Monday, March 09, 2009

Zola Resto Cafe , Baguio City

Here's another food place to try in Baguio - The Zola Cafe. This place is also located along Session road, it is a bit more commercialized and got more food options than Oh my Gulay! ( see previous entry ) but I say food is also satisfactory. Big servings, especially their rice meals and reasonable price. Be careful on their spicy entree though, it might be too much for you! ( You can always let the waiter know to lessen the spices if you want to ) Good news to internet addicts, this place offers free Wi-fi too!

Thai Rice - yummy dish but too spicy for my taste. This rice meal is complete in itself, got bits of pork, shrimp paste, veggies and

Mango cake is good but i find it dry, they can improve more on this.. ( I hope )


Omellete for the Veggetarian


This is their version of Adodo rice with tinapa flakes! ( Smoked fished flakes with bits of pork adobo )


The palce offer, pastas, pizza and a lot more goodies for a fairly reasonable price.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Oh my Gulay!

With or Without the Panagbenga Festival, Baguio will always be one of the best places to visit if you want to get some relaxation and good food. Let me share some of the places I found during my palatial stay in the city of Pines. Here is one of the best Resto's in the city.

Oh My Gulay! Restaurant is located on the fifth floor of the La Azotea Building along Session road. It's amazing that it has an outdoor feel despite it's location. The place is full of great and interesting art pieces. It's interior is very stylish and lots of photo opportunity for those who love taking pictures. The restaurant only serve vegetarian meal so it's a haven for all those who love veggies.












Club house sandwich with vegetable salad - Yummy!!!

Kabute Pasta - Garlic sauteed mushroom in cheese sauce pasta for only Php100
The house special Oh my gulay salad!




It's our lucky day! One of the locals agreed to teach us how to prepare and eat a "NGA NGA" - native cigar-like delicacie from fresh leaves and fruit seed, said to have some healing and relaxing effect ( NOT offered in the restaurant )

The leaves and fruit seed ingredients for NGA NGA

Monday, March 02, 2009

PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL 2009

Baguio city is called the Summer capital of the Philippines - cool climate, explicit natural beauty and rich cultural heritage makes it the favorite out of town hangout of both local and foreign tourists alike. Every year, the residents of Baguio celebrates the Panagbenga Festival (formerly known as the Flower Festival) which literary means the "season of blooming." It usually lasts for a month with highlights every weekend. The Grand Float parade and the Street dance parade, usually done at the last week of the celebration showcases beautiful flowers found in the region.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Manila go to Cubao or Pasay and ride the Victory Bus Liner. This bus line caters land transfer from Manila to Baguio daily. ( Rate : Php 440 - one way for standard aircon bus, Php 670 Deluxe bus without CR and Php 700++ for Deluxe bus with CR )

Vacant transient houses, dorms, hotel and houses for rent are extremely hard to find during the Festival season so I suggest you book ahead of time if you wish to visit Baguio at this time.Hotel rates varies from Php 1500- 5500 per night depending on the location and the facilities of the place. Transit houses and dorms are for those traveling on budget. We got ours for only Php 250 per head per night, 2 people share a room and has a common lavatory ( 2 rooms, 1 toilet ) It is a newly constructed building so the place is clean and nice for the price.

Here are some photo's from the PANAGBENGA 2009 Grand Float
Parade.


Street dancers wearing colorful costumes

SM Flower float first showed up wow-ing the crowd


TV celebrities participated in the parade - Kim Chui And Gerald Anderson

Marching Band dancing while playing lively music as they walk the streets

















Sponsoring a float is a good way of advertisement for these products







Salute to these Police officers who wera proud their culture. PNP cops wearing "bahag"