Alabang Girl (and Boy)

Two long weekends have passed and I’m happy to say that even though we didn’t go out of town like we usually do (thanks to my unfinished business case in MDP), at least I was able to sleep a lot, watch lots of movies and explore Alabang  area with Peter. Although, I’d still prefer to go surfing or beach hopping but I gotta make the most out of what I got, right? Besides, it helps us save a lot of  money since we’re having some renovations done at home and there are still some travel itineraries we plan to do once we have more time. Like going to HK, Siquijor, and La Union. So I guess, staying within our area and our budget is the best thing to do right now. So, for those who are mostly from QC, let me tour you a bit into our neighborhood…

FRENCH CORNER

At first I thought that French Corner is a name of a coffee shop. Apparently, it’s what they call this block of restaurants, bars and cafes. If you’re looking for a posh place to take your date, there are varied selections to choose from, some affordable & others quite expensive, depending on your budget. One thing is for sure though, all the service crew here are very friendly. Especially those from Oyster Oysters. I remember it was raining quite hard, and their service crew insisted to bring us door-to-door from their restaurant to Cafe Breton across the street. The same goes for Cafe Breton. Their lady attendant sheltered me with her umbrella as she brings me to our car while making small talk. We even talked about her birthday! Isn’t that the sweetest? It’s so different from the other bars and restos we’ve been to in other cities. So this is what life is like in Alabang… Awesome! 

Zong on the left side of Oyster Oysters is a Chinese  resto. Quite pricey! 

Poquito  mas is a combination of Brazil & Spanish Cuisine (I think!)…

Oyster Oysters prepare delectable Pinoy cuisines with a twist! 

L: Beef Curry;  M: Every table has this square bowl of fighting fish; R: Free prawn crackers!

At Cafe Breton, Peter ordered Cappuccino while I got  Espresso Frap with Vanilla Ice Cream…

L:  Classic Mixed Fruit Crepe  R: Doing the Paris Hilton pose… pwede!

ALABANG TOWN   CENTER

The first time I’ve been in ATC was back in 2000 when I was still a lowly marketing assistant earning a meager salary, commuting back & forth QC & Makati, and living in my grandparents’ apartment in UP Bliss. I was doing some field work, visiting affiliate branches of my company when my supervisor and I ate somewhere in this place. And my first impression was “Wow! This place is so posh (and too far!). I wonder when will I live in a neighborhood near this place? Probably never…” And look where I am living now? I’m just a stone throw from this upper-middle class establishment. Who would’ve thought?!

After walking at the promenade that cloudy afternoon, we found Royal Carribean as we were being lured to the beat of  “Stir it Up” by Big Mountain  in the background. It’s located just before the cinemas. Their Jamaican Patties were so spicily scrumptious and their caramel frap was really mouth-watering. And it’s affordable too! We spent less than 100 bucks for both!  Cool! 

 Evening came…

Look at their magical fountain at the promenade… 

That’s Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf over there… might hang out there next time.

Look at the view from the 2nd floor… 

 Dinner at Tony Roma’s (We spent P1700 for the whole thing would you believe?!)

WILCON BUILDERS AT NORTH GATE

We’ve been seeing this beautiful backyard made of weather wood for some time now. And because we do have plans of having our backyard built from scratch, we got interested as to how it really looks like up close. Apparently, it’s huge! And very pricey! One slab of wood is already P2k! But then again, who knows? We might just be able to afford it…(with the help of some miracle, that is, hehehe)

 FESTIVAL MALL

This mall is sooo huge that until now, I still haven’t explored every nook and cranny yet. The most important thing for me is that I found this trove of treasures so perfect for my lifestyle and my closet!!! And after examining every piece of antique wooden furniture and native what-nots that they sell, we went to The Pizza Company for a filling dinner, never mind the carbs & oil, before finally going home and resting from all the walks we just had. A happy long weekend indeed!