Showing posts sorted by relevance for query baguio. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query baguio. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, August 08, 2016

Azalea Hotels & Residences: 10 Reasons Why It's a Great Family Destination in Baguio City, Philippines

family , fun time
Azalea Hotels & Residences: 10 Reasons Why It's a Great Family Destination in Baguio City, Philippines
I've always wanted to come back to Baguio City with my family. The last time we were there together was more than 10 years ago. We unwisely planned the trip for Holy Week and had a difficult time finding good accommodations as well as got stuck in a horrible 9-hour traffic going back to Manila. That was when we decided to come back someday when the city won't be too crowded with tourists.

#TeamFloresca at Azalea
Finally, we had a chance to return to Baguio after the summer rush of visitors is over -- and we had an awesome time! :) Together with a few friends and their families, we excitedly went North one fine Wednesday morning last July. I was so happy that our eldest son was able to get away from work for a few days but quite sad that our youngest had to stay behind with my mom because he had to go to school.

the beauty that is Azalea Baguio
It was quite surprising how faster it is to travel to Baguio nowadays thanks to the SCTex and TPLex routes. We arrived at Azalea Hotels & Residences Baguio just in time for a delicious lunch at Tradisyon Coffee Shop. But first, we checked in our rooms and were delighted to find out how lovely and spacious our well-appointed two-bedroom suite was which had complete living, dining, and kitchen facilities!

the dining and living room area of an Azalea suite 
Indeed Azalea Baguio is a very ideal destination for families and friends who travel together in big groups. It has 99 well-equipped and multi-occupant apartment suite rooms: 46 Deluxe, 17 One-Bedroom, 33 Two-Bedroom, and 3 Three-Bedroom that provide guests a great venue to bond over home-cooked meals and fun conversations.

Rey claiming first dibs on the Swiss Miss sachet he found in the kitchen
We didn't get to use the kitchen facilities much though because we got busy going around Baguio to quaint and charming places as well as areas that got our creative juices flowing (read more about those in another blog post).

at one of the charming places we went to
(find out where in my other blog post :D)
For now, here's listing down the top things #TeamFloresca loves about Azalea:

1. The rooms are lovely! Nothing beats a hotel room that has all the amenities we need for a home away from home. The beds (including the sofa bed!) are so comfortable to sleep in. For two nights, all of us, especially our son with special needs, were able to get long and very restful sleep to fuel us for another day of exciting activities. 

our James sleeping well through the night
simply means the bed is definitely a comfortable one
2. The food in Tradisyon is really good. We ate several meals in the hotel's restaurant, which always ended with filled tummies and smiles on our faces. On two mornings, I zeroed in on mushroom omelettes and the danggit (dried and fried fish) during breakfast because they were some of the best I've had in months! I also love this dining place's interior!

enjoying our yummy pizza and pasta dinner
3. There's fast WiFi! More than just posting on social media, for me, good communication lines are a must when traveling so I can keep in touch with members of my family left behind (like my youngest son and mom, in this case). Aside from landline calls or text messages via mobile phone, it's easier to chat via Facebook, post photos, and keep updated about each other from both ends.      

Tradisyon's accent wall is something you'd love to post online, too!
4. Transportation (with a good driver!) can be arranged to and from Manila. There are not many hotels who provide this kind of service so we are very thankful that Azalea took care of this part of our trip as well. The hotel likewise provided us a van we could use to go around Baguio with. Talk about convenience! :)

PWD access ramps made it easier to get James in and out of Azalea
5. Handicap accessibility and 24-hour medical assistance. Traveling with a child who has special needs is challenging. Thankfully, we have a foldable wheelchair that was easy to push going in and out of the hotel via gently sloping PWD ramps and spacious elevators. In addition, one of the nicest things Azalea's management did was to insist for one of their nurses to join us during our tours around Baguio! We didn't ask nor expected it but we are deeply grateful for having Nurse Meg Ferrer who helped watch over James while the rest of the family explored areas nearby that were no longer wheelchair-accessible. Thank you sooooo much, Meg and Azalea! :)

James with Nurse Meg who is super, super nice
and really great to talk to
6. Thoughtful acts of kindness. Opening the door to one's room and finding a big basket filled with fruits as well as little boxes of cookies, chocolates, and chocolate-dipped strawberries was already very much appreciated. But when my oldest son (who works on night shift) decided to forgo dinner twice to catch up on sleep, Azalea staff offered to bring up food on a big plate to our room so Rey can eat when he wakes up around midnight. Again, that kind of service was unexpected and this mom sincerely says thank you from the bottom of my heart :)

fresh flowers, fruits, and sweet treats
7. Proximity to nearby attractions. Azalea Baguio is just a few minutes away from Session Road and walking distance to Teacher's Camp and some food establishments like a Korean resto just outside the driveway. We planned to go running at the track oval but were, unfortunately, refused entry because my barefoot runner husband was not wearing any shoes. And so we headed towards Camp John Hay instead where we had a great time running all the way to Choco-late de Batirol (located around 2.5km from the hotel). It drizzled a bit so we got wet but the cold feeling was quickly washed away by a hot shower the moment we got back to our room.

photo op in between a practice run around Camp John Hay :D 
8. Choices of themed rooms. We were able to take a peek into other rooms aside from ours and were delighted to find various offerings that are ideal for families with young kids as well as couples who would like to have a romantic getaway. I could imagine ladies saying "Awww!" when they get surprised by their special someone with a room filled with rose petals and creatively-folded towels! On our last night, the moms and dads did videoke while the kids watched movies in separate function rooms.  

excuse us but this room calls for some cheesiness hahaha! 
9. Quiet location. Azalea is tucked in a secluded hill, promising both the peace and gentleness of country living. It is so great to wake up in the morning and stay for a while on the balcony to gaze at the surroundings and watch the sun bathe the trees while the fog and dew melt away. 

one of my best morning shots ever was taken from
our room's balcony on Azalea Baguio's 5th floor
10. It is, overall, a beautiful place. Azalea's structure resembles that of a ski-resort which, I've read is a clever inspiration for the Summer Capital's first vacation residence that brings thoughts of family vacations and friendly holidays. The facade as well as everything inside the establishment are definitely world-class and would delight both local and foreign tourists.

our big and happy group before heading back to Manila
If you're planning to go up to Baguio any time soon, be it with just one special person or your whole gang of loved ones, book your stay at Azalea Hotels & Residences located at Leonard Wood Loop. For bookings and inquiries, log on to www.azaleabaguio.com, email reservations@azalea.com.ph, or call the following numbers: (+632) 4501151 / 4501584 / 4508753 / 5794890 / 5794894 [Manila office] and (+6374) 4248710 / 4248711 / 4248716 [Baguio office]. 

a top view of Azalea's driveway, playground (left side),
and separate building (green roof) with function rooms and clinic
Be updated about the hotel's promos and good deals by following @azaleabaguio on Instagram, @AzaleaResidence on Twitter, and Azalea Residences Baguio on Facebook. 


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Thursday, March 01, 2012

Hotel Elizabeth: A Nice Place to Stay in Baguio

hotel , personal
Hotel Elizabeth: A Nice Place to Stay in Baguio
What do you look for in a hotel? Personally, I like to stay in places that basically are accessible, have friendly staff members, reasonable rates, and comfortable rooms with a desk I can work in. Oh, and there should be WiFi, of course! 


All these, and more, I found in Hotel Elizabeth in Baguio. Three of my friends and I went up to the City of Pines last weekend to take part in the Panagbenga Festival and we stayed for two nights in an executive suite room (published rate: P6,720 net/day) which has a huge bed in the bedroom, a sofa in the living room that can be converted into two single beds, two balconies, two bathrooms (one with a bathtub), a small dining table with four chairs, and a kitchen counter with sink.  


Needless to say, the whole unit was more than spacious enough for the four of us. We got to work on our laptops in our chosen spots, watch different shows from the two TV sets, and simply enjoy the cool weather while we sleep.


We also enjoyed the breakfast buffet on our second day but had to forego eating the next morning because we had to rush very early to catch our Manila-bound bus at the station. 


There are a lot of things to like about Hotel Elizabeth. For one, the staff are very accommodating. The first time we entered the hotel doors, we were even greeted by a sort of welcoming committee complete with dancing ladies in colorful costumes. But I think it's Panagbenga-related so don't blame me if you go there and are not greeted by dancers :p


Our hotel windows and balconies have very nice views. I love how our room overlooks a sort of sloping garden with gazebos which I, unfortunately, didn't even get to visit because of our busy schedule. Still, I enjoyed looking at all those gorgeous flowers planted near the hotel entrance when we went out the next day. It was very refreshing to be greeted by a rainbow of colors early in the morning.


If you're planning on going up to Baguio this coming summer break, book a room at Hotel Elizabeth. They have affordable rates that you and your friends/family would love. For more information, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

Edit, March 14: Hotel Elizabeth and Fersal Hotel Promos!

Hey everyone, these are great deals! Check these out!

BED OF ROSES

Weekend Special (Fridays and Saturdays)
Valid Up to March 31, 2012
Baguio – Php 4,256/pax
Cebu – Php 4,800/pax

Inclusions:
• 3days/2nights stay in a Deluxe Room on Twin Sharing occupancy
• Complimentary Daily Breakfast
• One (1) Fusion Dinner Buffet
• One (1) Complimentary Drink of the Month
• One (1) Complimentary FB Shirt

HOTEL ELIZABETH BAGUIO TURNS 7


Celebrate with us this March!
Book one night in Hotel Elizabeth Baguio and get the next night for only P7.00! Valid for bookings made within March 2012.

HOTEL ELIZABETH CEBU


Get up to 30% off on published rates. For reservations and inquiries, call +632 912 2691, +632 912 800; +63917 878 4124, +63922 857 2543 or email reservations@hotelelizabeth.com.ph

FERSAL HOTEL FOR THE GRADUATES

For the Graduates Promo + 1
From March 1 – 31, 2012
Book a room and get one (1) Free extra person charge (no breakfast) for the graduate with Valid ID.

PLUS Daily Breakfast, Unlimited WiFi, Landline local calls, daily newspaper. For reservations and inquiries, call +632 912 2689, +632 912 800;

Aside from Hotel Elizabeth, keep updated with Fersal Hotel promos by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter.


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Friday, January 30, 2015

Catchment Tanks That Store Rainwater May Help Solve Baguio Floods

environment , nature
Catchment Tanks That Store Rainwater May Help Solve Baguio Floods
Baguio City is popularly known as a vacation spot that has a cold climate because it is way above sea level. But despite its elevated location, the city, surprisingly is still susceptible to floods. In fact, 2012's tropical storm Helen left Baguio submerged while 2013's typhoon Labuyo brought on the same devastation along with landslides. Given the continuous occurrences of atmospheric disturbances, we have to be prepared that more of them will come.

Flooded Baguio
photo borrowed from worldvision.org.au
SM Baguio is thus planning to build a catchment tank to capture and store rainwater to help reduce floodwaters that damage households and business establishments. In addition, stored water has many non-potable uses such as irrigation and watering of plants.  

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Friday, August 19, 2016

See Baguio in a New Light via Azalea Hotels & Residences' Fun Family Tour Package

art , environment
See Baguio in a New Light via Azalea Hotels & Residences' Fun Family Tour Package
When in Baguio City, where do you frequently go? For many tourists, the regular stomping grounds usually include Burnham Park, Mines View Park, ukay stores, and several popular dining places that you must have seen over and over on your Facebook feed or were recommended by family and friends.

#TeamFloresca at Camp John Hay

The next time you and your family go to Baguio, consider booking a room at Azalea Hotels & Residences (read my hotel review, here) and asking their travel concierge to help plan your Baguio holiday. Azalea can point you to new and not-so-well known destinations in the city as well as suggest activities that you and your loved ones would enjoy doing together.

pine trees and clouds on a beautiful day in Baguio

Recently, my family and I, together with several friends' families stayed in Azalea and had a great time seeing other parts of Baguio that we would most likely overlook if we were the ones who planned the trip. On our first day, after checking in at the hotel and having lunch, we went to Tam-awan Village, Baguio's Garden in the Sky, in Pinsao Proper.

entrance to Tam-awan Village

There, we feasted our eyes on indigenous works of art that feature beautiful Cordilleran craftsmanship. The village is a venue for art exhibits and workshops that aim to foster a deeper appreciation of the Cordillera people's cultural heritage. We were even fortunate to catch a group of dancers who were being filmed for a TV documentary.

a glimpse of Cordilleran culture

It was quite rainy that afternoon so we didn't get to catch the sunset that they say can be magnificent when viewed from Tam-awan (which aptly means vantage point). Our group had individual portraits done, though, by three artists. I honestly couldn't see my resemblance in the drawing made for me, but I am happy how my sons' portraits turned out.

nice portraits of my sons done by artist Ponso Dato

The next morning, we went to go horseback riding. Many of us thought we'd be going to Mines View Park where horses for photo-ops usually are. We didn't know that Camp John Hay has horses (without the ridiculous colors) for rent and trails to explore.

my friends' son, Ben, confidently handling his horse

I also mistakenly assumed (minus points for not asking questions!) that getting on a horse would be just a few minutes, enough for taking some pictures with it. So I had my hubby hold my phone to take a few shots before my horse's handler led me towards a trail followed by the horses of my other companions. It was minutes later when we were told we'll be riding for about an hour along the Yellow Trail!

mother and son on horseback

Despite feeling quite bummed that I left my phone with hubby, I felt really proud of my son, Gab, who rode his horse without the aid of any handler! I, on the other hand, was worried that my skittish horse might suddenly bolt so I insisted my guide to hold the ropes all throughout the ride. I knew my butt and thighs would hurt the next day but the experience of passing through underneath pine trees and feeling the cold gentle wind on my face was worth the impending pain.

Mommy Emma and Maki

Thankfully, we met the San Juan family at a clearing so I got to ask my friend Ryan to take some photos of us while his lovely wife Emma and pretty daughter Maki rode a horse nearby. Their son, Ben, looks very comfortable on top of his own horse and went ahead with us back to the starting point.

 a lovely "prenup" shot by our son, Gab :)

Before leaving the area, we found a lot of pretty spots as backgrounds for more photo. Needless to say, we grabbed the opportunity to take as many as we could and I am very happy with the results. The mommies and daddies even got some great "prenup" shots! :p

a picnic under the pine trees

After the horseback riding sessions, we went to the picnic grounds where Azalea staff prepared a picnic for us. The small kids had fun running around the spacious area while the adults enjoyed the peaceful ambiance that you can only feel outdoors away from the bustling city.

hot and rich chocolate drink that's perfect for a rainy afternoon

Thankfully, we were already replete with good food by the time it started to drizzle as it happens during the afternoons during our trip. We went back to the vans and were brought to Choco-Late de Batirol, a charming place that serves hot chocolate and Filipino delicacies like bibingka and suman. There, I got to chat longer with fellow mom, Nike, who had a lot of good and funny stories to tell.

waiting for the hot choco and local delicacies

We got back to Azalea around 4PM, the ideal time when hubby and I normally go out for practice runs. So we did and roamed the roads of Camp John Hay to clock in 5.4 kilometers in less than an hour. 

one of the best places for a practice run!

After a lovely dinner at Tradisyon, Nike, hubby, our son Gab, and I made a quick trip to the Night Market at Harrison Road where I searched for a bigger jacket for James (scored two at very low prices!) while hubby happily bought a pair of Converse shoes.

parents' night out

We would have liked to stay longer but I was afraid we'd be tempted to shop until midnight and we had to get back to the videoke night bonding with our fellow moms and dads. I had fun chatting with new friends Jana and Amanda and learning that we have a lot of things in common.

bursts of colors as seen from the highway

Early the next morning, we headed out to La Trinidad to go strawberry picking. Before we reached it, we stopped by Sitio Botiwtiw along the highway to take photos of the recently painted houses that look like a huge mural on a hill. It was hard to find a good shot though because of numerous electric cables. We heard the view would be best from the top the hill across where the houses are but we didn't have enough time, nor the permission, to do so. Maybe in a future trip? :)

kids and strawberries make great combinations

Upon reaching the Strawberry Fields though, we found out that strawberries are no longer in season (they were, in fact, being sold at P100 per styrofoam pack!) so we just bought bundles of lettuce, strawberries, strawberry ice cream, and strawberry taho, which delighted the young ones and young-once.

my boys enjoying strawberry ice cream

I admired several beautiful paintings displayed on the side of the parking lot and the artist tried to sell me one but I ran out of enough cash and the ATMs were located in the city center. Too bad, I would really like to have one of those hanging in one wall of our house. Someday, I hope I could come back and help that talented artist earn extra funds for his family.

paintings for sale displayed on a sidewalk

Before going back to Azalea, we dropped by Arca's Yard along Ambuklao Road. It is a charming place filled with beautiful art pieces as well as lots of nooks and crannies for photo shoots. Aside from this nice family photo we got, check the other one included in my Azalea hotel review, here.

#WeAreTeamFloresca at Arca's Yard

We got to try the camote pie and cloud tea at Arca's yard and they are both good! I recommend having those as an afternoon or mid-morning snack (like we did) while enjoying the beautiful views the place has to offer. 

mid-morning snack at Arca's Yard

Pretty soon, we had to go back to Azalea to pack our stuff and get ready to check out after lunch. It was such a lovely three-day trip that my family and I would definitely remember forever. I pray that my sons would cherish the memories we made together and allow those to become inspirations to also take time and be with their loved ones when they already have families of their own :)


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Monday, April 27, 2015

National Geographic Holds Successful NatGeoRun 2015 with 20,000 Registered Runners

advocacy , environment
National Geographic Holds Successful NatGeoRun 2015 with 20,000 Registered Runners
I have been running (again) for eight months now and I guess I've gotten better at it because my husband registered me (without my permission) to join Nat Geo Run 2015's 10k category! Of course I was pressured! In all our practice runs, the longest distance I've covered was only about 7k but I took this one as a challenge to see how far my physical endurance could take me. (And this was after running 5k the day before at the Pro Earth Run! Spell C-R-A-Z-Y!) 

with husband and wife runner friends Jay and Beth
Since it was my first time to run a 10k route coming from the MOA running grounds going to Macapagal Avenue all the way to Roxas Boulevard, I kept anticipating a U-Turn anytime soon but the road seemed to stretch out longer and longer! I passed the World Trade Center, Star City, the CCP, and the Central Bank until I reached the street going to Malate Church! Honestly, at one point, I thought the route would never end :p

5:30AM gun start for the 10k runners
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Monday, August 13, 2012

Mondo Juice: A Place to Find Great-Tasting and Genuinely Healthy Smoothies!

family , food trip
Mondo Juice: A Place to Find Great-Tasting and Genuinely Healthy Smoothies!
I’m a fruit lover. Not only do I eat most kinds of fruits, I also enjoy having them on top of pastries and in beverages. Ask me what I’d like to drink and I’ll choose something made of fruit rather than go for a soda because I believe that taking care of our bodies includes watching what we eat.


Recently, some of my friends and I visited the Mondo Juice branch in SM Megamall. It was my first time to try their smoothies and I was very glad I did! We even got to chat with one of its owners, Mr. Jonathan Kui, who gave out a lot of fascinating tips and trivia about their products. Here’s sharing some of the things I learned …

10 Reasons why you should also try (and love!) Mondo Juice:

1. The smoothies are made with PURE FRUIT – “We don’t add stuff that’s not supposed to be in there,” revealed Mr. Kui. “If you look at the stickers on your cups, there's an ingredients list like mangoes, strawberries, nectar, or cranberry juice. Whatever we put in the sticker, that’s it. We don’t add anything, we don’t disguise anything.”

Trivia: A Mondo Juice smoothie packs at least 1/3 pound of fruit in each cup and offers a rainbow of fruits spanning the spectrum from mangoes, oranges, pineapples, and bananas, to strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, and watermelons. Oh, and don’t forget to read the stickers on your cup! You’ll find them very informative as well as entertaining.


2. The fruits come only from PRE-APPROVED FARMS – Mondo Juice is very strict when it comes to quality control. They ask farms abroad to send them a fruit’s chemical analysis that tells them what variety it is, how sweet it is, what’s the size, the color, the nutrients, even the things inside the soil. “For example, in strawberries, there’s a special bacteria that’s needed in the soil to get it extra sweet,” illustrated Mr. Kui.

When the analysis passes the requirements, Mondo Juice would approve shipment. “When the shipment gets here, we have a machine to confirm if everything’s okay. For example, we order 100 cases. If 3 cases failed, we send it back. We only had that happen once with raspberries,” he recalled. “Ever since they realized that we will actually send the stuff back, they’ve been a lot careful. That’s the reason why we can make the stuff without added sugar or syrup – because we’re strict about it. For the local stuff, we go to the farms straight, and then we get a middleman to ensure quality.”

Trivia: There are over 200 varieties of strawberries. “Baguio strawberries are for decoration. The reason is, it doesn’t get cold enough here. Strawberries are very picky. It has to be cold, for example, at day 20 all the way to the end. Baguio isn’t cold enough,” explained Mr. Kui. “Among the 200 varieties, we [at Mondo Juice] can only use 10 kinds. Most of them are used for baking and, even then, you can only use 15 kinds. The fresh ones, the really good ones you eat, there’s only 6. So it’s not like ‘Oh it’s a strawberry, I’m gonna eat it.’ Some of them are good for pies, for syrups, for puree. So it’s not simply getting a strawberry and putting it in a blender. We have to study the genus, we have to study everything.”


3. Mondo Juice uses IQF (or Individually Quick Frozen) FRUITS – “We don’t use fresh because fresh is not [good enough],” Mr. Kui pointed out and further explained that mango, for instance, matures in 120 days and that it takes time to get to the supermarket from wherever farm it came from say Zambales or Guimaras. “So what the farmers will do is that at 110 days, they will pick the mango then put it in a container, or jeep, or bus. They would spray chemicals on them to force the mango to ripen. Then, when it gets to the supermarket, they will store it for 3 days before putting it on display,” he enumerates. “By the time you actually get your ‘fresh’ mango, at least 20 people have touched it and it has been squeezed and prodded and everything else.”

With IQF, fruit is instantly frozen. Mondo Juice instructs farmers to allow the fruits to tree ripen. “So we only select farms that are 10 minutes away from our facilities. [After] they pick the fruit, they send it to the facility [and] the facility would then process the fruits. By process, we mean peel and cut. Then it goes onto this conveyer belt and liquid nitrogen would spray out and freeze [the fruits] just like that,” portrayed Mr. Kui. “The reason why we use liquid nitrogen is because fruit has to freeze at the fastest way possible to ensure the quality and the taste doesn’t disappear. When the fruit it mature, it tastes a lot better.”

Trivia: A normal home freezer would take 4 hours to freeze a mango cheek. Commercial freezers would freeze it in 2 hours. An IQF machine would only take one second. Additionally, fruits at Mondo Juice are carefully monitored using sensors and the freezers are checked twice as often as a normal freezer.


4. The smoothies HAVE NO ADDED SUGAR – Mr. Kui described that part of the reason why they serve the smoothies in clear cups is that they want to show off the color. “If you add things like sugar or syrup, it dulls the color because sugar has a grayish tint and produces muddy shades of yellow, orange, purple, or red. Ours don’t have that. We don’t use syrups, stabilizers, binders, emulsifiers or any artificial sweeteners.”

“One of the ways you’ll know we don’t add sugar is if you taste the different flavors, there are varying degrees of tartness. For example, Blushing Mango will be a bit more tart than, let’s say, Blueberry Bonanza or Midnight Mango will have a different kind of sweetness than Blueberry Bonanza,” compared Mr. Kui. “The reason is [each smoothie’s taste] completely relies on the sweetness of the fruit and the sweetness of a blueberry is different from the sweetness of a blackberry. Because blackberry has lycopene and lycopene, when it reacts with the sugar in the blackberry, it creates a different taste altogether. That’s also why it’s different colors. The colors have to do with the enzymes inside [each fruit] and affect the overall taste. If we put syrup, they’ll all taste the same because, what happens is, the backbone [becomes] the syrup.”

Trivia: A smoothie is basically 75% fruit plus any kind of liquid like milk, water, or juice. If you put additional syrup, it becomes a shake.


5. Mondo Juice has a special technique in making PERFECT SMOOTHIES – “We have what we call a 10 second swirl which will tell us when the smoothies are perfectly blended,” said Mr. Kui. A good smoothie should not be runny (too watery) or chunky (pours out in clumps) but instead should ‘build’ or ‘mound’ when being poured. “Then we’ll know the fibers are still intact.” In addition, “Every single smoothie has a different blending time. Again, it has to do with the temperature, the handling, if it’s sitting out for 30 seconds, it will blend different from something that’s freshly out of the freezer. We blend them straight frozen. No thawing.”

Trivia: The difference between the smoothie and the chunky is only 3 seconds while with a smoothie and a runny, 2 seconds. “So it actually takes a month to learn to get it properly. It’s not as simple as sticking fruits in a blender,” claimed Mr. Kui whose staff members are trained for two months to ensure that they serve only velvety, properly blended smoothies.


6. Mondo Juice smoothies are GENUINELY HEALTHY – In fact, there are special blends and boosters that improve strength and vigor. For example, the Proteinzone is an appetizing concoction of raspberries, bananas, nectar, cranberry juice, and soy protein that helps repair muscles, especially after an intense workout. Power Up, on the other hand, is a brew made of strawberries, pineapple, nectar, and orange juice to perk up the senses and protect against sickness. And then there’s Detox, which my hubby ordered and which I also tried and enjoyed because it is loaded with mangoes, pineapples, nectar, and orange juice. This is as tasty as you can get to flushing out toxins and cleansing the body!

Aside from smoothies, you can also buy fresh-pressed juices from Mondo Juice that combine the goodness of fruit with a medley of vegetables including carrots, sugar beets, spinach, and green pepper. Also available is wheatgrass juice which is rich in anti-oxidants that help increase the number of red blood cells, lower blood pressure, and protect the body from health risks, including cancer.

Trivia: Blackberries and raspberries have thick skins that are impossible to peel but the skins are actually the healthiest parts of the fruit. Have some of the healthiest drinks by ordering the Raspberry Rush, Blushing Mango, or the Berry Blitz. They’re the nicest smoothies with berry skins that you can get. I already tried the Berry Blitz and loved the texture, the color, and the taste!


7. There are NO FLAVOR MIX-UPS at Mondo Juice – Staff members wash each blender jar with purified, sterilized water after every use to ensure that a mango-pineapple smoothie won’t taste like blueberry. “What if you have a strawberry allergy and we made a strawberry smoothie before you ordered?” asked Mr. Kui. “If we use the same jar without washing it, we just killed you. So we’re very strict.”

Trivia: The SM Megamall branch has 30 jars to ensure that customers are not kept waiting very long for their smoothies.


8. Mondo Juice smoothies are MOM- AND KID-APPROVED – I brought two of my boys to Mondo Juice last Sunday after watching a movie in Megamall. The friendly staff made us try small servings of Blueberry Bonanza which Son #2 ordered in mondo size. Son #4, who loves everything with bananas, naturally ordered Banana Mama also in mondo size. (Boys are so expensive to maintain!) Forever strawberry lover that I am, I got myself the Quench which has strawberries, watermelon, cranberry juice, and nectar in solo size. What a refreshing drink on a hot afternoon! My kids and I took sips out of each other’s cup and liked each and every variant. After we left the store, they had me promise to bring them back there again which made me wish Mondo Juice would have a branch in Alabang soon!


9. They serve delicious BREADS AND DESSERTS there too! – Of course, snacking is more fun when you have something to eat while having a cup of marvelous smoothie. Choose from various tummy-filling snacks, jello, cookies, and sandwiches made with all-natural ingredients which include grilled chicken breast, capicolla ham, and smoked turkey breast served on a bed of fresh vegetables.

Trivia: Mondo Juice bakes its own breads to ensure that there will be no preservatives or chemicals in them.


10. You will definitely COME BACK FOR MORE – Since Mondo Juice has so many items on their menu, I want to try them all because I honestly like everything there that I’ve tried so far. I’ve tasted shakes and smoothies from other stores before and there were times I regretted ordering some of them because they tasted really bad. You can’t even distinguish the individual fruit flavors anymore because the concoctions were either too sweet or too sour. Mondo Juice smoothies are able to balance the sweet and sour tastes so well and the flavors are so lip-smacking, I always find myself draining each cup to the last drop.


By the way, the store's name came from the Italian word “mondo” which means world. Mr. Kui told us that it had to do with the fact that it took them a year and half to prepare for the store’s opening because they really went around the world to try all the brands there are and make sure that Mondo Juice would taste better. I have to agree. This store is where the freshest and most delicious smoothies can be found!

Love to drop by for some healthy sips? Visit Mondo Juice in SM Megamall, Robinsons Galleria, and Alimall Cubao, like their Facebook page and follow @mondojuice on Twitter.



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