Mary Grace Cafe: A Homey Place to Work

With my work requiring me to spend all day hooked to the internet, it comes to no surprise why I can be spotted in different cafes around the metro. If I'm not drinking coffee, I'm usually ordering tea. While there are some cafes that have exceptional food, I really can't say the same for the rest. But because I need to be hooked to the internet and to a power source, it is only practical why I would sacrifice taste just so I could get work done.

With so many people who are now frequenting cafes and are staying there for several hours, it can be hard to spot an area you can stay in. When I'm in Greenbelt, my first selection would always be the CBTL branch in GB3. But since there are so many people who are always there, I would walk all the way to CBTL-Residences to try my luck. Often, I am lucky. But for the rare instances where I don't have a place to work in, I check out Seattle's Best and then Figaro (Greenbelt 3). My selection has always been so limited. 

Thankfully, Mary Grace Cafe opened a branch in Greenbelt 2. I think they opened around April or May this year. Since I'm no stranger to this quaint cafe, I found it only fitting that I should try out this branch. I usually eat in their Serendra branch but it's too far. So when I discovered the GB2 branch, I was so excited!

Mary Grace Cafe in Greenbelt 2

Mary Grace Cafe in Greenbelt 2

When I first dined in this branch, I was very pleased with their interiors. It had the same appeal as their other branch-- only it was more spacious this time. I was really pleased to know that they have installed free Wi-Fi to all their guests. Plus, most of their tables had an extension cord so diners could plug in their laptops. I only have an issue with their extension cords because they plug each extension cord to another extension cord. My laptop's plug has a melted portion on the top because of this. I even encountered one incident where it kept sparking. :( I wish they would change their extension cords so they could avoid accidents. 

Handmade Chandeliers

I especially love the second floor-- where there was a children's corner available on one side of the room.

Children's Corner

I also like the garden area because it's so warm and colorful-- green and vibrant. Unfortunately, the time I sat there, two girls sat next to me and smoked cigarettes. Despite all the hullabaloo about MMDA's new ordinance against smoking in public places, this did not seem to apply to them. Because I did not want to get another acute pneumonia condition, I decided to transfer inside. 

Garden area

It was too perfect! They had homey interiors, cozy ambiance, free Wi-Fi, plugs, and delicious food-- the only downfall was that their food was a bit pricey.

I know they offer quality food and the price is fine for how delicious the food is-- but I can't go there on a daily basis. Well, I can but I'll just have to end up ordering my favorite drinks and snacks. I think this is no problem though because their food has never disappointed me-- ever. Here are some of my favorite foods and drinks from Mary Grace Cafe:

1. Smoked Salmon & Cream Pasta

The pasta for those who are on a semi-diet. Let's just call it a cheat day okay? :) 

Smoked Salmon & Cream Pasta
P 251

2. Grilled Cheese Roll

You can choose to have it grilled or classic-- either way works.

Grilled Cheese Roll
P 42/ each

3. Homemade Iced Teas

You can order by glass or by pitcher-- the pitcher serves 2-3 people abundantly. My favorite is the Wild Raspberry. 

Peach Homemade Iced Tea
P 75 (glass)/ P 224 (pitcher)

4. Sansrival Cake

Oh and did I mention they have the best Sansrival cake in Manila?

Sansrival
P 90 (slice)/ P 230 (mini)/ P 610 (whole 8x8x2 inches)

So if you want good food, ambiance and a relaxed dining experience, Mary Grace Cafe in Greenbelt 2 should be your choice!

*Pictures of Mary Grace (the establishment) have been borrowed from their Facebook Page. Visit their website to find out more information about them. www.marygracecafe.com/

EatsTrixie!'s 5 Things to do to Battle Pinoy Summer Heat

You know the heat is so intolerable these days when you just stepped out of the shower and you're already sweating. Yes, summer. It's that hot. Since some of us can't have the luxury to escape to the beach, we've got to make do with the intense heat we're experiencing. Here are some of the things I suggest to battle the hot summer season:

1. Wear comfortable clothing
Unless you're going to a formal event, leave out the pumps and formal wear. Go for shorts and light colored tank tops where you can feel comfortable in.

Check out Sueno de Espadrilles-- they're the perfect summer shoes at only P650!

2. Go to your favorite coffee shop

In my case, it's Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf because I get to use their free Wi-Fi and plug my laptop. Also, I like Starbucks'-- especially if I'm in Rockwell area because it's so comfortable to work there. I usually order the Mocha Ice Blended from CBTL and Java Chip from Starbucks.

CBTL or Starbucks?

3. Watch a movie

Oh yes. A movie always works. You get to entertain yourself for the next couple of hours, depending on the film that your watching. Plus, you get free air conditioning!


4. Eat ice cream


You can get cheap thrills such as McDonald's Sundae or indulge in uber expensive ice cream by Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry's! Depending on your budget, ice cream always does the trick.

McDonald's or Haagen-Dazs?

I recently got to discover a new Korean ice cream called Ched'or when a Korean friend bought one for me. I used to eat Samanco before but now that I got to taste this new ice cream, this became my new choice.

Ched'or Berrymix

A few days ago, I went to the Korean grocery located below Makati Palace Hotel in P. Burgos St. and looked for Ched'or. I wasn't able to find the Berrymix flavor and was shocked that it came in another variety--Espresso. I decided to try it out and boy! I loved it more! This ice cream cost P56. 

Ched'or Espresso Flavor

5. Stay indoors


Well, if you don't have any money and it's too hot to even move, just stay indoors and take a bath. :)

Why I'm So Excited That It's Finally March

It's March! A few days to go before my whole world will have a complete re-vamping. I am so excited for the exciting things that this month has to offer. It's like this has been the moment I have been waiting for. I'm finally going to be alone. :)

For the longest time, I have always wanted to live on my own. I was just never permitted and didn't have enough money to do it. But now that my sister is getting married on the 25th (yes, this month too), I am finally living my dream! I am so happy because now I can finally be independent. Since I've chosen to move to Makati, who else should I feel like but none other than Sarah Jessica Parker's character in the hit TV series Sex and the City! For one, she's a writer and she's living in the big city. Although my taste and knowledge in fashion is not as deep as hers, it's still a rough imitation of life. 

Umm... no... this is Carrie Bradshaw's bedroom

if only I had a Mac already... 

Aside from this, I am going back to school. Yes, school. But not culinary arts--this will forever be a part of me that I can never get back. I mean, I still like to cook and experiment on new dishes. But as far as the stress involved with professional cooking, I'll pass thankyouverymuch. 

I will be starting school next week. It's just a short course on iOS Programming (e.g. learning how to create iPhone apps). It will last for the next 6 months. 

Another change that is going on with my life right now is that I have started meeting new guys. For those who can remember, the last time I dated was in 2009 and that did not end well. So this time, I'm still on the stage where I meet new guys of different culture, family and lifestyle backgrounds. I guess it's safe to say that I'm not playing around. I am just meeting new people. Period.

Also, I was very shocked to hear that Anywhere Philippines chose me to be their February Blogger of the Month. In line with this, I get to join them on a trip to Baler. SO EXCITED FOR THIS! 

Plus, just last week the DLSU-Writers' Guild asked me to be their guest speaker for their event called Nomnomnom Food Blogging Talk together with a friend blogger, Smarla (Everyday Sweet Notes). The event went really well. 

image c/o Smarla (Everyday Sweet Notes)

With all these changes, the one that I'm most excited about is the big move. One thing I'm not too keen on is the fact that I'll no longer have free Wi-Fi at home. I do have a postpaid Smart Bro Plug It. But I'm worried about my iPhone and iTouch. I still want to be able to download new games and chat with new people on Skout. Plus I want to my laptop to be free of any USB connections and cables. 

So this got me thinking... that this is the best time for me to subscribe to a personal broadband connection. Since I'm already using Smart Bro Plug It and I am thoroughly pleased with the connection I have been receiving, I think I should subscribe with them too. 

I am not only assured of the speed of their internet connection, I just discovered that it's the best time to get  a Smart Bro broadband connection because they have an ongoing promo called Smart Bro's Broadbandest Blowout.

If I subscribe to the SMART BRO Unlimited Home Broadband Plan 999 or 1995, I can get several freebies such as:

• Free All-in-One HP Printer
• Free Call & Texts with SMART Gold Lite Plan 300 for 6 months subscription
• Free 1 Month Broadband Subscription

Since I'm sure of Smart Bro's consistency in surfing speed and stable signal, I will have no trouble submitting my work in time. I do have to think about it intently since this promo is only running from March 4-June 4, 2011.

Wish me luck guys! I'll be starting to haul my stuff to the new place tomorrow!

If you're interested in the SMART BRO Broadbandest Blowout promo, you can get more information by visiting your nearest SMART Wireless Center or any SMART BRO accredited agents. This promo is covered by the Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 1871, Series of 2011.

The New C's Cafe in Bacolod

I arrived in Bacolod City this Tuesday afternoon and rode the shuttle service to SM Bacolod to meet with my friend Mimi. She helped me carry my many luggage because I still needed to get my dog, Ponti, from my dad's house. 

After getting Ponti, Mimi and I decided to eat dinner someplace. We decided to eat at L'Sea, a local Chinese  (dimsum) restaurant which has been a local favorite for a decade or more.We ordered the rice topping dishes so I decided not to take a picture of it. One order of rice topping can cost between P65 to P90, the only thing that varies is the viand that comes with the rice. 

When the bill came, I was really shocked because our total bill for 2 rice toppings and 1 siomai was only P193! Compared to Manila, that's already the price of just one dish!

So after dinner, we decided to get dessert. Since Calea (another local favorite) was closed, we decided to try a new cafe which was only a couple of minutes walk from L'Sea. 

Ever since my last visit (June 2010), a lot has changed in Bacolod. There are new traffic lights, restaurants and people. I do not recognize most of the people who I am faced with. That's why I decided to just focus on the new restaurants. 

The new cafe, C's Cafe, is part of the Ciocon family franchise. The cafe is located just outside the newly renovated first class hotel. It faces the semi-busy Lacson street and has a quaint atmosphere to it. 

L'Fisher Hotel, Lacson St., Bacolod City

C's Cafe, Bacolod City

C's Cafe, Bacolod City

C's Cafe, Bacolod City

C's Cafe, Bacolod City

C's Cafe, Bacolod City

In C's Cafe, we ordered 2 dishes: a slice of Intense cake and Chocolate Truffle Cake. I got the Intense cake because it looked really intriguing to me. When it arrived on our table, I was surprised with the middle layer. Sesame seeds?! On a cake.... 

Intense Cake, C's Cafe
(P120)

Intense Cake, C's Cafe
(P120)

Intense Cake, C's Cafe
(P120)

Intense Cake, C's Cafe
(P120)

The top layer was a glazed mousse like consistency that tasted like mocha and coffee. The second layer was full of sesame seeds and the third layer was a cookie crust. I found the taste of sesame seeds on a cake strange but it was worth a try. I didn't get to finish it though since the serving was too big!

Intense Cake, C's Cafe
(P120)

Mimi got the Chocolate Truffle Cake. I got to taste it and it was a sweet moist chocolate cake. It was good but I found the chocolate icing too sweet. Plus with a serving that big, you would be giving yourself a heart attack!

Chocolate Truffle Cake, C's Cafe
(P90)

Chocolate Truffle Cake, C's Cafe
(P90)

Chocolate Truffle Cake, C's Cafe
(P90)

Chocolate Truffle Cake, C's Cafe
(P90)

Chocolate Truffle Cake, C's Cafe
(P90)

All in all, I found their cakes too sweet for my sweet tooth. I really liked the concept of the cafe though because it gave me a feeling that I was back in Manila. Plus, they have free Wi-Fi! For a minimum purchase worth P100, you can use their Wi-Fi already. Aside from the cakes being too sweet, I think their prices are a little too much for Bacolod. If they were in Manila, their prices would be perfect!

L'Sea is located in 14th Lacson Street, in the middle of Piazza Sorrento and L'Fisher Hotel. Just tell the taxi driver that you want to go to the L'Sea restaurant near these two establishments. There are other branches of this restaurant but this is the original branch. For reservations or inquiry, just call (034)434-2509.


After L'Sea, just walk to L'Fisher and you will find C's Cafe in the famed hotel's facade. 

War of the 2011 Journals: The 2011 Giving Journal

With the Christmas season coming in near, it can only mean one thing: time to hunt for the perfect 2011 journal! I remember my journal for 2009 was the Belle-De-Jour journal which I never got to use!

I never used this!

My journal for this year was the Navi 2010. I did use this journal but not on a daily basis because it was too heavy to carry along with my laptop.

My 2010 journal

After reading Animetric's post about the 2011 Starbucks Planner, I decided to start collecting stickers for it. Unfortunately, I found Starbucks' coffee a little too expensive, especially since they do not have free Wi-Fi. Ever since I became a freelancer, I have always frequented The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I especially love their Southern Blend iced tea because I'm not really much of a coffee drinker.

Southern Blend Iced Tea

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's 2011 Journal

While I was waiting for Angel to get off work last Friday, it was only routine for us to meet at CBTL in Greenbelt 3. Lucky enough, I got to see their new 2011 Giving Journal which they released not too long ago.

I was really excited with this journal for many reasons:

1. It looks a bit like my old planner.
2. Unlike the Belle-Du-Jour planner, it does not correlate to just a specific gender.

3. I can actually collect the stickers!
4. An order of regular or large Southern Blend = 1 sticker!
5. It's centered around the concept of Giving Back.

When I was able to see the journal, I instantaneously gave up my Starbucks' sticker collection and gave it to Angel. I really like CBTL's journal because I don't have to waste money in coffee that I don't really drink just so I could get the journal. With them, the journal is really just their present to me for being a loyal customer! ^,^

I found the right journal for me! Have you?