An Afternoon of Pampering at Relaksasi

Every once in a while, you deserve to indulge and pamper yourself so you can recharge your tired mind and body. And that’s exactly what my best friend and I did one lazy weekend. We headed to SM North EDSA for an afternoon of pampering and relaxation at Relaksasi.

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the Balinese style of the spa. It will make you forget that Relaksasi is located inside a mall! It transports you to a serene and exotic place. The treatment room also has the same warm and luxurious Balinese feel, enhanced further by ambient lighting and the sweet scent of essential oil.

If it’s your first time at Relaksasi, I recommend you try their Javanese Lulur Body Massage and Salt & Oil Scrub. For P950, you will get a 15-minutes steam bath, then an hour of whole body, deep tissue massage plus a skin-smoothening salt and oil body scrub. My masseuse, Rowena, was very skillful and applied just the right amount of pressure. After my treatment I felt revitalized and my skin felt soft and silky-smooth. To cap it all off, you get a choice of hot or cold house-blend tea. I could get addicted to this kind of pampered lifestyle!

Figaro’s White Chocolate Mocha

White Chocolate Mocha (P105)

Favorite caffeine fix for the time being. Honestly, though, I think the serving is too small for its price. Still, this hot concoction is a delicious pick-me-up.

Comfort Food: Mom and Tina’s Bakery Café

My interest was peaked when I saw dozens of people queuing up during lunchtime outside Mom and Tina’s Cafe. I have to see and taste for myself what the buzz was all about. Since it was impossible for my officemates and I to get a table, I just ordered a Chocolate Mousse Pie (P110) to go. As soon as I got back to my work desk, I took a bite of the choco mousse pie…then another…then another…It was sooo good. I’m not fond of desserts and I have to say, it was one of the best choco mousse that I have tasted. The flavor is rich but not overly sweet. With dessert this yummy, what more
their entrees!

So when my best friend asked me where I wanted to have lunch one weekend, I immediately suggested Mom and Tina’s. We arrived way past lunch hour, which was good because by that time there were no more long lines. But the café was by no means empty. With its homey atmosphere, dainty wallpaper, warm lighting and cozy tables and chairs, it’s a great place to bring your family, partner and/or friends for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The price is quite reasonable too.

Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken (P240)

The serving is good for two.

Shepherd’s Pie (P140)

The quintessential comfort food! I’d go back again, if only for this dish. Smooth mashed potato with ground beef in creamy mushroom and tomato sauce. At the end of the meal, the dish bowl was scraped clean. Served with garlic cheese rolls.

Seafood Pasta with Sun Dried Pesto (P200)

Disappointed with this pasta. I could only eat one bite of it. The fishiness of the squid was overwhelming.



Mom and Tina’s Bakery Café is located at Perea corner De La Rosa, Makati City

Finio: Modern Filipino Cuisine

Craving for a hearty Filipino meal one Sunday afternoon, a friend and I went to Finio in Tomas Morato. Finio serves modern Pinoy cuisine. The same contemporary style in cooking is evident in the modern design of the resto. This will be a sure hit for your balik-bayan relatives who are craving for Pinoy food with a twist.

Pinakbet Lechon (P148)
A pinoy favorite with a twist. Good ole’ pinakbet topped with crispy lechon strips. The bagoong sauce is both sweet and salty. The vegetables were cooked just right, except for a few under-cooked kalabasa.

Boneless Tilapia Strips (P168)
Deep fried tilapia strips that’s crispy on the outside and tender inside. But what makes this dish such a success is the soy vinaigrette!

Finio is located at No. 220 Tomas Morato Ave., cor. Dr. Lazcano, Quezon City. Telefax: (632) 415-1278

Dazzling Zambales: Anawangin, Capones and Pundaquit

I needed a vacation, and luckily, a friend mentioned a convenient get-away destination for the weekend—Anawangin Cove in Zambales. To get to Anawangin Cove, one has to ride a boat from Brgy. Pundaquit in San Antonio, Zambales. Armed only with a road map, my travel companion and I left Manila at 3:30 a.m. and arrived in San Antonio by 7 a.m. Just 3.5 hours travel time. Not bad considering we made several stops to eat and gas up.

Upon arrival we checked out different resorts in Pundaquit. One resort called Wild Rose Inn caught my eye. Its red watchtower and white picket fence made it very picturesque. The owner, Tita Tess, was at the entrance of the inn warmly welcoming her guests. Their airconditioned rooms with toilet and bath are clean and comfortable. And for less than P1,500 per night, it’s a good deal. Chatting with the owner, I learned that Tita Tess was based in Canada and the Wild Rose Inn started as a private vacation house for her family. About a year and a half ago they decided to open their doors to vacationers.

We were supposed to go island hopping by noon but since it started raining and the sea was too rough for a boat ride, we searched for a good place to have lunch instead. Sadly, there were hardly any eateries to choose from. The locals recommended Nora’s so we tried it. We ordered sinigang na lapu-lapu and rice. The serving was good for two and quite tasty. The sinigang had a kick to it minus the “lansa” or fishiness. Total bill for lunch was around P350. The food in Pundaquit is quite expensive considering it’s a province, so if you want to lessen your expenses, do bring baon.

For the rest of the afternoon we just walked along Pundaquit beach, watched the surfers ride the waves (Note to self: Learn to surf) and went to the waterfalls.

The next morning there was a light drizzle but it was manageable. Our boatman, Mang Caloy, agreed to take us to Anawangin and Capones Island for P1,200. The 20-30 minute-boat ride to Anawangin was really scary. Waves were crashing on our small bangka from all directions. I was gripping my seat and praying the whole time that our boat would not topple over. But the view was spectacular. The waters became relatively calmer when we were at the mouth of the cove, and all my fears disappeared as we got closer.

Anawangin is a breathtaking place. On one side is the great roaring sea, on the other is the calm river, and all around are pine-like trees and white sand. One option for budget travelers or adventurers is to camp in the white sand beach. There’s a toilet and a hut where the caretaker of the cove lives. The sea was rough the day we went there, more suitable for surfing than swimming. The river was calm and crystal clear, however, perfect for a cooling dip. I have been told that one can also trek to Anawangin from Pundaquit proper and that the view from the top is amazing. Would love to try trekking next time.












Next stop: Capones Island. It will take a 15-minute boat ride from Anawangin to Capones. We passed by one side of the island where people were swimming in calm, crystal blue waters. But that was not my agenda in Capones. What I really wanted to see was the old lighthouse that was built during the Spanish colonization period. Our boatman dropped us off at a rocky part of the island and we started our climb from there. The trail was slippery and rocky with lush vegetation surrounding and shielding you from the sun. I learned the hard way that you should wear appropriate footwear for the trek up. What could have been a 15- or 20-minute climb became 30 minutes because my slippers kept sliding from my feet. By the time we reached the gate to the lighthouse, my feet were bleeding from scratches from branches and rocks. Still, the view that greeted me at the top was well worth the effort. It was pretty amazing. =)