Madrid Madness

Chocolateria San Gines, an uber popular chocolate cafe in Madrid - has opened its first branch in Podium.

They're bringing in their famous chocolate and churros, a combination that's been around in MNL for quite sometime.

And as expected, the lines are cray!

They're not the first big churros brand in MNL. Just a few years ago, La Lola Churrria was a popular hang out spot, but they lost their steam a few years after. They're now trying to make a comeback through The Bistro Group. 

There's also the OG - Dulcinea. Now, this is the churros that we grew up with.

Honestly, I'm curious to see if the taste is the same as the original one in Madrid (but it's been almost 2 decades since my last trip there). But I'll wait for the crazy lines to subside before trying it.

I See's you!

This sight at The Podium made my heart skip a beat.

A full-sized See's Candies store!

And it's just a stone's throw away from the office.

This I gotta see!

Fashion (up)cycle

Came across a stall at The Podium that sold upcycled clothing, and this dress caught my eye.

It's a dress that's upcycled twice. The top is made from an old vest that was repurposed as the top part of the dress. The skirt is made of different types of "katsa" from bakeries. It's collected by the designer so it doesn't go to waste.

Recycling and upcycling can really be fashionable.

Happy Tree Frendz

What do you do when you get together with Frendz at the mall?

Take a snap at the Christmas Tree, of course.

Christmas is definitely in the air. 

So is friendship!

Cuomo ca va

Bern seeing this restaurant for over a year now. Always been interested to try it, but haven’t had the chance.

But thanks to the SMC gang reunion, was finally able to try Salvatore Cuomo at The Podium

The food is great! From the pasta, the pizza, the appetizers and sides - all so yummers.

Mark and I should eat here soon.

Shiok value!

Roti has long been a favourite. From the first sample of this classic SG/MY staple, it's become a craving whenever my travels take me to these 2 countries.

In the Philippines, the satisfaction of my Roti fix usually comes from Banana Leaf. They have really good Roti and curry dip, and it's the default order when we eat at that resto.

Last week, Mark and I discovered a new place where we can indulge in Roti.

Roti Shop is a new place we discovered at The Podium. It serves different types of Roti, as well as the usual SG and MY staples. These include Mee Goreng, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Bak Kut Teh, Milo Dinosaur, among others.

It's so awesome to have something like this so close to the office. Or, as they say in SG, this place is so...

So near, yet so far

Upon seeing this post from The Podium, my mind went into a tizzy and my tummy suddenly craved for Naan and curry!

Yes, New Bombay at The Podium delivers!

As tempting as it may seem, considering The Podium is just 15 minutes away from the house, i’m just worried that it might not taste as great if it’s not freshly cooked. In fact, it might be far off from the fresh, Indian cuisine goodness that Mark and I enjoy whenever we eat there.

That said, i’ll give this one a pass. Will just wait when Mark and I can actually go there, get a seat, and enjoy our Indian classics fresh from the kitchen.

Hopefully, that time will be near.

You only had one job...

This board up inside The Podium immediately caught my attention.

Because it was installed upside down.

Classic!

Mall this time

Just when you thought we had more than enough malls in Metro Manila, they open another one!

After a frantic, last-minute push, they've finally opened the new Podium Mall. It's going to be the high end mall of the SM group, and seeing the interiors, it looks like they're serious about the imaging.

Everything's so clean, streamlined and pristine. And the lines are unlike the usual boxes that SM is known for. This mall is more curvilinear and softer. It actually reminds me of Pacific Place in HKG.

At least we have a new mall to hangout in now.

Say Cheese (Tart!)

This greeted me when I entered the newly-minted Podium Mall.

It's the same cheese tart that Mark and I would get in Japan. We buy it at the Eki after his classes at Dela Cruz. We even had it as part of our lunch at the park one springtime.

Now that's another cheesy thing worth looking forward to.

One, two free!

Yesterday, I went to The Podium to buy the latest issue of Elle with Taylor Swift on the cover. What can I say? I really like Taylor Swift. Hahaha.

While I was paying, the sales clerk pointed me towards a rack of back issues and said: "Sir, kuha po kayo ng dalawang back issues 'don. Libre po 'yon."

So, I ended up with two free magazines!

How's that for a great deal!