Bicol Beckons

Looks like 2026 is becoming my most Bicol year.

This weekend trip was my 4th for the year. And no matter how many trips I've made, I'll never get tired of this view.

Magayunon!

Meals with Mark: (Toast) Box it in

When Toast Box was still open in MNL, Mark and I used to eat there. Usually, it would be with Ia who's a fan of Kaya Toast.

That's why during our trip to SG last week, we decided that one of our breakfasts should be at Toast Box. It would be good to relive our Toast Box days, right at the home base of the brand.

Of course, we both had the sets- the Chicken Floss toast set for me, and the Ham and Cheese toast set for Mark.

It's been a while. But it's still as good.

LFLTAT: Thrift to Tabaco part deux

To prove that the first outfit wasn't a fluke, here's another outfit from my Tabaco ukay-ukay expendition.

This one is giving cool, western vibes. The denim jumper dress is made of soft denim and has an adjustable back. The top is a loose, checkered blouse with extended and puffed sleeves. And when worn together, it gives this fashionable bohemian vibe.

And yes, the price tag is the same - P170 for the ensemble!

Have to go and visit Tabaco again soon.

LFLTAT: Thrift to Tabaco

As a fairly often Tabaco visitor, one of my learnings is that you shouldn't sleep on Tabaco ukay-ukay

The few times that I've been to ukay shops there, I've found a number of fashionable pieces at provincial prices.

And my last trip yielded a number of great outfits, such as this:

The top is a wool vest with a side pleat detail, and the a-line skirt is made of a ponte-wool blend. The color of the 2 pieces are so similar that you'd think that they came as a set, but they didn't.

How much did these 2 pieces cost? P170!

Yes, one hundred and seventy pesos only.

This ensemble alone made the trip worth it.

That's great!

Especially if it's St. Gregory the Great!

Yup, my visits to Bicol won't be complete without dropping by St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in Legazpi. 

Yes, I was just here last January, but I'm going to keep coming back to this place whenever possible.

Pro and (Comic)Con

We noticed a lot of people carrying "Back to the Future 40th Anniversary" totes, and was wondering what's up.

Then it hit us. 

It was Tokyo Comic Con!

Maybe we'll see Johnny Depp roaming around Makuhari.

Breakfast with a view

At The New Otani Hotel in Akasaka-Mitsuke, you have 2 venue options for the breakfast buffet. You can choose between a garden view and a city view.

Mark and I were deciding where to go, and we eventually decided to just go with the city view restaurant at the 40th floor.

Boy, was it a good choice! We were treated to this view while having breakfast:

Mount Fuji!

This view made our breakfast even more special!

Year end. Bookend.

Mark and I started our travel year in Japan.

Last January, we went to Makuhari in Tokyo,  and had a grand time there.

Now, we're back for our last international trip for the year.

Makuhari never disappoints. And Makuhari will always be one of our go-tos in Japan.

Hog Wild

Apparently, Cat Cafes are old news in Tokyo.

Walk through Takeshita Dori, and you'll see an array of animal cafes that are far from the usual.

And one of the bigger hits in the area? A pig cafe!

Judging by the lines, it's popular among locals and tourists alike.

While novel, methinks a concept like this won't work in Manila.

People might steal the pigs and turn them into cochinillo.

New View

Despite the fact that I've visited Harajuku quite a number of times already, this is my first time to visit the building at the corner with this view.

This is at the 6th floor of a building that has a vertical garden outside. The 5th and 6th floors have food courts, and t his is where we had lunch. Was intrigued by the place called "Falafel Guys" and eventually bought my food there.

The food was good. The view was even better.

Yo Jo!

One thing that Jo and I realised is that this is the 4th country where we've met up.

First was in BKK when we were in our 20s.

Then, when she moved to SG, I'd visit her and stay at her flat.

Then, we met up in HKG during the time I was living there.

And last week, we met up in TYO!

So, where to next, Jo?

That's smooth!

I've been seeing this online a lot, so heck, might as well try it while I'm in Tokyo.

The 7-11 Smoothie!

All I can say is: the hype is real.

Had this 3x in a day. 

It's that smoothie good!

Fanta-bulous!

Another thing that was on top of the agenda in Tokyo was this:

Gotta get my Fanta Grape fix.

This never fails. 

Activated!

Spotted in the streets of Shibuya!

It's a Cebu Pacific activation!

As a Pinoy and an Advertising practitioner, it's great to see our brands being shown and represented abroad.

Let's fly, every Juan!

How convenient

Yes, you can't go to Japan without having a convenience store breakfast.

Went to the Family Mart near Roppongi Station. This is the branch where Mark and I usually go, so it's but right that this is where I'm going.

Their Tamago Sando never fails.

First on the a-GU-enda

Barely a few hours after arriving in Tokyo, here I am!

Yes, GU as the first stop is always a good idea.

Throwback Travel Thursdays

Was cleaning my bookshelf and saw this!

It's the travel article I wrote for Mabuhay magazine almost a decade ago.

Gosh! It's been years since my last visit to the places in this article. I've been to HKG several times, but never had the time to go to the outskirts (where these 3 places are.)

Makes me wonder if these places are still there. 

(The Lane Crawford outlet in Ap Lei Chau is still there, according to my friend.)

Carpe(t) diem

The carpet in Terminal 1 of Changi Airport is super pretty!

It's like a celestial pattern, and it almost feels like its moving. 

Amazing how a simple carpet can elevate an airport.

Meals with Mark: To bee or not to bee

Initially, we were planning to try Saizeriya in SG. But because the bus we rode passed another route, this is where we ended up having dinner.

Jollibee in SG!

They've been in SG for a while, and we've had trips here before. But we never got around to trying the SG version of this Pinoy icon.

Verdict. The spaghetti in the Philippines is much, much better. The SG version lacks the sweetness, cheesiness and meatiness of the Pinoy version. But the chicken - according to Mark - is spot on.

Ergo, we still prefer Jollibee at home.

We're gonna Saur

There wasn't a set agenda when we decided to go to SG this weekend. But for me, there was one thing that we had to check out.

The Jurassic World exhibit at Gardens by the Bay!

I'm a dinosaur geek. My dream as a kid was to be an archaeologist and dig up dinosaur bones. My book shelf had dinosaur books and toys. There would be the occasional dinosaur poster on wall. So, yes, I'm that guy.

Having seen "Jurassic Park" countless times, the thought of seeing these dinosaurs live - albeit animatronic ones - was an exciting proposition. So, that's how Mark and I spent our Saturday morning - hanging out with these prehistoric giants.

It made my geeky heart soar!