I enjoy discovering new things and visiting places I've never been to before. I also like learning more about my country's history. Thus, I gladly accepted the invitation to visit the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite yesterday. 

Although I've seen the place several times from the highway while traveling to other areas in Cavite, this is the first time I've actually had a chance to go inside and explore history firsthand. 

We arrived in Kawit in the late afternoon. While it's still light outside, some of my blogger friends and I first took time to admire our surroundings and take photos around the large plaza and the areas around the huge house.

The moment I stepped inside the front door, I immediately felt reverence for everything the shrine holds. Somehow, being in the presence of items that have been existing long before I, or my parents, were born was a bit overwhelming. 

There are lots of interesting stuff under glass cases which make it easier to imagine how life was during the Philippines' Spanish and American eras. 

Upstairs, everything seemed to be made of heavy and high quality wood, from the floors, the chairs, the beds, doors, and even ceiling decorations. I was drawn towards the balcony where footages of the declaration of Philippine Independence is always shot for posterity's sake.


Later, Emilio Aguinaldo's great grandson told me that there was no balcony during the actual declaration. It was only added years later. There was only a window then but the spot where we stood earlier is still the same spot where Aguinaldo waved the flag.

The house is huge. There are so many rooms, nooks, and crannies. The master's bedroom even has a door on the floor that leads down to, get this, an indoor swimming pool! 

I forgot to mention that there's also a bowling alley with two lanes on the first floor. Cool, huh?

We also got to climb up to the topmost part of the tower. See that highest parol in the photos? I stood behind that when I tried opening the capiz window trying to look out into the plaza :p


And since I couldn't get a good shot from there, I just looked out the other windows facing other directions. It was windy and cold up there and I would probably be scared if I'm left alone in the tower. 

Since darkness has already crept in, we all went outside just as the Lights and Sounds show was starting. Like the one in Ayala Triangle, this presentation involved lots of Christmas lights that seemed to dance in time with the Christmas songs being played on loudspeakers to be heard by everyone in the plaza. 

One of these days, I'd like to come back to Aguinaldo Shrine with my sons. I'm sure they would also appreciate having a peek at the past that has helped shaped our country's future. 

* To see more photos taken during our tour, please click here

When we hear the word zoo, we usually think of animals in cages with signs that say, “Do not feed” or “Do not touch.” We just go there to look and not interact with the zoo’s residents.

I didn’t quite know what to expect when my friends and I were invited to visit Paradizoo in Mendez, Cavite last Saturday. It’s very near Tagaytay and has the same cool weather. We arrived there early in the morning and felt the chill right after alighting from the van. I was grateful to take a sip of the hot chocolate drink we were served at the Paradizoo Café and eat spoonfuls of a soup they call Goto Mendez. We also got to try some puto and a glass of refreshing chilled lemongrass (or was it pandan?) juice.

After the nice breakfast which warmed our tummies, we toured the 10-hectare agri-tourism enclave and spent time enjoying the wide open spaces where some animals are free to roam. There are also big, fenced in areas where there are camels, ostriches, horses, ponies, and a five-legged bull!

One of our first stops is a big bird cage where people can go inside and feed the winged creatures. My 13-year-old son joined some of our friends and got “mugged” by the little birds trying to get to the seeds on Daniel’s hands. Seed packets are sold at 10 each. Before we left Paradizoo some hours later, the rest of us also got in the cage to experience feeding the birds out of our hands. It was a fun but very ticklish experience in my case :p

Aside from that exciting stop, we got to walk among very colorful and beautiful flower gardens. We also passed by rows of different vegetables that visitors can buy fresh. If you are a salad lover, know that you can buy lettuce there for only P100 a kilo! The farm also has fruit bearing plants like banana, pineapples, mangoes, coconut, jackfruit, and honeydew melon. There is practically no wastage as all the animals eat the grass as well as fruit peelings and even coconut meat.

More things are waiting to be discovered inside Paradizoo. We watched Greyhounds race each other along a wide track, went inside the butterfly enclosure where we had photos taken with the butterflies that settled on our hands, and visited a well-kept pet cemetery.

Paradizoo will also delight nature lovers who are interested in learning about clean vegetable farming practices that include seeding techniques, plant nutrition, cultural management, and irrigation and water management. Almost all the animals in Paradizoo are for sale as well as their vegetable harvests, honey from the bees, and honey-pineapple vinegar.

An agri-festival featuring livestock, vegetable, and floral fair will run from January 21 to February 25 at Paradizoo. Highlights of the event includes Greyhound racing demo, animal parade and show, animal auction, vegetable picking, seminars, organic fertilizer application, and more.

This theme farm has accommodations available for those who wish to stay longer. Spend the night at Caribbean style view deck rooms and watch magic and pantomime shows on weekends. Their newest attractions include a fish spa and a spa sanctuary where you can release stress and experience a relaxing back or head massage by a therapist.

Before we headed back to Manila, we dropped by Residence Inn in Tagaytay. I haven’t been to the place for years and it’s pleasantly surprising to see that they have added new attractions that are sure to entice guests to return again and again. There, we watched an entertaining animal show and some of us got to hold/touch several animals like a tarantula, scorpions, gecko, and a HUGE albino snake. My son and adventurous friends gamely tried almost everything but I settled on having a photo taken with the large spider on my jacket sleeve :D

We also got to ride a zipline and a cable car for the first time and the experiences were amazing! You’ve got to try those when you visit Residence Inn with friends and family! The cool wind on my face was very refreshing and the beautiful view of Taal Lake with the Taal Volcano was always a sight to see. The company of my friends, who are really great to be with, made the day ten times more fun and unforgettable.

Paradizoo, a project of Residence Inn, is located at Km 63 Panungyan Mendez, Cavite. They are open from 8AM to 4PM every day, including holidays. For inquiries, please call 899-9824, 895-7142, or 0917-8351111. You can also log in to www.zoomanity.com.ph and like www.facebook.com/zoomanitygroup

*Photos used are a hodge-podge of shots from my and my friends' cameras. Thank you guys for letting me borrow your pictures :)

We all need to unwind every now and then but our busy lives usually prevent us from doing so. One of the setbacks I personally encounter is finding places that are near enough and which could offer activities that veer away from the usual routines of malling and dining out. 

So I am really glad to discover that Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Kawit, Cavite is actually very accessible from Metro Manila! It took us less than an hour to travel from Makati via the Cavitex highway. I went there with several blogger friends last weekend and had such a great time. Here are  10 good reasons why you should also consider paying this place a visit, soon:

International clothing brand Yishion continues to take the Philippines by storm by bringing fashion, quality, and value to style-conscious Filipinos. Following the success of its flagship store at Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong, Yishion's second branch is now open at The District Mall in Cavite. 

In celebration of the launching of this second store, Yishion invited several lifestyle and fashion bloggers for a trendy afternoon of fashion and fabulous finds. We were given a budget to come up with cool ensembles that express our individual styles. 

Yishion's wide variety of choices -- from preppy to urban, sporty to sleek -- offers fashionable finds for every style and budget. The younger bloggers I was with were very adventurous with their choices and I admire their fashion sense. I wish I was that style-savvy when I was their age!

Rock the boat with a nautical-inspired top and high-waist navy shorts, or go rocker chic by choosing one of the nicely-designed graphic tees or tank tops, vests, and black leggings. The guy bloggers in our group had the option to look dapper and zero in on smart-looking cardigans, button-down shirts, and slacks, or go for a more sporty look with hooded jackets and jeans. To complete one's look, Yishion also carries a selection of hip fashion jewelry and essential items like socks.

I actually had a hard time choosing among the lovely tops and dresses because a lot of them look really nice. I ended up picking two tops and a pair of pretty shorts. Look at the tiny, thoughtful details on these items! 

Since we were supposed to create an outfit using Yishion items, I found this cream-colored knitted blouse perfect for the pair of shorts that's a few shades darker. This would be really great to wear on days I'd like to dress up a little and still maintain the casual look that I go for most of the time.

Blouse - P1,799.75, Shorts P1,099.75

On the other hand, the black and gray hoodie is right up my alley because I'm mostly a shirt and jeans type of person. If I had more to spend that day, I would have bought the other two colors available. I wore the hoodie the other night when I attended a press con and found it really, really comfortable to wear. I'm looking forward to putting up the hood for real when the cold front visits by January or February next year.

Hoodie P799.95

As a mom who wears a lot of hats and juggles dozens of concerns 24/7, I don't have time to put in a lot of effort on choosing what to wear every time I have to go out. So I got used to buying stuff that are not too complicated to pair up with each other. I found several in Yishion and I am most definitely happy with my finds! I still have my eye on several tops though so I would most likely visit the Shang branch soon.

For those who are not familiar with the brand, Yishion was established in 1997 in the fashion capital of Humen in Dongguan City, China.  It is ISO 9001:2000-certified (that's a big deal!), has 19 regional offices, and over 5,000 franchised stores all over the world. You can find this multi-awarded clothing brand in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and other countries in Asia.

Let your inner fashionista shine through by discovering what fits you best at any of Yishion's two branches. You may also check out the full collection at www.facebook.com/yishionph

Happy shopping! :)

I know several people who don't enjoy shopping in public markets due to sanitation concerns. I could understand the aversion to bad smells and icky wet floors because those sometimes make me avoid buying stuff there, too.

The good news is, at least for Dasma residents, their area now has a "marketmall" -- a two-in-one establishment that houses both public market and a mall! The yellow building was formerly a Kadiwa Center that has been upgraded through the public-private partnership between SM and the local government of Dasmarinas.

Since SM is managing the operations side, shoppers can expect mall features such as wide spaces, sanitation maintenance, covered parking, emergency clinic, and security personnel, in this palenke. These improvements mean a cleaner, safer, and more convenient market experience for the tenants and customers. 

Check out the photos where you can see the clean floor in the wet section and the wide aisles in between rows of vendors. With a more pleasant environment, doing market chores could really be a more enjoyable experience for shoppers here! 

SM Marketmall is in Dasmarinas, Cavite near DLSU.

A few months ago, I learned from a wise organic farmer that literally getting one's hands dirty can make you happy. He said there are microbes in soil that act as antidepressants, similar to Prozac's effect on the brain.  

When I recently visited the beautiful Terra Verde Ecofarm & Resort in Cavite, I discovered that the  place was founded in 2007 because of a "medical prescription." Emerson Atanacio, one of Terra Verde's owners, was diagnosed with a thyroid condition triggered by stress from his job as a school administrator. The doctor recommended his patient to take up farming. 

With the support of his brothers, Eric and Erwin, and their families, the Atanacios acquired a piece of land in Maragondon that, amazingly, they found through an ad in Buy and Sell. According to Eric, the place used to be filled with grass, trees, and shrubberies. "Masukal (wild)," he described. "But Emer, a true visionary, said 'Look how wonderful this could be!' So we came together and discussed ideas. We got inputs from family members and that's how the farm evolved."

I don't know how to ride a bicycle. Ever since I fell and had my whole right leg scratched and bleeding when a friend tried to teach me when I was in fifth grade, I didn't attempt to learn anymore … until I was in college. 

More than 20 years ago, another friend attempted to teach me to bike. I guess my fear of falling and hurting myself again prevented me from pursuing the skill despite his encouragement.

Fast forward to when that particular friend and I have already been married for two decades and I still don't know how to ride a bike. I'm ok being his motorcycle passenger but I don't have any illusions of being able to drive one by myself.

According to my husband, one of his bucket lists is to ride a tandem bike with me so I can at least feel what it's like to ride a bike. I find it impractical to buy one so that wish was shelved for a long time. 

Last year, I got invited to a bloggers’ day tour in Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Kawit, Cavite. The resort has bicycles for rent. Hubby got excited when I showed him a photo of the tandem bike they have there and vowed that we would someday ride it together. 

It is not that easy to share the history of any country in just a few words. There are so many momentous events that should be told and discussed first to help one better understand and appreciate a nation. This is very true of the Philippines. We have such a colorful history but it takes months of history lessons and classes before young Filipinos could totally understand what our country has been through in the past centuries.   

Now, there's a great way for parents and teachers to teach and let children experience history through 30 beautiful paintings in an art exhibit that chronicles our nation's life and times. SiningSaysay: Philippine History in Art covers moments from pre-historic Philippines to modern times. 

There, you'll be able to see for yourself how petroglyphs discovered in Angono, Rizal look like, or what went on during the Spanish occupation and rule. Appreciate artists' renderings of the Cry of Pugad Lawin; the declaration of independence in Kawit, Cavite; great women in history such as Gabriela Silang and Melchora Aquino; the establishment of the Commonwealth Government; the rise of the labor unions all the way to recent years when Filipinos continued to fight for justice and democracy. 

Many of us love watching foreign and local TV shows and movies but rarely have time to really sit down during their actual airings. This is exactly why popular streaming site iWant TV was created to enable viewers to still catch up on shows they missed while they were busy with other things.

This March, viewers will no longer have to rely on their PCs or mobile devices to watch movies or their favorite cable TV and local shows because they can now directly stream them on their big HD-ready TV screen at home. SKYcable has just launched SKY On-Demand, which runs on the most advanced digibox to date.

This service harnesses the capabilities of SKYcable and SKYbroadband subscriptions to allow viewers to catch up on missed episodes or relive their favorite movies directly on TV. This is made possible by the impressive and growing video-on-demand library of iWant TV.

We all have food cravings and they most often include that desire to eat something that beats the usual fare. This 2014, Greenwich opens the year with irresistible gastronomic offerings: two all-time favorites made better! 

Satisfy your pizza cravings with Greenwich's Hawaiian Overload Pizza. It combines sweet juicy pieces of pineapple balanced with tangy cheddar and mouthwatering mozzarella that blends in harmony with the salty and spiced flavors from the meats. To top everything off, this pizza is sprinkled with crunchy bell peppers that will complete that exciting explosion of flavors in your mouth!

Of course, eating pizza will be way more better with a partner food item. So complement your meal with Greenwich's rich and savory Creamy Carbonara Pasta. The warm and filling al dente noodles comes with a cream-based sauce that will really hit the spot along with the crispy bacon bits and grated parmesan cheese. 

A serving of this delicious pasta dish come with a piece of Garlic Stix that is seasoned just right. You'll definitely end up with a happy tummy because you've just had your creamiest and best value Carbonara experience.

My family loves having these treats in big sizes because they are perfect for sharing and are great companions when you do movie marathons at home. Have the fun and light mood that sharing great food brings. Those are the moments worth treasuring. 

If this post got you craving for Hawaiian Overload Pizza and Creamy Carbonara Pasta, they are within reach! Just call Greenwich delivery at 5-5-5-5-5 (Metro Manila), 435-5555 (Cavite), or 254-1000 (Cebu). For other areas, please visit www.greenwich.com.ph for the numbers of the stores near you.

Enjoy food tripping! :)