The Old becomes New

I haven't gone back to the iconic Manila Hotel for some time. It is one of the first hotels in Manila having been built in 1912. It was also once the residence of Douglas McArthur. The last time I was here, the hotel had a very run down look.

This year, I have heard that they have refurbished the hotel and an invitation by my friend for lunch gave me an opportunity to see for myself.

The hotel itself still had the same facade and I was wondering how radical the change could be. One thing tI noticed when I entered the hotel was that is had an X-RAY machine after the metal detector.....it reminded me of hotels in the middle east. I was going to lunch.... not getting on an airplane!

I love the ice cream trolley with the "Manila Hotel "pictured above. It's very Filipino~ (this the local ice cream you can see on street corners)

Finally finding our way to CAFE ILANG ILANG, I was surprised by the well lit interiors. (You have to walk the old hallway first). You wouldn't think you were in the Manila Hotel. It felt more like Makati Shangrila interiors. Gone were the rundown walls and chairs.

So, we chose to sit near the food ( wonder why?? hahaha) and I walked around looking at what food stations they had to offer. From what I saw, they had a Italian station  --- I loved that they have a pizza oven right on the floor (fresh baked pizza!) and they even have a pasta sculpture of a Roman building. (they used cannelonni) as the columns. On the side, they have a selection of pasta and sauces and you can ask them to make you a pasta dish (tomato or cream sauce?)

They have a appetizer station- (some fresh oysters were available but I did not care to try them), cheese selection (I tried to avoid eating too much although I really love cheese)....middle east section (they had shawarma and hummus), Asian section (peking duck, noodle station) and a continental section. The only thing missing was the japanese section (where is the sushi??)

The paella (top left) was nice visually but was not that good. (a bit fishy), the pork spare ribs (lower left) was better. The peking duck was passable- the skin was not crunchy and the wrapper was over steamed.
I liked the soup though

This was the first time for me to taste "frog soup"~ tinolang palaka. They usually make this soup with chicken (adding ginger and chili leaves) - when you actually look at the meat, you wouldn't know it was frog unless someone told you. it tasted quite good, with the blend of the ginger and the chili leaves not too strong to make it too spicy.

Another nice station was the carving station where you can have roast beef, sausages and ham. they would cook the beef a little more for you if you prefer it more well done. The slices were small enough to satisfy and not overwhelm my plate. the roast beef also comes with various sidings and sauces - guacamole, chipolante, gravy and some other items I could not remember.

Of course my favorite part would be dessert !

The selection was pretty extensive and quite good. They had a cold marble stone to make ice cream mixes, a halo-halo station, a pastry bar (they had also local pastries available), a crepe bar. They even have a separate section for SUGAR FREE desserts. (I think this was for those people who want to have dessert and not feel guilty about it...hahahaha)

The best part? I think was the coffee..........

I already added the milk + froth

they give you coffee and a cup of frothed milk.... I suddenly had an image of KATO from The Green Hornet making a coffee design on the coffee of his boss... I did not have any designs skills on this part so- no heart shapes here!

The buffet selection was ok. I am still a fan of Spirals in Sofitel. But if you want to see what they have done to the Old Manila Hotel, it is now worth a visit and make sure you have a hotel card to get a discount!

To Italy and Back in one afternoon

murano chandelier

An email from my friend Lilibeth (who is an interior designer) sparked my interest. It was an invitation by Rustans (a local department store) for an Italian Decorating Workshop.

I was really excited to hear what information I could get from this workshop, after all, I had just recently moved in a Mediterranean inspired house and decorated it myself. I still had a long ways to go. The 5th floor of Rustan's was set up with some cocktail tables and they were serving some coffee (using delonghi brand coffee maker). We got some coffee and browsed the display before the workshop started. On the far corner of the floor, there were 3 tables set up, each with a different design concept. When the workshop started, The first to talk was Daphne Osena Paez - the host of several home shows and who coincidentally has a line of furnitures she sells in Rustans. This is her table

the table is verry simple

shell and coral accent

Her inspiration was the south of Italy near the sea. All the ceramics are from the San Marco line of Rustans. The plates had coral accents and shells. For me though, I found her table very sparse and not too exciting. She was a good speaker except when she was describing her furniture (the sofa in the middle and some side tables I did not care for -so did not take any pictures) that was featured. She kept saying "see these beautiful colors, the intricate inlay... " and basically raving about the design and furniture she sells herself. (LOL)

The second speaker was one of the owners of Rustan's Nena Tantoco. She is very elegant lady and I really liked her table. Her inspiration was central Italy and vineyards of Tuscanny.

I really like the colors of her table. The green accents and the country feel of it all. You can see she took much detail in putting together the setting , placemats, the center piece and the napkin holders. she made me want the buy the whole table setting.

She talked about the long standing love of the founders of Rustan's with Italy.
she gave a lot of helpful tips on how to spruce up the table with different  setting. I am partial to the country look. Something rustic and homey so my inclination was the setting of Nena.

I also loved the side setting they made. I love the painting on the plates. (I would have bought some if not that they were expensive.) The green glass tumbler in the table setting above is 900 pesos a pc (about $20) and that is just the glass.. I was afraid to ask about the plates! hahaha

love the salt and pepper shakes and the bird motif on the plates

 My friend, Lilibeth liked the modern table presented by Erik Hannikainen, I think he is a consultant at Rustans. His table represents Northern Italy, the more modern and industrial part (think Milan). This idea is reflected on the very clean lines of his table. The table top and legs are all made of glass in a mirror finish. His chairs were made of acyclic (thus a see through effect)

The table itself was very sleek, with plain ( with minute details on the rim) plates, silver and glass accents. I could imagine a bachelor having this kind of table in his condominium unit. If you have a family like me, you'd be afraid the kids would break the table.

Lilibeth and I both agreed the displays were good (us liking different tables for different reasons). Nena Tantoco also pressured her son, Donny, head of Rustan's supermarket to raffle off a part of this big parmigiano cheese wheel. (it weights 40 kg!)

We weren't so lucky in the raffle. But we got to taste some italian wine and some small hors d'oeuvres.
As much as I loved the plates, I would still need to save up to be able to buy the whole table setting I need. It was nice though to be able to see what a nice table setting would look like and how i could set up my own table for an intimate dinner with friends. I honestly am thinking of doing just that.

I wonder.... who do I invite?

Flower Power: Bangkok

PAK KRONG TALAD. That's what they call the flower market in Bangkok. during my last trip, I need to bring home some nice flowers to help spruce up my home for an event. This market is near my hotel (see my other post on this) and Chinatown. You can take a TUK-TUK (a tricycle) and more or less the fare from the hotel would be 40 baht (60 pesos or $1.3)

Here you can find a smorgasbord of orchids. Thailand is known to breed a lot of orchids and they sell them quite cheap too. The more common variety (the violet colored ones) cost 50 baht (75 pesos, $1.7) per bunch. Some rare species would cost you 80 baht (120 pesos or $2.7) per bunch

They have some flowers that I don't recognize but are beautiful just the same. The have carnations, roses, mums

I researched this- it's called liatris.

bought some carnations

I bought some orchids and the carnations. I think the carnations were 80 baht also per pack. Walking here, you fell like you want to keep buying all the flowers. the problem was, I only have so many hands to hand carry them home. The flowers were so pretty and cheap!

I also bought these but didn't know what they were called.

tip 1: this is a market, don't be afraid to haggle. 

tip 2: as with all markets, not all shop owners are friendly and not all of them know English. No worries though as they would whip out a calculator to show you how much the flowers cost. Some also have price signs in the front.

 A visit to the flower market if you have the time is a must. I am sure your mother, wife, mother-in-law would surely love it if you bring her home some of the flowers found here.

Sidewalk eating: bangkok

Having a business in the fashion industry requires me to travel a few times a year. My usual haunts are Bangkok and Hong kong with an occasional visit to China. What I love about these places are the various things you find in terms of food.

Bangkok is a city full of food. Everywhere you walk you can see fruit vendors, and street food of all sorts. People here are very sanitary and you can rest assured that eating is quite safe. Once during our travel, my mom, like a typical chinese person bent over one fruit vendor and took a lanzones (duku in indonesia, lang-sat in Thailand)  and ate it. The old lady vendor eyed my mom. (chinese like picking vendor's fruits and tasting it). My mom, still pouring over the fruits threw the peel on the side of the road. The old lady grumbled, stood up and picked the peel my mom threw (this, while saying something in the native language.. w/c I am guessing would be cursing us for messing up her fruit and littering).

Most of the time, I stay in the Chinatown section of Bangkok. - food life here starts from  6pm onwards, when the stalls  come out and the people of Bangkok (sometimes you see a mercedes benz parked and the owner eating at a sidewalk stall) converge to eat. 

During the day, you can still satisfy your taste buds with the various barbeque you can pass by

this lady has no sale... thus the face

i love how they put the chicken between those skewers

I chanced upon this stall during lunch and there was a line of workers getting food. You can also get it with a side order of sticky rice

my "SUKI" BBQ guy

 My regular BBq guy usually sets up at about lunchtime. He sells the pork BBQ at 5 baht per stick (7 pesos or 15 cents) last time I was here, funny thing is, I took 3 sticks and gave him 20baht and he gave no change... maybe the price is now 7baht and he gave me a discount for being a good customer.
Communication is very simple. just point, get the sticks and then give excess payment and then wait for them to give you change.-- hahaha

they usually will point to the rice and inquire if you want some. or the chili sauce... (just tell them NINOY - for "only a little"... bec you wouldn't want to choke on too much chili sauce and believe me... a little goes a long way.)

I also saw a funky kind of fruit.. the first time I ever saw this kind - they call it SA'LA (short A)

It looks like a durian but red and smaller. I tasted it, it kind of tastes a bit on the sour side. My friend said they sometimes put in in syrup (to make it sweeter)

I also saw them roasting some bananas.... (didn't get to try it though)

All around you can also get FRESH orange or lime juice. This will cost about 60baht (90 pesos or $1.8) per 8 oz bottle. You can see them squeeze the juice right in front of you.

see the box of lime peels?

I highly recommend you try the juices. They help refresh you when you are tired from working and walking all day! I don't think we have anything like this here in Manila. 

I didn't get to take pictures of other street food around the area (I have my regular job to attend to--- you know!). There are still the juicy sausages, the various fruits, the grilled squid.... and I think I'll save that for a later post. 

The one thing you should always remember while traveling is-- keep an open mind, don't be afraid to try anything at least once, and see if the vendor has clean hands.

Happy Eating!

Come over!!!

Me and Candie- of Welcome to the Candie shop have started a new blog.!

Its one about one of our common passions. Cooking and Eating.

So, come on over and bring your appetites and you might get to taste some of the things we are cooking

http://twoladiesandaspoon.blogspot.com/

Bangkok Accessories

I finally had some free time to venture out on the side streets of Bangkok. More specifically, chinatown.

I have been staying here every time I fly into Bangkok. Chinatown is in YAOWARAT RD and the most convenient place to stay is at Grand China Princess Hotel.  It has the best facilities and is near to places to eat and shop. (the wholesale market)

If you walk across the street and turn left, you can see the whole street if full of wholesale shops that sell belts, ribbons, hair accessories. They will also sell you some (on retail) while other will ask you for minimun of 6 pcs.

one of the shops is this quaint one.. all the items I selected were 40Baht each (about $1.30 or 60 pesos)

crochet hair clips

sun flower crochet tie backs - nice for pony tails

flower crochet hairband

red hot chili pepper tie backs

an assortment of designs to choose from

some other shops sell other kinds of accessories

If you walk across the street, you will see a shop selling hats. The have all kinds they even have a huge cowboy hat as a logo.

After the Hat shop, walk further and you will reach the "main market road" its small walkway full of people- you won't miss it.

walking here, you can chance upon some shops where you can make your own charm bracelet..

choose your charms and you are good to go....

one of the nice stores I chanced upon was the OK station

Its a two part store, one part sells school stuff like pens, stationary and pencils. The other part of the store sells shirts. I found some nice ones like this Piglet shirt (sizes are small medium and large)

You have to buy at least 3 pcs (their minimum)for them to sell you the shirt-- - cost of the shirt range from 179B- 229B (about $6-$8)- you can get more discount if you buy more.

I find that even if you come to bangkok several times a year, you still will find something new to pique your interest.

happy shopping!