Taal Tour

The last time John and I visited Basilica de Taal was in 2001. This church was one of the many churches we went to to ask God to bless us with a child. The Lord is really that great, He didn't just give  as one but two kids, twins Julia and Rafael. Juancho was a bonus three years after.

Last May 1, we decided to hit Taal to give our long due thanks and praises. Well, the thanksgiving trip to Taal Church turned into a grand tour for three families, namely Borje, Lota and us - The Mendiolables.

Our first stop, Basilica de San Martin de Tours, commonly known as Basilica de Taal or Taal Basilica. It is the biggest Catholic Church in the Philippines and Asia, located at Taal Town Center, Poblacion, Taal, Batangas.

Second stop, Escuela Pia, is just beside Taal Basilica. Built in 1853, 

this old historical building now houses the Taal Cultural Center.

Casa Villavicencio

Residence of couple Eulalio and Gliceria Marella Villavicencio

who played important roles during the Philippine Revolution.

Our Lady of Caysasay Shrine is made of coral stones. This chapel houses the miraculous image of Our Lady of Caysasay, discovered at the Pansipit River by a fisherman, Juan Maningkad, in 1603.

San Lorenzo Ruiz Steps is connected to the Our Lady of Caysasay Shrine. 

It has 125 steps that is made of granite 

Well of Sta. Lucia
is where Our Lady of Caysasay appeared to some of the residents of the area.
The water from the spring is said to have miraculous healing power.

We wanted to visit other beautiful places in Taal but the scorching heat was too much for the kids and the kids at heart (us moms and dad John) to bear.  Mr. Ernie Villavicencio advised that the best time to visit Taal is from December to February. And then we settled for an overnight stay at Little Bridge Beach Resort

On the way back to Manila we stopped at Balisong City where, of course, balisong abound. We already have balisong, given by Nora, so I opted to bring home the balisong keychain for souvenir (at para di magalit si Manong tindero na kinunan ko ang tindahan nya. Baka tarakan ako e, hehehe!)

On our next Taal Trip, we will be visiting the following places: 

Bagumbayan Church (A small chapel built in the early 1700s, making it one of the oldest churches in the Southern Tagalog region)

Balisong Church (Another 18th century church built to cope with the expansion of Catholic faith in Batangas)

Casa Real (Municipal Building, now housing the municipal government of Taal, it was built in 1845)

Don Leon Apacible Museum (a historical landmark, this museum is the ancestral house of Don Leon and Dona Matilde Apacible)

Dona Marcela Agoncillo Museum (constructed in the 17th century, this is one of the oldest buildings in Taal, Batangas. This was where Marcelo Agoncillo was born and raised)

Gregorio Agoncillo Mansion (home of Gregorio Agoncillo, where his uncle Felipe Agoncillo was also born and raised)

Gen. Ananias Diokno Ancestral House

(For a comfortable and hassle free Taal tour visit: taal.ph)

Family Dinner at MESA in Robinson's Magnolia

Though Ross invite for a family dinner at Mesa in Robinson's Magnolia was quite a rush, I didn't mind going because I'd like to see this new mall located in Aurora Blvd., Quezon City.  My plan was to take some photos and  just have a juice since I'm trying to cut down weight by not eating much at night, then roam around the mall and see what it offers. Well, my plan did not materialize. Mesa's great-tasting Filipino cuisine held me and convinced me that tomorrow's another day to diet.

We were warmly greeted by Mesa's Operations Director , Mr. Alex Zuzon. I like that Mesa's staff and crew were very attentive, especially when we asked for a glass of water. When dining out, my family always start with water while waiting for the main course.

Then we were immediately offered refreshments

What we had:

Sinigang na Salmon Head

Shrimp on the rocks

It was funny (or dumb?) of me for mistaking the rocks into ube...

Baked scallops with parmesan

Pinatayong manok and Tinapa roll

Prawns Lemon Butter

Bagoong rice

Tinapa rice

Two-way Laing: Dry and wet

Crispy boneless pata

Crunchy Leche flan

Flat turon with ice cream on the side

Aside from good food, Mesa's interiors fed my eyes well enough. Furnitures are all from Cebu, which is known for exporting fine and artistic craftsmanship. 

For an intimate time with family and friends, Private Function Rooms, such as this, are available
(minimum consumable amount of P5,000 is required).

MESA

3rd Level of Robinson's Magnolia

Doña Hemady Ave., Valencia, Quezon City New Manila

Outdoor Adventures

High school and college life means bringing a lot of stuff, from books, notebooks, extra clothes and school projects.  Throughout those years my companion was a back pack to help me carry all those things in one trip. But as soon as I graduated college I stopped using backpack, opting to carry big and more fashionable bags. When I became a mom, mommy bag soon replaced signature bags while carrying another bag for my personal stuff.

It was nice to have been invited by Michelle and Ana to preview Outdoor bags. It brought back my love for back packs.  I never expected I'd fall in love for this kind of bag again.  This write-up for Outdoor products is long over due but I wanted to test drive the bag first to give a better review.

For almost a month I carried this bag in most of my trips and events.

View some of my Outdoor adventures and the reason why I love this Outdoor...

Outdoor backpacks’ lightweight material made from CORDURA® Fabric makes them easier to carry around, putting less strain on your back while making it very durable. The material is ensured to withstand any abuse that your backpack might encounter.

Volcanoes vs UAE

Keep my gadgets, books, toiletry kit, and whatever it is that my kids need safely inside and enjoying the convenience of not having to worry about not being able to secure all our belongings in just one bag. 

 Date with Juancho

Edgier designs while maintaining the youthful appeal making it fun and fashionable to carry in whatever attire I'm into. It comes in metallic colors, fun brights, unique prints and special collaborations like with its recent one featuring Hello Kitty, Outdoor Products presents a wide selection of options that any stylish guy or girl will love. 

At iAcademy

Outdoors’ seamlock feature ensures durability while maintaining the brand’s unique sense of style and versatility. Wherever you’re going or whatever you plan to put inside your Outdoor backpack, you’ll be able to enjoy Outdoors’ durability. CORDURA® fabric is best known as a durable, versatile and reliable material, constructed using high tenacity fiber technologies, weight for weight, CORDURA® fabrics are exceptionally durable.

At Dive and Trek

At Z Planet

The variety in sizes allows you to easily choose which piece will most likely suit your packing needs.  Especially best suited for the youth (just like me, lol). 

At Precious Moments Treat for Moms

For added convenience, Outdoor bag keeps everything well organized so I need not worry about not being able to find my camera, notepad, pen, cellphone or wallet while taking care of active kids like Juancho, Julia and Rafael.

At Sky Ranch

Outdoor Products’ are already popular in stylish Asian countries like South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and the US. 

Ooops, almost forgot, at Sicily in Italy.
(just joking, at Sun iMessenger event)

Outdoor Products is available at Duty Free Fiesta Mall Fashion Rack Baguio, Fashion Rack NAIA 3, Fashion Rack Subic, Landmark Makati, Landmark Trinoma, Lonely Planet, RDS Abreeza Mall, RDS Calasiao, RDS Ermita, RDS Galleria, RDS Magnolia, RDS Palawan, RDS Pampanga, Rustan’s Alabang, Rustan’s Gateway, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Tower, SM Davao, SM Las Pinas, SM Lipa, SM Makati, SM North EDSA, SM Pampanga, Tripologie Alabang, Tripologie Boni High Street, Tripologie Eastwood.