Balai Pandesal

Daddy Vince and I were both raised with the ultimate Pinoy breakfast staple on our table, the Pandesal. The addicting freshly baked aroma that you can smell from the hot-off-the-oven pandesal makes us go hungry even if we are not. May it be partnered with butter or just simply soaking it on our creamy coffee or milk makes us re-energize before starting our day.

Now that we are living in a city, it is now quite hard to find a typical bakery selling old-school fresh hot pandesal. We are actually not satisfied with the pandesal from convenience stores which are obviously not that fresh. Luckily, we were introduced to Balai Pandesal and we visited their branch in Barangka Drive, Mandaluyong City.

Mommy Eichel's Homemade Potato Chip Nachos Recipe

After hoarding U.S. Foods Potato Chips on our weekend market, I thought of using it for my Nachos instead of the usual corn chips which, I am not really a fan of. Both sour cream and the original flavor were perfect for our weekend food trip. Daddy Vince was so happy with our newly found food craze and even requested me to make another batch ;)

Lydia's Lechon welcomes Mister International 2015

This 2015 marks the 10^th Anniversary of Mister International pageant. Thirty-six hunks from around the world vied for the coveted title at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila last November 30, 2015.

California Pizza Kitchen’s New Taste Menu

In celebration of California Pizza Kitchen's 18 strong years in the casual dining industry, CPK stays true to its roots by bringing the California spirit in every dish they serve and taking their customers on a creative and innovative culinary adventure. This year, CPK’s new menu touts not only of new pizza offerings, but also mouthwatering pastas, elating salads, and luscious desserts.

Golden Celebration of Lydia's Lechon

SkyelerValdez was invited to witness the Golden Celebration of Lydia's Lechon held in their flagship branch in Baclaran last November 5. The event was graced by different press and showbiz personalities like Regine Angeles, Jay Manalo, Niña Jose and Richard Quan. The program started at 6:30 pm with the cool and funny magician Mr. Jeffrey Tam as the emcee.

The Legendary Lydia's Lechon

A blessing came and we were able to book our Cebu trip for my birthday this coming November 28. After planning and finalizing our itineraries, one crazy thing happened - we craved for Lechon! Just in time when another blessing poured in when we received an invite from Lydia's Lechon, the best tasting and well-loved lechon in the Philippines.

Greenfield Weekend Market Mandaluyong

Craving for something that you don't exactly know what it is? Greenfield Weekend Market is the place to be :)

This food haven was spotless and spacious with available picnic mats and different tables and chairs that you can use, perfect for family picnics. Besides having lots of delicious food, you will definitely enjoy the ambiance with beautiful songs from the band performers. You can also find different non-food items like accessories, clothes, colorful lanterns and a lot more. 

Cravings Shangri-La Plaza Mall

One weekend afternoon, we savored the simple yet yummy salad and soup buffet spread at the Cravings Shangri-La Plaza Mall. It was our second time with our dear Skye and we still enjoyed their food. It was another weekend family food trip for us. Our little man is growing up so fast and soon, he will choose and order his own food ;)

Banchetto Robinsons Forum

One Thursday night, we tried to check the Banchetto besides the Robinsons Forum. There were lots of food to choose from and the place has enough space wherein you can comfortably eat your dinner. Since we just had our dinner at home, we did not buy any but, we will be back next time with a hungry tummy ;)

Family Day at The Round Table - All you can eat tasting session

We definitely love weekends since it is our family day. Last two weeks ago, we spent our family day lunch buffet at The Round Table in Kapitolyo, Pasig. Why? Because we simply miss their food, especially the crowd's fave, Roast Beef! Yey! Daddylove had three plates of roast beef along with the other viands. Every plate had fair share of Roast Beef, haha! Roast Beef + Salad, Roast Beef + Pasta, Roast Beef + Chicken and Pork. Definitely fair, right? ;)

During our first visit at The Round Table, we already planned on coming back since we really enjoyed and loved their buffet spread, even if there were few selections, you can be sure that everything on the round table are delicious and you will definitely leave with a happy tummy ;) Thanks to Chef Mia Capay for her exquisite masterpieces.

Now, let me share you the photos of our #foodtrip at The Round Table. By the way, we also loved their Mini Chiffon Cake with Cream Cheese on top, simply heaven! #foodporn

The Mona Lisa Project at Solaire Resort & Casino

After our Solaire Fresh Filipino Food Festival lunch buffet, we tour around the area on the West Gallery of Solaire and there we found The Mona Lisa Project art exhibit. All displayed photos are of Mona Lisa but with a different twist. We were entertained by all the interesting art pieces that shows different styles. Let me share you our photos...

Photoshoot: Casey's 1st Birthday Party

Event: Casey's 1st Birthday Party

Location: Don Henrico's Sta. Lucia Cainta, Rizal

Date: March 29, 2015

Crystal Jade's Weekday Dim Sum Buffet

On the last day of Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight's Weekday Dimsum Buffet, Daddy Vince went home a little early and we headed straight to Greenhills to try their sumptuous dim sum treat. And they never fail us because every bite was truly a delight. It was our first time that we tried their dim sum and Daddy Vince, who is not a fan of Xiao Long Bao, turned to be one. We already tasted Xiao Long Bao from other Chinese restaurants, but Crystal Jade is now our number one.

Skye at Marriott Grand Ballroom

Skye Is The Limit was one of the first to visit the most prestigious Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) facility in the Philippines, the Marriott Grand Ballroom located in Resorts World Manila. During the press conference, we were also given a sneak peek and tour of the facilities of the largest and grandest hotel ballroom in the Philippines.

Papa's Day at Papa John's Pizza Blue Bay Walk

It was my hubby's second year celebration of Father's Day, but this time we marked it at Papa John's Pizza in Blue Bay Walk. Despite the downpour, we had fun during the event with our cutie Skye, not to mention that he can now eat solid foods. (wink!)

Opening of Marriott Grand Ballroom - Press Release

Marriott Manila is securing its position to be the premiere meeting destination in the country, as it officially opens the Marriott Grand Ballroom - Philippines’ largest ballroom, a first of its kind facility that will redefine the Philippine MICE Industry (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions). This new architectural marvel offers a total 8,000 square meters of function space with 28 versatile meeting space including 6 VIP sky boxes. A blank canvas perfect for small or large meetings, all types of celebrations and grand events from product launches to concerts. With the addition of the Marriott Grand Ballroom, the hotel offers a total of 10,000 square meters of function space, by far the biggest in the Philippine hotel industry.

Solaire Fresh Filipino Food Festival with Chef Sau Del Rosario

Solaire Hotel and Resort is a luxury destination casino resort, with an expansive 8.3 hectare site and is the first property to open in the growing Entertainment City, a government sponsored (PAGCOR) economic development zone. Solaire features:

• two 17-storey towers (Bay and Sky Towers) with a total of 800 luxurious rooms, suites and bay side villas
• 18,500 square meters of gaming space
• a wide range of restaurants 
• sophisticated bars and lounges
• a grand ballroom with a flexible pre-function area 
• 8 meeting rooms and 2 board rooms with full banquet and catering facilities
• an outdoor swimming pool
• a cutting-edge and state-of-the-art lyric theater with 1,760 seats 
• and a parking garage, which will accommodate up to 4,500 cars.

Bahay Ligaya Restaurant

Bahay Ligaya Restaurant offers traditional, but truly delectable Filipino dishes. The lovely interiors will give you a homey feel of an ancestral house with different displays of interesting antiques. According to the owner, Mr. Ray Bueno, it was first an antique store named Luma't Bago and from that the Bahay Ligaya was born and named after the owner's lovely and supportive wife, Joy.

Bahay Ligaya Restaurant is adorned with various antique furniture from small to big items. Dining in an ancestral house with period pieces and art gallery is very interesting and is totally a different dining experience.

Chef Robert

We had our brunch at Chef Robert one weekend morning. The place is quite small but they amazingly offers a lot of comfort food in their menus. And since we were craving for fries that week, we ordered their Cheesy Fries Platter, Sliders, and Clubhouse Sandwich.

Clubhouse sandwich is one of our favorites. It's really filling and you will not get bored eating this delicious treat. The delectable chunky meat and fresh veggies filled our tummy. Their cute Sliders are good as well. The patties were yummy and the breads were soft and tasty. And of course, their scrumptious fries were perfectly cooked and satisfied our cravings. Yay! We will definitely come back and will try some of their specialties.

Kudos to Chef Robert! Truly a comfort food at its finest.
#iheartChefRobert

Pan de Donuts by Pan de Manila

Pan de sal + Donut = Pan de Donut

This perfect fusion wins our heart when we first tried it at Pan de Manila one weekend morning. After buying pan de sal and spanish sardines in olive oil, we can't resist ignoring the yummy-looking donuts in front of us, all adorned with different toppings.

Every donut has its own distinct taste depending on its flavor. Everything is creamy, delicious and not-too-sweet. My own favorite is their Cookie Crema, its luscious crushed cookies that blends really well with the cream on top together with the vanilla cream filling made it number one on my list. My hubby personally loved their Chocomonds and our little foodie Skye loves everything! ;)

Three Sisters Restaurant of Pasig Since 1941

It has been over 40 years since Three Sisters set the ball rolling in the culinary industry. It all started from Lola Rosa Francisco's small panciteria at Poblacion in downtown Pasig cooking her special Filipino recipes. I wonder if Lola Rosa was one of the "Three Sisters" but she was not. Three Sisters actually came from Lola Rosa's fave famous talcum powder. Cute! :)

After successful years, Lola Rosa's little luncheonette moved to their ancestral house in Kapitolyo, Pasig and became a full service restaurant now called, Three Sisters Restaurant of Pasig. Her original recipes were passed on from generations to generations and is now continued by their family's 4th generation, Paul Pike along with their long-time cook Mang Ramon. Now, people not just from Pasig but from other cities and even provinces still coming back and craved for their specialties like Sinigang na Kanduli sa Miso, Pancit Bihon and their famous Pork Barbecue which was included in the list of  Manila's Best Pinoy Pork Barbecue in Spot.ph. Wow!

The Round Table - All you can eat tasting session

Last week we were introduced to one of the newest all-you-can-eat tasting session in Kapitolyo, Pasig – The Round Table. Kapitolyo is now wadded with different restaurants and is one of the ideal spot for a food trip.

The Round Table is not the ordinary all-you-can-eat resto. They want to satisfy the ever changing cravings of their diners, hence, they offer a roster of daily themed menus. Their all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner is just Php 295, and you will definitely come back to try out their other dishes from Southern American Monday, Italian Tuesday, Mongolian Wednesday, Filipino Twist Thursday, and Roast Carving Friday. Very affordable, indeed.

BOHOL - Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa

Couples like us always prefer to have DIY tour in order for us to utilize and maximize our precious time. Few months before our tour, you would often see us googling different spots to our target destination. We are both foodies at heart, food tripping is always part and would always be the highlight of our trip. Being a twin flame soulmates, my hubby and I are both food lovers and travel junkies; and we love to hang out with mother nature whenever there's a chance. We joined forces in looking for the best places with the best food to eat and that's how we found Panglao Island Nature Resort. It is one of the most beautiful places in Panglao and was the best place that we visited during our anniversary trip in Bohol. This little haven is on the opposite side of the famous Alona Beach. Since we planned on visiting different tourist spots in Bohol, we opted to just have a day tour at PINR. Unfortunately, it was not enough, and with that being said, we will definitely come back with our pretty boy Skye.

Holiday Inn & Suites Makati

It was our monthsary when we stayed at the Holiday Inn & Suites Makati. It was one of the newest hotels and we were excited and curious how good it was staying in a newly built hotel inside the Makati business district. We also loved the fact that it is adjacent to the commercial malls of Ayala Center. It was truly a relaxing stay and we also enjoyed our dinner buffet at their Flavors Restaurant.

Burger Company

My hubby and I are a big fan of grilled burgers. What we always look for is the juiciness and the flavorful taste of the patty and we found this at Burger Company. Their beef patties are made of Certified Angus Beef and grilled to perfection, so it's not oily at all! Their burgers are more flavorful, juicy, and of high quality. It is not the usual burger in town, but the best burger in town.

The newest in their menu are the Peking Ducked and Holy Guacamole. These two are a sure hit for the burger lovers out there.

Frankies New York Buffalo Wings

Dad and I both love fried chicken. And, when we say fried chicken, it is not just a plain chicken deep fried in oil. We always put a lot of different McCormick spices from our cupboard to enhance the flavor and give us not just a satisfaction but pure bliss. So, whenever we go out, we wanted to try something deliciously different. And then, we found Frankie's New York Buffalo Wings. #LoveTheirFood

Solace Wine and Dine

I just learned that Solace Wine and Dine had a revamped on 2013. The interiors are now different as well as their menu and they are now under Chef Philip Golding. I remember when we first visit the place during my sister's project, it was so elegant, so relaxing and so fancy, not to mention the excellent quality of their food. You can find this place in One Greenbelt Hotel, a small boutique hotel along Arnaiz Avenue in Makati City.

Gong Cha

#LateBloomer

Sad and happy to say that after all these years, we are just starting to relish in this delish drink - the Milk Tea. This is now one of our summer love affairs despite the atrocious incident that happened recently involving milk tea.

I am totally addicted to hot tea since I started my dead-serious-diet. Hot tea was my fave all-day drink. I love green tea, it is my morning, noon and night companion. I am not a big fan of cold and sweet teas. I just prefer it hot and bland.

But, since summer heat are getting really hotter and humid, everyone would love to have cold and refreshing drink. Ergo, it is also my summer break from my most-loved hot drink.

Few weeks ago, Gong Cha opened near our place. Hence, we gave it a shot. The result, #lovelovelove! ;)

Shangri-La Plaza Gourmet Strip Food Festival

#ShangGourmetStrip is a food sampling and selling event that features Shangri-La Mall's top dining destinations. It's a fancy food fair at the East Atrium side of this posh mall in EDSA. You will get to experience the different cuisine offered by their popular restos. The spot is right in front of the TWG Tea restaurant which is very spacious and you will feel more comfortable while relishing your fave and delish dish.

"The Gourmet Strip is a culinary revelry that will delight friends and families as they explore and experience the extensive selection of eats at the Shang. We're proud of the variety and quality of restaurants we house here at the Shang and the Gourmet Strip is an excellent way to highlight these dining destinations." says Shangri-La Executive Vice President and General Manager Lala Fojas.

Flavors Buffet Restaurant

During our stay at the Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, we tried their Flavors restaurant for our dinner. Flavors is one of the newest hotel buffet in Makati. The place is quite small and not the typical hotel buffet in the metro. Although there were only few selections to choose from, their food were all fantastic. We were hooked in their Tom Yum, a spicy and sour soup. Since both of us were both addicted to shrimp, we took advantage of putting more than ten shrimps in our bowl and we actually had three orders of Tom Yam, haha! That was our true definition of the word "addict". Check our photos below :)

McDonald's McRib Sandwich

Before heading to Dad's team dinner, we had a quick snack at McDonald's Glorieta 3. We were actually curious with their newest McRib sandwich, hence, we tried it. I love having mayo in my sandwich so, I ordered the McRib Deluxe meal while Dad and Skye was playing in our table. True enough, the mayo blends well with the barbecue sauce. It neutralizes the strong barbecue flavor. The sandwich was dense and really delish. Their McFlurry Sansrival is not so sweet and buttery although, you can still taste its yummy flavor. 

Shakey's Pizza

Last week, Dad craved for pizza so we headed to Shakey's Pizza in SM Light Mall. We ordered their Family Meal Deal 1 (Php 820) which includes Spaghetti Platter or Solo Pack Chicken and Mojos (3 pieces of Shakey's flavorful chicken), Large Thin Crust Pizza (Manager's Choice) and 1 Pitcher of House Blend Iced Tea. Since our dear Daddy just came from his basketball game, and our cutie Skye loves spaghetti, we also ordered their Spaghetti Platter. I, personally chose their Hi-Protein Supreme Pizza instead of the Manager's Choice simply because I heart ranch dressing ;)  

Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight

Greenhills Shopping Center is where we used to jog every weekend mornings and dine after our tiring workout from plyometrics to jogging and sprinting. It is also a great place for food trips since there are a bunch of restos in every corner, and this includes Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight. For our quick chinese fix, we tried this resto for our Saturday family date. The place was nice but quite small. There were lots of Chinese diners that time. The food was just average but Skye loved their noodles. Our little kiddo is really a foodie :)

Rita's Ice Custard Happiness

After our family lunch date at Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight in Greenhills, San Juan, Dad brought us to the most "chilling" part of our day, and that is the uber yummy Italian Ice and Frozen Custard from Rita's. We had Vanilla Frozen Custard and Strawberry Banana Gelati (layers of Italian Ice and Custard) with twist flavor of custard (mixed choco and vanilla). These treats are a sure hit this summer.

Four Seasons Hotpot City

One weekend, we had our lunch buffet at Four Seasons Hotpot City in SM Mall of Asia (a member of Vikings). We enjoyed every single food that filled our tummy. Having fresh and healthy vegetables and savory balls (check out their cheese balls) in your hotpot makes everything perfect, not to mention the seafood and delectable meat with very little fat in it.

        Our dear Skye really enjoyed his toothsome lunch and is now a certified big bang baby foodie! Woot! Woot! ;)

XO46 Heritage Bistro

After Dad's basketball practice last weekend, he brought us to this posh Filipino resto in Century Mall Makati. He said the food there was really good with a classy taste. XO staffs also speak only in Tagalog and they use some Spanish terms. You will hear not-so-familiar Tagalog words and they will call you like señorito and señorita. 

Nestle French Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Our love affair with this sweet temptation started this summer of 2015 ;)

Nestle Temptations Flavors of the World French Salted Caramel flavored ice cream is simply love. Thank you, Daddylove for this yummy treat full of love and happiness for our tummy ;)

Summer time is definitely ice cream time!

Tiny Buds Baby Bottle and Utensil Wash

Being a first time mom is pretty hard. I have to learn to ask from experienced moms for me to understand and learn what's best for my child. Sometimes, I need to do my own research together with my hubby if we got a confusing advice on how to do certain things about child care. Lucky me because my hubby is really good in researching and he's also hands on in taking care of our son. But most of the time, we learned from our own experiences like choosing the best bottle cleaner for our pretty boy, Skye. 

Pan Pacific Hotel

Finally, after keeping these photos way back when I was starting photography, I am so glad seeing my own clickatures in my own blog. My Nikon D3100 was just 2 months old then, and I was still quite familiar with my speedlight. Nevertheless, I still rollicked taking pictures in this fine and relaxing hotel. This was during our staycation at Pan Pacific Hotel in Malate, Manila.

Skye's Snackies

       Skye was excited for his baby food packed with nutrients from Nutri-Del, Bibibons and Cerelac. We decided to give this to him for his afternoon snack time instead of just plain biscuit. 

Photoshoot: Audrey's 1st Birthday

Event: Audrey's 1st Birthday Party
Location: Philam Village Clubhouse Las Pinas

Jiena and Kriek's Pre-Nup Photoshoot

Vinceskyeichel Photography
skyeler.valdez@gmail.com