La Vie Boheme

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Eat Your Heart Out – Lunch At Akita Japanese Restaurant

J isn’t really a huge fan of Japanese cuisine. I guess a few bad experiences from before kind of ruined the experience for him. However, he’s been eyeing Akita for awhile now, so after our very fun trip yesterday, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally check the place out.

They have an ongoing promotion for three of their bestselling menu entries. The dishes, which normally cost PHP260 are now priced at PHP150. We decided to get all and added an order of their California Roll because I love California Rolls. Mother got the Miso Ramen; J got the Butakimchi Don, and I got the Butakimchimiso Ramen.

Their serving size was huge. Well considering that the regular price was PHP260, I guess the serving size was just right. But I had a hard time finishing my ramen because I was already full. The California roll was amazing. I mean, I’ve tried other California rolls from other Japanese restaurants before, and I’d say theirs is probably my favorite.

I know J has this rule of not visiting a place more than once, but honestly, I’d love to go back and try their other items, like the gyoza perhaps or the katsu don or the tempura. All in all, I’d say Akita is definitely a good place to check out, if you love Japanese food or even if you’re just curious. The staff are friendly and nice, so you won’t be intimidated. If you do decide to visit, take advantage of their promo which is running for the rest of the month. It’s worth the savings and the experience.

 

Pics Or It Didn’t Happen – Going Japanese

California roll

 

Miso ramen

 

Butakimchimiso ramen

 

Butakimchi Don

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Adventures With EyeAndJay – TopOfCebu

We initially planned to have lunch at the TopOfCebu restaurant; however, having lunch there meant we’d still have to pay for the entrance fee for the ever popular overlooking view of Cebu. That wouldn’t be such an issue, except that the restaurant was a bit pricey, and J isn’t someone who likes to splurge often. That’s why J decided to skip the restaurant and just go see the city.

I haven’t been back here for years. I think the last time I was ever hera was in 2006 with CVG friends, back when I used to work there. Let me tell you, so much has changed. Metro Cebu has grown exponentially since then. Too bad we were there during the daytime, so we weren’t able to see the nighttime view of Cebu. But nevertheless, the city is sill as beautiful in daylight as it is at night.

When I first came here, I didn’t think I’d last a year. But now, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. This place has been my home for over a decade. I’ve had ups and downs, triumphs and failures, and all the best experiences here.

Anyway, here are some pictures that J took during our visit yesterday. It’s Mother’s first time here. I think she would have enjoyed the nighttime view, but maybe we’ll be back here soon. I guess that’s something that J and I can plan on, but for now, this is enough.

 

TopOfCebu Pics with EyeAndJay + Special Guest

Awrahan at the TopOfCebu

 

With our special guest for this trip

 

Mandatory selfie

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Adventures With EyeAndJay – Sirao Garden – Little Amsterdam

Sirao Garden wasn’t really part of the list of places we’d planned to visit yesterday. But because we were already there, it just made sense to also check it out. I have to admit that even with its popularity, I haven’t been here before, so I was really curious and excited.

As it turns out, Sirao Garden didn’t really give that little Amsterdam vibe. Maybe it was just me, but yeah, to me it was just a piece of land where a lot of flowers were planted. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked the place. I just feel like there’s still a lot of things that can be improved.

Let me tell you what I liked about the place. It was the flowers. It was the fact that the whole place, every nook and corner was Instagram-worthy. You can strike a pose anywhere with the garden’s vibrant colors, unique landscape and even the cute cottages.

If any friend or family comes to visit Cebu someday, I’d really like to take them here. Sirao Garden shows that Cebu isn’t just about the beaches. We’re more than just white sand and clear blue waters. We have beautiful scenery up in the mountains too.

Entrance fee to the garden is PHP50 a person. There’s also a parking fee of PHP20. If you get hungry, there’s a lot of stores outside the garden where you can buy snacks. Of course, I bought sweet corn on a cob because I’m me and even with bad molars, I’m still a sucker for sweet corn. There’s also a pool, well, two actually. One was still under construction. I didn’t ask if the other pool was open for use, though, because I’m not really a pool person. But I think the new pool is worth checking out when it’s functioning.

I really had a good time here, and we had a lot of pictures. I am just going to post a few, though, but trust me, if you haven’t been there yet, you should definitely add this to your list of places to visit. It’s worth the trip and the memories.

 

Sirao Garden Adventures With EyeAndJay

Welcome to Sirao Garden

 

J and the horse

 

The hand that lifts me up

 

Flowers everywhere

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Adventures With EyeAndJay – Florentino’s Little Tagaytay

Florentino’s Tagaytay Vibe was really on J’s list of places we’d visit yesterday. Along with the other sites along the trans-central highway, this little spot has always held his curiosity.

The main attraction in Florentino’s is their amazing view. They had cottages and tables overlooking the vast mountains of Cebu all the way to the horizon beyond the sea. This place is really a great rendezvous for quiet and romantic dates, family events and celebrations and barkada getaways. Their small canteen sells alcoholic beverage and soda. You can also order food or just buy chips, if you’re just itching for a quick snack. The entrance fee is PHP50. Tables and chairs are free to use, but if you prefer to rent a cottage, prices range from PHP50-PHP100 per hour.

The landscape is good. It kind of reminds me of Cebu Safari, but a smaller version because of the stairs, the bridge, and the way the plants and flowers were arranged. It was nice hanging out at Florentino’s even for just a bit because the air was fresh, the scenery was beautiful, and the ambiance was relaxing. On top of that, the staff were very friendly and accommodating. It was a good decision on J’s part to really go there and check it out. It was a really good stop.

 

The View at Florentino’s Tagaytay Vibe

Daughter of the sun

 

The view

 

All green

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Take It To The Beach – Another Tabuelan Weekend With I And J

Tabuelan is possibly my favorite place to go when I’m hungry for some sand and sun. Last month, J and I stayed in Durhan White Beach Resort which you can check out here. However, his high school classmate invited us to her son’s birthday celebrtion. Of course we accepted and joined them  in Tabuelan. This time, we stayed at one of the resorts in the Maravilla public beach. We didn’t stay overnight because of a couple of reasons. One, we had passengers with us who couldn’t stay the night because they had work on the morning. Two, almost all resorts were already fully booked.

It was a hot and sunny day. But I had a great time. Tabuelan really has a very beautiful beach with pristine white sand that I just cannot get enough of. I didn’t mind my lack of sleep, my sunburnt skin, or even the subpar amenities of the resort we were in. I took one look at the sea, and heeded its call. Here are a few pictures from earlier today. I love looking at them because it gives me that summer vibe that I love so much.

If you are planning to go outside of the city, the beach is always the best answer. And if you want to go to the beach, I suggest you check out Tabuelan. The Maravilla public beach is amazing, but it does get crowded. With this being the summer months, don’t be surprised to find the beach always full. You can also go to the quiet private resorts. Just make sure to check them out via their websites or booking sites because they can get fully booked pretty quick.

Maravilla Beach in Tabuelan

Will you just look at that beautiful white sand?

Zoomed in

Power of Two

I and J with friends

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Happy 7th Birthday, Nica

Nica and Ella are two girls whose growth I’ve witnessed. When they were babies, they were two of the cutest little girls I’ve seen. Now, Ella is already a young lady, and Nica is seven years old. It’s amazing how fast time flies. It’s like I slept for hours, and when I woke up, they were already big girls. Monica Faith is a quiet, smart, and pretty girl that I’m sure her parents are very proud of. Her birthday this year is kind of a big deal because it’s also the blessing of their new house. Let me just tell you, their house is wonderful.  It’s very spacious and it’s really a great house for a family. Needless to say, J and I were present during this celebration. I’m just going to show you a couple of pictures from last night. I don’t really have a lot to show because I didn’t take the pictures myself.

Happy birthday, Nica!

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s Nica with her sister, Ella, and their cousins.

The little boy in blue from the picture above is Joeff, who also celebrated his birthday last month. You can read about it by clicking on this link.