The art of bonding...

Last weekend my daughter and I had a nice bonding moment together and this time, we decided to have an overnight stay at the un-convention center called Ponce Suites, rather than go out of town. Why did we choose to spend a night at this hotel?..well, for one, the place is known for being a gallery hotel since it is owned by the family of a renowned artist here in Davao named Kublai Millan, the man behind most number of sculptures you can see in different parts of the city especially those found at the Peoples Park and we just wanted to simply experience it. Another thing is that, I know it will be so exhilarating for my daughter being a budding artist herself and I wanted her to be exposed to different form of arts so as to inspire and hone her artistic talent as well. Anyway, the moment you see this hotel, you could not ignore the gigantic Philippine Eagle sculptures at the entrance which makes one wonder what else can you discover in its premises.

Inside the the hotel however, not a single corner was spared, even the ceiling looks like an art gallery. Rows and columns of art works were displayed along the hallway. I asked for a room that had a wi-fi connection and we were being ushered into the the third floor. The stairs leading to our room is like a work of art too. I learned that the hotel had 30 rooms, a newly opened Kublai cafe and bar located at the second floor and also a roof deck.

Our room was just fine and spacious with a big matrimonial bed and basic amenities such as cable tv, hot and cold shower but their wi-fi connection was so weak that I was not able to use it. Air con works well and the price is very reasonable too. But what counts most is the experience and bonding that I have with my daughter. We just enjoyed the moment telling ghosts stories, jokes, eating, playing games on my computer or just watching tv.

The following day, we woke a little late than usual then we went straight to the cafe for breakfast. I just had a cup of coffee while my daughter opted to eat some rice and viand. Their cafe had a very cozy ambiance, there were also books and magazines when a visitor wants to read and just stay there for awhile.

After eating, we went to the roof deck and have some picture taking. We were really amazed, it is indeed a gallery hotel. From photography, pen, mosaics, watercolor, collages, abstract and even stone art, all in one place. Definitely a nice bonding moment to reminisce for a lifetime.

Korean foodtrip

From Drop Box

I am a huge fan of spicy dishes and Korean cuisine is definitely a big yes for me. Recently, when my cousin and I had our usual moms day out sessions ( just to break the monotony of being a stay at home mom ), we decided to try Somang Kimchi Restaurant located along JP Laurel Ave., Davao City. It was our first time to dine at this restaurant and we were kind of curious and at the same time excited about it. It was past 11 am when we entered the place and not much diners were there, maybe just about 3 tables occupied. We find the place rather comfy though their air conditioners are not so cool enough for us. A lady then gave us the menu and we decided to order Ra Myun, a spicy Korean noodles with slices of rice cakes, eggs and veggies. We also ordered the Kimbap which is the Korean version of maki sushi.

From Drop Box

From Drop Box

Just before our main order arrived, their waitress first served us 5 different kinds of banchan ( appetizers ) which consists of kimchi, stir fried veggies, tofu, marinated sprouts and battered sweet potato served in little portions.

From Drop Box

From Drop Box

Their Ra Myun was really hot and spicy but not fiery enough to burn the palate. We also liked the noodles, it's firm and flavorful. The price is just right too, considering the many side dishes that they served. We just paid Php360 for all the food we consumed and whats more, they also served watermelon slices for dessert. All in all we did got value for our money and we went out the restaurant with our tummies and faces smiling :).

From Drop Box

My favorite native delicacies..only from Mers

From Drop Box

Sweets and delicacies have long been part of Filipino tradition. Whenever there are celebrations, native delicacies are always part of a sumptuous feast. But if you are craving for some, there's one restaurant named Mers, located along Digos high way, could be the place to go. From their best seller which is bibingka, they also offered different varieties of treats like pastillas, salvaro, coconut balls, kalamay, maja blanca, ube, suman, moron, coconut cookies and a lot lot more. Their prices are also very reasonable. Also, aside from those delicacies, one of my favorite is their puto with dinuguan. If you happen to taste their dinuguan, maybe you would likely come back for more. I guess this is also one of the reason why people kept coming back to this restaurant. Even my daughter which is a picky eater happen to like it. So if you are looking for nice food trip..try Mers ( maybe about 30 minutes from Davao City ). Not only you can enjoy the yummy taste of their famous dinuguan and puto, but you can also bring home some native delicacies and share it to your loveones.

Mixed emotions

I just turned 38 yesterday..Yay!.. I am 38 with an exclamation point!..and to be brutally honest..that fact still did not sink in..I do not know if I am just in a denial stage because of the saying that says its all downhill for a woman after reaching the age 40..Awwwww..does that means it is also all downhill for me after two years?..Ugh! A friend of mine even jokingly suggested I should invest in a good skateboard for a smooth ride going downhill :).Oh well, I would rather choose to go downhill than going six feet below the ground anyway..But of course, aging is inevitable.. no matter who we are and what we do..there is no other way..we really grow old eventually. Well looking back..I do have few regrets, triumphs, tears, fun..its actually a smorgasbord of emotions anyway. I remember when I was young, where I used to read all about fairy tales book my mom gave me, my perception about life is so different. I used to dream of my prince charming sweeping off my feet, offering me the sun and the moon and we would live happily ever after..Gosh, I did not know I needed to have a reality check during those times where I viewed life with rose tinted glasses. It was too late to realize that prince charmings can really turn into deep ugly frogs. I did not know that in reality, there are piles of clothes and plates to wash, bills and tuition fees to pay and that my so called prince charming can easily replace me with a new princess in just a snap. Duh!..if only I was wiser then :)..With age really comes wisdom too..So I guess I do not need to be afraid of aging. I have learned a lot so far. I have also learned to accept the fact that I am perfectly imperfect. There are regrets yeah, but at the end of the day, I am really thankful for all the blessings God gave me. Having a very supportive family, close friends that are always ready to give a lending hand when I needed them, 2 kids that loves me a lot to the point of spoiling me with their hugs and kisses as well as unabashed "i love you mama"..Yes, mixed emotions are part of our existence and its part of us whether we are young or old..but the most important thing is living what our real purpose in life is.. "Carpe diem"..gather rosebuds while ye may..because we never know what lies ahead. :)