Coffee Way

Maginhawa street in Teacher’s Village is always full of surprises. Every now and then, new restaurants pop up – what with the plethora of the neighborhood’s fresh and vibrant patrons, the offerings here are endless.

Tuna Tortilla Wrap was incredibly small, but really packed with flavor. I’m not disappointed with its size because it just costs PhP 15. It’s fine for a very good wrap.

I enjoyed the Chicken Caramba which I have no idea where it got its name. I just knew that it’s so tasty and herby – just the way I liked it. Of course, the plenty serving of rice is commendable (takaw ko lang)

For a creamy dish, Creamy Chicken is a little bit salty. But indeed just right with heaping steamed rice.

Mini Tacos. I’ve learned not to expect from non-Mexican restaurants with Mexican fare. But this taco is just fine… could use a lil bit of Mexican seasonings, but what they lack they make up for plenty of cheese.

There might be always something new in Maginhawa, but let’s not forget those who stayed. I remembered hanging out here when I was still in college, when there were few reliable wi-fi hotspots around. I love their affogato, but I never knew they serve good food! And the interiors inside are just adorbs!

Coffee Way is not just a cafe by the way. There’s a studio for rent upstairs for bands who want a practice spot!

Coffee Way
72-A Maginhawa street, Teacher’s Village
Diliman, Quezon City
5pm – 11pm

February Roundup

I’ve been a lazy blogger. Oh forgive me.
Here are some photos/stuff I should’ve blogged days ago, but I kept on going home late *hic* and/or was just too lazy. Just lazy. Errrr.
My #MarchWish is to be a more diligent blogger (haha!) and to freaking save some money.

Anyway, I digress!
Teehee!

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Post V-date with Coco and Frank

This Spinach and Artichoke cheese dip is seriously clogging my arteries. SO GOOD! I’ll suggest though, if you can request to replace the toast with some more pita, do it. I miss eating at Cyma!! By far, is still the best Mediterranean place in Mega Manila!

My staple order when having Greek at the middle of the day – Lamb Gyros with potato wedges. I really can’t say if the Gyro in Cyma shrunk, but I remember having bigger ones then. Nevertheless the taste still didn’t change. If only I can have this everyday… I’ll have a year only to live, haha! So sinful!

Gandiz!!! Virginal!!! LOL!

Watched The Vow after… with all the hype and cheesiness going on. I didn’t know what to expect after watching it, but after knowing that it was based on a true story, I came to appreciate the story. I really haven’t moved on from One Day and we still watched a depressing love story. Oh, why do I do this to myself? *laughs very hard*

Yuck, I look so fat here!!! And red!

This was the last V-date I had for that week. It was crazy though, I drank everyday, except for V-day itself because it was the busiest. Didn’t regret any of it though. Now, I let my liver rest.

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Thysz’s birthday!

I love how the clouds were so perfect on Thysz’s birthday!!! You know my love for clouds… they kinda predict for me whether the day would be good or bad. Yeah, I’m weird like that.

Fierce sisters!!!!!!!!!!

 Words aren’t enough to express my gratitude and respect for Mama Thysz and how she really taught me so much for only a little time. Also for giving me a chance of a lifetime to work with her in the company in its infancy stage. Thank you Mama Thysz!!!

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Vincent Moon Night with Pate and Hanna

It’s always fun hanging out with these two girls (feel ko kasing girl din ako, chos!) But seriously, it’s been months since I saw them, so I really really miss them! We went to Moon’s Take Away Show screening at Big Bad Wold (which really deserves to be visited again!) As promised, I’ll do a separate blog post on this wonderful, laid back event.

AND OH! It’s Hanna’s birthday today!!! Tweet @cotober and greet her!!!

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It’s MARCH already!!! It’s my favorite month. Huzzah for my birthday month! And in traditional Jonver fashion, I’ll be calling it __th of March. Also it used to be vacation month, but whatever happened to it — I feel so old not having summer vacations at all!

But I really want to get away, even for just a couple of days, if only I didn’t use up all my savings… again! I really need to save up godamnit.

For Long Tomorrow

Going home at 6am is the wrongest thing to do (kids, do not imitate lol) but you bet it really felt good after convos over couple of bottles and pares thereafter. I feel weird after though. I was suddenly craving for hot soup – I finished two small bowls in the paresan, two cups mugs at home, and a bowl of shoyu ramen before coming to work. Oh you bet, I’m still craving for some hot soup lovin’ right now.

I met up with Hanna earlier today. Arrived late because my body’s too sore to get up. I did get up, however, I really hate the snooze button now. Anyway, I gave her some of the shirts that I still have for Stereotyped, bought Toe tickets (yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and had lunch at the newly opened Ramen X – yayhotsoupasdfghjkl!!!!

Gyudon rice for H

Mini Shoyu Ramen – loooooooooove the shoyu base!

Say hi to Hanna!

Tickets are still available in Team Manila Trinoma and Rockwell branches, at the Doc Martens shop (The Fort)

We’ve been meaning to get tickets from the first day we knew they’re going here! Hanna is a big fan, and let’s just say that I am a happy casualty. Toe’s music is really good for thinking when we were back in college, and we almost used it as scoring for our “films” in college (yes I did some even though I’m a nurse. And no we weren’t able to use it as scoring because it’s too hipster for my school/classmates/professors.)

OH! I hope I don’t forget to blog about Vincent Moon!!! He’s very inspiring, and I really love his videos (although some are so wit.) More on another blog post, I guess.

Last night, we also dropped by the Haute Auteur pop-up by the UP Cineastes’ Studio last night! The silent films were really great! In a bit, I’m off to their awards night at B-side to watch the finalists with live scoring and a good number of local indie bands (read: Techyromantics, Musical O, Encounters With A Yeti, Sleepwalk Circus, Ciudad, Pocket Full Of, The Walkie Talkies, The Black Vomits, and Ivan Theory) are also playing!!

I swear, I’m gonna sleep off the whole of Sunday tomorrow. Or watch some movies for that matter.

P.S. Title is the latest album of Toe (2009) that’s on loop while I’m writing this post.

V-day thingamajigs

One cheesy student’s work. Who might be the lucky girl… or boy for that matter? HAHA!

We had special videos up at the Moonleaf Maginhawa branch and also online! Aren’t these couples the sweetest?!

So V-day came and I had work that lasted throughout the day. I hadn’t seen it any other way though, so it was fine. Believe me, the highlights of my day were receiving two cupcakes (thanks Jaja and Jen!); dating, errrrrrr…. eating Hainanese with Nica; and watching the 54th Grammy’s (I wish Bruno Mars dated me for Valentine’s lol!)

Nakakadalaga look!

Pre-Valentine’s Date at John and Yoko

What more appropriate to jumpstart the Valentine’s week with is to have a date with friends you haven’t seen for a long time? No, we do not need years to miss each other. And online convos don’t really constitute you being with them (yes, I am a firm believer of social media, BUT physical presence is really different in many ways.)

Oysters for appetizer. Finished almost half of the plate. Sorry B!

Cha Soba in what I perceive as shoyu sauce

Paella in Japanese cheugh?

Chicken Teriyaki pizza with mango. I wondered if I was just hungry or this really tasted good? 

Or is it just a reason to laugh and gossip over incredibly good Japanese food that in all heaven’s worth I forgot the names of? Well, except for the exceptional Philadelphia Roll that I was entitled to almost to myself. I’m a sucker for Japanese mayo and sushi rice, so forgive the excitement over the morsel of seafood + vinegared rice + fat in the form of mayo

Jessa, Dianne, Cariza, Kisty, Erika, Moi in pink (more fun!)

Kisty was just in town for x weeks (sorry BB, bad memory) so we decided to meet at John and Yoko in Greenbelt 5. God knows I’ve been meaning to try this place. Fusion has been out of the radar; but we all had that phase, right? AND if done correctly, Fusion can prove to bring fireworks to one’s palate.

Love that red satchel from Studio Boheme! 

We have to patent Erika’s pose! LOL!

F&H cardigan and pink shirt, Oxygen gray denim pants, Punchdrunk Panda “Negatives” plimsolls, Jansport backpack

No this isn’t my usual get up. But can you really blame me when the bed weather really brings out the lazy in me? I was about to put on my man heels and that leather holdall – nevertheless I still ended up with this look. Enough of the rant though. I love this night with the BBs. I wish though my schedule permits to go on shopping with them at Divisoria, but work gets in the way (and I’m not telling that it’s a bad thing.)

Kisty if you’re reading this. I really miss you!! Hope we can visit you in Singapore, though! BBs, dinner with you soon! :)

This is just the first of the many ganap this week! Best V-week ever, if you ask me!

Valentine’s Week

Cupcake from Jen

Actually, I received two cupcakes, the other one was a homemade red velvet from Jaja – which I didn’t have the time to take a photo of. I was a sucker for the generous slab of cream cheese frosting :)

Kisty, Erika, Moi. Pink for more fun.

This week has been pretty awesome! I’ve met up with friends (especially single ones! Haha!) Kisty was in town for her term break so we called a pre-Valentine’s date with the BBs. Gossiping with these girls are always fun! I still can’t figure out who’s that photographer, BBs?

Violets are blue on Valentine’s

Then come V-day, there were the cupcakes, and our V-day special at Moonleaf… and the impromptu dinner date with Nica at our favorite Hainanese Chicken Rice place. Nothing fancy, it’s just convenient for us, haha! But it was great to see Nica again, and talk about why she hadn’t a date on V-day… or why is she dating me for that matter :P Nica, if you’re reading this, please don’t kill me hahaha

Pat’s hipster photo

And Post-Valentine’s is even greater. Pat dropped by the office, we ate dinner at a random Pares place in Teacher’s Village, bought booze, and drank Valentine’s out of our system.

Judge me if you want, haha!

Who said Valentine’s isn’t for singles? I’m just having the best week so far! Off to meet a real Geisha in a bit!

You think the main copy is witty, read the disclaimer then

NKKLK yung copy, pero mas NKKLK yung disclaimer!!!!
Disclaimers are more fun, indeed —
Wag kang magdrama, wala kang period.
PAK. Straightforward, powerful beki copy.
San ka pa? Purrrrrrrrfect.

I wanna meet this copywriter stat. Like them on Facebook, and follow @TheBekiry! I hope they deliver, kasi bet ko yung Coke-chocolate cupcake!!!!

P.S. Just so you know, no I am not feeling a bit bromantic (kasi I feel it a lot, char) and I do not intend to give a cupcake to anyone. I’ll eat it myself.
P.S.S. For those interested only, I do not have V-day plans. Unless you’re giving me something to do, then we can talk *wink, wink*

Hump Day

Wednesdays are called Hump Day because of the assumption that the week is a hill, and Wednesday is the “hump” of the hill. It signifies the passing of another workweek and the approaching of the weekend.

It may also mean you’re dead tired and you can’t wait to rape your bed… or someone in your bed for that matter :P As for me, I just can’t wait for a hearty meal (pun intended.)

Pati ang Sola lady, talikogenic. LOL!

Maybe I should’ve titled this post Talikogenic instead. Plenty of backs, indeed.  Alright then, here are faces.

Meet my graphic designer friend, Jan Pineda. He’s responsible for the incredibly ultraminimalist designs at our favorite tea shop, Moonleaf (nuks!)

Also, meet Carlos Quijon, Jr. (or Jun-Jun. He’ll kill me if he’d read I called him that on my blog, haha!) He’s doing copywriting for us as of late. He’s a pretty good darn literary writer as well. Try googling him.

Our lovely sexy-tary Justine Aure is also with us! We’ve been officemates for 2 (or 3) days for now and she’s kinda responsible why I’m so “hungry” now. Head over to her blog!

Our hungry party of four marched along Masinsinan street to satisfy the need to engulf nutritive particles to nourish our flesh. Oh why is eating an evil need? I need to lose my lovehandles before beach season comes!

V-mar Kitchenette is ready for V-day. 

To start off, I ordered my poison. I’d never survive a busy day without my caffeine. This in my second helping already. And right now I’m half-decided to go get another half liter.

Regular sugar. I forgot how good this tastes already.

Jan with his Camaron Rebosado. It’s my first time to eat with these people and my camera in tote.  So I bet I kinda startled them when I started shooting away their food. I won’t ask them to share with me, but my grumbling tummy made me forget that.

Carlos likes Seafood Kare-Kare too much. Though you can’t see any seafood in the photo. It has mini-clams, shrimp, and more mini-clams. I love it the first try, so I understand why he ordered it again. Gawd, am I boring you already?

There is no way to make this photo beautiful but Crispy Dinuguan is definitely a bloody tasty dish. I’ve been eating lechon kawali for days already and I can’t see myself stopping. God save my arteries.

I’d love to share Justine’s Tocilog but I started devouring my food as soon as it got to me. V-mar was also very generous to let us taste their Dark Chocolate Crinkles, which btw is in my list of to-bring-home-but-not-share. Kidding! Or maybe I am not. Hahaha!

We’re back at Maginhawa, and we stopped for Ministop (now doesn’t that sound redundant?) I find it amusing to have taken a photo of the new and old Maginhawa street sign. I didn’t even notice before clicking the shutter. Oh how time flies.

Hipster photo? You judge.

Once again, I like light art + zoom + talikogenic photo.

Back at home base to work some more. Meeting ensued after a few hours.

That was a busy, happy hump day!!! Again, again!!!

#MoonleafOnJessicaSoho

I missed watching this on TV, but yay because GMA’s so quick to post it online! Spot Moonleaf in the segment! Special thanks to @stacydejesus for giving me heads up that it’s available online already. Lurve you, girl!:)

P.S. This trended last Sunday no. 1 in the Philippines!!! So proud of you, Moonleaf Tea Shop! Like them in Facebook, Follow in Twitter, and also in Tumblr! :)

Binondo Tweetup

Grabbed the opportunity to do a photowalk of Chinatown even though I was running an hour late for our tweetup. I love Chinatown in the morning – it’s so busy and bustling with life. Also, I’m so excited for this tweetup – it’s been months since I’ve seen these people! Yay for tweetup and Chinese food = perfect combo!

Thank you Cafe Mezzanine for sponsoring our first tweetup for 2012

Kiampong. I love the nutty, machang-y flavor of the rice.

Asado. Best asado I’d had. Love that it ain’t too sweet.

Chinese Kikiam. Not a fan, but it’s fine.

Gokong. I love meaty soups. This one’s super pasok sa banga!

Cafe Mezzanine is inherited and now owned by Gerry Chua a.k.a. Mr. Ube (also, owner of hopiang ube fame Eng Bee Tin.) They serve Xiamen, or Chinese street style, which according to Mr. Ube himself is the major Chinese cuisine predominant in the Philippines. What makes this place special is that 100% of their profit goes to the Binondo-Paco Fire Department and to TXTFIRE.

Yellow row: Reg, Ramon, Raffy.

 

Firemen’s cup, eh?

Mr. Ube is so funny and animated. He told us stories of his business, his life, and his volunteerism. Such an inspiring man, if you ask our group.

Mr. Ube wanted to show us the TXTFIRE office and facilties, so he invited us over at their HQ. It was a bit surprising to find technology like this in the middle of Chinatown.

As if the day did not lead us to tire ourselves already, we found ourselves still walking around Chinatown. This time, in search of butter chicken.

Don’t let the signage fool you. They serve really yummy Chinese food!

Butter Chicken. Satisfy thy craving for chicken and fat. Perfect while hot.

Oyster cake. I can taste the sea in my mouth! Plenty of oyster bits in a glutinous omelette.

Scallops and broccoli. Our ONLY veggie meal, but equally delicious. I just wish there are bigger scallops in this dish.

Machang. Note to self: Do not eat this by yourself. Incredibly heavy rice cake with chunks (read: big) of meat inside.

Chinese Kikiam. Again, not a fan. But this one’s better than Mezzanine’s

We still weren’t done after eating like there’s no tomorrow. Coffee and Asado ensued at Cafe Sa Lido. Don’t ask why, it’s yummy and it’s reason enough to do it. No pictures though. Either I was too tired, too full, or too happy to snap one.

P.S. This is our longest tweetup ever. Lasted for almost eight hours! Are we gunning for 12 the next time, tweeps?
P.S.S. Wanna join us in our next adventure, follow us in Tumblr or like us in Facebook to know more about us.