Sampaguita Suites, Plaza Garcia, Cebu

We only planned to stay in Cebu for a day then ferry to Bohol the next day, so we looked for a place that is conveniently located near Pier 1. We then decided to get a room at Sampaguita Suites, Plaza Garcia branch. 

It is strategically located near historic sites for us to have a walking tour during our stay. Read more about the our walking tour here.

Room rate starts at Php 698 for single occupancy and starts at Php 898 for double. Check out their web site for latest room rates. Room rates do not include breakfast but its one of the most affordable rate you can find along the Pier area.

We booked one of their Matrimonial rooms online. The full amount should be settled when booking online. You will have to present a print out of your reservation upon check-in. You will also be depositing Php 500 as security deposit which will be refunded to you upon check-out.

Their Matrimonial room has a queen sized bed, a private toilet with hot and cold shower, 21-inch cable TV, a closet and a dresser. Free WiFi is available at the lobby area only.

For meals, there's a 24/7 McDonald's branch and a Mini Stop convenience store nearby. For souvenirs, an Island Souvenir store is located just beside the building itself.

The bed was comfortable and I especially love their pillows - it felt like a memory foam. As for toiletries, we were provided with two clean towels, two soaps and two sachets of shampoo. We can view the plaza where the chapel of Magellan's Cross is located from our room.

We recommend this hotel if you are on a tight budget and needs to go to the pier early. Otherwise, there are other hotel options available nearby that would require you to commute to the pier. Commuting in Cebu is not an issue since they have lots of jeepneys and taxis around.

This is part of our 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Summer Adventure. Read more about our trip in below links:

• 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Itinerary and Budget 2014
• A Day in Cebu
• The Bohol Country Side
• A Walk in Tagbilaran City
• Bohol Sea Tour (Dolphin Watching & Island Hopping)
• Bohol Pasalubongs

Read about our accommodations and food trips in Cebu here:

• Sampaguita Suites, Plaza Garcia
• Zubuchon
• Larsian BBQ

Read about our accommodation and food trips in Bohol here:

• Buen Bella Pension House, Tagbilaran City
• Accommodations in Panglao Island
• Gerarda's Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• Golden Cowrie Filipino Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• L'Elephant Bleu Restaurant, Panglao Island
• Payag Restaurant, Panglao Island
• Jasz Bar and Restaurant, Panglao Island

Larsian BBQ, Cebu

After our thrilling Sky Walk experience, we went straight to Larsian BBQ to have our dinner.

Stalls here actually sell the same food but each offer something different - like free soup, free kimchi, free WiFi and so on. We quickly surveyed the stalls and finally decided on one stall that has scallops. Sorry, I was not able to get the name.

We chose to grill a small squid (Php 90), a few stick of pork, atay, and chorizo and ordered baked scallops (Php 150) too. As we were seated, they have provided us with wooden plates covered in banana leaf and a plastic glove for us to use for eating. Also places in our table are condiments and a basket filled with puso (rice wrapped in banana leaves). Each puso costs Php 4.

After a few minutes of waiting, our food is served. The squid was tender and the grilled meat were tasty. Their chorizo was sweet and spicy in taste.

It was my first time to eat scallops so I can't really describe it. But it felt like there's something missing, garlic perhaps?

Our total bill reached more than Php 400 which was just right since we ordered lots of food. 

Eating at Larsian is a definite must-try when coming to Cebu.

This is part of our 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Summer Adventure. Read more about our trip in below links:

• 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Itinerary and Budget 2014
• A Day in Cebu
• The Bohol Country Side
• A Walk in Tagbilaran City
• Bohol Sea Tour (Dolphin Watching & Island Hopping)
• Bohol Pasalubongs

Read about our accommodations and food trips in Cebu here:

• Sampaguita Suites, Plaza Garcia
• Zubuchon
• Larsian BBQ

Read about our accommodation and food trips in Bohol here:

• Buen Bella Pension House, Tagbilaran City
• Accommodations in Panglao Island
• Gerarda's Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• Golden Cowrie Filipino Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• L'Elephant Bleu Restaurant, Panglao Island
• Payag Restaurant, Panglao Island
• Jasz Bar and Restaurant, Panglao Island

Resto Review: Zubuchon, Cebu

Cebu is well-known for their lechon and one of the must-try places to go when in Cebu is Zubuchon. 

Zubuchon has been featured in many newspapers, magazines and shows like "Ang Pinaka", so we definitely wouldn't want to miss eating here.

After roaming around SM City, we went to Zubuchon, Mango Ave. branch to have our lunch. It is located along General Maxilom Avenue. You can see a whole roasted pig upon entering the restaurant.

They have a wide variety of food in their menu. They also offer fast meals good for one person ranging from Php 100 to 160.

I was looking forward to trying out their Kamias Shake but unfortunately it was not available that day. The waiter suggested for us to try the Duhat Shake (Php 95) instead. The Duhat Shake was refreshing. I don't really remember how a Duhat tastes like but my husband confirmed that it really tasted like one. If you are adventurous with food, you must try this one.

For our soup, we chose their Monggo with Zubuchon (Php 190). It tastes like any monggo soup but was less salty. The soup has an added crunch because of some chicharon. It also had bits of kalabasa (squash) which was surprising but it works.

And finally, our main course was their original Zubuchon (Php 530/kilo). We ordered only half kilo but it was still too much for just two person. The skin was crunchy and the meat was so tender and juicy. The meat was not salty and my husband can taste hints of lemon grass.

We were not able to finish the half kilo of lechon so we had our left-overs to go.

Overall, it was a very satisfying meal and we would love to come back and try their other food items on the menu.

This is part of our 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Summer Adventure. Read more about our trip in below links:

• 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Itinerary and Budget 2014
• A Day in Cebu
• The Bohol Country Side
• A Walk in Tagbilaran City
• Bohol Sea Tour (Dolphin Watching & Island Hopping)
• Bohol Pasalubongs

Read about our accommodations and food trips in Cebu here:

• Sampaguita Suites, Plaza Garcia
• Zubuchon
• Larsian BBQ

Read about our accommodation and food trips in Bohol here:

• Buen Bella Pension House, Tagbilaran City
• Accommodations in Panglao Island
• Gerarda's Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• Golden Cowrie Filipino Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• L'Elephant Bleu Restaurant, Panglao Island
• Payag Restaurant, Panglao Island
• Jasz Bar and Restaurant, Panglao Island

5D4N Cebu-Bohol Itinerary and Budget 2014

To kick off summer, we went to explore the beach of Bohol with a side trip to Cebu City.

The trip was not really planned for, we only decided to push through because AirAsia was offering promo fares. Our fare would have been a lot cheaper if we bought round trip tickets for Cebu but for convenience we booked our return ticket for Tagbilaran instead.

Product Review: Westinghouse Induction Cooker

Some time last year, Meralco started campaigning for the usage of Induction Heat Cookers to their consumers. They have illustrated that using an Induction Heat Cooker is energy efficient and one would be able to save more rather than using LPG cookers. They also explained how safe it is to use since there will be no flame and there will also be no risk of gas leakage. You may read more about their campaign here.

Resto Review: Kimpura, Greenhills, San Juan

After shopping in Greenhills complex, we went to Kimpura to have our dinner. It's located in the ground floor of Unimart Building.

Misadventures in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We recently went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia together with our office mates. However, we were not able to plan our itinerary since everyone was busy with work. So we just went with the flow and went to anywhere our feet (and train) can take us.

Satti in the Metro

Great news to Zamboanguenos living in Manila - there's a store serving Satti daily in San Juan.

The store's name is Sitti's Halal Foods - located at the Food Court inside VMall, Greenhills, San Juan.

Satti is a thick spicy soup served with sticky rice and sticks of grilled beef or chicken. It is similar to Satay of Malaysia.

Satti in Sitti's Halal Foods costs Php95 for chicken and Php105 for beef. Unfornately, beef was not available so we ordered chicken.




As for the taste, the sauce/soup tastes like that of Jimmy's Satti House back in Zamboanga but is not really at par. Then the chicken was not grilled and tasted bland. Maybe having it in beef is a better choice. Will visit this place again next time when beef is available.

Book Review: The Sexy Chef Cookbook

Ever since, I got married I started to slowly learn how to cook. And when I learned that The Sexy Chef is releasing a cookbook I immediately reserved a book through their website.

Picture from The Sexy Chef site

I got my book around a week after it was released to the public and is now readily available in National Bookstores nationwide.

McDo Super Mario Happy Meal 2014

Yehey! I got myself 5 of McDo's Super Mario Happy Meal toys in just two days! Hahaha Talk about determination =) My husband learned from some McDo branches in Makati that these toys are going to get phased out soon that's why I frenzied to get as many as I possibly can.

Events Coordinator

Every bride's dream is to have the perfect wedding. But of course the bride can't do all the works on her wedding day, so then came the need for event coordinators. Lots of event coordinators are already available out there and it's now became hard to choose from them. While I was doing my own search for my own wedding coordinator. I have then compiled below a list of whom I have inquired. I have ordered them by affordability, meaning first on the list offers the most affordable rate. Happy prepping!

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wedding on a Budget

Getting married nowadays has become very tedious and very expensive as well. But with enough research and haggling, any bride can come up with their very own dream wedding on a budget =) You just need to take the time and effort to achieve it.

Since I was already able to gather enough information through my own wedding preparations, I would then like to share with you sample budget that is doable for 100-150 guests (",)

Hope you'll find this entry helpful and inspiring as well. Happy preps!

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Quezon City Churches

Here's a list of churches we have scouted for our wedding. Just want to share this list for fellow bride and groom to-bes. Hope you will find this list useful. Happy prepping!


* Note: Rates posted may be outdated. Please contact church directly for latest rates.

Our Lady of Consolacion Parish

1. Our Lady of Consolacion Parish

81 Alondras St., Mira-Nila Homes, Tandang Sora, Quezon City
Tel.no. 931.1999 / 453.1617
Rate: Php 16,000
Inclusions: Mass and Wedding Rites, altar, aisle flowers & secondary candle pedestalled flowers, singers and musicians, red carpet, lighted chandeliers, outlet for video lights, pre-cana seminar, marriage contract registry, coordinating team, commentator, 1hr and 15mins use of church
Reservation fee: Php 2,000
In excess of 6 pairs of principal sponsors, additional: Php 1,000/pair

Marriage License Requirements in Quezon City

We got our Marriage License from Quezon City and below are the requirements needed to get one.

Image courtesy of patrisyu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hot Swim Wear available at 1StopBiz

SWIM-0011 Php499

SWIM-0021 Php850

SWIM-0029 Php1,150

Looking for the perfect swim wear for your summer get-away? Look no further coz 1StopBiz has it all.

Check out 1StopBiz for latest swim wear for sale

Foreveryday Photography Summer Promo

Foreveryday Photography is heating up your summer by slashing 15% off on all their wedding and engagement session packages!

Email them at foreverydayphoto@gmail.com for more information.

Photo from Foreveryday Photography

Aisle 1401 Easter Promo

Aisle 1401 is offering 10% off on their Essentials Package if reservation is made from April 5-16, 2014 only.

Email aisle1401@gmail.com for more information.

Photo from Aisle 1401

Toy Cakes and Pastries 5th Anniversary Promo

Great news for soon-to-be brides and grooms!

Toy Cakes and Pastries is having once again an anniversary promo. They're giving out 35% discount on their 3 tier wedding cakes (1 layer edible). But you better hurry because slots are limited.

Promo Period: April 5-30, 2014 only

Contact Person: Chef Kiko and Team, 0905.319.1296, kikoarcabos@gmail.com

Picture from Toy Cakes and Pastries

Get Inspired with these lovely Celebrity Wedding Gowns

Spot.ph listed the top 10 Celebrity wedding gowns. Check below link and get inspired.

Read article here.

Photos by MangoRed and Nice Print Photography

McDo Happy Meal March 2014

I happened to pass by McDo in SM North and got a glimpse of their Happy Meals and it was Super Mario!
Memories of childhood suddenly flashed back and I said to myself "I got to have them all!"

Unfortunately, I think their Happy Meal is already on going for quite some time and I don't think I won't be able to collect them all. Fingers crossed - I will try my best to be able to collect them all.

I bought my very first Super Mario Happy Meal at McDo Esguerra St. Branch since this one is just behind where I work. Sadly they only have Yoshi and Penguin Mario. I got the Yoshi toy with the Spaghetti meal.

Since it's my first time buying a Happy Meal, I was surprised to see that the spaghetti came in half its size. Hahaha I guess it was really meant to be in kiddie size. The Happy Meal box also has cut outs you can build. It's fun to build although a bit difficult for big hands.

McDo Happy Meal - Yoshi

McDo Happy Meal - Yoshi

The Yoshi toy is neat. It runs when you push it back then release. No battery needed. =) One down, 7 more to go.

Summer Fashion Giveaway

Celebrate summer with us! 

Join our summer fashion giveaway to get a chance to win a bikini and a summer dress.

How to Manage your Finances

I have previously discussed options on where you can put your money. But before jumping into the sea, one should do a financial checkup to determine whether or not you are ready to invest.

Image courtesy of KROMKRATHOG / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Places to go in Ilocos

We went to Ilocos some time last August 2012 together with Hubby's family. They hired a van to go around tourist spots in Ilocos and we tagged along. You'll be amazed that there's lot of places to go in Ilocos that one or two days won't be enough.

Our Trip to Baler, Aurora

We went to Baler, Aurora some time last May 2013 so we won't be able to provide our detailed itinerary and expenses. We'll try our best to remember everything we did there.

Parang freezer sa lamig - Joy Bus on the way to Baler

It takes around 5-6 hours to reach Baler from Manila. To commute going to Baler, you have two options: (1) take the Genesis Transport Bus (Php450) or (2) take the Joy Bus (Php700). The difference between the two option is Joy Bus does not have any stop over, has on-board comfort room, free snacks, free WiFi, and provides blanket to use during the trip. However, Joy Bus rides only have two schedules per day so make your reservations in advance in their Genesis Transport Cubao branch. Contact Genesis Transport directly to inquire for their updated bus schedules.

Manila Supplier Ratings

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   very satisfied and super recommended!

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆      satisfied and recommended

☆ ☆ ☆          good service

☆ ☆  & ☆      not happy; book at your own risk

Support Group: Weddings@Work 

Weddings@Work is definitely the happiest place for any bride2be (B2B). You can find lots of tips, suppliers, reviews and most importantly - moral support in this group. Everyone is just so excited to help you out in every step of the way.

Insurance 101

I have briefly discussed in one of my articles where one should be putting there money (click here to read about it). Second financial vehicle I have mentioned is to have a Variable Life (VL) Insurance for your long-term funds. Long-term funds are usually intended for children's education and for retirement. But before I discuss about Variable Life (VL) Insurance, let me first explain the basics of life insurance.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Resto Review: Mey Lin, SM North EDSA

After watching the movie and doing some errands, we went looking for a place to eat for dinner. I wanted to find a restaurant that serves hot soup so we thought of going to eat in a Chinese restaurant.

Mey Lin is located at the 3rd floor of SM North EDSA, Quezon City.

Mey Lin, SM North

Resto Review: Yoshinoya, SM North EDSA

Before going to watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we wanted to get a quick lunch. So we opted for fast food. It's been quite some time since we ate in Yoshinoya.

Yoshinoya, SM North interiors

Resto Review: F.I.S.H. Fiesta Island Seafood House

Me and my husband are fond of seafood dishes and there's a restaurant nearby that serves exactly that.
Fiesta Island Seafood House a.k.a. F.I.S.H. is located in 47 Visayas Ave. corner Congressional Ave., Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City.

Philippine Bank Account Comparisons

As discussed in my previous post, "Where is the best place to put your money?", the first financial vehicle a person should have is a bank account.

Your bank account should be able to shoulder your daily expenses and should also have your stand-by emergency fund. Your emergency fund should be more or less be 3x your monthly salary. The purpose of your emergency fund is for you to be able to sustain your basic needs and lifestyle for 3 months just in case you lose your main source of income.

After knowing the importance of having a bank account, next question is to which bank will you open an account.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Where is the best place to put your money?

Since I finished college, I have ever since wondered how to be able to effectively save money. But throughout my first 6 years working, I have constantly procrastinated on saving for my future because I was too distracted on other material things that I know I was capable of buying that time.

Until it finally hit me hard when I was finally starting to feel my responsibilities not just towards myself but also to my family. I suddenly felt that the money I earn was just enough to sustain me and my family and I was not able to set aside enough savings for my family's future.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Franchising Seminar - March 27 to 28, 2014

I have just found out yesterday from a post/ad in Facebook that there will be a FREE franchising seminar to be held in Trinoma Activity center this Thursday and Friday. I have always been seeking for a good business that me and my husband can start on but failed to find one to suit us. So our hunt continues until we find the one.

Free Wedding Venue Tour

Calling all soon-to-be brides and grooms!

BridalBook is going to hold free ocular of wedding reception venues around Metro Manila and Tagaytay!

Don't fail to register to this very rare opportunity, click on below image for more information.

Happy prepping!

3D3N Hong Kong & Macau Budget and Itinerary 2013

This post is looooooong overdue. We had our honeymoon trip to Hong Kong last August 2013. It sure was tiring because we had to make long walks but it still was fun since we are together. And since I was the one who made the itinerary, I would then like to take the time to share it to everyone. I hope you guys will find this helpful for your future travels. Enjoy!

View at The Peak - Sky Terrace

Trying out the Ombre Hair Trend

I have always wanted to try to dye my hair but was always reluctant that maybe the hair color won't fit me. I finally decided to make the change and wanted to try out the new hair trend called Ombre. Ombre is a hair trend which features darker shade at the roots and gradually lighter shade at the ends. It looks so pretty when curled! Looks like I'm going to need a curler soon. hehehe This would look lovely on a soon-to-be bride with a garden wedding theme ;-) Dyosa lang ang peg!

Wedding Receptions in Zamboanga City

I had a really hard time planning for our wedding in Zamboanga City because not many information are posted on the internet regarding available receptions and caterers. It was especially hard for me because I was working in Manila. Good thing my mom was in Zamboanga and she would be the one to go to places and make reservations.

So as to help out fellow couples planning to get married in Zamboanga, listed below are some of the places I have inquired. But please do note that prices may not be up to date since these are 2012 rates. Happy preps!

Planning the Wedding in a Month?!

Due to unforeseen events we have come to a decision to tie the knot civilly in Zamboanga City last January 3, 2013. And we only had less than a month to prepare for it plus we only aim to spend 50k or less for it because we only want it to be simple and to be shared only with family and close friends.