Mr Jones

As I learn to become more mature and independent, I always look back and become grateful that I have such a caring and supportive family. I appreciate them more now that I don't get to spend so much time with them anymore. So it's always a good surprise to discover old photos like this one from Mr Jones.

Sundays are the best. As much as possible, I stay at home with my family or we try to visit new restaurants. The only important thing for us is that the resto should have fries. Without it, life is nothing for my mom. She loves having it even if we're in a Japanese place. Good thing Mr Jones at Greenbelt has awesome fries.. and more. =)

Mr Jones is a contemporary diner inspired by the 1960's era. It's the newest Raintree restaurant that offers authentic American cuisine. Need your burger fix? Greenbelt 5 is the place to be! It retained the iconic patterns and bright colors of the 60's but with a subtle modern twist.

The place can get a bit warm since the right wall is just a huge mirror so it doesn't block off the sun or its warmth. There are a couple of toys and board games outside (in the al fresco area) that are available for the little dudes as they wait for their meals.

This is my favorite mac and cheese so far in my 23 years. From the moment it was laid down in the table, you can just smell the cheese still melting. It's the first thing I grab spoonfuls of. I usually add several drops of Tabasco hot sauce before placing a generous forkful in my mouth. Wow. The noodles were soft and light, wrapped with the various kinds of cheese that explodes in your mouth when you chew. You honestly won't need the green peas and bits of bacon. The cheesy pasta is a meal in itself.

Just wash it down with freshly squeezed lemonade (Pp195.00), that's all you'll ever need.

Wicked Truffled Mac n’ Cheese (Php 395.00)

I like fries that's mixed with something else. It makes the ordinary extraordinary. The truffle disco beef, gravy and cheese fries does the trick for me. The mixture was uniquely placed inside a small bucket and everytime you put your hand inside, there's a surprise on what you'll get (either a small slice of potato, a big KFC-sized fry, or a tiny piece of beef).

My brother ordered the overly sweet Hapa Howly milkshake. I'm not into it so much but I have to say it really is creamy. They give you a small glass for the leftover milkshake that didn't fit in the glass.

LEFT: Hapa Howly (Php275.00)
RIGHT: Truffle Disco Beef Gravy and Cheese Fries (Php395.00)

Dad ordered Uncle Andy's Cheesesteak. I wasn't able to taste this since he inhaled it quickly while I did my own share of inhaling the mac n cheese. Hehehe.

Uncle Andy's Cheesesteak (Php365.00)

The Mind Museum

I dragged my mom from her kitchen while she's getting yet another afternoon snack (she snacks a lot) to the ultimate science class in Bonifacio High Street--the Mind Museum. I have always been such a nerd for science and Mom wasn't too excited for this. But she has to come with me since I promised to treat her to merienda after :)

The Mind Museum isn't just your look-at-the-posters kind of place. It's an interactive collection of everything scientific, explained in layman's terms. You can play around with the different exhibits that they have. Nothing is off limits! According to their website, they feature the smallest of the world to the largest and everything in between: Atom, Earth, Life, Universe, and Technology.

I was surprisingly tired after about an hour and a half of walking around, reading a bit of background on the displays and trying them out. Guess who's asking me to stay a little longer because they're having fun? Oh yes, Mom.

Something sweet to start things up.

This display shows the applicable difference of concave and convex mirrors.

THE MIND MUSEUM

JY Campos Park, 3rd Avenue

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

This was way back a year ago, I found it buried within the first albums of my iPhone :)

The Spa

Once you're in the city, you're near a lot of distractions that it's considered a luxury to just have the chance to shut the world out. There are times when I want the sheer silence of being alone and just relaxing. Not always, but sometimes.

I make myself feel better about the splurge by thinking about it this way: it's one of the ways to love yourself. To show yourself that you are worth that extra splurge once a month. It really is gratifying to be able to treat yourself for something that you experience rather than something you wear (though that's good too!).

It's a good thing my favorite spa is just a hundred peso cab ride away from home.

The Spa is probably the only place I can really let go of anything. It's pretty private so no worries about chatty spa goers or therapists. It has a jacuzzi, showers, sauna, and a whole lot of rooms to fit your taste and budget.

Plus: they have the best ginger tea! I can have up to 3 servings in one visit. I'm not shy in asking for more. Again it's a splurge, so I take advantage of all the "complimentary" stuff I can get! :)

THE SPA

Ground Floor, Greenbelt 1,

Paseo de Roxas, Makati City

So, how do you relax?

Intramuros: Walk and History

Fie and I went to Intramuros last week and it made me want to travel back in time! The structures are so beautiful that you want to preserve them, and maybe live in them someday.

Intramuros is one of the most historical places in Manila and it holds so much grandeur and glamour despite of wars, earthquakes and time. This was one strong (albeit unlucky) city! I've never been before so I was excited as Fie and I met up in Boni MRT station, rode it up to Taft avenue, crossed over to LRT then rode the other train to Carriedo LRT station. Whew. What a tiring commute! But it was all worth it, I swear. :)

After visiting Fort Santiago, we went around the other parts of the walled city. It was hot and we were sweaty but the buildings and the history behind them are fascinating. I'll shut up now and show you the photos!! And some fun facts just because I like you. :)

An old bank office that was technically about a kilometer away from Intramuros. It was beautiful so I took a photo anyway. You can see this outside the Carriedo LRT station. You can ride a jeepney to Pier in front of it.

Palacio del Gobernador
The jeepney to Pier will pass by this building, you won't miss it. It's on the left side, just beside Manila Cathedral.

Plaza Roma

Manila Cathedral

The Chinese Museum. You have to pay a hundred pesos to get in and photos were not allowed.

San Agustin Church. Known as the "wedding capital of the Philippines", the oldest stone church in the whole country.

A Japanese cannon

Soldier headquarters

The 12 Japanese cannons surrounding the fort.

A gallery of all the past presidents of the Philippines

So, where did your casual wanders bring you?

Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila

Fie and I love learning and exploring (as you already know if you've been reading my past posts). We don't have much time and energy for the weekend but we try as much as we can to see whatever we haven't seen yet.

This is why walking tours became such a gift for us. There are some in Manila, so we can commute to it, and it will just be for a couple of hours. The fee isn't much either (not anything more than $15-$20) so it's always a win.

Binondo was a fun day, inspite of the heat and everything else. And now we visited another part of Manila that we always hear about but we never really explored.

Manila is the center of everything a century back. All that you need is in this city--huge schools, the most beautiful architecture, business, commerce, travel, everything that gives back profit, you can find it there. But due to wars and the consequences of age and progress, Manila has gained its lackluster present.

Our walking tour became a pedicab tour. It's this public ride wherein the driver pedals you wherever you need to be. It's way cheaper at 150 pesos (less than $4) for 30 mins. You can find a lot of pedicab drivers offering this service outside of Manila Cathedral. Others are more expensive than the rest so make sure to not quickly choose the first one to approach you.

Quick tip: Make sure the you tell the driver what time you started because they can pretend that the tour lasted for two hours but it was only more than an hour. Then you have to pay double of what you really have to. Trivial monkey business at its finest. I know because that's what happened to us. The money is something I can move on from quickly, but the disappointment that a fellow Pinoy did that to us is something I dwelled on.

I overanalyzed that little bump on the end of our tour but Fie had the grace to tell me that it's fine and all, what we have to be is to be wiser and more careful next time.

Fort Santiago is our first stop in Intramuros (city "within the walls). It will be the only content for this post since it's just beautiful inside and we cannot resist taking photos. It's actually a venue for wedding receptions and is totally private once you rented the front area. The garden was well kept and the architecture preserved. We paid 75 pesos to get in.

I won't be loading you a lot of history, it's better to discover that for yourself. See the ruins, feel the stones, admire the architecture. This was a place that had so much consequences from the war and its sad. What's sadder is if we do nothing to preserve and honor it.

Almacenes Reales (Royal Warehouse)
Students are currently working on the restoration of this establishment. This will be the main visitor's lounge of Fort Santiago once restored to "almost" its former glory.

The martyr priests: GomBurZa - Gomes, Burgos, Zamora

Raja Sulayman Theater

Reconstructed main gate of Fort Santiago. It bears the image of Saint James (“Santiago”) the Great, patron saint of Spain (Manalo, 2013).

Where Rizal was on his final hours (prior to execution).

These were originally used for vault storage and powder magazine of the Baluarte de Santa Barbara. Because it wasn’t suited for its purpose (due to dampness and humid weather), the Spaniards built a new storage in 1715. These vaults were converted to prison cells and store rooms in 1718 (Egot, 2012).

Since Fort Santiago is located near Pasig river, it has a huge geographical advantage that was best for trades and war strategies (Manalo, 2013)