. The Dax includes, shrimps and steak.

I wasn’t happy with the steak because it wasn’t cooked very well (we asked for well done). It was burnt and raw in the inside. We asked them to cook it again for us. The shrimp was good.

Brian’s Baby Back Ribs is their best seller and I would say, the best we had in this particular meal. If I weren’t too full already, I would have ordered more. The serving was huge but all of us finished it after a few minutes. Yes, we were hungry!

We finished off our meal with this dessert…

It was nothing special though. But because of the lively setting at Casa Verde, we went back to the hotel feeling giddy and happy.

Casa Verde
69 Lim Tian Teng St.
Cebu City, Cebu
Philippines
(032) 253-6472

One place that I won’t forget in our getaway to Cebu was Sutokil. This is like a dampa in Manila where you buy seafoods and then ask the restaurant to cook it for you. And yes, these seafoods are fresh that’s why I love it! Although I had to prepare a couple of fat burner pills for this unforgettable meal. I didn’t care, I was on vacation, anyway!

Sutokil is a short for “SUgba (sinugba), “TOla” (tinola) and “KILaw”(kinilaw). Sinugba is the visayan term for grilled food. Tinola is soup. Kinilaw which is my favorite, is raw seafood (usually fish) dipped in vinegar and spices. The interesting part of Sutokil is that you can buy 1 fish for all of these dishes. Amazing isn’t it? 1 fish for all three dishes.

Everyone loved the food that we ordered. We were so full afterwards so we decided walk on our way back to Shang. This one is another meal worth checking out again if ever we will be back in Cebu.

Sutokil
Near Mactan Shrine
Mactan Island

When we first saw Shangrila Mactan, the first thing that came into our minds was Bintan! The design and structure was so similar to Nirwana Gardens Resort. But the service and the cleanliness was way different. We love Shang more. After all, we should love our own, right? (*grin*)

Inspite of the bad weather in Cebu for almost 2 days, we still managed to enjoy and made the most out of our stay.

We were so relaxed that we almost bought a couple of alec bradley cigars for the weekend. It feels like this is something that we need to do to make it a 100% perfect vacation. But we opted to drink alcholic drinks instead. (*grin*)

First, booking at Shang Mactan was a breeze. All I had to do was send them an email and they would reply fast. A one day reply would be the maximum time for them. I loved it since I didn’t have to call or even go to any Shang office personally. I just had to give them my credit card number to secure my reservation. We didn’t avail of the shuttle anymore since we pretty much know our way in Cebu.

Our checking in was a breeze too. They offered my Mom and I welcome drinks which was definitely a great way to quench our thirst after travelling from Cebu City. This place is heavenly! Although I found the food expensive but I’m guessing their options are endless.

The restaurants that you might want to try in Shang Mactan are the following:

- BBQ Grill Buffet and Happy Hour (Buy 1, Take 1 Drinks) at Chill Out Bar
- Italian Food at Acqua
- Chinese Cuisine at Tea of Spring
- Buffet at the Tides
- Cocktail Drinks, Coffee and Dessert at the Lobby Lounge

It rained on our 2nd day but it didn’t ruin our vacation. It actually made it better because we just stayed in our room for almost the whole day. My Mom surfed the internet, my sister slept, and I catched up on my reading. It was probably the best day of our getaway.

And then on our 3rd day, we took the opportunity to hit the beach and explore the resort more.

I would definitely highly recommend this heavenly resort!

Shangrila’s Mactan Resort and Spa
Punta Engano Road Lapu-Lapu
Cebu 6015, Philippines
T: (63 32) 231 0288
F: (63 32) 231 1688

Mommies and Daddies, you might want to check this out for your kids, an Easter event at Blue Leaf Pavillion…

Attractions on April 24, 2011 (Easter Sunday) will be: Hot Air Balloon, Train Ride, The Party Bus, and Easter Egg Hunt. Other attractions include: Magic Show, Acrobat Show, Bubble Show, Parlor Games, Giant Inflatables, Trampoline, Game Booths, Glitter Tattoo, and Kiddie Salons.

I’ve read that there are limited tickets so if you’re interested, better make your reservations now!

To explore the city of Cebu more, we decided to stay for one night at Cebu Parklane International Hotel. I’ve heard about good reviews about the location of this hotel. We booked through AGODA and the transaction was a breeze!

We were surprised that the location of this hotel was indeed very nice. It is just right across Ayala Mall. Perfect since we wanted to explore the city and do a little bit of shopping too! We got a superior room so the room was a bit small.

We didn’t like the smell though but they were kind enough to transfer to another room to accomodate our request which is to give us twin beds. So after lunch, we were transferred to another room which has the same smell! I can’t exactly describe the smell but it was definitely not a smell of those new hotels. They should do something about it!

We had a FREE breakfast buffet the next day. I was expecting a plated meal for breakfast but I was surprised to see that our breakfast is going to be from a major buffet.

My Mom and I had a great time bonding while having breakfast at the cafe. It was something worth remembering. Nothing special with the food though but they offered a whole lot of options from American to Filipino to local Cebu food to Chinese cuisine. I had fun trying it all!

Cebu Parklane International Hotel
Corner Archbishop Reyes Avenue and Escario Street, Cebu City
Cebu Office: (6332) 234 7000 • Manila Office: (02) 812 9984

I grew up in Bukidnon (a province in the Philippines) so I love everything about native chicken. Whether it be cooked with soup, fried, or grilled. I love them all! So when my Mom mentioned about Conching’s offering barbequed native chicken, I made sure we get to taste it while we were in Cebu.

So before we went to our next stop, we dropped by first at Conching’s Native Chicken. Their restaurant in Cebu is near the SM Mall. Ordered for 2 whole chicken, ginataang langka (which is making my mouth water now just by thinking about it), and a couple of rice wrapped in coconut leaves and boiled for 45 minutes. It was my kind of meal, I tell you!

Since the chicken was native, it was a bit hard and chewy. Not the kind of chicken that you’re used to. But it was tasty and cooked perfectly with lemongrass. I would love to eat at this restaurant again if ever we will be in Cebu. If you want to try a local food from Cebu, this is a must try!

Conching’s Native Chicken Restaurant
A.Soriano Street , Cebu City, near to SM Mall.
Telephone Orders and Reservations accepted.
Opening Times – 10am – 11 -30pm , 7 days a week.

When you travel, expect some back pains or even worst muscle and joint injuries for walking the whole day. My goal in every travel is to explore the place as much as I can and make sure that I make the most out of my time. After all, that’s what traveling is all about. Well, that’s just for me. Back pains also happens when you travel with kids and carry them almost the whole day! So I checked out the things that I had to do to relieve the pain. I’ve read the cold therapy is one of the options. Cold therapy devices are usually prescribed by doctors, such as orthopedic surgeons and podiatrists. But they prescribe it after certain surgical procedures to minimize pain and swelling and encourage mobility. I’m assuming that you can also do this if you want your muscle injuries to be relieved from pain.

After researching about this cold therapy, I’ve also read that if these devices were used too long, or at too cold of a temperature, it can result in serious injuries such as nerve damage, chronic pain, or frost bite. Serious injuries can occur without the patient’s immediate knowledge especially if they are no any warnings. With this, you can file a cold therapy lawsuit and the personal injury lawyers of O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath will be able to help you. If you have an existing cold therapy injury such as chronic pain, frost bite, or permanent nerve damage, better talk to the professionals like lawyers from O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath and they will take care of you.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949

If there’s one thing in Cebu that I would like to try again, it would be the Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe at Level 1 The Terraces Ayala Mall. Too bad we saw this cafe when it was almost closing time! So we just ordered for one drink – Bailey’s Vodka Martini…

It is actually first boutique cafe that offers a wide array of high quality, European chocolate brands and innovative culinary creations that will delight even the most discerning palates. The desserts are based on well-known European brands. I love, love our drink! The chocolate boutique not only serves chocolate for snacks or dessert they also feature salads, pasta and other dishes with the magical touch of chocolate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you happen to be in the area, try this cafe especially if you are a chocolate lover! You will definitely love it!

Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe
Level 1 of The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu

That’s what I’ve been thinking about for months now. I have finished my Masters degree in Information Management and I’m thinking if I pursue it to Doctorate or get a second degree like an online nursing degree. If I pursue IT, it would be easier since I’m with the industry for years now. I know the ins and outs of IT. But I would get bored for sure thinking that I’ve been in the same field for years now. If I get the second degree like nursing it would be a whole new thing for me. I would start from scratch learning the basics. It would be fun though. Knowing that nursing is a degree that is the in thing these days. I will have to think about it twice. Because I’m pretty sure that it would take a lot of time and effort from my part.

Today is a very important day for Catholics. It marks the beginning to the another season which is Lent. If you’re curious about Ash Wednesday, here’s a nice read that I got online that I would like to share…

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption.

Why we receive the ashes

Following the example of the Ninevites, who did penance in sackcloth and ashes, our foreheads are marked with ashes to humble our hearts and reminds us that life passes away on Earth. We remember this when we are told:

“Remember, Man is dust, and unto dust you shall return.”

Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice.

The distribution of ashes comes from a ceremony of ages past. Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance. On Ash Wednesday, the Bishop blessed the hair shirts which they were to wear during the forty days of penance, and sprinkled over them ashes made from the palms from the previous year. Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the church because of their sins– just as Adam, the first man, was turned out of Paradise because of his disobedience. The penitents did not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday after having won reconciliation by the toil of forty days’ penance and sacramental absolution. Later, all Christians, whether public or secret penitents, came to receive ashes out of devotion. In earlier times, the distribution of ashes was followed by a penitential procession.

The Ashes

The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are christened with Holy Water and are scented by exposure to incense. While the ashes symbolize penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. His Divine mercy is of utmost importance during the
season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance.

It is a traditional doctrine of Christian spirituality that a constituent part of repentance, of turning away from sin and back to God,
includes some form of penance, without which the Christian is unlikely to remain on the narrow path and be saved (Jer. 18:11, 25:5; Ez. 18:30, 33:11-15; Joel 2:12; Mt. 3:2; Mt. 4:17; Acts 2:38). Christ Himself said that His disciples would fast once He had departed (Lk. 5:35). The general law of penance, therefore, is part of the law of God for man.

The Church for her part has specified certain forms of penance, both to ensure that the Catholic will do something, as required by divine law, while making it easy for Catholics to fulfill the obligation. Thus, the 1983 Code of Canon Law specifies the obligations of Latin Rite Catholics [Eastern Rite Catholics have their own penitential practices as specified by the Code of Canons for the
Eastern Churches].

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