May 26 2014

Jenan’s Hunger Games Bridal Shower at Gandiva Cafe

Posted on May 26, 2014 by olsk_mercado

My friend, Jenan who loves The Hunger Games is getting married in a month’s time. As Matron of Honor, I wanted to be able to give her something to remember so what better way than a Hunger Games Bridal Shower!

With the help of one of Jenan’s bridesmaids, Reja we planned for a Hunger Games themed party.

After some research, Reja and I found that there were only 5 archery ranges in Metro Manila. One of which was by membership only. Another which was being renovated. We were left with 3 options.

We finally chose Gandiva Cafe and Archery Range for it’s location and food. It’s conveniently located in Ortigas and about 2 blocks away from SM Megamall. Jenan is vegetarian and Gandiva Cafe’s offerings were perfect.

I’m big on decorations and enjoy making them when I can. I made Jael’s first birthday decorations and love it when I’m able to create what I envision.

With Jenan’s shower I combed the internet and Pinterest where I’m always sure to get great ideas.

I was limited to what I could make for decorations and had to mostly keep it to what I could put on the table.

I chose simple and easy designs but ones that were unique and would give color.

I found this cute picture of a bag and arrows made of those cardboard tubes from toilet paper. See original design here: Marigold Mom

I saw a beautiful design with origami birds hanging from string but since we weren’t allowed to hang decorations I decided to just make origami birds to put on the table. Tutorial here: Origami Crane

I found these cute printables of famous Hunger Games quotes and such. They make for great decorations and photo props. Straw flags & tags

Balloons are an easy way to create a festive feel. I chose red and orange balloons and just taped the Mockingjay bird I printed out onto the balloons.

Gandiva Cafe

Before trying the archery range, we had a late lunch.

As I mentioned earlier, Gandiva Cafe is known for it’s healthy food. They encourage a vegetarian diet and green living.

All your favorites such as pizza, pasta and sandwiches are on their menu.

Photo Credit: Ana Afortunado

Spaghetti Meatballs (Php205) & Oatmeal Cookies (Php40/each)

Tofu Chocolate Cookies and Oatmeal Cookies (Php40/each)

Hawaiian Pizza (Php230)

Archery Range

The archery range is an air conditioned standard Archery gym. It has 9 lanes with an 18 meter distance.

With their one hour sessions they give a short introduction to archery and show you how to stand and hold your bow. They also give tips for a better aim.

Jenan trying out her bow

At the end of your session you get to keep your target sheet as a remembrance.

We wanted everyone to have something to take home and we chose these cupcake towels.

I discovered ICraftin Towels, an online seller at the Manila Workshops: Make Your Own Kiddie Party workshop. They had a beautiful display and I asked them about making a Hunger Games themed favor. We weren’t disappointed. They turned out great.

All the items used were reusable and as you can see their’s even a cute clip.

With my “BFF” Jenan

I’m so happy for you and that you’re starting a new journey. I’ll always be there for you as you have been for me. There’s so much to be excited for and I can’t wait to see your little ones running around!

May 22 2014

Cravings Katipunan

Posted on May 22, 2014 by olsk_mercado

One Sunday afternoon I was in desperate need of some “me time” and when I say “me time” I mean a meet up with my friend, Jenan.

You may recall from a previous post that Jenan is my gorgeous book worm friend who shared her list of the best Dystopian novels.

With Jenan (that’s me in the gray top).

We decided to meet up at Cravings Katipunan where I got a gift certificate for attending a CCA Manila Young Chefs Boot Camp Summer Workshop for bloggers session.

I was previously at their restaurant to avail of their UCC at The Coffee Beanery.

Jenan and I had plenty to discuss, her upcoming wedding where I’m Matron of Honor, our families, work, and just life in general. Our catch ups are so therapeutic and what better way to do that then over a meal!

Since it was a Sunday afternoon there weren’t that many people. We found a comfy place to sit and knowing us we would be taking up that space for quite a few hours.

Our attention was initially focused on ordering cakes but alas, cakes were not available that day. They did have cakes but they were whole ones which couldn’t be sliced. There was one lone junior cake (Dulce De Leche) but that held no interest at all for us. It was a bit of a disappointment.

After perusing the menu we decided to start off with Spaghetti Bolognese, and their Soup of the Day which was Cream of Mushroom.

The servings are good for two and we asked the waiter to serve our soup in 2 bowls. The Spaghetti Bolognese comes with 2 slices of garlic bread (not shown).

I enjoyed the soup and the Spaghetti was just alright. Jenan thought the soup needed more taste (she put a ton of pepper). The picture below just shows my serving.

Spaghetti Bolognese (Php285)

Soup of the Day (Php90)

For our drinks we ordered a Four Seasons shake for Jenan and of course, a Chocolate Milkshake for me.

The Chocolate Milkshake was delicious. It may have been the weather or the fact that I love chocolate but it was good. My only comment is that it would have been better if it was more creamy not slushy.

Chocolate Milkshake (Php145)

Four Seasons Shake (Php165)

Since no meal isn’t complete without dessert we ordered the only item that they could offer which was a Banana Split. I didn’t enjoy this much. As you can see it was already melted when it got to us. I liked the fruits and nuts while Jenan ate the bananas though their bananas weren’t fresh

Banana Split (Php245)

Jenan says “The service and ambiance was good overall. I appreciated that the waiters were always smiling and courteous as they should be. They were also patient (we stayed there quite a while after we were done with our food). The place was pretty, the couch we sat on was comfortable. The food was good but not exceptional but the big serving sizes surprised me.”

Despite the lack of cake and the melted dessert, Jenan and I had a great time. We caught up on life and made plans for the near future.

Cravings on Facebook

Cravings website

May 20 2014

Cupcakes by Sonja at Fairview Terraces

Posted on May 20, 2014 by olsk_mercado

I have been dying to try Cupcakes by Sonja at Fairview Terraces and last Sunday I had the perfect opportunity to try it.

We had just attended the Adventure Time Live on Stage show and were waiting for our pictures to be developed so we decided to cool down at Cupcakes by Sonja which was located at the ground level. It’s a quaint cafe with mismatched chairs and booths.

They have a special offer pairing cupcakes with your choice of drink. I was considering a Special Pairing but the drinks were not enticing for me since I don’t drink coffee and iced tea or lemonade didn’t seem to be a good fit with my choice of cupcake. They do offer water in paper cups though if you end up not buying a drink.

Hopefully, they have chocolate drinks to pair with these cupcakes so I can give in to my chocolate indulgence!

With so many choices, it was hard to pick. They have over 25 cupcake flavors. They also have cookies and bars.

Jael wanted the Blue Chocolate Surprise (Php80.00). I got the Choco Overload (Php105.00). I was so excited to try mine that I didn’t get to take a picture! It’s the cupcake in the picture above right below the Peppermint Patty.

There WILL be a next visit and I’ll take pictures then!

If you’re a cupcake lover then you’ll definitely love Cupcakes by Sonja. It is a bit pricey but the flavors and ambiance are worth it for those who like to indulge.

May 11 2014

Wham Burgers

Posted on May 11, 2014 by olsk_mercado

Burgers are one of my favorites and an invitation to WHAM Burgers at their SM The Block branch was irresistible.

I went with my friend Jamie of Have At You to try their burgers and sides.

Their Wham Burgers branch at SM The Block is in the quiet part of the mall being on the 4th level in the far corner. It’s one you’ll have to make a special trip to for your burger needs.

Double Whammy (Php200 w/ cheese Php260)

The size of this burger is enough to make you full for a day. As you can see the double patty can easily be mistaken for more because it’s so thick.

Flavor wise it’s your classic original burger. The cheese and mustard give it just a bit more flavor.

Bronco Burger (Php200)

This was very flavorful and the bacon slices made it all the more delicious.

It’s smaller compared to the Double Whammy but I felt this packed more of a punch. It has barbecue sauce which gives it that “Bronco” taste.

French Fries (Php73) & Cross Trax (Php80)

Of these two sides, I found the Cross Trax tastier than the French Fries which were a bit on the bland side but not overly so.

Pepper Poppers (Php82)

These were Jalapeno Cheese Poppers which I was hesitant to try because I’m not big on spicy food but these were so good! I love anything cheesy and these fit the bill.

Bottomless Juice (Php71)- Four Seasons

For Php71 that’s a pretty good price for this bottomless Four Seasons drink. They also have soda and iced tea if that’s what you prefer.

Wham Burgers is located at 3 branches: Katipunan, SM North Edsa (The Block), and Mall of Asia.

For more information, visit their website.

Follow them at: Wham! Burger on Facebook, WhamBurgersPH on Twitter, and whamburgersph on Instagram.

Apr 24 2014

Johnny Rockets The Original Hamburger

Posted on April 24, 2014 by olsk_mercado

I’m a huge fan of the 1950′s-1960′s era. The music, the clothing, the innocence was a big draw for me. A big representation of this era are the diners, music and the classic cars so it was a great opportunity for me to attend a Johnny Rockets‘ bloggers lunch courtesy of Mommy Bloggers Philippines.

Johnny Rockets is an international food chain having first opened in Los Angeles on Melrose Ave in 1986. Their menu boasts of all our favorites such as Sandwiches, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Wings, Sliders, Hotdogs, Cheesedogs and of course Hamburgers. They also offer Onion Rings, Chili Fries and salad. Your meal wouldn’t be complete without dessert and they have their famous shakes and floats for that. They also have apple pie, cookies, sundaes and a Cinnamon Pizza!

To cater to our local taste their menu offers up All Time Favorites with Rice: Spam, Hamburger Steak and Corned Beef. They also offer Kiddie Meals in mini versions.

The vibe in their diner exudes the 50′s-60′s feel from the posters to the jukebox. I always wanted to have one of those and I hope to be able to get one someday. For the meantime, I took a good look at the jukebox they had at their Eastwood branch. Seeing the song playlist I felt that old thrill when I used to listen to those classics.

Johnny Rockets is also known for being the “Home of the Dancing Servers”. I got to witness just that while waiting for the afternoon of fun to start. Working at Johnny Rockets you’ll need to maintain a high level of energy with all the dancing they do. They dance every 30 minutes and give a pretty good show!

We were treated to their famous Original Hamburger which I must say is pretty huge. The Original has all the staples of an American burger- fresh lettuce, ripe tomato, chopped onions, relish pickle, mustard and mayonnaise all for the price of Php280.00. You can have cheese with that by just adding Php30.00. It’s served with a side of American fries.

We were in for more deliciousness with their Summer Shakes (Php345). I got Halo Halo just right for this extreme summer heat! They also offer Hawaiian Breeze and Guyabano. It was interesting to know that aside from the shake in the usual glass that they serve, they also serve the excess shake in a separate glass. In most places you won’t get that kind of value for money.

As we enjoyed our food we were entertained with more dancing and songs like Rockin’ Robin and Rock Around the Clock.

They have a Rocketeers Summer Camp for kids ages 6 to 12. Kids will learn how to make these American favorites and dance! It’ll be a unique workshop and your child will definitely leave with an appreciation for customer service and American food and music.

Another excellent piece of news is that Johnny Rockets is coming to the Fairview area. Soon they will open at Fairview Terraces!

So if you’re looking for a night of American food and music drop by a Johnny Rockets near you!

JR Burgos Circle
Unit WS-1 Burgos Circle,Forbes Town Center, Rizal Drive Cor.West Crescent Park,
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig 1634
(02) 836-9546
STORE HOURS:
Open 24 HOURS

JR Eastwood Branch
Ground Floor Eastwood Mall Veranda Libis Quezon City
+632 4702117 / +632 4702208
STORE HOURS:
Open 24 HOURS

JR Tomas Morato Branch
No. 205, JR 1 Building, Tomas Morato Ave, beside CKB Center Bldg.,
(in between Scout Rallos & Scout Limbaga Streets),Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City
+632 3520693 / +632 3528486
STORE HOURS:
Open 24 HOURS

JR Shangri-la Plaza Branch
Level 6 East Wing, Shangri-la Plaza
STORE HOURS:
Mon-Thurs 11:00am to 9:00pm / Fri 11:00am to 10:00pm / Sat 10:00am to 10:00pm / Sun 10:00am to 9:00pm

JR Harbor Point, Subic
Ground Floor, Harbor Point Mall Entrance, Rizal Avenue, Subic Bay Free Port Zone, Olongapo City, Zambales
STORE HOURS:
Mon-Thurs: 7:00 AM to 12:00 MN / Fri-Sat: 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM / Sun: 7:00 AM to 12:00 MN