Ikea Fever Singapore!

My first time to  be at the Ikea store was a over a year ago, over at the Tampines branch. It was just a quick stop since we were so pressed for time, I didn't really have time to really look around. But during this visit, my cousin was kind enough to take me, my mom and my sister at Ikea Alexandra branch. As usual, a shopping trip gives me the exhilarating high. So I was pretty much excited the moment I stepped inside the Ikea showroom.

Ikea is a unique experience for me since it gives shoppers the opportunity to thoroughly go through each of their products in their showroom. They provide the shopper with copies of their latest catalogue which I must  stress are only allowed to be used inside the store (meaning, I might get reprimanded since I took mine home :).

Pencils, tape measures and shopping lists are also provided upon entering the Ikea store. Hmmm.. they sure know how a shopper's mind works. :) Then big yellow bags and trolleys are likewise provided once you are ready to splurge on the items you like to purchase.

Once inside the showroom, i had a minor migraine from turning my head from left to right at the number of products that I thought would look good inside my house. :) Galigas! I can spend an entire day here at their showroom! There are moments when I felt like I had the products from an entire bedroom showcase in my trolley. Only predicament that I had was how to take home my stash! --not to mention how to convince myself that I really needed them..hehe.

After hours of walking around and around the showroom, it was nice to be able to have lunch at the Ikea Restaurant. It was conveniently located inside the store, and they have such yummy fares like the pasta with tomato sauce and the chicken leg in teriyaki sauce. The dessert of Swedish apple cake was a fitting end to our gastronomic break before we continue with our shopping.

After touring the showrooms and getting the products we like and paying for them, I had to note that what's nice about the things they sell is that they come in flat packs, easy enough to take home even if your home is as far away as Timbuktu. :) Then you can just assemble the items in your homes and voila! --probably the reason I had to pay a few pesos for my excess baggage at the airport.

Ikea Singapore is located at 317 Alexandra Rd, Singapore. Store hours are from 10AM - 10PM daily.

Other photos featured here are from the Ikea website.

Nuat Thai Gensan

In the past, massage parlors are known to signify a place quite synonymous with prostitution, but nowadays, massage parlors have taken on a more positive front with the influx of the female clientele...me included. With more and more people living a stressful life, they are slowly going to spas and massage parlors for  relaxation. In Gensan, this brought about the advent of many establishments engaged in the business of providing an hour or so of stress-free relief. Spas and massage parlors are on the rise in the city. With a lot of choices, the competition in the spa industry is really stiff. 

Of course that being said, It was a wonderful surprise for Mr. OSG and me to discover this secluded little establishment in Santiago St.. The Nuat Thai Foot and Body Massage is a welcome addition to Gensan's strings of spa and massage parlors. 

What we love about this place is the cozy ambiance that greets you as you enter their place. Personally, I love the eucalyptus scent that assails me when I walk inside their reception area.

Thai massage is a type of massage in Thai style that involves stretching and deep massage. This form of bodywork is usually performed on the floor, and the client wears comfortable clothes that allow for movement. No oils are used in Thai massage. it is known in Thailand as "nuat phaen boran" (from the wikipedia)



Nuat Thai offers an hour of relaxing Thai Body Massage for a very reasonable price of P180 and Thai Foot Massage (our personal favorite) also for the same price. Talk about cheap huh? They also offer Aromatherapy(P400 for an hour and thirty minutes massage and Swedish Massage (P300 for an hour).

 

Their interiors are also a pleasant surprise for us. We had to commend the unique lighted pebble corridors that leads to their individual massage rooms. :) 

Nova Thai is located at the Ground Floor of Plaza Nova Bldg, Santiago St., General Santos. They are open daily between 12noon til 12 midnight.

Fire and Ice Grill and Steak Bar

Just last night, I was one of the privileged SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers to be invited to the newly opened Fire and Ice Grill and Steak Bar over at the Gensan Sports Center (to be launched and fully operational by 11 - 11 -11)

We were welcomed by none other than our gracious host, Mr. Rey Billena, owner and known businessman and Rotarian. According to him, the Fire and Ice Grill and Steak Bar is one of the first installments in the transformation of the Anchor Driving Range (its former name).

The feast was a composition of a few of Fire and Ice Grill and Steak Bar's delectable menu. The star of the dinner of course was their prized steaks. Cooked just right, medium rare to be exact (my preference actually) and coupled with a siding of stir fried veggies. There was also a steaming beef bulalo and fresh pineapples to complement the steaks.

The Fire and Ice Grill and Steak Bar is located at the entrance of Gensan Sports Center (formerly Anchor Driving Range) right at the back of East Asia Royale Hotel, National Hi-way, General Santos city.

Blogfest SOCCSKSARGEN 2.0

Its that time of the year again when bloggers from the Southern Philippines gather for the biggest event in this part of the blogosphere. Hosted by the Sox Bloggers along with GenSantos.com and GandaEverSoMuch.com. 

Registration fee is only $5.00 USD (P280) via Paypal or Bank Deposit, slots are limited to 100 participants only. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

This year's theme is "Emergence of Blogs and Social Media" Venue will be in General Santos city (specifics will be announced at a later date). The Philippine Blog Awards, the most prestigious blogging awards Mindanao leg will follow at 7:00 PM. This event is invitational, but you can still submit your nominations until October 15, 2011. 

See you there! 

12th Lubi-Lubi Festival

In Glan, Sarangani Province, they have a high regard for the coconut. The coconut after all is a major source of livelihood in this area of Southern Mindanao. It is the reverence they hold for the coconut that   they celebrate the Lubi Lubi sa Glan Festival every 8th of October. 

Lubi lubi is a native name for the coconut. They celebrate its benefits and multiple uses by a dance festival. Grooving their feet to the rythm of drums.  

They also give reverence not only to the lubi lubi but to their patron saint, Sta. Catalina de Alexandria

What I love about this festival is the painted faces and bodies of the participants. You can see a variety of painted faces and colorful costumes here. Often, I marvel at the intricacies of each costume's detail. 

Truly they go all the way when it comes to the Lubi lubi festival. And then it also helps that the prize money here is a whopping one hundred thousand pesos for the lucky winner! :) At least it only shows that the local government here give importance and therefore really alot budget to this festival.

Glan offers not only its pristine beaches but a wealth of culture and the arts. 

Given that this festival has already been on for 12 years, we wondered why  it was not well documented. Why do I think that? I tried googling it and I only came up with LGU published posts. So I wondered, why do photographers (and bloggers alike) seem to shy away from attending this festival when the street dancing was one of the most colorful we've ever been to. And then the 3 photo hobbyists from the camera club who came all the way to Glan had to stop shooting since the place intended for photographers were suddenly blocked by people from Glan themselves.  Blocking their view therefore preventing them from taking any more photos. :) Poor crowd control? Maybe.

So sad, when photographers (and bloggers alike) should have been their partners in promoting this event. They are also like tourists so to speak. If people here, start being really friendly to tourists (well, bloggers and photo hobbyists included) maybe more people would start enjoying this festival along with the locals.. --just my two cents worth on this, no offense meant. :)

Punta Isla Lake Resort

Whenever we visit Lake Sebu,  we never fail to eat lunch at the Punta Isla Lake Resort. The resort is about 40kms away from Koronadal city. It has a terrific view of the lake.

In our cottage, while waiting for our food, we were serenaded by a group of young T'bolis who presented a local courting song and dance number in their native costumes. A really nice treat especially since we had bakasyunistas from Manila with us. 

After a few minutes came our food. Since Punta Isla is famous for their tilapia dishes, we couldn't pass up the chance to have a Tilapia party starting off with their Pinaputok na Tilapia, a crispy fried Tilapia dish where the meat is separated from the bones and whats left is fried crisp so get to eat everything. I only had time to take a few snaps of the food since our excited bakasyunistas can't wait to devour the feast.

Of course, we also had to try their kinilaw na Tuna. A delectable delicacy in this part of Mindanao. :)

As we were rushing off to try the zipline in nearby 7 falls, these mother-daughter team caught our attention as they were also garbed in the colorful intricately design T'boli costume dancing and playing a musical instrument. 

For reservations or inquiries, you can contact Punta Isla Resort through these numbers: (083) 238-8503 or their mobile no. +63919 4852910

13th Gensan's Tuna Festival

For this year's 13th Gensan's Tuna Festival, the generals along with their guests, tourists and pollanders like moi were wowed with this year's celebration. The activities were upped a notch with this year's theme on "Exploring New Depths, Conquering New Challenges". The theme was aptly executed in this year's events. And one of my favorites is the Float Parade...

The floats this year were adorned not only with the usual hoopla but was made more glamorous with the lights that come with it. Another added plus with the floats is the presence of the street dancers, which only made the float parade more festive, giving a party atmosphere which reminds me of Rio's Carnival celebration. The float below is by East Asia Royale Hotel, winner of this year's Float Parade.

Not to be outdone, this year's Street Dancing showdown was also a spectacle to watch. Their theme "Dili na mabangbang, Dili na mapunggan" (well, from my knowledge of the local dialect, that means  - cannot be defeated, cannot be stopped :) Indeed the dancers showed much vigor and energy with each of their numbers, adding  a feeling of festive cheer for everyone who was watching.

Talk about starting them young! These kids were avid performers in the street dancing showdown...

Mr. OSG's motion blur in this photo only shows how fun the street dancing competition turned out to be. No wonder he came home with a scraped knee! (nadapa ata taking this shot-hehehe)

And to cap off the celebrations, a fireworks display was a fitting end to this year's Tuna Festival. See you all next year for another round of Gensan's Tuna Festival!  

The Prestigious Mr and Ms Gensan 2011

Being a travelogue, you might be surprised with this blog post which tackles not about a particular place in my island Mindanao. But, I couldn't let it pass without blogging (bragging actually :) about the Mr and Ms Gensan 2011. People after all are part and parcel of a place's charm and a fitting attraction that lures visitors to South Central Mindanao. 

This prestigious pageant is part of Gensan's Tuna Festival celebration. Organized by topnotch events specialists Project O consultants spearheaded by Gensan's main man - Mr. Orman Manansala. 

What really captured my attention in this pageant right from the very start is the parade of their Festival Attire. They centered on silver and white marine inspired theme. I looove the elegance and extravagance of each detail.

And I am sure, you will never see a festival attire as intricate in detail as what these pageant finalists have donned.

Truly one of a kind, you can only see these in Gensan. I literally felt being in the company of mermaid royalties when each of these beauties came out on stage.

Truly, the participants (the candidates and their designers) didn't want to go half way in their designs. Suddenly, I no longer have any idea what the term "simple" meant. :) Elegance was a picture painted by all of these lovely and handsome candidates.

Have you ever seen a sight as jaw dropping as these?

And of course, the ladies also comes with these handsome mermans donned in their own extravagant designs...enjoy the pictures by MR. OSG.

To this year's winners: Mr. Gensan 2011 Marc Jerick Chan and Miss Gensan 2011 Caroline Lim - congratulations! You have just been lined along Gensan's finest. Our hats off to all the organizers and the people who were part of this awe inspiring pageant.

Little Kitchen’s Quiet Solace

Just this weekend, I had the pleasure of having an intimate dinner with a few lady friends at this cute little restaurant at the corner of Quirino Ave and Zapote St. in General Santos City. The Little Kitchen is situated in a quiet little nook, perfect for small gatherings or private dinners or luncheon meals for two. (Note to self: remind hubby to book dinner here one of these days! J)

We were welcomed not just by the friendly staff but the gracious owner herself, Dr. Margarita "Aret" Dometita, a dentist by profession. It comes not as a surprise that this lady dentist’s love for cooking is truly evident in the sumptuous meals they serve in this quaint, little restaurant. The interiors of the restaurant exudes elegance and has non of the extra clutter that usually adorns walls of many restaurants all around the city. The chairs and tables are just the right size, so as not to overcrowd the restaurant’s intimate space.

We were treated to a sumptuous feast comprised of a three course meal starting off with their own creamy Mushroom Soup with a basket of garlic bread , perfect match to start the meal.

Then comes the  appetizer salad. They served us one of their signature Green Salad, with iceberg and romaine lettuce, cucumber, and a surprise ingredient of pomelo and mango. It is a light salad  designed to stimulate our appetite. hmm...as if it still need sstimulating. :) The salad comes with a choice of four (– yes four!) dressings: thousand island, anchovy, strawberry (which I am sure has a tint of chocolate) and Dr. Aret's own concoction of mango puree.

The main course is a sumptuous feast of Lengua cooked in a rich tomato based sauce with mushrooms and spices. What I love about this dish is the richness of the sauce, which was perfect with the soft lengua. It has none of the after taste of the meat or the oil. This delectable dish though is another special recipe of Dr. Aret. She really knows good food! :)

Another dish served is their signature Baked Bangus.  It is a scrumptious dish of boneless bangus topped with a mixture of cheese, cream, onions and spices. Truly another dish that will make your taste palettes crave for more.

Dessert was the best part of the whole dinner, where we were treated to a delightful treat of three different types of sweets. Dessert being my favorite part of any meal, I enjoyed these three treats of choco cream, fruit jelly and bread pudding.

We learned that the Little Kitchen used to be a noodle house and a residential home before that. It is no wonder that as you enter the restaurant, a feeling of the warm comforts of a home is resonant in its interiors. Match that with the range of superb fare they have in store for their dining customers. Their best sellers are their range of pasta and pizza – yum! Something I will surely try on my next visit which will be soon! It was a truly delightful experience having dinner at Little Kitchen. Our thanks to birthday gals, Ms. Espie Maliwat and Dr. Bel Acuesta for bringing this blogger to this charming little restaurant! Buon Apetito!

For reservations, you may contact them at 083 3031586 or email them at your_littlekitchen@yahoo.com 

Rrroaring Lion City (Singapura Day2)

The Lion city is readily one of my favorite cities as of date. Not that I’ve been to a lot of cities abroad but then Singapore for me is one of the cleanest and safest cities anywhere. I love that you can go walking around its streets even in the wee hours of the morning without fear of being mugged. Photo below of my mom and sister was taken at the Esplanade - Theaters on the Bay in one of our numerous strolls around Singapore.

On our trip here, we stayed at the Value Hotel Thomson, a cute high rise hotel located at the Balestier cor Thomson Sts. . The rooms are miniscule but clean and perfect for travellers on a budget.  What I love about this hotel is its close proximity to a number of good eating places like the 2^nd Kitchen at the ground floor and a lot of hawker stalls just a few minutes walk  away. It is near the Novena MRT and the Velocity Mall. A good location for a budget hotel I must say. Plus it has a swimming pool for guests with kids on the 7th floor.

photos from the Value Hotel Thomson website

One of the newest attractions at Singapore is the Marina Bay Sands, so on our 2^nd day here, we took time to visit this unique hotel – it’s the one with a sort of big ship on its top floor.  Its architectural design is truly one of a kind and is slowly becoming one of Singapore’s famous landmarks.

The Marina Bay Sands also houses a big Casino and one of the classiest malls in Singapore with big brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel et. al under its roof. It also houses the Art and Science museum with elegant art masterpieces like the works of Salvador Dali, one of the 20th century's best known artist and the most iconic figure of the surrealist movement. Truly, a wonderful treat for true blue art aficionados.

We were lucky that during our trip there, there was a major rehearsal for the Singapore National Day parade. We were mighty confused since this rehearsal was complete with the actual firing of canons, helicopters were flying around in a formation carrying the Singapore flag, and the grandstands were filled with thousands of school children and an actual fireworks display which lasted for 30minutes! Imagine that! The expense would have been a biggie since this rehearsal was doing everything they were planning to do and its not even THE DAY yet! Very entertaining for tourists like us, I considered it an added treat.

Then on the way to Ikea at Alexandria (which I will blog about separately :), there was this very entertaining taxi driver Mr. Yeow Bee Hong ( I hope I got his name right). According to him, if you want your taxi driver to be really nice to you (I mentioned that taxi drivers in HK are rude) all you have to do is wave your dollar bills in the air when you hail a taxi. J And then he taught us how to make Bak Kut Teh...

Bak Kut Teh according to him is a Chinese soup which literally means “Pork Bone Tea Soup”, a sort of pork stew simmered in a combination of complex herbs and spices. It is one of the delicacies of Singapore that every tourist must try. It is comparable to our beef nilaga but with a certain twist in taste brought about by the combination of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds and garlic thus the term Tea soup.

And then he was rambling on and on about other sites in the city that are worth visiting. When we asked him where these places are though, he just answered..."you have to pay me, I take you there!" haha. Talk about a driver with an attitude... very amusing. 

The last stop for the day was dinner at Chinatown.  As it is already around 9 in the evening, we just had time to eat at one of the hawker stalls along Smith St. And my goodness! The food there is really mouth-watering! I was so hungry I even forgot to take shots of it, sorry!  I think I ate a week’s supply of food there.  Mental note to hit the treadmill double time when I reach home. J

Chinatown like most like it around the world is a tourist haven with lots of souvenir shops selling affordable knick-knacks for you to take home. Specifically, Pagoda and Smith Streets are the ones to go to for souvenir shops and hawker stalls. Other streets in Chinatown like Temple St, Trengganu St.,  Pagoda Sts, houses some of Chinatowns temples, a good place for taking pictures.

After an activity loaded day, we just had to retire late to our hotel laden with bags filled with trinkets and souvenirs and our camera full of snapshots. Its no wonder, we keep coming back to this magnificent city.