Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Gratuitous Breakfast at The Linden Suite's Coffee Shop

A good night sleep on one of the most recommended hotel may suffice, to any stressed  out person, but nothing beats waking up and  looking forward to a sumptuous breakfast.


But how we can we really say that a breakfast from say any hotel in the metro can live up to the guest expectations?

 Here are Ten Tips For a Great Hotel Breakfast which I collated from my readings.
  1. Cordial Reception.  Heck this is a hotel and hospitality is their game.  A welcoming personnel to great you by the door and tells you to enjoy the bounty they have prepared and lead you to the table setting of your choice.
  2. Service.   It’s okay to select your own fruit and cereals from a well-stocked buffet. But who needs to run around the room queuing and collecting? Tea, coffee and everything else should come to your table. With a smile.
  3. No Pre-Packed Portions.  This is a hotel, not an airplane. There is no reason to offer a basket of long-life milk-substitute. I want milk, in a jug. Preserves in tiny glass jars are okay; anything in a little plastic packet is not.
  4. Fresh Fruits.   Notice the plural. I want a choice of fruits, some whole, some prepared. Genuine freshly squeezed juices score highly.
  5. Choice.  As with the fruits, so with the cooked dishes. There should be many ways with eggs, porridge, kippers and vegetarian options alongside the bacon and sausage. None of these should be sitting around in a tray.
  6. Bread.   Top quality bread, made on the premises or sourced from a good local baker, speaks volumes. This is very different from part-baked bread, finished off in the kitchen, hot and crispy outside, steamy and soggy within.
  7. Provenance.   Any chef worth his salt and your money should be sourcing local produce. It's a good sign if you know which breed of pig, or which farm, your bacon came from. Vague phrases, like 'farm-fresh eggs' mean nothing.
  8. Fresh flowers. It may only be one, in a bud vase, but it brightens the day.  However, at Linden Suites, small potted herbs simply adorn each table.  What landed on ours is tincy shrub of peppermint, which some of us took a few leaves of it to chew as mouth fresheners, haha, clever are we.
  9. Tranquility.  I will walk out of pretty much anywhere which serves up canned music for breakfast.
  10. View from the window.  When dining out, we always love sitting beside a window.  Where you could observe life from outside the hotel building.  Have you ever wondered how a Sunday Morning looked like at San Miguel Avenue.  Still and no traffic.


As you can see my pictures attest to all those mentioned above.
Different breads, jams and cold cuts
Vietnamese Spring roll for breakfast...
Salad the way you want it
A smorgasbord of cheeses
Fruits in season
Choose your cereal...
How about filling up with hot Arroz Caldo
Steamed or fried
Danggit or dried fish, our Balikbayans would kill for this...
Chopsuey for vegetarians
Tocino with pineapples




Yes, many bacons have laid here 
Egg Souffle
Quite frankly, Linden Suite's breakfast buffet  had more than that of what I have expected.  Though my husband and I are not heavy breakfast eaters we took time indulging with what we don't normally have which are extravagant, such as choices of cheese, cereals, yogurts, cold cuts and more.   I mean we don't normally open two kinds of boxed cereals or have salads in different ways or even ask a chef to cook omelettes of our preference.
Besides comfortably indulgent accommodations and ample breakfasts, there's the relaxed ambiance of a rather nice weekend house among family members and relatives.
Outside  the window where we dined, a willowy white seed, which would seem to be a wishing seed (having a hard time getting the name of that seed) was blown at and stuck to the glass of our window  I don't know if you're supposed to make a wish on it or how you are supposed to do it, though I have lived a blessed life and wishing on something isn't part of it, but it seemed the childish fun thing to do at the moment, so I wished for a return visit to The Linden Suites.

The Linden Suites
37 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Centre
Pasig City, M.M.

Telephone (63-2) 638-7878
Facsimile (63-2) 638-7877
               (63-2) 633-7012

Monday, September 24, 2012

A Christmas in September Dining Experience

 Do you know how many days are left before Christmas?
 As I'm doing this blog now, it's 91 days till Christmas day.   Though the season isn't that obvious yet (though some malls would play Christmas songs from time to time, when  the 'Ber' month hits  the calendar) there is a place here in Manila where you will feel that it's already Christmas.   Of course, Christmas isn't all about the trimmings and tinsels, gifts and feasts, it's more on the season of faith, hope and love.  Which again sums up this enchanting place.
I have actually blogged about this place,  yet it still never failed to astonish me.   Smacked right at the heart of the busy Sen. Gil Puyat St., Precious Moments stands meek but unknowingly grandeur.  Curious by-passers will notice the big signage of Precious Moments Showroom.   It is a home to the Philippine Precious  Moments Collectors Club and a haven to Filipino, Chinese and fusion dish lovers.  Not too many though know its worth as a Tea, Coffee House and Restaurant.   You will see as you go down further.
Read about my previous experience at their old location :
Treats Instead of Tricks, Precious Moments Experience
Apparently, since clientele is growing, they needed to have a bigger space and so the quick transfer happened.   The Precious Moments vast collection are now showcased at a two-story building.



 As you enter, a coffee shop ambiance will entice you with some  Sam Brew captions on the cashier's corner.  A few display of Precious Moments arts will beckon you but as go deeper inside, you will unravel a place where in you will be brought back to your childhood memories.   The love for toys, dolls and charming trinkets will overwhelm your adult side and shrink down bits of unforgiveness, greed and hate inside you.   The gentle Christmas embrace will be felt more as you will be led to the second floor area where Christmas trees and those cute collectibles rule the area.


* Some side notes:  Sam Brew's used to be a sole coffee shop apart from Pecious Moments Showroom, Tea house and restaurant, which was located at Filmore streets.  Read about it and some info on Sam Butcher here:

 What's Brewing, Sam Brew?

Those trademark pastel-hued figurines with teardrop-shaped eyes are known as Precious Moments collections.  Created by Samuel John Butcher of Missouri in 1978.    He based his creations on Christian values, naming each figurine based on either sayings from children, or deriving from their innocence.
What started out as drawings and designs for holiday and specialty cards turned into one of the most adored figurines and dolls by collectors worldwide.
The showroom and restaurant in one is a good hunt for those who look for a good place to eat and a unique place to shop for gifts.  They cover a wide range of dining services, such as take-out, delivery and catering.

Blessed much on that Sunday visit, a weekend buffet was setup.   A seafood soup, two salad variety, meat and fish viands, 

Seaweed and century egg salad
Fresh veggies
Hototay Soup
Oriental Fried Chicken
Sweet and sour pork
Fish Fillet Szechuan style
Squid Chopsuey
All of those as a sampler to their menu.   All washed down with a favorable glass of iced tea.

 This Oreo Cake is not included in the buffet but my kids saw this and raved about this since we entered the building.
 Well, after the said lunch, we still took time examining every nooks and cranny of the place, and boy I never got tired, in fact, it even brought out the kid in me all over again.   But at some points, the mom in me would arise and see ideas of how our house at Christmas might look.  Check out this Christmas Angel inspired doll sitting at one corner.

 Look how they've  managed to put every details of table-top decorating, a few good ideas for my event-styling stints.
Oh, look what I found hidden at one corner, I sure miss doing those Precious Moments cross-stitching.

They have lots to offer, from wedding, birthdays and special occasions give-aways, to collectible bisque and figurines, books, customized souvenirs, and paintings, all of those for your takings.

Precious Moments Restaurant and Giftshop
Address:  95 Sen. Gil Puyat, Ave., Brgy. Palanan, Makati city
Contact numbers:  02 8875252 or 02 3871092
Website:  www. preciousmomentsmanila.com
Facebook: manilapreciousmoments@yahoo.com

Hours of Operation: Daily from 9:00 am until 10:00 pm







Friday, September 21, 2012

Mayoral, A Posh Kiddie Clothing From Spain Now Open

Mayoral being one of the most iconic and recognized brands of children's fashion in Spain has opened it's doors to the growing fashion market of Manila.   At their launch yesterday at Glorietta 1, Makati, parents, media personalities, celebrity moms and of course precious little ones gathered together for the official opening of its first store here in the Philippines.
As an added note, the Mayoral strategy is to create and promote a brand that combines the latest trends from around the world into a casual European collection that appeals to the masses. Thus, providing the customers with a well balanced product that is fashionable, price conscious and of the highest quality.
For long I have had my kids wear products of similar quality such as Terranova kids and Benetton, and of course some well-loved lines from local department stores, but honestly they lack the truffles to really capture the playfulness and creativity that our kids have now.

The Mayoral children's clothing line is absolutely amazing in the attention to detail.  Each and every Mayoral piece is adorned with ruffles, bows, pin tucks, or crocheted lace.  The style fits in with today's busy, active kids.  Each piece of Mayoral kids wear, girl's clothes, baby clothes and boy's clothes will endure and be a favorite heirloom piece.
 For the opening, a program transformed this alley with a kiddie runway, cocktail tables and a large screen to capture every spotlight.
Hosted by Miss Jackie Lou Blanco, who herself is a stunning grand mom who love to pamper her grand kids with stylish yet comfortable garbs and accessories.
Adorable kids donned in Mayoral's collection show off their most lovely grins and dimples as they cat-walked, having everyone utter cutesy expressions.
 One of the model with her equally stunning mommy and on the next picture are sister models who perfectly matched the characteristics of the Mayoral clothes.  Below is one of the youngest boy in the troupe with what seems to be a very comfortable Mayoral jacket, who even carried by his mom still managed to be photogenic.
The event was also graced by some celebrity moms awaiting to check out the newest trends in kids fashion.
I was so excited to buy some for my kids but with the people who stormed the store right after the ribbon-cutting, there was no way for me to enjoy shopping there yet.   Do check this site out again and see what I will be getting for my girls.  Can't wait to do birthday shopping for my youngest girl!