Brightside Entry | Bright Lights

 While Alabang isn't a place famed for it's great view or anything--unlike Tagaytay or even Makati or Pasig where there are a lot of buildings to look down at the lights from; here most of what we see is horizontal: parks, roads, supermarkets. But tonight my friend Ina came over and we hung out at the lounge balcony thing of the hotel post-dinner and I realized that Alabang looks pretty good from above. Quite the view. :) 

It's nice to step back and get a little perspective now and then. It's ate Ria's last night here tomorrow so it'll be back to normal life after that. Tonight, realized that life is pretty damn interesting. Anyone who says "life is good" or whatever is lying--it's not always good but it's very, very interesting. And as far as I'm concerned, that's really all that matter. Let's all keep curious, shall we?

The Acacia Breakfast Chronicles 3

This breakfast buffet is the gift that just keeps on giving. Today was the best day, every. I got me some hashbrowns, Brie, scrambled eggs, pancakes and a bit of wheat bread. The pancakes were heavenly and I absolutely loved the eggs! Again, I had this with coffee. :) My sister also insisted we snack healthy and get some fruits and nuts for dessert; the fruits were pretty fresh as well. :D Enjoy!

The Acacia Breakfast Chronicles 2

Hi, everyone! So today's the second day of my Acacia Breakfast Buffet coverage. While I stuck to a couple of my favorites--like the french toast and the cheese--I also decided to mix it up and get a couple of more fruity things. :)

The entire spread consisted of: a piece of French Toast, a bowl of Froot Loops and milk (because I am a child), mushroom omelette and cheddar cheese, a strip of bacon, a couple of cold cuts, coffee, fresh watermelon juice and a couple of pineapple chunks. Nommm. :)

The thing that I love about the Acacia buffet is that you can eat without stuffing yourself silly since they have so many different options--you can get a little bit of everything.

 The omelette was heavenly. It's also cooked in Olive Oil which makes the fact that it's fried less deadly, I suppose. I also love that you can pick what they put in it--I picked shittake mushrooms, tomatoes, red bell peppers and onions then ate it with a little chunk of cheddar cheese which made it taste even better.

 I ate a little bit of the french toast today--they're getting better, I think--with a couple of cold cuts and a strip of bacon. The cold cuts were heavenly; so soft and tender. Muy delicioso!

 The watermelon juice was very refreshing indeed. I just got a little though because it was really sweet. I also loved that they kept the jars of juice chilled in a bucket of ice, which let you keep the drink cold without diluting its flavor.

Coffee as usual. A little less watery brew this morning, which was great. :) I also ran into Apple, who waitresses for the buffet--turns out she used to work at Omakase and remembered me and my sister from there! :)) Thank you for the great service, Apple and the rest of the Acacia crew, actually. :D Day 2 of the buffet was great! Tomorrow I'm going to try some of the rice meals and their breakfast salads. :D Have a good Tuesday everyone!

Brightside Entry | Bubble Baths

One of the great things about having a sister who is fourteen years older than you is that it's like having a mother who birthed you very, very early. My sister and I are fourteen years apart--that's right, if she'd gotten a little naughtier a little earlier she coulda had me--and while that gap might seem hooj to some people, it kinda works out for us actually.

The gaps in our ages also allows for personal space and minimal fighting. In fact, I can only remember two times when my sister and I fought--once was when her camera broke under my care (I per se didn't break it though) and another was when I was acting like a bitch and sent her a terrible, hurtful e-mail. Tonight, for instance, I'm here at our hotel room and she's out having cocktails with a couple of girl friends. And while we love each other, we also accept that we have our own lives and it's refreshing, that kind of respect for interpersonal distance.

This day and yesterday have been so busy and exhausting that there almost wasn't time to do anything aside from run around--to school, to the hotel, out to dinner; I'm exhausted. So tonight, while my sister's having a great night out (I'm sure), I'm staying in and soaking myself in a warm bath until my hands turn wrinkly. I'm also going to play some Horrible Crowes night time music in the background and possibly do something cheesy like sing into my hairbrush. :))

Goodnight, everyone! Hope you've all had a great day!

The Acacia Breakfast Chronicles 1

I have spent a lot of time pondering how to blog about the Acacia Breakfast Buffet because I am but one pocket-sized (as my friend Alain would say) girl and I can't eat my way through a buffet in one sitting. Since I'm staying here for a couple more days with my sister, I thought I'd do a chronicle of posts on this massive buffet--they have almost anything you would want for breakfast, from Arroz Caldo to breakfast Cereal.

So, yeah! Today, I decided to go for a pretty light breakfast since I was in a hurry to get to the bus station and head to school--which by the way, the wonderful people here were lovely enough to help me with; they have a car service that'll bring you anywhere you want to go in Alabang for free so long as you're a guest. 

Today I decided to go for the french toast, an assortment of cheeses (including Brie, my favorite cheese in the entire freaking world), a strip of bacon (my family is transitioning into vegetarianism) and some coffee. 

 Pretty satisfied with this, except that I would've liked it better if their french toast was a tad crispier on the outside; they're alright as they are but I personally prefer a little crunch. 

 My no coffee diet lasted less than a week. Their coffee is alright--your standard brew. It isn't bad but it's not something that I'd go craving for either. :) If you need a wake up fix in the morning, this is great. Also, free refills so while it's not benguet coffee or anything, it'll do.

 A little panorama view of The Lobby at Acacia; I love that you can look out onto the Alabang traffic and watch the cars go by. Yes, I am a huge Snow Patrol fan.

I also love the pattern on their chairs; I couldn't resist taking a photo. More entries to come! :) Hope everyone's starting the week off with a smile!

At Acacia

Hotels and I have a special relationship--when I was younger, my mom used to be very, very busy (she still is) and would travel all over the Philippines for work. My dad and I would go pick her up in all these different places: Batangas, Bohol, Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, QC, Quezon Province, Tagaytay--you name the city, I've probably stayed at a hotel somewhere there in my formative years. Because of this long history of being left in hotel rooms to entertain myself--watch tv, pretend the drapes were my queen's robes, play "don't touch the floor" by hopping from the couch to the bed to the desk, talk on the phone with my friends--I've got a pretty good idea for what to look for in a good hotel, I think. :)

So yeah. Tonight, I'm blogging from the Acacia Hotel--one of the few places of the sort that've opened up here in Alabang. The Bellevue is great (although sadly tainted with prom memories, yick) and Vivere isn't bad either but there's something brand-spanking-new about Acacia that makes it distinct from the two aforementioned hotels. I think it might have to do with the smell of the place and the quietness with which everything functions--the lights turn out without a click or a hum, the aircon is almost silent. 

But on a more functional note, the effortless charm of the Acacia Hotel carries on into its soft, feathered beds and comforters. The pillows are heavenly as well. :) I also love the pattern on the carpet--the warm, earthy colors just go so well with the rest of the room. I am a fool for organic unity and all that. 

The rooms are smaller than at the Bellevue but definitely cozier; the lighting is warmer and the walls are painted tan instead of white. 

 The bathroom doesn't disappoint either--they've got a great transparent shower and a pretty roomy tub. There's also a hairdryer and a great face mirror. If anything, my one complaint would have to be about the lack of a bidet in the bathroom. Business must be done in there, Acacia Hotel! :))

Overall, I'd rate the hotel an 8.5/10, mostly because the amenities are wonderful minus the no bidet situation and the bathroom is a bit too chilly for my taste. :) I'm excited to try the food tomorrow morning (if I wake up in time). Anyway, it's off to bed and finish up my reading. :D Goodnight, world!

Out For A Bit

Hey, everyone! I hope you've all been having a great Saturday so far--I know I have. :) I'm spending the night with my sister at the Acacia Hotel here in Alabang. I'm really excited to head there because (as anyone who lives down south can tell you) Bellevue's probably the only other hotel in Alabang that there is to go. I've driven past the exterior many times (it's right outside the gate of my village) but I've never been inside. I'll definitely keep you guys updated. :D Unfortunately, this also means I'll be MIA for the rest of the evening. 

There are still a couple of things that can keep everyone who reads this blog happy for the weekend, though:

1. Catch A Falling Star giveaway

This is the giveaway that Price Tag is hosting on WinaWonders. We're giving away this beautiful, silver star connector ring. And it's only open up until 12 midnight tonight so hurry hurry hurry!

2. A Drop of Blood

This was yesterday's outfit post--I didn't take one for today as I didn't quite have time and I don't have my tripod with me at the moment. :) Yesterday's post was pretty awesome though (because of those shorts!) so I'd definitely recommend you guys check that out.

3. Product Reviews

I've been trying out a couple of beauty-type products lately--fragrances and creams mostly:

Coquette Fragrances

Tresor In Love by Lancome

Khiel's Abyssine Cream

4. Today's Brightside Entry is coming up as well--something I will see to before I leave home.

Happy, happy weekend everyone!