Win A Buffet Dinner Date at the Acacia Hotel!!

Our friends from Acacia Hotel Manila just sent me some Dinner Buffet Gift Certificates! I wasn't really expecting this to happen but I'm thankful that it did....and it even arrived just before my birthday! This is a really great treat since I'm most happy whenever I'm able to make people smile. Nothing could ever be more delicious for me than to help people make good memories to keep. I just really love that idea!

A few months ago, Frank and I had the opportunity to feature the Acacia Hotel Manila! We surely had a heck of a grand time not only for their amenities and food but most especially due to the one of a kind hospitality which stood out from the rest! Nothing really beats world-class Filipino service!

I'm really excited to announce this contest to you all! I'm sure you will enjoy this treat as much as we did!

This is another wish granted for me since I really would also like to share my joys on my birthday! 

I do hope you can help me spread the word out on how wonderful it is to stay at the Acacia Hotel Manila.

To help Acacia Hotel Manila gain more likes, we've decided to make it into a

Tag and Share Promo =)

For this contest all you have to do is follow these simple steps.

1. LIKE these pages

    When In Manila

   Acacia Hotel Manila

    Eats A Date

2. Like our official review for When In Manila -

 http://www.wheninmanila.com/acacia-hotel-manilaa-filipino-five-star-luxury-hotel-in-the-south-of-manila/ 

3. Tweet this link :

     Win Dinner Buffet GCs at @acaciahotels

http://www.eatsadate.com/2012/05/win-buffet-dinner-date-at-acacia-hotel.html

@mayoilagan

 *don't forget to follow me (@mayoilagan and @acaciahotels )

4. Post the photo provided below  and copy  paste this on your FB wall (be sure to set it on PUBLIC)

    

   Win a Dinner Buffet Date at Acacia Hotel Manila! Like the @Acacia Hotel Manila Fan Page and get a chance to win gift certificates to treat your special someone at this very special place!! Join now!!

   If I win, I will invite ( tag the person you wanna invite) on this @wheninmanila and @eatsadate promo because ____(reason why you wanna share this date with him/her)____!

    * be sure to tag the fb pages of  Acacia Hotel Manila, Eats a Date and When In Manila!

4. When you're done with steps 1-4, be sure to leave a comment below so I can verify it.

  example:
  

  1. Liked When In Manila, Acacia Hotel Manila and Eats A Date FB pages
  2. Liked the article on When In Manila
  3. Tweeted the link and followed @mayoilagan & @acaciahotels

 4.Posted a status message and tagged the person I wanna invite.
 

DON'T FORGET to

write your name and email address at the end so I can put you on the list of qualified contestants! =)

Deadline of entries will be on May 12, 2012 (until 11:59pm)

Prizes: 2 lucky readers will win a Dinner Buffet GC  for 2 from Acacia Hotel Manila!

Winners will be announced on May 13!!!

*for Metro Manila residents only!

Spread the word!!! Join Now!!

Food For Thought.....

Empanada de Kaliskis 120

So what makes a meal so unforgettable? What makes a dish come alive? 

It is with the secret exotic flavors the maker puts in it? The slow and intensive cooking process  it has to undergo? The artistic plating which wows you, making you fall off your seat?

To me, it is way more than that.

Like in photography, even dishes carry with them their own stories. Each spice and herb gives you a hint on where the dish came from.. telling you something about the people about a place or an era perhaps. And with each bite, you also get a piece of it into you... a connection.... like an heirloom being passed to you from hundreds of generations.

Nothing could ever be more delicious than a meal consisting of dishes which tell you various tales from unconquered lands. More like a meeting of cultures right at your dinner table... and the feeling of being privileged when you meet the chef who meticulously prepared them to make you get he "story" right.

Tasting dishes  which you know were prepared exactly how they were done centuries ago gives not only a sure ticket back in time, but also a cultural connection and understanding which adds a piece of a puzzle to our being Filipino.

The immortality of these dishes are really gonna be up to us......

Birthday Party #4 : Fancy Crepe Date with Badeth

It just gets better and better each year. I'm now convinced that 1 day isn't enough to celebrate my birthday with all the friends I have coming from many industries. I don't really throw grand parties whatsoever. I guess when you become older, you tend to go for simpler things. With me though, it has always been the simple things which I give value the most. I believe that this blog has changed me a lot, not just with the skills I learned, but most of all about how I view life in general.

These days, I'm slowly being convinced how mad I have become with photography. My life right now revolves around images. Everyday, I fall in-love more and more with the images I create. I think I'm becoming a real geek now!

This month, I just wanna spend time with the people who really matter to me and the plan is to go out and spend time with them... pretty much the same as always. I don't just remember people during special occasions....

Badeth of course has always been one of my very loyal friends. We're more of sisters actually. Honestly, though she's way younger than I am, I must say that I also learn a lot from her. I love hanging out with her. Having occasional girl bondings etc. She knows most of my friends from the music scene and she finds them to be crazy! LOL

This evening, we decided to check out this dessert place at Matahimik St. called Fancy Crepes. We thought it would just be a typical crepe cafe but it turns out to be really special.






Here's why.....





Each crepe is personalized! We were amazed when we saw our names on our plates! Good thing I always have Maggie with me!

We ordered crepe Suzette and Nutty Nutella

Badeth couldn't get over her lovely plate!

I love Crepe Suzette

I never thought this experience would be really nice.Got us so excited! Funny how that little gesture would make all the difference. It just goes to show how having a little "personal touch" makes even the simplest of things so precious. I love he "country" "homey" ambiance of the place. As you know I love wood a lot! I can't wait to invite my other friends over! I find it to be an ideal place to hang-out on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Honestly, I don't really feel like growing old...I even feel younger and more alive day by day. I may have occasional shortcomings but good thing, I still manage to deal with them head-on....coz at the end of the day, I still know that things are gonna be for the good and that people with the best of intentions will always be rewarded from above. And really, I am sooooooo blessed so there is no reason for me to be sad.

*sigh* it's nice to be ALIVE at 32!
I may not be the type whose face could launch a thousand ships...  I may not have any poems or songs be written in my memory....these things, I won't really know for sure.  What's important to me perhaps is that I hold this firm belief that I'm one of those who are brave enough to dare LIVE.

...when I die, let this be etched on my tomb: The Girl Who Dared to LIVE!

Mom's Day at Luk Yuen

Moments with mom are very dear to me. Though we stay in one roof, I find myself missing her from time to time since we hardly see on weekdays due to my work schedule. I'm happy that we still manage to have some "chika" time on weekends and it really is so nice to talk with her. Though she's always the one who encourages me to go out, have fun and do my thing, I still would like to spend as much time with her. It would defeat the purpose of what I believe if I don't practice what I preach. I believe having talk time with your parents is a must for everyone!

The other day I told her we should visit Luk Yuen again (her favorite restaurant) since it's Mother's Day and it's gonna be my birthday in a few days. It's a must to have an exclusive date with her of course!

My moms is my inspiration of course. My first and best teacher. From writing, cooking as well as music and arts, she has always been very supportive of me. On this day, nothing really fancy for us, I just wanted to treat her at her all-time favorite place.

Here's what she picked......


In all our visits, we never fail to order Hakaw (steamed shrimp dumplings) but this time, we tried their Ravioli Dumplings with onions and ginger (170php). It was delicately flavored and complimented our meal well honestly however, I still prefer the silky Hakaw!

ravioli dumplings with onions and ginger

It was our 1st time to try their Cantonese Machang and we both liked it a lot! Steamed sticky rice filled with ground pork, eggs and spices!

Cantonese machang

Of course, it's always a must to order mom's favorite (and mine) Special Udon with Seafood (210php). Japanese food will always hold a special place in our heart. We just love the texture of the udon along with fresh shrimps, cuttlefish and fish fillet with loads of crunchy veggies!

Special Seafood Udon

You know it's good when it looks like it..............
I wanna make this at home!

Now this is something which I really really enjoy eating! Mom and I couldn't get enough of it! Their Green Tea Pudding is sooooo delightfully creamy! You can definitely taste the green tea there! Not too sweet! Just the way I love it!

Green tea pudding

I'm glad to make her happy that day. We will have more of these for sure. Also glad to know that she's also happy with the things I've been doing, though she said she's a bit worried about me for still being single at this age. She said she doesn't want to leave this world without  assuring that I'd be fine with someone who will take care of me. Hmmmmm I wish I knew the right words to say. I know she just wants the best for me.  Sad how we all have to face life's sad realities ... no exemptions. I'm still very hopeful nonetheless. It will come at the right time. I really appreciate all the well wishes and support which my friends give me.  I know that God is still writing my love story =)

Right now I'm enjoying my month long birthday celebration so stay tuned for my special birthday entry! =)

Seriously? - Reflections of a Freakin' Creative

It was yet another scorching hot day in Manila. I don't even wanna know the exact temperature. My friend Mike was nice enough to accompany me to a shoot this afternoon. It was a sort of Head Shot CLinic for the FB timeline, a project of the prominent celebrity photographer Niccolo Cosme. I'm not really into fashion photography (I find it so fake hahahaha) yet still, I believe I would have to try things once a while. I just got curious about studio set-ups so I was more excited on what I can learn from the experience.

meet Star

When Mike and I arrived at their studio, the people were so relaxed and very easy to approach. I'm really glad to meet those young photographers and I find them to be really cool.

I found it so funny to realize that it is also hard to pose in front of the cam. It made me love being a photographer more. Yeah, there is more creativity when holding the camera. Being a portrait photographer isn't easy. I won't tell you about my views about it coz I think it is very hard to explain. I have a quite complicated idea about portraiture. For me it holds a much deeper meaning.

After the quick shoot, Mike told me we should check out this Japanese-Vietnamese resto at the B-side Collective called Wabi-Sabi. 

Here's what we ordered..... the prices were really reasonable with only 300php as our total bill.

Thai Milk Tea

Pho 

Bahn Mih

I enjoyed taking photos of those dishes we ordered. The food was nice. I can't wait to invite Frank and Badeth there. I bet they will appreciate it. I'm currently busy training my eyes on my new prime lens. Kick ass! I'm so proud of my progress and I noticed my shots hardly need post processing anymore. These food shots now had very very minimal adjustment. I remember increasing only a little contrast.
By the time Frank gets his own prime (which I'm sure he will love), I'm sure he'll kick my ass big time! ahihiihhi

After eating at Wa-Sabi, I met up with my friend Joan for some catching up. We went to Shangri-la and had some dessert at Secret Recipe. ...

Cappuccino Cheesecake

forks!

I find nothing special about Secret Recipe. I honestly didn't like the cheesecake... it would have been better if served more chilled/frozen. The fries were also not as fresh and hot when it was served. If Frank were there, I'm sure he would say the same.

We felt like drinking a bottle for the road so we went to the Krocodille  Grille for some booze and sisig.

decent Sisig

we only had 1 bottle each

And because I always reflect about the things which happen to me, of course I had another set of realizations. A while ago, a friend of mine told me he noticed I was getting more and more serious about my photos. I was stunned! Seriously? I never really thought of it that way for my mindset has always been on how to improve,have fun and not about getting too serious. When you are truly passionate about something, it will come out naturally, you don't even have to remind yourself to practice for it will be a natural desire for you to do it because it makes you ALIVE. My camera is the extension of me. NO matter how many people suggest I upgrade, nah...... I'd like to maximize it more and challenge myself more. IT is through hard work and utilizing what you have, that makes a person stand out. In my case, the less I have, the MORE I produce.

There are so many people out there joining the DSLR craze.... with their top of the line models and expensive lenses yet they produce such mediocre shots.... They may be well informed about the "rules" yet their frames are lifeless and empty... with scarecrow faces and all... ever  lacking something. Truly they don't have the slightest idea on what photography "really" is. Hey! I know I'm not an expert, but at least I know what I'm doing and WHY.

Seriously? Yeah, given the opportunity why not?  To earn from doing something you love sounds like a dream come true. I remember a saying that goes like, when you do the thing that makes you alive, you'll never have to work again in your life. I believe it's about following your heart's desire.

I love taking photos...I will never tire saying this again and again. Photography has taught me so much more than just technical skills on how to capture moments but also life lessons which strengthens the character more.  Perhaps the reason why I'm so into it is because of how it "means" to me. These very ideas are the ones which fuel this passion.

I know I'm one of those kick ass girls right now not because of my looks but because of the things I can do and my personality. I actually feel flattered when guys find me intimidating for usually, I get admirers because of the "angst" which I possess which I think guys find "attractive". Hmmmmm

 I guess guys do find confidence to be sexy... oh well, I'm just being myself.

I just know in my heart that I'm one of a kind. I know I possess things which cannot be taken away.