Kay's Hotspring Visit

The weekend weather forecast says that it’s going to be gloomy until the following weekdays. Luckily, there was an announced nationwide holiday due to transportation strike about to happen in Manila and I just don’t want to rot in the house so we decided to go out and visit a nearby hot spring. 

Just a 20mins drive from our home, Kay’s Hotspring offers a natural hot springs in small pools. They also offer food and drinks for their costumer. Entrance is 150/adult and 75/child below 8yo and they charge corkage for the food you bring inside the resort (Php 150/viand).

They also offer cottages for overnight stay ranging from 1,000-1500/night good for 2 persons and 100 per additional person. My daughters enjoyed the hot spring and swam on the pool as the rain continued to pour that day.

Kuya J goes 100 - SM City Puerto Princesa Branch

Kuya J Restaurant, the once hole-in- the-wall in Cebu and now one of the fastest growing casual dining restaurants in the country, has done no other Filipino restaurant has achieved – to open 100 stores in just 2 years after its launch.

The restaurant celebrated its huge milestone #CheersTo100 at the Event Center of the recently opened SM City Puerto Princesa in Palawan, together with its one and only blockbuster bida, Jericho Rosales. 

“We wanted the 100 th store to be significant. We chose Puerto Princesa City to house our 100 th store because the City plays a vital role in tourism and community development,” answered Winglip Chang, President and Chief Executive Officer of iKitchen, the company behind Kuya J, when asked about the reason for placing Kuya J’s restaurant in SM City Puerto Princesa. 

 

Hundreds of fans and Kuya J lovers gathered to take part in the celebration with Echo serenading them with a medley of his top hits. “Our 100 th store is not only a result of the hardwork and passion of the entire Kuya J family. It’s actually more of the overwhelming love and support of Filipino families all over the country,” shared Mr. Danny Pumarega, Chief Operating Officer of Kuya J. 

Most guests of Kuya J during the event were first-time to visit the restaurant complimenting the interiors, which are clean and homey with relaxing furniture that makes you enjoy the food even more. Mr. Chang also said, “We are not going to stop at 100 stores. We want to continue building as many stores as possible together with continuous improvement.” 

Looks like Kuya J is showing no signs of slowing down in letting Filipinos get a taste of its delicious dishes and the heartwarming experience that goes with it. Now, if Kuya J has done what seemed impossible possible, just imagine what it can do in the next year or two. 

Who is Kuya J? 

Kuya J Restaurant, formerly known as “Ang Kan-anan ni Kuya J,” started as a humble eatery along the streets of Cebu. But with Kuya J’s undeniably delicious dishes, mouthwatering words of recommendation quickly spread into every Cebuanos’ palate. 

With that, Kuya J instantly became one of the well-loved restaurants in Cebu. But who is Kuya J? There were a lot of curiosity among locals about who is referred to in Kuya J’s name. The President of iKitchen answered that the restaurant’s name refers to no particular person, but a brand that symbolizes the Filipino family where there are a lot of names starting with J like Jose, John, Joseph, and Jericho. 

To this day, the restaurant continues to satisfy every Filipino family’s appetite nationwide. Using only the freshest ingredients available, Kuya J cooks up a storm of delicious Pinoy food in every corner of the Philippines. 

Does Jericho own Kuya J? “In a way, yes,” said Jericho Rosales in front of the media, who got a chance to have an intimate moment with the bida and Kuya J’s top management talking about the monumental feat and the exciting future of the restaurant. 

The blockbuster bida added that Kuya J became a part of him as he took pride in the brand that truly embodies the Filipino culture that is family-oriented. Echo is actually the perfect endorser for Kuya J. 

He is one of the award-winning drama actors in the country and the best Kuya to his family. Kuya J finds him very inspiring with his trait of always putting his heart into everything that he does, especially when touching people’s lives. 

Kuya J Favorites After trying the food at Kuya J Restaurant, one could not be surprised how much people love their interpretations of Filipino favorites, which are very reasonably priced. Some of the local favorites so far are the following: 

The Grilled Scallops (P230) is a fresh reminder of Cebu because every restaurant there has some version of this dish. Each scallop shell is covered in a generous amount of cheese and garlic that enhances the umami flavor of the seafood. 

The Chorizo Dinamitas (P170) might be thought to be super spicy, but an initial bite could lead anyone to eating more. Chopped Cebu chorizo and cheddar cheese make it a salty-sweet appetizer with a nice crunch and mild spiciness. 

The star of the feast at Kuya J is their Kuya J’s Crispy Pata (P490/regular, P695/family). Served on a wooden board with a serving ready to cut up the crispy pork trotter into easy to eat pieces. The skin is satisfyingly crispy with tender, juicy and flavorful meat inside. 

The fat is also just a thin layer between the skin and the meat, perfect. Another dish they are proud of is the Kare-Kare (P399). The sauce goes really well with rice while the ox tail has been cooked fork tender. 

This will really make you eat more rice than you intend. Be sure to save room for dessert like the showstopping Mango Pandan (P80). 

You’d hardly expect a glass of mango and pandan jelly cubes with condensed milk to be topped with beautiful spun sugar. 

Or you might want to try their very Espesyal Halo-Halo treat. A sweet ending to a Filipino feast. #Cheersto100 Treat In addition to its 100 th store celebration, Kuya J has prepared an espesyal treat for its customers. 

From October 7 to 31, 2017, 2PM to 5PM, the Kuya J Original and Ube Halo- Halo Espesyal will be available at 50% off. So that means everyone can enjoy the uniquely delicious dessert for only P55 at any Kuya J Restaurant branches nationwide. 

Kuya J Restaurant is a Filipino casual dining restaurant that offers quality dishes such as Crispy Pata, Grilled Scallops, Bulalo, Sisig, Roast Chicken, and more. Visit their website at www.kuyaj.ph to know more about Kuya J.

Tried Samyang Spicy Ramen

It's been the talk of the town lately.. And I got curious about it, but the problem is no one's selling this in our area.. Until my friend's got some supplies and posted online that she's selling some.. So I bought a few packs.
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DISCOVERING PALAWAN, DISCOVERING SM CITY PUERTO PRINCESA

SM City Puerto Princesa is a resort style complex that reflects the province's tropical feel while integrating SM's innovative design approach

Striking glass walls at the main entrances and a dramatic linear overhang create an impressive and inviting appearance for the mall in all directions.

  There is so much to discover at SM City Puerto Princesa.

SM City Puerto Princesa Opens September 15

Known as the Philippines’ last ecological frontier, the province of Palawan is a natural wonder with its vast tracts of tropical rainforests and a huge expanse of marine wilderness.

The province is composed of the long and narrow Palawan Island, which is surrounded by about 1,780 smaller islands and islets. Rocky coves and sandy beaches lie in primordial splendor along Palawan’s almost 2,000-kilometer coast. Renowned underwater explorer Jacques Costeau has described Palawan as having one of the most beautiful seascapes in the world. Sprawled beneath its seas are nearly 11,000 square kilometers of coral reefs; while myriads of fish swim in these underwater gardens.

Palawan has probably more protected areas than any other province – the Calauit Game Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary with its exotic and endemic species of animals roaming freely; the El Nido–Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area with its edible bird’s nests and limestone cliffs; and the Tubbataha Reefs, a pair of coral atolls that was named a world heritage site in 1993.

In the heart of Palawan lies the City of Puerto Princesa, a tropical paradise with a bustling urban center perfect for business with leisure trips. Lush rain forests and white sand beaches are simply hours away from the city proper, where a banking, commercial, IT, and BPO boom have made it one of the country’s fastest developing cities.
 

And then, of course, there is the Puerto Princesa River National Park, another world Heritage Site that has one of the longest underground rivers in the world with its old growth forests, cathedral caves, limestone cliffs, and unique flora and fauna. It is said that every island is an adventure in Palawan, and there will be so much for both residents and the many tourists to discover when SM City Puerto Princesa opens its doors to the public on September 15, 2017.

Envisioned as Palawan’s premier mall, SM City Puerto Princesa is a resort style complex that reflects the province’s tropical feel while integrating SM’s innovative design approach. SM Prime Holding’s 64 th mall will serve shoppers in Puerto Princesa and Palawan, as well as residents of the nearby provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon in the MIMAROPA region.

Strategically located in a 47-square meter site along Malvar corner Lacao Streets in Puerto Princesa, the three-level 54,000 square meter mall will create a unique identity along the island’s most popular thoroughfare and within a short walk to the well-known Baywalk Park and nearby pier. Striking glass walls at the main entrances and a dramatic linear overhang stretching along Malvar Street create an impressive and inviting appearance for the mall as approached in every direction.

But what makes SM City Puerto Princesa an exciting new lifestyle destination?

• It is a Resort Style Complex in an Urban Paradise. Lush landscaping and reflecting pools integrate the mall into its setting while providing sheltered walkways for pedestrians along the street. The mall’s interiors are distinctly crisp and modern with textures and relaxing colors that give one the sense of being on a tropical holiday. At each opening to the floor above, walls clad in a unique plaster give a texture of continuous and soft waves. An elaborate ceiling displaying hundreds of delicate handcrafted wooden lanterns not only ample natural light, but add to the Palawan feel.
• Great Shopping + Leisure + Entertainment. With The SM Store and SM Supermarket as its major anchors SM City Puerto Princesa brings to Palawan a mix of SM mainstays like SM Appliance Center, ACE Hardware, Watsons, Surplus,Miniso, and Sports Central; as well as national and global brands in its 180 food and retail shops.Eating out options include specialty restaurants, and international andlocal food chains. Dining in the mall is experiential, not only because of the exciting food choices, but also because its two levels of restaurants give dinersamazing views of the Puerto Princesa Bay and Thumb Peak.The mall will also bring great entertainment to Palawan with its threestate of the art cinemas and two Director’s Club theaters.
• First in Palawan Brands. SM City Puerto Princesa adds a lot of lifestyleexcitement when it gives residents wide array of dining choices with the opening of the first Mesa restaurant, Kuya J, Cabalen, RibShack, Turk’s Shawarma, BreadTalk, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Techies will love Palawan’s first Powermac and Rulls stores in the mall’s Cyberzone, while DermCare, Belle La Peau, and Dent XP give new concepts in looking good and feeling great in the wellness area.Global apparel brands will further increase Palaweños’ excitement with Hush Puppies, Macbeth, Memo, Regatta, and Toby’s.
• Homegrown Brands. Shoppers in SM City Puerto Princesa will also enjoy the best of Palawan brands like McCoys Brickoven Pizza, Isla Casoy De Palawan, Vogere by Bong Villanueva, Divine Sweets, Puerto Electronico, Banh Pho Chao Long, and more.
• A Travelers’ Lounge. With Puerto Princesa City and Palawan as a tourist haven,the mall complements the tourism-related offerings available by providing an alternative relaxation hub for visitors where they could rest, bathe, book flights, and seek assistance on other concerns. 
• A Commitment to Sustainability. The mall is designed to achieve a sustainable future. Natural lighting, 6” CHB walls with an Exterior Insulating System, and Solar Panels make it a cost-efficient and energy saving building in line with SM Prime Holdings’ commitment on disaster mitigation measures and carbon footprint reduction.
• A Sewage Treatment Plant treats restaurant and toilet wastes with a Treated Water Recycling Tank System. toilet flushing, plants irrigation,cleaning/maintenance and other non-potable purposes that help in the conservation of freshwater. Recycled Water will also be used on the Air-conditioning System’s chilled water and cooling towers to reduce fresh water consumption. Paver Blocks will be strategically used on the parking areas to allow rainwater penetration in the grounds to replenish underground water table.

Solid wastes will be managed in accordance to local and national standards of segregation, recycling, reusing, and sending to the sanitary landfill. This is even elevated to a more inclusive advocacy in SM’s Trash to Cash initiative.

For customer convenience, SM City Puerto Princesa will have a two-level parking area with 398 car slots, as well as a tricycle and jeepney terminal. 

SM City Puerto Princesa’s project team includes Robert Meckfessel – DSGN Associates, Design Architect; Jose Siao Ling & Associates, Architect of Record; D. A. Abcede, Project Manager; KHMAYA Builders, General Contractor.