The best part about a three-week vacation is the ability to live like a local. Not only did I get to visit some of the tourist destinations, I was also able to hang out and go to places Cebuanos frequent every day. Day 15 One of the best places to have drinks and cocktails in Ayala is a bar called The Social. The selling point for me is the airy patio. The downside? It's clearly an expat hub where old white men take their young Filipinas on dates. Day 16 I've heard a lot about Ilaputi in IT Park and decided to give it a try. Based on reviews online, they have the best beef stroganoff! One of my fondest childhood memories is passing by SM mall and wondering what's going on inside the spooky building beside it. Abandoned for years, I'm glad to finally see it turned into Radisson Blu, a 5-star hotel! When at Radisson Blu, guests go to Feria, the hotel's in-house restaurant. My friends and I didn't have the change to check it out. We donned our bikinis and went for a night swim instead! Day 17 Another night of debauchery at Politics bar on Escario. Day 18 If you want to pig out on a budget, go to Parklane Hotel. Their in-house restaurant, Manuel's, offers an excellent lunch buffet for ₽550. A few hours later, I bumped into the eternally glamorous Amparito Lhuillier enjoying her salad at La Vie Parisienne stall in Ayala, one of the many Lhuillier business ventures in Cebu. I finally had Shellac pedicure at Salon de Rose. And before I knew it, I got hungry again and had a light dinner at TGI Friday. Day 19 Another one of those childhood feels at Majestic in SM. Back in the day, Majestic used to be a Sunday afternoon treat by my parents. We would go to the restaurant after mass. Historically, they're known for their sumptuous patatim! Today, it's as mouth-watering as ever. Another go-to in SM is Duty Free shopping if you want to buy pasalubong or souvenirs and random food stuff, like chocolates. Not very cost-efficient as the bundled chocolates are way more expensive than what you would normally pay for in North America or Europe. But still a better option as opposed to carrying them all the way in your luggage. Day 20 It's beach time once again! This time, in Plantation Bay Resort and Spa! My girlfriends and I had the grandest time in this luxurious resort and only paid ₽2,000 per person. How? By getting the Daytripper Adventure Package. This package already includes: lunch and choice of beverage, access to lagoons and swimming pools, wall climbing, bicycle rides, kayaking, foosball, air hockey, table tennis and shower and change room facilities. All for ₽2000? It's totally worth it. All that swimming got us famished. We went back to the city and had dinner at Circa 1900. A heritage house built in the early 20th century, Circa 1900 brings you back to Spanish colonial times in Cebu. Purchased and renovated by a real estate group, they opted to preserve the mansion's classic interior and architecture. A bit on the pricey range, but well worth it on special occasions. The restaurant is the ideal venue for marriage proposals and wedding receptions! Day 21 My last day in Cebu and I scrambled to check all touristy things to do on my list. When in Cebu, you can't miss going to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Even if you're not one of the faithful, there's much to appreciate in this historical church. I also managed to take a few photos of Magellan's Cross. Encased in wood is supposedly the original cross planted by the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in Cebu. I also bought pasalubong for my family in Toronto - mostly dried mangoes. Now, they have dried mangoes dipped in Belgian chocolate! How about dried mangoes dipped in peanut butter? Now that's a thought! With my glorious vacation coming to an end, I gathered some of my besties for dinner and drinks. First stop: appetizer at Tinderbox. Next stop: dinner at Carnivore Last stop: dessert at Tymad Bistro There are a lot of restaurants, bars or cafés worth a special trip in Cebu. Let me know where they are and I'll be sure to check them out next time.
Well, those were the highlights of my trip to Cebu! Toronto Traipser will be back in...well...Toronto! Haha! See yah!
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Viva Pit Señor! My adventures in Cebu continue into the Sinulog weekend! Day 8 It’s Sinulog and my best friend and I woke up late in the afternoon! We both have a strong aversion to big crowds so we decided we're not really missing out much. That's right - we're a couple of party poopers! Haha. But seriously, if you've seen the crowd on Mango Avenue, you would think twice about going to the street party. I'm all for having fun in Sinulog, but the event is also a recipe for disaster. I'm always on high alert for human stampedes and crushes. But let me not discourage you from joining in on the fun. Sinulog is still one of the best things about Cebu! We had a really late lunch at Lemon Grass in Ayala. My best friend calls the first meal past noon as "brunner" or breakfast, lunch and dinner. We also had cocktails at New Orleans and watched the fireworks from the mall's rooftop area. If you're looking for authentic Creole vibe, unfortunately New Orleans isn't the place. Sinulog won't be complete without a disco party, of course. We partied it up at Cubana Lounge on Mango Avenue. And it's a bonus since ladies get in for free! Day 9 Our brunner tradition continues at Abuhan Tres in IT Park. This time, with their sizzling pochero! Day 10 My Camotes adventure begins with two of my fabulous friends! Camotes is actually a group of islands east of Cebu. To get there, you have to go to the port in Danao and get on the Jomalia ferry. Upon checking in at Mangodlong Paradise Beach Resort, we were immediately welcomed with a refreshing pineapple juice. While waiting for our villa to be available, we had lunch at the lounge next to their infinity pool. We had the most glorious view of the beach! To get around the island, you can choose a tour package and a driver with his vehicle will drive you to different tourist destinations. Since we were short for time, we decided to just have three stops: Lake Danao, Timubo Cave and Santiago Bay. Day 11 Mangodlong Paradise Beach Resort was not only exceptional in service, but also in food and refreshments. My friends and I absolutely enjoyed the complimentary breakfast buffet. I would definitely come back to this resort the next time I go to Camotes. Arriving back in Cebu, we already brainstormed for our upcoming adventure in the South. But first, drinks and cocktails at the Monastery. Is it just me? Or are Cebu's restaurants, lounges and cafés littered with electric neon trees? Day 13 Here we are in Oslob, Cebu! A lot of tourists - both local and foreign - come here to swim with whale sharks or butanding. Wearing sunscreen is strictly prohibited. Also, we weren't allowed to touch the creatures. You don’t have to tell me twice! On our way back to the city, we stopped by different beaches and churches. One of which is the restored church in Boljoon. Formally named as Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Maria, the church has been declared as a national cultural treasure. It is a prime example of baroque architecture from the 18th century. I was mesmerized as we drove along southern Cebu. The public beaches are absolutely divine! Check out the white-sand beaches at Tingko Beach Resort in Alcoy. We also stopped by the grandiose Simala Shrine in Sibonga where conservative dress code is strictly enforced. Of course you can't just go to the South without trying some of Cebu's finest delicacies - Carcar's chicharon and Argao's torta and tableya! Day 14 Café Laguna is one of the restaurants in Cebu that's consistent in flavor. I opted to have lunch here with my aunt and cousin since we were all craving once again for crispy pata! For coffee and desserts, I took them to Figaro Coffee Company. Based on their website, it's a coffee company established in the Philippines! Yay for Filipino entrepreneurs! I've been to many Italian restaurants in Cebu. But Figaro has THE best tiramisu! If you're looking for a lounge with a scenic view, try Bellini in Lahug. The romantic and sophisticated setting is the perfect place to relax and unwind. But beware of their champagne prices! To offset the chichi ambiance at Bellini, we proceeded to Larsian, the ultimate and undisputed gastronomic institution in Cebu. Larsian in Fuente is a showcase of barbecued pork, chicken wings, chorizo, adidas, intestines - all paired with woven-palm-leaf-covered rice or pusô. The next post will be about my third and last week in Cebu! Updates are on the way!
My three weeks in Cebu was a dream! I've been anxiously preparing for it for months. It's my first time to be back in nine years and so much has changed! Don't let me talk about the traffic - at times it's absolutely horrendous - but everything else is nothing short of amazing. Here's a quick overview of my short but sweet stay on this island paradise: Day 1 You would think that after a 21-hour flight I would get some rest once I arrive in Cebu. Hell no! Upon arriving at Mactan International Airport, my gorgeous girlfriends picked me up and whisked me off to commence our usual shenanigans! Food trip started at Mr. A in Busay. This restaurant offers indoor and alfresco dining. It also provides an exceptional view of the city. We then went to Ayala Mall and had desserts at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, an American coffee chain. It was founded before Starbucks but I've never been in one prior to my trip as there's no branch in Canada. We also managed to squeeze in a house party for my friend's nephew's baptism in Talamban. To our delight, lechón was on the menu! Lechón is slow-roasted suckling pig with crispy crackling skin. Needless to say, Cebu has the best lechón in the world! As a mellow way to end the night, we decided to visit La Vie Parisienne, a supposedly French bar and boulangerie. However, the pink electric cherry blossom trees give off a serious Japanese vibe. After catching up over two bottles of Moscato, we decided to call it a night. Day 2 SM Seaside City is the third largest shopping mall in the Philippines and currently the eight in the world. When I arrived, the mall still has a lot of empty commercial spaces as it only opened two months before. First order of business for the day: breakfast at Jollibee! Now let me just explain - Jollibee is an institution in the Philippines. If North American kids can't get enough of McDonald's, Filipinos are simply addicted to Jollibee. My ultimate favorite is the Chicken Joy. I'm also crazy about their spaghetti, creamy mushroom beef patty and peach mango pie! After our stroll at SM Seaside, we went to House of Lechón. I was really disappointed with their lechón as it lacked flavour and the characteristic crisp of the skin. I did enjoy the rest of our order, particularly the baked scallops with cheese and mango and Oreo parfait. That night, we went to have cocktails at Maya, a Mexican-themed restaurant and lounge. Although I love the decór, Maya does not deliver on their drinks! My friend had a really strong White Russian (perhaps the bartender felt a little too generous with the vodka), another friend had a very leafy Mojito (she almost choked on the mint leaves) and I had a watered-down Screwdriver. We were not happy campers. Day 3 I decided to pamper myself on this day. After all, I am on vacation. I took my cousin with me to Nail-a-holics at SM City to have our nails done with Shellac. Since they don’t have Shellac, we opted to try Orly gel. It was pricey and poor in quality. Fast forward three days and my nail gel polish start to chip. Not to mention, they didn't have a lot of colors to choose from. Something to keep in mind before visiting Cebu: have my grooming done in Toronto. An hour of mani-pedi made us hungry and my cousin chose to have lunch at Golden Cowrie. We ordered the usual Filipino food fare with crispy pata - whole pork leg boiled until tender and deep-fried until golden brown. I was surprised when our garlic shrimps was served! I was expecting slightly bigger shrimps that have already been peeled and deveined, sautéed in butter and garlic. Nothing could have prepared me for this dish. That night, my best friend took me to LIV Super Club, the biggest and most posh club in Cebu. I had a great time although we didn't go on the dance floor. On a Tuesday night, I was pleasantly surprised to see such a great turnout from people of all ages - even forty- or fifty-something lads still go out to party! Imagine that. Day 4 The Ibiza Beach Club at Mövenpick Hotel is the perfect venue for a romantic and flirty dinner as well as a great place to have a party or just hang out. Downside is it's in Mactan and driving from my condo in Lahug is an ordeal owing to the rush-hour traffic. Ten years ago, Cebu roads weren't as congested. With the Philippines quickly becoming the outsourcing hub in the world, Cebu was able to benefit, giving rise to the middle-class population. Now, everybody can afford to purchase their own vehicles - which is generally a good thing - but the construction and development of highways and public transit isn't catching up. Day 5 I had lunch at Red Kimono in Ayala. I opted for a light meal as I've been feasting non-stop since I arrived. I ordered a sashimi platter and found their tuna excellent, but their salmon mediocre. This was my chance to walk around Ayala and marvel at the things that have changed versus the ones that remained the same. I was really amazed by their new wing and the Terraces. The Terraces conveniently gathers all restaurants in one location, surrounding an enthralling garden and performance stage. I thought that I will be able to shop in Cebu, but it wasn't the case. Shopping for international brands is simply not worth it. The merchandise is charged with exorbitant import taxes. I found that it’s better to shop in Canada for brands like H&M, Aeropostale, Forever 21 and Aldo. In Cebu, it's better to shop at local boutiques like Bench, Penshoppe, Folded & Hung and Plains & Prints for obvious reasons. My good friend and her family invited me to dinner at Parilya. This place has amazing seafood choices. As can be expected, the place was packed! Once again, I went crazy on the baked mussels with cheese, pochero and pork belly. Day 6 The most-awaited JACKET reunion! It's so heartwarming to see old high school friends a decade later and find out they're as beautiful as ever. Only difference is now, they're also successful in their chosen careers! Blue Elephant Restaurant on the rooftop of Apple One building not only has a great ambiance, they also serve good food. What I love about dining in Cebu is they always feature live bands! The festive music at Blue Elephant made dining and chatting with good friends even more enjoyable. From an elegant setting, we hopped to Café Racer, a hip and rustic setting where the young crowd usually hang out. Judging from the leftover fixtures and overall structure of the area, I believe Café Racer used to be a gasoline station. The owners wanted to give a vintage vibe to the place by setting up upcycled oil barrels, gas pumps and vintage cars. Overall, great design concept, but the food was nothing spectacular. Day 7 The eve before Sinulog and you can feel electricity in the air! A lot of tourists - local and foreign - are in Cebu to revel in the festivities. The best way to celebrate Sinulog is to join the grand street parade and fluvial procession. Since it's a religious festival, observers also go to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, the oldest Roman Catholic church in the country. My best friend and I had brunch at Orange Carenderia in Lahug since it's only a few meters away from my condo. You simply have to try their fried tuna tail. Of course the meal wouldn't be complete without pork belly and tuna broth. We then went to another rooftop restaurant at Harolds Hotel; their logo a complete rip-off of the swanky London department store. But we lucked out that night with the acoustic band. It put us in a relaxed and chill mood; the perfect place to unwind. It was also my first time to try San Miguel Beer in Apple - the perfect dessert beer that goes well with cheese and mocha-flavored pastries. I had an eventful first week in Cebu. Stay tuned for more of my travel and gastronomic adventures!
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AuthorThe Toronto Traipser aims to explore the vibrant city by indulging in its many sights, sounds and flavours. Archives
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