tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73260393347615629942024-03-13T13:13:31.261+08:00Jason Panuelos | The Dapper DroneCreated by an architect-to-be that blogs about the things he loves. From fashion, food, calligraphy, and travel, Jason hopes you can find something that you love here as well!Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.comBlogger436125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-63197205826584498032018-10-07T13:14:00.000+08:002018-10-07T13:14:06.072+08:00Philadelphia 2018 Part 4 | Independence National Historical Park & Penn's Landing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before continuing onto the next attraction, we decided to grab some lunch at one of Philadelphia's most popular food spots!</div>
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The Reading Terminal Market! It's located under a bridge and is basically a giant food court with an actual supermarket with a ton of choices for you to try!</div>
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The variety here is pretty crazy. You can find classics like cheese steak to a bunch of bakeries and different types of sweets!</div>
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There's an actual supermarket where we picked up some Wildflower Honey because it looked so nice and organic haha!</div>
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After walking around and checking out our options, we decided to go with By George because they had such a cool display lol</div>
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We ordered an Italian Sausage Pizza as well as the Chicken Barbeque. Super good because *pizza is life* however I will say you can easily eat something of the same quality at restaurants here in Manila! You can't beat American serving sizes though. Haha!</div>
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We also ordered a Cheese Steak but I didn't really feel the cheese in this one because there was just so much beef... Still good but I definitely liked the one at Steve's in Market Street way more.</div>
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After lunch, we took a bus to the Independence National Historical Park where the historical sites were clumped into one area. The building above is the government building where the Declaration of Independence was debated!</div>
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There is definitely no shortage here of tours for both tourists and locals. The guides are also quite animated. No surprise for a place that's called, "America's Most Historic Square Mile."</div>
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Across the Independence Hall is the Liberty Bell Center. Here, you can go in for free to see the Liberty Bell.</div>
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In the distance, you can see the National Constitution Center. We didn't go here though as we didn't have enough time.</div>
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We started with the Liberty Bell Hall because you mostly just drop by to see the bell and then leave.</div>
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At the end before you exit is the Liberty Bell - beautifully framed against the Independence Hall.</div>
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We then joined the last tour for the actual Independence Hall administered by the Parks & Recreation staff of Philadelphia.</div>
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You are first given a brief history lesson at the East Wing before being brought to the actual hall where the Declaration of Independence was debated.</div>
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We were brought to two main halls that were across from each other. The first was an actual courtroom.</div>
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The second one was for a more informal setting.</div>
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After the history lesson, we dropped by Penn's Landing to see what it was like.</div>
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From afar, you can already see the bayside attraction. Very reminiscent of the idea behind Coney Island's Boardwalk.</div>
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Again, none of us were in a carnival type of mood so we decided to skip it after taking a quick look. We opted to go back to Market Street to do some shopping!</div>
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We grabbed dinner at a vegan place called Hip City Veg.</div>
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The Arugula Taco Salad had a mix of black beans, organic grilled corn, pico de gallo, tortillas, avocado, & silantro dressing. This salad was lightly creamy with a good Mexican flavor with the nice blend of spices. As always, the nuttiness of Arugula is my favorite part of any salad.</div>
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The Philly Steak Sandwich was also pretty straightforward; in that it's crisp and flavorful. Hard to believe this was vegan though! Still, Steve's wins with the best Cheese Steak. Haha!</div>
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For drinks, I got the Organic Kale Lemonade. Really refreshing given the hot weather! Nothing too special though. Essentially green lemonade. Haha!</div>
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The next morning, we got up a bit early to catch our bus to DC. I took a quick visit to the deck of our AirBnB and caught a photo of the gorgeous view!</div>
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Once we got to the station, we decided to grab some breakfast.</div>
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We settled with a place called Beck's Cajun Cafe where I ordered the Shrimp, Eggs, and Cheese Po-Boy which was absolutely DELICIOUS. I didn't expect for it to be because I've never really had a meal that I loved at places like an airport or a train/bus station. Really enjoyed this with hot sauce. Super creamy and balanced and all sorts of delicious. Haha!</div>
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Aaaand that wraps up my Philadelphia blog posts! Next up, Washington, D.C.!</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-65785918840740983422018-09-30T16:22:00.000+08:002018-09-30T16:22:05.946+08:00Philadelphia 2018 | Part 3 - Philadelphia Museum of Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The next day we headed to the Philadelphia Museum of Art! Being the super lazy traveler that I am, I didn't really know what to expect yet again so I was definitely in for a giant refreshing surprise. Read on to see why!</div>
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We started our day with breakfast at a diner called Food's On First.</div>
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The South Philly Omelette had pickled jalapeno peppers and some cheese steak. So deliciously balanced and worked well with the plain grits and unsalted butter! You might have to order this off-menu though! It was a special that was recommended by the waitress.</div>
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The Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon was pretty straightforward. I just ordered it because *grilled cheese sandwich*</div>
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We also ordered the Cheese Steak Omelette with a side of fruit because it was a regular menu item. Essentially the same as the South Philly omelette except without the jalapeno. This was good but the South Philly Omelette is definitely my favorite of the meal!</div>
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We reached the Philadelphia Museum of Art after a short walk but this was only the annex. So pretty though right?</div>
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Here, they've got their temporary exhibits. You can pay for the admission for both the main building and annex here though!</div>
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The exhibits in the annex at the time were more on modern artists. There were even a few pieces from Andy Warhol!</div>
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We spent a short while here because I didn't know what I was in for when we finally reached...</div>
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The Main Building!!! So incredibly huge!</div>
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You can join walking tours from the lobby but I ultimately got separated from the group because I was busy taking pictures of everything haha!</div>
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From the lobby, you're led to a slow and steady build-up...</div>
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To this gorgeous main hall! Honestly so stunning to see in person!!</div>
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Everything pulls focus to the golden statue of Artemis.</div>
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On the sides of the main hall are amazing tapestries showing historical scenes.</div>
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I started with the weapons and armor exhibits!</div>
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It then connects to art from different eras. I loved the Renaissance art the most! The feeling is just incredible seeing them in person. Though I think a lot of them are replicas. They're every bit as stunning nonetheless!</div>
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Every room is also beautifully but minimally decorated to sort of transport you to another time!</div>
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Suddenly in a church inspired room!</div>
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Then you also reach more simple rooms for the paintings to stand out. The Baroque art is so dark and mysterious and all sorts of stunning. There really is no feeling like it in all the museums I've been to.</div>
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This clock gives me Shin Megami Tensei vibes! I kinda want one for my future home lol</div>
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I just took photos of my favorite paintings!</div>
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The Birth of Venus is absolutely incredible in the flesh.</div>
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The most stunning was the Abduction of Europa for me!</div>
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The colors in this painting were especially stunning!! Too bad it was actually capturing a kingdom going up in flames.</div>
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There are also incredibly elaborate rooms that bring you to different continents!</div>
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Gorgeous Asian display!</div>
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I think they captured the darkness of old Chinese temples perfectly.</div>
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There were also a few modern art exhibits. Ranging from strange to really strange. I remember one exhibit by an artist who claims to have been possessed when he made his art. They were confessions by the Greek Gods done in intense scary writings on canvas.</div>
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Afterwards, we went out to the front plaza to find the statue of Rocky Balboa!</div>
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This was where they filmed the iconic training montage for the Rocky movies.</div>
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Ending this post with the statue of Rocky!</div>
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Stay tuned for more of my U.S. travel posts! :)</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-63219464414114008642018-09-23T13:57:00.000+08:002018-09-23T13:57:04.507+08:00Philadelphia 2018 | Part 2 Shopping in Philadelphia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We left the Benjamin Franklin Museum at around 5 and started to make our way to Market Street where the shopping is at! Surprisingly, at the fountain in the photo above, parents let their kids swim around! Is this a thing in Philadelphia? Haha! The kids looked like they were having fun though.</div>
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Sephora had a giant line because 3 famous YouTubers were having a fan meeting! I only knew Amy from Vagabond Youth from the YouTubers. (Wish I could meet Joan Kim someday huhu)</div>
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There are lots of nice stores here including a Nordstrom Rack for bargain designer products! Remember, if you like something there, you should probably get it. Chances are they're the same price or even cheaper in comparison to outlet malls.</div>
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Along Market Street, you can find a really lovely pocket park that's absolutely open to the public!</div>
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The park is dedicated to John F. Collins and I absolutely love the idea of such a stylish pocket park in the middle of a bustling commercial area. The rest of the world should take notes! :)</div>
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Look how gorgeous this place is! It still blows my mind how a public space can be so pretty!</div>
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After shopping, we went on to grab some dinner at Steve's! They're best known for their Philly Cheese Steaks!</div>
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We ordered a Classic Cheese Steak and it was absolutely delicious! So creamy and meaty but quite balanced. I enjoyed it so much!</div>
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I also took the opportunity to try an Italian Hoagie a la The Cosby Show. Haha! I loved how packed and flavored this cold sandwich is. I usually don't like cold sandwiches but I liked this a lot!</div>
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Gorgeous classic look for their UNIQLO store!</div>
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Before going home, we decided to grab some dessert at Capogiro!</div>
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Lots of super interesting flavors!</div>
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We got a Medio Cup with 3 flavors - Burnt Sugar, Gooseberry, and Cioccolato Scuro. All super good!</div>
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Burnt Sugar has a deep smoky sugary taste just as you would taste on top of a creme brulee.</div>
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Gooseberry is lightly sour, fruity, and fresh but still a little creamy! Super great to mix with your usual sweet flavors as a refreshing breath of air.</div>
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Cioccolato Scuro is a delicious deep dark chocolate with a lot of depth. Always worth the pick! :)</div>
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Stay tuned for the last part of my Philadelphia series before moving on to Washington D.C.!</div>
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<br />Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-53989114542518875832018-09-16T14:31:00.000+08:002018-09-16T14:31:55.721+08:00Philadelphia 2018 | Part 1 Leaving Brooklyn & Benjamin Franklin Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We got up early the next day to grab a quick breakfast before catching the bus to Philadelphia! Since the cafe we originally wanted to try had no food yet, we decided to wing it at a place called the Windsor Cafe.</div>
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Probably the nicest diner I've gone to in Brooklyn! It's owned by a really nice Italian man who seems to treat everyone like family. So adorable!</div>
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Sadly, I can't remember what exactly we ordered. Here's an omelette with hollondaise with a side of hash. Super tasty and in a lovely large serving.</div>
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We also split a tuna club sandwich. This one was just alright. Should've gone for their pancakes instead!</div>
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We also tried their famous New York Cheesecake and it was pure love! Nothing too life-changing because in my opinion, all cheesecake is beautiful. Haha! But this one was so creamy yet so light and not too sweet! So good!</div>
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Our MegaBus ride took about 2 hours and you barely notice it thanks to the Wi-Fi! And the rides just cost less than 10 bucks! From the station, we took an Uber to our AirBnB. A great thing about Philly is that it's quite cheap to Uber everywhere! The trains aren't exactly the most reliable here so it's great that you have the option to use Uber or Lyft.</div>
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Super love the colorful and artsy apartments here! It's definitely warmer here than in New York and the streets are nowhere as busy.</div>
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After grabbing lunch and settling in our AirBnB, we made our way to Broad Street where City Hall is. It's located at the center of the city. From there, you can access the shopping district and basically anywhere you want - everything is walkable.</div>
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So great seeing the local government showing such support for their LGBTQ+ communities.</div>
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We headed south towards where the museums are.</div>
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Definitely lots of historical buildings everywhere!</div>
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City Hall is absolutely stunning!</div>
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They even hold outdoor concerts just outside City Hall!</div>
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Finally, the Benjamin Franklin Museum!</div>
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They were currently having a Game-inspired exhibit but we decided not to go for it because it was already quite late and admission was so expensive. Huhu</div>
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Once you get to the lobby, you'll immediately notice people participating in the Sky Bike which looks like a lot of fun!</div>
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We visited the Your Brain exhibit which was one of the free exhibits at the time. We were waiting for 4:00 PM to get the discount they give out during the end of the day for visitors in the main museum.</div>
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Here, you can find very cool interpretations for how the brain works.</div>
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You start with simpler exhibits.</div>
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Then you eventually see more graphic-based exhibits including...</div>
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A playground inspired by neurons in our nervous system!</div>
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This graphics display actually shifts in color to show you how impulses flow.</div>
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One of my favorite in the Brain exhibits!</div>
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Now onto the Main Exhibits!</div>
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The exhibit I recommend the most is the Electricity Exhibit! After all, that's one of the reasons why Benjamin Franklin is a historical figure!</div>
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Overall, I think the Benjamin Franklin Museum is a great place to bring kids along. So many cool interactive exhibits! The admission can be a bit pricey but it's a nice place to learn!</div>
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Stay tuned for more of Philadelphia~</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-28228646729496814412018-09-09T13:00:00.000+08:002018-09-09T12:53:13.227+08:00New York 2018 | Brooklyn Day 3 Part 2 - Coney Island & A Little of Manhattan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We continued on to Coney Island and it was quite a long ride from Brooklyn. Coney Island is known to be the center for carnival and beach fun at New York. Read on to see if it lives up to its name!</div>
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Once you exit, the area is much less urbanized and will almost remind you of scenery in old American movies.</div>
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Even from afar, you'll start to see the roller coasters and different rides by the seaside. Just follow this direction and you should be able to reach both the beach and the carnival!</div>
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One of the most iconic parts of Coney Island is the Wonder Wheel!</div>
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We didn't really ride any of the rides because none of us were feeling like it so we just strolled around the area to see what it was like.</div>
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The Wonder Wheel is especially interesting because at some point, it slides its carriages into the grooves on the inside of the wheel instead of spinning it the whole way around.</div>
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Lots of different rides here for different ages.</div>
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Once you get past the carnival, you reach the Boardwalk!</div>
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And beyond the Boardwalk is the actual beach.</div>
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I didn't actually see much people swimming so maybe the water isn't as clean as it should be?</div>
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Tourist photo for remembrance! It was so windy that day.</div>
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Before leaving Coney Island, we decided to eat at the original Nathan's Famous branch! Nathan's Famous doesn't just have hotdogs in Coney Island, but also a bunch of other seafood themed fast food!</div>
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We tried the Chili Cheese Dog first. It was pretty okay and nothing out of the ordinary. I'm confident you would be able to find something similar in Manila... or actually make one yourself at home! Haha! The sandwich consists of a toasted bun, a grilled hotdog topped with chili and grated cheese, and it tastes exactly as you think it would. I liked it a lot but it wasn't all that life-changing.</div>
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Undeniably the real winner of the bunch was the Softshell Crab Burger. I'm a giant fan of softshell crab so when I saw this on the menu I jumped on it with no doubt in my mind. It's essentially a burger with one whole softshell crab inside with lettuce and mayo. So simple yet so good! I definitely want one of these to eat myself next time. Lol!</div>
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They also had a choice between Long Island Style & New England Style Clam Chowder and I didn't know which one was the creamy one (which I prefer). I went on ahead with Long Island Style because I was in New York. Haha! Turns out Long Island Style is tomato-based which gives it a nice tart fresh-tasting soup. Pretty good! I still prefer New England style though!</div>
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Afterwards, we headed to Manhattan! In our whole trip, we started with New York, headed to Philadelphia, then Washington D.C., and then back to New York. We originally planned on saving Manhattan for when we got back, but since we had all this extra time, we used it to take a peek of the East Village for a comedy show!</div>
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First on my agenda though, DECIEM! When I found out I was going to New York, I knew I wanted to visit one of DECIEM's stores for cheap but effective skincare. DECIEM is actually a company that houses various skincare brands at different price ranges - the most popular of them being The Ordinary!</div>
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The Ordinary is known for being a no-nonsense brand that has a more clinical approach to skincare. You guys can check them out more on YouTube! (I learned mostly from Liah Yoo.) Their skincare is almost all below $10 which is absolutely amazing.</div>
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I bought quite a bit of skincare for $50, but trust me, I bought a few months' worth of effective skincare. NO RAGRETS. Also, I would like to note that their plastic bags are amazing quality. I still keep them around for storing random stuff! They're so good that I'm thinking of using them as my lunch bag for work. Haha!</div>
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We started making our way to the show. We were going to watch the Upright Citizen's Brigade which is a comedy club that has housed comedy legends like Amy Poehler! I am a giant fan of a lot of American comedians so I was particularly excited about this.</div>
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Forever amazed at the integrity behind city planning in New York City. No matter how developed the city is, they understand the importance of public spaces. Look at this awesome sports park in the middle of a busy commercial area! This would never survive in Manila. It would be turned into a condo or a hotel in a blink of an eye. *Sigh*</div>
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When you cross big streets, you can actually see that they've made the curbs at the center into mini parks! So. Wonderful!</div>
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Once we got to the Upright Citizens' Brigade Theatre though, it was closed! We were so confused by this as it was almost 7PM and it was still closed. Turns out they only really open strictly during the time of the actual show.</div>
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We decided to grab some quick dinner nearby and it just so happened to be Katz's Delicatessen!</div>
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Katz's is probably the most iconic deli in the city. It's become such a landmark that...</div>
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It has its own engraved plate on the sidewalk!</div>
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Once you enter, you will immediately be issued a ticket. Even if you're a party, you will each be given one, and you have to be sure you don't lose it because you have to give it back before you leave or they'll charge you $50 for a lost ticket!</div>
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At any hour, this place is pretty packed. Luckily, we were immediately able to find seats.</div>
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You can see that people from all over the world dine here!</div>
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It is, however, a little confusing to order because there are just so many booths and there's actually a process that you have to follow. If you're dining in, you have to first go to a Cutter line and order what you want there. They'll serve you your order with the receipt. You can then pay for your meal before you leave at the counter beside the exit. There's not really any signs here that tell you what to do so it can be chaotic.</div>
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There's more meat than bread! Haha! This is definitely worth a try. Everything is just a delight to the palate; from the warm lightly toasted bread, to the intensely smoked and seasoned meat and the sour mustard. Can definitely be shared for its size.</div>
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We also ordered Bagel with Lox and Cream Cheese because of Will & Grace and the Golden Girls. Haha! It seemed to be an addiction with them that I had to try. Lox is basically smoked salmon and *lots of it* topped with an even more generous serving of cream cheese. This cold duo is then encased in a warm bagel. Absolutely delicious.</div>
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Afterwards, like magic, the Upright Citizens' Brigade Theatre was open!</div>
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Love the very retro interiors.</div>
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We made it just in the nick of time. The theater itself is very small. It probably holds no more than 80 people, which is great in this sense because it's more intimate! The show is about an hour and a half long and it changes from day to day. In my case, it was a series of stand-up comedy routines and every one of them had me laughing so hard! Truly a lot of talent can be seen in this small space and it's definitely something to check out if you're into comedy clubs. Who knows, you might actually watch a famous comedian do a show here! In my case, Jon Glaser did a quick routine! He played Jeremy Jamm in Parks & Recreation - one of the villains - and he was absolutely hilarious. It was such a fun surprise seeing him in the flesh!</div>
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And that pretty much wraps up my Brooklyn travel series! Next up, Philadelphia! :)</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-65315865507195500622018-09-09T12:51:00.000+08:002018-09-09T12:52:14.816+08:00New York 2018 | Brooklyn Day 3 Part 1 - Industry City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We started our third day in Brooklyn at Tom's Restaurant! I feel like the best food I've had in my whole trip was in Brooklyn diners. Haha!</div>
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Tom's Restaurant is also well-known for their super retro interiors.</div>
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Sadly, I can't remember exactly what we ordered. But everything here is priced at around 10-15 bucks at the expected giant servings. Tom's Restaurant is especially famous for their pancakes and I completely agree with the hype. Truly the best pancake I've ever had! And you can top it with their homemade flavored butters and maple syrup. What I do remember about the name is that it has Lemon and Ricotta Cheese in it. Huhu.</div>
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We also ordered a Huevos Rancheros Omelette which was lightly cheesy with strong notes of tomato and jalapeno. Very tasty and contrasted well with the Grits! Not the most appetizing to look at but definitely something perfect for a hearty breakfast!</div>
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After breakfast, we headed to the Brooklyn Museum which was... closed on Mondays. So we just took photos outside and moved on.</div>
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The Brooklyn Botanical Garden was also closed...</div>
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Super appreciate the blend of classic and modern architecture in the Brooklyn Museum! A very original take on the Musee de Louvre in Paris.</div>
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Now that we had a lot of time suddenly free, we decided to proceed to the subway going to Industry City. It's a bit of a walk from the Brooklyn Museum area but there's a lot of sights to keep you distracted.</div>
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Once you get past Plaza Street, there should be a station just beyond it. Only realizing now that this is where one of my current favorite K-Pop groups, (G)I-dle performed their flash mob very recently! Aaaaaah! I absolutely love them to bits. (You can watch it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztWnrkpKPk8">here</a>. This is the spot in the night scene!)</div>
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We got off at the 36th Street Station and it was a short walk from there to Industry City!</div>
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Like so many new attractions in Brooklyn, Industry City is a repurposed area that used to be a factory warehouse and was converted into a commercial and art area. Here, you can find a mix of food, design stores, cafes, working spaces, and even a museum and a public park!</div>
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Every area in between the buildings is a park in a different design!</div>
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As you can see, it's a whole warehouse complex and every building has something to check out!</div>
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However, the most popular building here is, of course, the food hall! You can find it at the westernmost building.</div>
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Before we left Industry City, we of course, had to try the food!</div>
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There are lots of healthy choices here but the price is slightly higher than most spots.</div>
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There's even a restaurant here that specializes in everything avocado! Hipster overload!</div>
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We decided to order from Table 87. Famous for their Coal Oven Pizza!</div>
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We ordered their classic Margherita Pizza and it was simple and delicious the way a Margherita Pizza is supposed to be. On the side, of the restaurant, there's a small tray where you can get some garlic toppings as well as chili sauce and olives!</div>
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For dessert, we tried Blue Marble Ice Cream which is the most popular spot in the Food Hall.</div>
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We tried the Blue Marble & Organic Marcona Almond Ice Cream. Like most artisanal ice cream I've tried, it was light and creamy and not too sweet. Nothing out of this world though! However, I will say I loved the generous serving of almond chunks in the ice cream. Definitely liked this more than Malai from Smorgasburg.</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-87977748711406840082018-08-26T19:53:00.000+08:002018-08-26T19:53:08.141+08:00New York 2018 | Brooklyn Day 2 Part 2 - Brooklyn Historical Society, Flea Market, & Bridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The day continued to be one of the most intense walks of my life. Thankfully, the weather was quite nice and cool and made me able to handle anything. Haha!</div>
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Our first stop was the Brooklyn Historical Society! The different boroughs of New York have their own Historical Society where you can closely study their histories. We thought this was the entrance at first but we were wrong lol</div>
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This is the entrance to the Brooklyn Historical Society. So gorgeous! :)</div>
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Once inside, you can use your New York Pass to get into the exhibits. So lovely and tastefully done!</div>
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Old city plans and artifacts.</div>
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When you go down to the basement, you can see a whole exhibit dedicated to Prospect Park!</div>
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This area talks about the significance of Prospect Park to Brooklyn and how it became a symbol of community and peace within their borough. Also, the great regard they have for parks!</div>
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And that was pretty much it for the Brooklyn Historical Society!</div>
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Now, we were headed for the Brooklyn Bridge! Everyone's favorite travel photo was taken there probably. Haha!</div>
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But first, we made a quick stop to the Brooklyn Flea! The Brooklyn Flea is like a regular flea market in appearance. Very grungy and down-to-earth. But with the evolution of Brooklyn, it's become a hipster's paradise for all things vintage, but the prices here can vary from really cheap to really expensive.</div>
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You can literally find the most random items here.</div>
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There's also spots to get snacks!</div>
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Super love the furniture being sold here! And they were arranged so incredibly tastefully.</div>
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We didn't really buy anything but it was definitely an interesting experience!</div>
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Now, we were really headed to the bridge. Haha!</div>
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There are actually a lot of spots for you to go up the Brooklyn Bridge. You don't have to start at the very beginning. There are underpasses that provide stairs for you to go up somewhere in the middle.</div>
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From there you can see the view of the new developments in the borough.</div>
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You'll notice later on that you've gone completely above the level of the highway and then you'll be one with the skyline.</div>
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You can actually completely cross over to Manhattan using this bridge, but it's going to take a lot of patience because it's incredibly far. Haha! However, we opted to go down by the bay because...</div>
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Shake Shack for Dinner!!! The Shake Shack near the Brooklyn Bridge is especially cool and we didn't really experience a line.</div>
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The burgers cost about $10 each and they're surprisingly small. However, the quality is definitely great! I highly recommend the Smokeshack since it has crispy bacon bits as well as jalapeno peppers. Much more interesting when it comes to flavor.</div>
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The frozen custard is alright but pretty much just like normal ice cream. Haha!</div>
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Afterwards, we took a quick stroll along the bay. There's a famous ice cream shop there that used to be a fire house! Definitely should've gone for that instead of the Frozen Custard. *regrets*</div>
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Ending this post with the beautiful view from DUMBO! Literally the most picturesque thing you'll ever see!</div>
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Stay tuned for more!</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-77324567333964510352018-08-19T13:20:00.000+08:002018-08-19T13:20:04.072+08:00New York 2018 | Brooklyn Day 2 Part 1 - Prospect Park & Smorgasburg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our first full day in Brooklyn, we started things off with breakfast at a diner! Luckily, there was a popular one just a few minutes away from our AirBnB!</div>
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It was such a lovely and cool morning. Forever missing how peaceful Brooklyn is! Huhu</div>
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We had our breakfast at the Terrace Cafe and I had no idea what to expect at the time. I ordered the Avocado Burger Deluxe (which costs about $13, I think) for myself and was absolutely *stunned* when it came that I took a photo for my Instagram stories and completely forgot to take an actual clean photo with my phone or camera lol hence the Instagram Story-grabbed photo. I was honestly a bit sad about $13 for a burger meal but this was honestly the most #WorthIt meal of my entire 2-week trip. I don't really think the photo does the serving size of this monster any justice because this meal was HUGE. So huge that I could've probably split this and still be full.</div>
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Everything about this meal was generous and it tasted as great as it looked. I only regret not trying their pies! Huhu definitely recommend this spot!</div>
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Afterwards, we headed for Prospect Park, but of course, not without me taking photos with gorgeous apartment buildings I passed along the way hehe</div>
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Onto Prospect Park! Prospect Park is the main park of Brooklyn and needless to say, it is gigantic. Nowhere near Central Park though. Haha!</div>
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It will forever be so interesting for me - coming from a third world country - to see how much the States values their parks and to see how the people genuinely love spending their days there. I wouldn't mind going to the park either if we shared the same climate and overall park security. :(</div>
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Our real agenda for Prospect Park, though, is visiting the Smorgasburg! It's open every Sunday from 11AM to 6PM and it is filled with the most interesting food choices all in one space. Truly, America's food parks puts all the food parks to shame in terms of diversity and even quality.</div>
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Side Note: Seeing so many cultures blended in one place is such a great metaphor that there's nothing wrong with being accepting of different cultures and I wish this was a more universal philosophy. *Sigh*</div>
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The setup is simple and straightforward - the way food parks are supposed to be. No permanent imposing structures or any invasive applications that can potentially hurt the park! I also super appreciate the free water station as drinks can be pricey too lol. (At least, in Filipino standards)</div>
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The variety of food here is insane and I already thought I was relatively already knowledgeable about the cuisines around the world.</div>
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One of the most memorable stations was definitely Matchaful with their incredibly pretty drinks that had actual flowers and a crazy blend of superfoods with Matcha and non-Matcha bases. I mean, look at how radiant the owner is!</div>
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You've also got a ton of Asian food which hits closer to home. Bao with meat fillings from Wagyu to Peking Duck!</div>
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Funny pun stores like Bon Chovie that serves some New Orleans seafood delicacies as well as a cool Cranberry Limeade! (Wish I tried the Limeade)</div>
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Indian coffee that they claim to be "smooth AF"</div>
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I really wish I had tried Duck Season too. For no other reason than to taste how delicious the blend of fries and duck fat must be. #ProbablyNotGoodForMe</div>
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So many regrets!!! My favorite thing about Brooklyn is that they have such large enthusiasm for health foods that I've never even heard of. It's definitely not hard to try to eat healthy here because there's always so many options available.</div>
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Fancy french toast with flowers!</div>
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My dad ended up trying Lobsterdamus because *lobster*</div>
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We tried the 1/2 Pound Lobster which was obviously good. Garlicky and packed with all sorts of beautiful seasonings. Haha! (For $16, it had to be) Probably wouldn't repurchase for the price though. *Duck Season huhu*</div>
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For dessert, we tried the doughnuts at DOUGH.</div>
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I honestly thought they were croughnuts (croissant doughnuts)</div>
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But they weren't. As I found out later.<br />
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I got the Chocolate Doughnut with Cacao Nibs and I was slightly bummed out to find they were regular soft doughnuts! It was huge, soft, and sweet. Probably a bit too sweet. But it wasn't bad. I don't think it's worth the 10 bucks though. I'm a person who rarely eats doughnuts just because I know how bad they are for me. (I definitely can't turn an original Krispy Kreme away though)</div>
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In the States, I learned the hard way that most sweets will probably be waaaaaay too sweet. People there love their sugar. Haha!</div>
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To cool down, I got the coolest looking drink I could find and that was the Cactus Pear Lemonade! I do love cactii lol. There's nothing too crazy about this one other than it's a punchy sour lemonade with a pungent herbal aroma. This made me all the more curious if the Cranberry Limeade would've been any better.</div>
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End note: I feel like I just made all the wrong choices at Smorgasburg. *Duck Season huhu*</div>
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The last thing we checked out was Malai! This was one of the most popular ice cream shops in the country. And they even got the articles posted at the booth to prove it. Haha!</div>
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They definitely don't have a shortage of interesting flavors. Even down to their cones!</div>
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However, we just went for 2 scoops in a cup. We tried Browned Butter Pecan and Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds. In hindsight, I realize we order two flavors that relied on nuts which sort of made them taste similar. I kept saying we should've probably ordered the Orange Fennel in place of one of the flavors.</div>
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Thankfully, the ice cream was just the right amount of sweet. They had very distinct nutty, buttery flavors with a hint of Rose on the Rose-flavored one. A strange thing I remember about this ice cream is its overwhelming salty aftertaste. It starts out sweet and is then followed by the powerful flavor of sea salt. It was just a bit weird. It complements the ice cream and is probably meant to cut the sweetness, but I just think they went a little too hard on the salt.</div>
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Afterwards, we started making our way to the Brooklyn Historical Society!</div>
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But before transferring to the right line at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center Station, we decided to go out and take a quick visit to Best Buy and Target!!!</div>
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I don't know why going to places like Best Buy and Target are so freaking surreal to me. Probably from watching so many YouTubers talk about how they find *everything* there.</div>
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Here are just some thoughts on my first experiences:</div>
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<b>TARGET - </b>Your basic supermarket but on steroids. I noticed that the prices of stuff like skincare and makeup are literally different in every store. (Different branches of CVS has different prices even). If you're looking for drugstore skincare/make-up, chances are you can find them at the best prices here.</div>
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<b>BEST BUY - </b>No non-sense tech heaven with nice staff. Price also varies for some reason. Though I will say the Best Buy headphones in this branch in Brooklyn is waaay cheaper than the same ones I saw in Manhattan.</div>
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<b>DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) - </b>An unexpected find. You can try shopping here for more affordably priced shoes from fancy brands. Don't expect any crazy deals though. Like outlet shopping anywhere else, it's a hit or miss and you just gotta be patient! I'll get into this more later on in the series but I love that there are so many accessible outlet stores in the cities now and you don't have to go out of town to the real factory outlet malls for good deals. There are places like Saks Off-Fifth and Nordstrom Rack and Century 21 that are almost every bit as good as those heavily advertised outlets that are like a one-hour bus ride away.</div>
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Next stop, the Brooklyn Historical Society!</div>
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But I'll get to that on my next post. See you then! :)</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-7095889790236131502018-08-12T13:03:00.000+08:002018-08-12T13:03:32.180+08:00New York 2018 | Brooklyn Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This has been such a long time coming but I'm finally starting my *long* travel series from my recent trip to the States! I was there for two weeks and I traveled from New York to Philadelphia to Washington DC, then back to New York and I will be sharing my travels in exactly this order. Let's begin, shall we?</div>
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We travelled for a total of almost 30 hours if you include waiting time for the transfer flight. However, I really want to note that traveling from Manila to New York with Asiana Airlines is legitimately a great way to go about it. From Manila, we flew to Seoul, then New York. We waited for about 5 hours for our transfer, but there's truly no better place to transfer than Incheon International Airport. Aside from being able to stock up on some of your favorite K-Beauty products at great prices (Personally stocked up on Laneige and Missha lol), they actually have free amenities such as napping areas, shower areas, and a great selection of food. Those 5 hours are going to fly right by, for sure. On top of that, Asiana has the best ticket prices and an awesome plane that's shockingly comfortable as far as Economy seats go.</div>
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I wanted to share this because I've been sort of dreading the idea of long haul flights since I went to California about 10 years ago. Sitting on a plane for about 12 hours is stressful. We used Philippine Airlines at the time and it was a memorably challenging experience... to say the least.</div>
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That aside! We arrived in New York just a bit after lunch. First thing on the agenda was to get to the nearest station that linked to the NYC Subway! I recommend hooking up to the airport wifi and getting all the info you might need. I *highly* suggest downloading an offline map of New York on Google Maps. This way, you can easily navigate to where you need to be even without a connection. The rates for a Sim Card at the airport are just way too high. The best and most affordable one to get is T-Mobile. It's half the price, has good deals for data, and works just as well. You just have to look for one that's nearest you. That's where the offline map is going to come in handy.</div>
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Anyway, to get to the station from JFK International Airport, you have to take a free shuttle to the station. You have to ask around, but it should be pretty easy to spot because it's the only place with a large number of people waiting outside. Once you're at the station, get a Metrocard! This will be your passport to everything related to getting around the city; whether it's a bus or the subway. You can get an unlimited subway pass in certain reload stations. If you're staying for about a week, I suggest getting the 1-week pass for $30+. Definitely not a bad deal since a ride is $2.75.</div>
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Being here was certainly surreal, because I never really thought I'd ever get back to States for some reason. Haha! I couldn't believe I was headed to the places I grew up watching! From Will & Grace, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 Rock, to even, the Cosby Show (Controversy aside)!</div>
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First time riding the subway! Aaaaah! If I could sum the experience up with one word, I'd use "colorful" because it just truly was. I loved seeing this thorough melting pot of a city because there's truly so many types of people in one place - for better or for worse. I say this because it's a fun experience to do people-watching. Sometimes, you really do encounter strange people that you just have to get away from. There are homeless people that leave trash everywhere and have overwhelming smells. There are sometimes entertainers that go around to ask for tips. It doesn't really happen all the time, but you just have to be prepared for anything because literally anything can happen lol</div>
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We finally got off at Windsor Place in Brooklyn to head to our AirBnB. It was still quite early, so we decided to spontaneously find a place to get a quick snack to kill some time.</div>
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Brooklyn Brownstones! It still felt like a dream to be here. When you're from a third world Asian country, being in such a drastically Western environment is just a weird sensation. I'm constantly hit with the thought of "Am I really actually here right now?" and "Am I actually *this* far away from home right now?"</div>
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There are delis and pizzerias and all sorts of small and charming shops. Brooklyn now is very much a peaceful and beautiful place. It's immediately obvious why so many people lived there aside from the cheaper rent compared to leaving in Manhattan.</div>
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We decided to try our luck at a place called DUB Pies because it looked like a quaint little place lol</div>
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We tried the NY Shepherd's Pie and the Steak and Mushroom Pie. Both are savory, meaty, and juicy. A little bit overpriced for what they are. I wouldn't really say it's something you *have* to try. Nothing out of the ordinary for our first meal in Brooklyn. Haha!</div>
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We settled in our AirBnB and left to find a T-Mobile dealer because Wi-Fi is essential to get around. But honestly, when you have it, it's pretty easy to get around. No other guide necessary than Google Maps. It can even provide you with Subway routes!</div>
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It was honestly a long walk to get to the more bustling areas of Brooklyn but I didn't even notice because of the stunning buildings everywhere. The weather at the time was also absolutely perfect.</div>
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This building gave me FRIENDS vibes!</div>
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Brooklyn has a large hipster population - as seen in shows like The Last O.G. haha! And I was quite determined to try all the health foods that I hear about a lot on social media. I've been on quite the Kale Chips kick recently and I tried every brand of Kale Chips I saw in my whole trip! My absolute favorite is from New York Naturals which I could only find in Brooklyn. Never saw it when I was in Manhattan. It costs $8 but is absolutely worth it for the amount of Kale Chips you get. In the Philippines, a bag costs about 200 Pesos at about a third of this volume.</div>
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I immediately regret not trying all the flavors and just hoarding them. The Spicy Miso is *amazing* and I wish this was also more visibly available in Manhattan!!! You can find this almost anywhere in Brooklyn though! I got mine at a place called Awesome Organic Market but I also saw it at CTown Supermarket.</div>
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I also took a quick visit to CVS because I just wanted to see what a drugstore looked like lol. After watching so many Beauty vlogs, it's just a big point of curiosity for me. I do think Ulta is the place to be for all your Beauty needs and curiosities. The stuff at Sephora is waaaay too expensive unless you're there for the high end brands.</div>
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Before looking for a dinner spot, we ran into a small Pride parade! Completely forgot it was Pride month and honestly no better place to experience it than NYC!</div>
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This wasn't the biggest parade, but it was truly so beautiful seeing such a loving and supportive community!</div>
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We decided to get some Mexican food at Varrio 408 and the Pride Parade was happening just outside lol</div>
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We ordered two of the 1/2 pound set menus and were left incredibly full afterwards. There were just 3 of us so there was a lot to go around.</div>
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Each set comes with a side of Rice (Plain or Mexican), Beans (Black or Refried), Pico de Gallo, and Fresh Corn Tortillas.</div>
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We order the Pollo al Carbon which is a mildly spicy smoky blackened chicken which pairs quite nicely with the tart Pico de Gallo - or honestly any of the sides. Haha!</div>
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Next is the Carnitas Michoacanas - slow-roasted pulled pork which is smoky sweet and an almost chewy sticky texture.</div>
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Here are the sides we ordered! I recommend getting the Refried Beans more than the Black Beans! So much more delicious!</div>
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Then lastly, we have the corn tortilla and the Pico de Gallo on top. Fresh and simple!</div>
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Overall, I enjoyed Varrio 408! Not a giant food of this type of set-up but definitely a good meal.</div>
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Stay tuned for the next leg of my Brooklyn travel series!</div>
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<br />Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-38490669889492351682018-08-05T13:20:00.000+08:002018-08-05T13:21:27.915+08:00Din Tai Fung | Worth The Hype?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last Sunday, I finally got to try the famous Din Tai Fung in BGC! Like Tim Ho Wan, Din Tai Fung created an insane amount of buzz when it first opened in Manila at SM Megamall and I distinctly remember the lines being even more insane than when Tim Ho Wan first opened at the same mall.</div>
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Din Tai Fung is a famous dimsum chain from Taiwan best known for their Xiao Long Bao which has become a very well-loved dish here in Manila. Read on to see if it's worth the hype!</div>
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Luckily enough, the line wasn't that crazy when we got there. I highly suggest trying their Bonifacio High Street branch instead of the Megamall one. We only waited for about 10 minutes to be seated!</div>
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The first few things we ordered were appetizers!</div>
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<b>Din Tai Fung House Special (PHP 155)</b> - I didn't expect to enjoy this dish so much! A little bit sour from the rice vinegar then there's a good mix of textures and seafood flavors from the seaweed and vermicelli as well as bean curd! Definitely a good choice for an appetizer.</div>
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<b>Taiwanese Kao Fu (PHP 245)</b> - Very sweet and simple soy meat dish. Didn't really feel anything special for this one. You would probably get the same experience in any Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant at a much larger serving for the same price.</div>
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<b>House Special Spicy Jellyfish (PHP 245)</b> - Again, for the price and serving size, it doesn't really taste any different from the Spicy Jellyfish in any other Chinese restaurant.</div>
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<b>Porkchop Fried Rice (PHP 295) </b>- Definitely good for just one person, this pretty much tastes as good as any fried rice topping out there.</div>
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<b>Machang Noodles with Sesame and Peanut Sauce (PHP 155) - </b>I really enjoyed the chewy noodles combined with the very flavorful salty-sweet-spicy sauce. Definitely worth the price as well as the experience.</div>
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<b>Stir-fried Watercress (PHP 145) - </b>Very decent garlicky fresh stir-fried veggies. I guess it isn't bad to order it if you wanted some vegetables for you meal. Otherwise, not really worth the order. It's good but it seems overpriced and unnecessary. Just come for the noodles and the dimsum, I guess?</div>
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<b>Shrimp & Pork Wonton with House Special Spicy Sauce (PHP 185)</b> - Meaty and slightly juicy. The real winner is the flavorful sauce that you just *know* is not something instant and out of a bottle. The quality is great and I actually liked it more than the Xiao Long Bao!</div>
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<b>Pork Xiao Long Bao (PHP 310 for 10 pieces) - </b>Now, for the moment everyone is waiting for, the Classic Pork Xiao Long Bao! Of course, it's delicious. There are many iterations to this dish in so many restaurants. Din Tai Fung's Xiao Long Bao definitely focuses on the soup rather than the meat. The soup is thick, verging on oily, but so flavorful and rich. The meat is surprisingly little but definitely there. A very high quality dumpling, for sure. But nothing I'm jumping up and down about.</div>
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I feel like you could get the same results at Lucky Rainbow in Z Square, Banawe - which, by the way, remains to be my absolute favorite Chinese restaurant in the Metro.</div>
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<b>Crab Roe & Pork Xiao Long Bao (PHP 565 for 10 pieces)</b> - I genuinely enjoyed this which is a relief at these prices. The classic Xiao Long Bao taste is made richer and more interesting with the taste of creamy crab roe. Mixed with the light but sour rice vinegar and soy sauce mix, you have a beautifully balanced Xiao Long Bao. Absolutely delicious!</div>
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Crispy Noodles with Seafood (PHP 265) - Delicious, crisp, and flavorful. Everything this dish is expected to be. But for just a little more, you can get it 3 times larger, at the same quality, in Mann Hann. Only a just a teensy bit saltier if you do.</div>
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<b>Chocolate Lava Xiao Long Bao (PHP 115 for 3 Pieces)</b> - Pricey but fun, the Chocolate Xiao Long Bao is one of Din Tai Fung's signature desserts. I think it's completely unnecessary but it's also the funnest way to end a dimsum meal. The skin is light and delicate. Comparable to a very thin glutinous rice peel. Inside is a sweet thick milk-dark chocolate mix that is just the right amount of sweet. There's nothing surprising about this and I don't know why I expected anything other than melted chocolate inside tikoy skin lol</div>
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<b>Golden Lava Salted Egg Yolk Bun (PHP 90 for 2 pieces) - </b>Definitely more worth the purchase, I have a lot of love for their Salted Egg Bun. It's beautifully rich, lightly sweet, and the bun has good texture. I can imagine myself coming here and just ordering this just because I was craving for Salted Egg Buns.</div>
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<b>CONCLUSION: </b>Just like Tim Ho Wan, I don't think Din Tai Fung is worth all the hype - especially after having experienced their original counterparts in their respective countries. I do think both are delicious though - just nowhere near the quality of their originals. Bottom line is: they're quite expensive for what they are. BUT I do think there are still dishes that are worth trying. Surprisingly enough, those dishes tended to cost less! (Except for the Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao)</div>
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I definitely would come back here, but just to order what I really really enjoyed. Don't come here if it's not exclusively for the dimsum. You would just be as happy in most of your favorite Chinese joints.</div>
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Hope this review was helpful!</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-38961576869857838342018-07-22T13:09:00.000+08:002018-07-22T13:09:33.187+08:00Tsuta Ramen | Trying Michelin Starred Ramen in Manila<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tsuta Ramen has been making a lot of buzz in the Metro lately so I thought I finally would try it out for myself! I'm a big fan of ramen so I was really curious to know what separated Tsuta from classic favorites like Ippudo and Ramen Nagi. Read on to learn about my experience!</div>
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Tsuta is located along the edge of Central Square, BGC which faces Bonifacio High Street. Just right beside Mango Tree and across from Crystal Jade.</div>
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You will immediately be greeted by a screen showing Tsuta's success and Michelin Starred Ramen at the bottom.</div>
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Gorgeous interiors, no surprise there!</div>
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The menu is quite simple. Just two pages. The prices are slightly higher than your usual bowl of ramen here in Manila. I ended up ordering the specialty ramen called Sang La Tan Tan Soba. It was a Filipino fusion with the Japanese Tantanmen which is spicy ramen with ground meat. This time it was made more flavorful with crispy pork or chicharon bits.</div>
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We sat at the bar which is a great way to see them work. Honestly, I should probably eat at the bar areas of Japanese restaurants more!</div>
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Now for the taste test!</div>
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Thanks to the peanut paste, the ramen had a strong peanut flavor that strongly reminded me of Chinese style noodles. It was salty with a heavy umami flavor that you could tell was uniquely Japanese. There's also some spiciness but nothing too overpowering. Definitely a delicious bowl of ramen but I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's better than Ippudo or Ramen Nagi or Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. The soup was so salty that I couldn't even finish it which is unusual for me.</div>
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However, it is by no means bad. It's just really strong in terms of flavor. I'm sure if you ordered the more classic variations such as Shoyu or Miso, the taste would be more toned down but probably wouldn't be distinguishable from other popular ramen joints in Manila.</div>
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The star of the show for Tsuta's Ramen would definitely be their egg! Absolutely stunning and flavorful. It is almost sweet and so incredible that it almost makes me think that it is probably the reason for the Michelin star. Haha! Their egg is definitely the best I've ever had on any ramen ever. So insanely good.</div>
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Overall, Tsuta's Ramen is pretty good. Without their signature egg though, I probably wouldn't be as encouraged to come back at these prices.</div>
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We also tried their pan-fried gyoza! Very very good quality gyoza. And I love that it almost traps the sauce inside the dumpling so it explodes in your mouth. Awesome!</div>
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Have you tried Tsuta Ramen? What are you thoughts?</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-15861786331154026532018-07-18T18:16:00.000+08:002018-07-18T18:16:57.752+08:00A Morning at Enderun | Cooking with Ducasse Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our second workshop day (You can read about the first day <a href="http://thedapperdrone.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-morning-at-enderun-cooking-with.html">here</a>), we were able to arrive on time! Haha! Very excited for what was to come. Read on for the last recipe of the Ducasse workshop! :D</div>
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The recipe for the day was Marjoram Rockfish Meuniere but before starting on anything, Chef Joma discussed how he prepared the potatoes we were going to use to make gnocchi (a type of pasta). Basically, you score the potato then bake on a bed of sea salt for an hour and a half.</div>
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While the potatoes were baking, Chef showed us how to properly clean a fish! From descaling to cleaning out the internal organs to...</div>
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Filleting! This was honestly a difficult lesson to learn, but I think Chef Joma did a good job explaining it as a noob like me was able to do it too. Haha!</div>
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The process of filleting is honestly too tricky to type out. I guess this is truly something you have to enroll in Enderun to learn for yourself! Haha!</div>
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There's quite a few steps involved that it took us all about an hour to finish filleting 4 fishes.</div>
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Now it was our turn!</div>
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Cut off the head and cleaned out the organs.</div>
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Cutting out the fish spine.</div>
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Removed all the remaining bones and there you go!</div>
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Next, Chef took out the baked potatoes, peeled them and started mashing them in the sifter.</div>
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Next, he combined the mashed potatoes with flour and nutmeg to create the dough for the gnocchi! Gnocchi is a type of pasta, that's kind of like a mix between macaroni and ravioli. It has the chewiness of ravioli but doesn't have filling inside. Instead, it catches the sauce in its orifice like macaroni.</div>
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Chef then added 1 egg yolk and proceeded to form the dough.</div>
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Afterwards, he rolled the dough into a thin log and cut them into 4 even pieces, and cut those subparts into 3 even pieces.</div>
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Next, he balled up the 12 pieces of dough and started making the gnocchi shapes. You simply press in the center of the dough ball to create a well. Then you roll one end on a fork to kind of create a cylindrical shape but you don't seal the gnocchi. There should still be a small slit for the sauce to enter. The purpose of the fork is to create marks on the dough. You'll see more later!</div>
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Now it was our turn!</div>
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So it goes from pillow-shaped dough to balls then gnocchi!</div>
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Chef then explained how to make Olive Tapenade. Tapenade is kind of like a spread or a pate and it was to be used on the fish we filleted for flavor.</div>
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While preparing the tapenade, Chef proceeded to boil water to cook the gnocchi as well toast pine nuts to garnish the dish.</div>
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He combined canned olives, anchovies, garlic, marjoram, sage, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a processor and blended away.</div>
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And voila! Olive Tapenade! Salty and tarte, very very suitable for seafood, or even just spread on a cracker?</div>
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Next, Chef brought out the zucchini, zucchini blossoms, sage, and butter. I didn't know Zucchini had such beautiful flowers!</div>
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He peeled the zucchini and proceeded to cut them into quarters. The core was sliced off then the remaining meat was cut into slivers. The ribboned peels were saved for garnish.</div>
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For the blooms, we were asked to pick out the two freshest ones, and finely minced the remaining blooms.</div>
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The zucchini slivers were cooked in a pan with butter and chicken stock. The goal here is to soften the zucchini so it can be easily pulsed into a chunky salsa.</div>
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Chef also started cooking the Gnocchi. An important tip when cooking pasta: the water you're boiling should taste like the ocean so put a lot of salt in your pasta water! This adds flavor to your pasta.</div>
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The zucchini was carefully pulsed into a chunky paste.</div>
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It's then put on a pan and reheated along with the minced Zucchini blooms. The ribboned zucchini skin is also boiled before being used as a garnish.</div>
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Next, Chef put out a shallow pan and put milk in it.</div>
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On one pan, we have butter and chicken stock and milk on the other. They both have to reduced into thicker consistencies.</div>
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While they're reducing, take your fillets out of the fridge, season with salt and pepper, and put some tapenade in the middle!</div>
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When the milk is reduced, carefully place the fillets into the hot milk and let cook for 10 seconds on each side. Afterwards, put it in the oven for 5 minutes to fully cook. The fish will absorb the creaminess of the milk!</div>
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On the reduced butter and stock pan, put in the gnocchi and reheat! Add some thinly sliced sage as well!</div>
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With everything ready, Chef began plating!</div>
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So pretty and sophisticated right?!</div>
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Now it was our turn. Chef had done so much before it was our turn to work that we were almost scared to follow up. Haha!</div>
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Still not over the pretty zucchini blooms!</div>
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Our cooked fish after the oven!</div>
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I can proudly say, my sister and I were able to follow up quite decently haha!</div>
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And here is our finished work! Haha!</div>
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So tiring but so rewarding. Not only were the dishes we made delicious, but the techniques we picked up along the way were honestly the real treasures of the workshop. Highly recommend trying Enderun's short courses if you're looking to try some cooking classes! Be it with friends, family, or a special someone! It's bound to be a lot of fun :)</div>
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For more info on Enderun's Extension courses you can check out the <a href="http://thedapperdrone.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-morning-at-enderun-cooking-with.html">first leg of the Cooking with Ducasse series</a> on the blog!</div>
<br />Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-19790609614552123342018-07-10T21:20:00.000+08:002018-07-10T21:20:01.352+08:00A Morning at Enderun | Cooking with Ducasse Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week, I got to experience a cooking class in the most prestigious hospitality university in the country - Enderun! Under their Enderun Extension Programs, you can take special cooking class that range from French to Japanese! I got to tag along with my sister (check out her blog <a href="http://thetummytrain.com/">here</a>) and experience the <a href="https://www.enderunextension.com/program/ducasse-signature-series-introduction-to-french-cuisine/">Ducasse Signature Series: Introduction to French Cuisine</a>! (You can read more about the program by clicking on the link) There, we were taught Alain Ducasse's signature dishes as well as techniques. My sister, being a food blogger, is pretty used to being in the kitchen and though I've attended my fair share of cooking classes, I was definitely nervous to be back in the kitchen after so long! Read on to see how we fared! Haha!</div>
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The culinary building of Enderun!</div>
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Once you reach the second floor, you'll be greeted by framed clippings of Ducasse's successes.</div>
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Now onto the class!</div>
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Our ingredients for the garnish!</div>
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We were taught by the very capable (and very cool) Chef Joma Tua<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ñ</span></span>o. Our dish for the day was Grilled River Prawns.</div>
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It started with the preparation of the garnish and there were a *lot* of these to prepare. Since we were late, Chef patiently showed us all the steps and procedures we had missed. There were specific sizes and angles of slicing to follow.</div>
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Our garnish platter for the first part of the prep!</div>
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Chef then taught us how to cut the second set of larger garnish ingredients.</div>
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The garnish completed!</div>
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Now onto the River Prawns! Honestly, I've never seen a River Prawn before and was shocked at the size. I quickly realized these were probably the prawns used in Giant Hot Prawn Salads that I loved to eat as a kid in Binondo. Haha! So cool seeing it in its full raw form.</div>
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Next, Chef taught us how to deshell the prawns as well as to separate the legs for boiling.</div>
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Boiled legs and deshelling complete!</div>
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We also extracted the fat from the prawn head and straightened the prawns with a barbeque stick.</div>
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Next was probably the most interesting part of the process which was extracting the meat from the legs of the prawn! Similar to lobsters, there's a lot of meat that we usually miss from the legs. But the process of extraction is actually quite interesting! I remember watching a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W37TDK6dBM">video of Gordon Ramsay</a> demonstrating how to perfectly take the meat from a lobster and this is similar to that but I'm sure a lobster is more difficult! Haha! Never thought I would be doing such a thing myself.</div>
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On the left is what my sister and I were able to extract! I'd say it was successful for a first try lol</div>
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Next, we seared the prawns in Olive Oil and Butter. Then put it in the oven to bake for 5 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius.</div>
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While the prawns are baking, we sauteed the garnish in Olive Oil and Butter! For the smaller garnish, we added the prawn fat which gave it its yellow color.</div>
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Now, everything is done! Chef also demonstrated how to take the sticks out of the prawns and started plating.</div>
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Chef's finished dish! There's also an added candied lemon slice which you can make by baking a lemon with sugar!</div>
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Since we were taking ours home, this is our plating lol! I was surprised at how good this was despite the simplicity of the flavors. The ingredients spoke for themselves while being elevated by the butter, olive oil, and salt-and-pepper seasoning.</div>
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Honestly enjoyed this class so much and I'm definitely excited for the next leg of the class! Meanwhile here's some more info about the <a href="https://www.enderunextension.com/program/ducasse-signature-series-introduction-to-french-cuisine/">Ducasse Classes:</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Around how many students maximum do you accept per class?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The maximum number of students we accept is 14.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What is the price range for classes under the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span class="m_-3685650354729664457gmail-m_8219461545758971087gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Ducasse</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Series?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Our hands-on classes usually ranges from Php 4,800 to Php 5,800 per session so that's around Php 24,000 to Php 29,000 for a 5-Day Culinary Bootcamp just like the <span class="m_-3685650354729664457gmail-m_8219461545758971087gmail-il">Ducasse</span> Signature Series.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Around how many different kinds of classes do you hold under the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span class="m_-3685650354729664457gmail-m_8219461545758971087gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Ducasse</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Series every year? Please also briefly describe the kinds of classes held. (ie. French Pastry- 2 classes per year, teaches basic pastries. Intro to French Cuisine, Advanced French Cuisine, etc.) I will also link to your website’s class offerings page but I just wanted to describe briefly what people can expect from Enderun’s</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span class="m_-3685650354729664457gmail-m_8219461545758971087gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Ducasse</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Education offerings in the post itself. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>For the fiscal year (2018-2019), we have one culinary class under the Ducasse Signature Series. Our other culinary short courses include the 10-Day Japanese Culinary Bootcamp, the 5-Day Asian Cuisine, and the CA 101: Culinary Essentials. </i></span></span></div>
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Stay tuned for our second class!</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-40075137213936775002018-07-08T17:22:00.000+08:002018-07-08T17:22:55.183+08:00Fukuoka 2018 | Gastronomic Adventures at Goh La Maison de la Nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Japan is known for amazing food and we decided to take it a step further than your usual hole in the wall ramen shop or sushi and sashimi. We tried a gourmet Omakase restaurant at Fukuoka called GOH La Maison de la Nature! Here, I was able to have the most interesting meal in my life so far! Read on to see why!</div>
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The restaurant is particularly hidden in Tenjin, Fukuoka. So I highly suggest using Google Maps for this. Once you're inside, the place is quite expansive, but separated into small zones, so it feels quite intimate, still!</div>
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In an Omakase, you pay a fixed fee as if paying for packages and the chef decides on what he or she wants to serve! The menu usually changes daily or weekly. We got the most basic set meal which costs about 3500php per person. (Yes, it's quite pricey. Huhu) But honestly worth the quality as well as the experience!</div>
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<b>First Course:</b> <i>Foie Gras Tart with Cacao Beans, Fukuoka Strawberry, topped with Red Beet Jelly - Served with Chocolate Bread and Balsamic Dressing.</i></div>
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Honestly a bizarre combo especially when you hear it but I ended up enjoying this concoction! Haha! The tart is surprisingly smooth and creamy like a moose. Salty and lightly sweet with the prominent tang of the Amao (Fukuoka Strawberry), you're then hit with the rich flavor of Foie Gras which they toned down with the mousse-like filling. Awesome!</div>
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The next one is a whole platter of interesting bites!</div>
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<b>Second Course:</b> <i>Quiche with Sweet Potato, Leeks, and Bacon</i></div>
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Your standard classic Quiche with the added richness of Japanese Sweet Potato which is known to be naturally extra sweet and smooth.</div>
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<i>Rice Cookie with Monkfish Liver, Scallop, and Daisy</i></div>
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It's hard to describe other than being really flavorful thanks to the Monkfish Liver. Everything here is balanced out by the crisp rice cookie and delicate Daisy petals.</div>
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<i>Nagasaki Maguro (Tuna) with Tomato Sauce, and Red Beet dollop</i></div>
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Classic but high quality slice of Tuna sashimi with the slight tang of Tomato and Red Beet. Clean classic Japanese flavor!</div>
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<i>Wasabi Cookie with Japanese Daisy</i></div>
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This simple thing was probably the most surprising. The cookie melts in our mouth upon contact and hits you with a salty-sweet flavor which is then followed by prominent wasabi that isn't too overpowering.</div>
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<b>Third Course: </b><i>Asparagus Coulis, Consomme Jelly, topped with Hokkaido Uni</i></div>
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This one is a salty gelatinous treat with a strong Uni scent. Nothing much to say because it's honestly quite hard to describe. Imagine a salty, fishy, creamy panna cotta? Except that it's delicious. Haha!</div>
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<b>Fourth Course: </b><i>Spanish Mackerel, Turnip Slices, topped with Turnip Sauce, White Wine Butter, and Yuzu Rind.</i></div>
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Definitely the most fragrant dish of the meal! This one smelled so insanely good that I want to cry just writing about it. I expected a lot of tang because of the citrus scent but ended up with creamy fish with a lot of creamy or rich elements thanks to the better. This was a bit disappointing but mostly because I expected some tartness.</div>
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<b>Fifth Course: </b><i>Kumamoto Beef with Kyushu Vegetables and Black Bordeaux Sauce</i></div>
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Probably the most premium of the dishes served. The steak wasn't too seasoned but mostly because they wanted you to enjoy the quality of the meat. This pairs perfectly with the deep and slightly tangy bordeaux sauce. The vegetables are roasted to perfection with a nice selection including sweet potato and lotus root. My favorite of the vegetables is the little tomato! Packs such a punch!</div>
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<b>Dessert: </b><i>Miso Creme Brulee with Fukuoka Strawberry, Soy Sauce Powder, & Ice Cream</i></div>
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Not surprised if you were taken aback by this one but it was honestly so lovely! I've always been obsessed with Creme Brulee and having it in this salty-sweet combo is awesome. Ice Cream with soy sauce has been making the rounds in the internet lately and I've yet to try Vanilla with Soy Sauce but they've been doing this in Japan forever! However, Goh takes it a step further with this dish and creates a crazy mix of sweet, fruity, and salty held together by deep and luscious chocolate. So good!</div>
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<b>Dessert: </b><i>Brownie ala Mode with Corn Cookie</i></div>
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Your standard rich, dense, brownie topped with Vanilla Ice Cream, and a crisp corn cookie. Surprisingly familiar. Haha!</div>
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<b>Dessert: </b><i>GOH-Diva Chocolate Mousse, Sake Ice Cream, Sake Jelly, and Fukuoka Strawberry</i></div>
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This dish was done in collaboration with Godiva Chocolates! If you've noticed, they even changed the logo to show the chef riding on Godiva's horse - with a noticeably large belly! Haha! The staff would joke about the head chef's big belly and they're all so adorable. Even Head Chef Goh would come out and seem quite intimidating - only for you to find out that he's a big soft goofball. Just really good vibes all around! :)</div>
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Moving on to the dessert itself, it is a great celebration of chocolate. Rich, creamy, deepened with the flavor of Sake and balanced with the tang of Fukuoka Strawberry. Simple enough yet so so good!</div>
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To end the meal, you can either have Sweet Potato Tea or Coffee. I went for Sweet Potato Tea which was ever so slightly sweet! Really really lovely and light way to end the evening.</div>
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Hope you guys enjoyed reading about my experience at Goh La Maison de la Nature!</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-71438448241923501522018-07-01T14:05:00.000+08:002018-07-01T14:05:15.648+08:00Fukuoka 2018 Part 7 | Nagasaki Day Trip - Atomic Bomb Museum + Mount Inasa Observatory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Finally back after 2 weeks in the States! So sorry I've been neglecting the blog for so long huhu. Now, onto the last chapter of my Fukuoka series!</div>
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We proceeded to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Park which is within walking distance from the Peace Park.</div>
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Here, they marked the epicenter of the blast.</div>
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I vaguely remember seeing this landmark in one of my favorite 3DS games called Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2. If you have a 3DS, you should definitely look it up, because it's *amazing*</div>
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Deeply regret not taking a photo with this scenery. Japan is so perfect in its own unique way and is honestly incapable of being replicated anywhere else!</div>
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The Atomic Bomb Museum is just a minute away and it's a direct inverse from the peaceful beauty of the park - and rightfully so. It's a museum that commemorates the blast of the Atomic Bomb during World War II, and tries to educate everyone on why nuclear war should never ever happen again.</div>
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There are so many cryptic displays that strike a chord with anyone who sees them. Above is a clock that was salvaged which marked the exact time of the blast.</div>
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There are also salvaged facades of previous landmarks.</div>
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They also have a model of the blast radius.</div>
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The lights signify the impact.</div>
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Towards the end of the museum, you'll see a lot of student-made artworks, created out of paper cranes which have become a symbol of peace.</div>
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We stopped by a hotel to have dinner. What's surprising about Nagasaki food is that it has a very strong influence from Chinese food! Here, we got to enjoy food that resembled some of my favorites like Sweet and Sour Pork as well as stir-fried eggplant. However, the specialty of Nagasaki is called Champon Noodles which is what you see above. It's light and creamy. Almost reminiscent of sopas here in the Philippines. I'm not a big fan of udon noodles and they were extra thick here. Definitely something worth trying when you're in Nagasaki! I still prefer tonkotsu ramen though! Haha!</div>
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We then continued on to the Mount Inasa Observatory. The last location in this entire trip! Here, you can get a view of Nagasaki. I originally wasn't too keen on this as I've been to so many peaks around the world and the views have honestly started mixing in my mind - but I was about to be proven wrong by Mount Inasa. Haha!</div>
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Even at the bottom of the observatory, you can already see really pretty views, but the true magic begins in the evening.</div>
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You can climb the observatory in many ways. There's a spiral path inside as well as an elevator. But there are also stairs outside so you can enjoy more unobstructed views!</div>
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I honestly didn't expect the view to transform so drastically and I found myself at a loss for words as Nagasaki slowly turned into a sea of warm lights.</div>
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These were all taken with my Samsung Note 8 and it still blows my mind to this day at the wonderful job it did to capture all this. *not sponsored lol*</div>
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There was honestly no better way to signify an end of a trip than with this view. I miss Fukuoka and Nagasaki every day!</div>
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Hope you guys enjoyed my Fukuoka/Nagasaki travel series! Stay tuned for my experience at Goh Maison de la Nature in Fukuoka as well as my New York - Philadelphia - Washington travel series! :D</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-18562582672809940642018-06-03T16:23:00.001+08:002018-06-03T18:13:31.732+08:00Fukuoka 2018 Part 6 | Nagasaki Day Trip - Glover Garden + Peace Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our last few days in Fukuoka, we joined a <a href="https://www.kkday.com/en/?cid=5704">KKDay</a> tour package to Nagasaki. We met at Hakata Station and boarded their tour bus from there. KKDay is a Taiwanese company but our tour guide was Korean and we were accompanied by 3 other Korean tourists. Haha! Our guide could speak English well enough but discussed the locations in Hangul. He did try to explain it in English for us but wasn't quite confident about it. He's still a pretty good guide though! :)</div>
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After a 2.5 hour ride, we finally reached Nagasaki. First stop, Glover Garden!</div>
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On the way there, you'll pass by this shopping street which is actually a fun place to do food trips like the one in Dazaifu only a bit smaller. (More on Dazaifu street food <a href="http://thedapperdrone.blogspot.com/2018/05/fukuoka-2018-part-5-dazaifu-dinner-at.html">here</a>). But we'll come back to this later.</div>
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You can order this grilled meat bun and it will literally melt in your mouth. AMAZING.</div>
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Oura Cathedral! We only passed by though.</div>
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Now, onto Glover Garden!</div>
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You will have to keep going up to get to the ticket booth. Don't worry though, there are tons of escalators to ride.</div>
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You basically have to keep going up until you reach the highest point which is the old colonial home.</div>
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Outside the house is a beautiful deck with an amazing garden.</div>
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The inside of the house is repurposed as a mini gallery.</div>
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On the balcony, you can see a great view of Nagasaki as well as the garden.</div>
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The house is pretty much the highlight of the area but it was so adorable seeing this little turtle on top of the stone turtle on one of the fountains going down.</div>
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You will ultimately be led to this dim area with a theater before finally leaving Glover Garden.</div>
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Of course, there are lots of treats and souvenirs for you to check out before fully exiting the garden.</div>
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Now back to the shopping street! I got a Melon Ice Cream while my brother got Hokkaido Squash! The Melon Ice Cream ended up tasting like Korean Melona ice cream so I regretted it a bit. The Hokkaido Squash is sweet and creamy with bits of Squash inside! Very cool :)</div>
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Another highlight on this shopping street is Sei Fu Do! Castella is a popular Japanese treat. It's essentially a fluffy rectangular cake with different flavors. But Sei Fu Do takes it a few steps further with a wider array of flavors.</div>
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My favorite is the Cheese flavor as well as the Earl Grey flavor!</div>
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Next stop was the Nagasaki Peace Park! Here, you can find various statues from different countries trying to embody images of peace. Probably not great to visit here in Summer though as there are no areas for shade.</div>
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There are two small sheds for paper cranes which are a symbol of peace.</div>
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The main statue of the Peace Park - the Peace Statue. Not really clear who it's based on.</div>
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One of the statues that definitely caught my eye! It was hard to see the descriptions though.</div>
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China's Peace Statue!</div>
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That's it for the Peace Park!</div>
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Stay tuned for the second leg of my Nagasaki day trip!</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-79422913585479696742018-05-27T19:01:00.000+08:002018-05-27T19:01:28.314+08:00Fukuoka 2018 Part 5 | Dazaifu + Dinner at Ichiran<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We continued onto Dazaifu after visiting Yanagawa as it was on the way back to Tenjin via the Nishitetsu Train. Being the lazy person that I am, I didn't have many expectations for Dazaifu other than knowing it was a temple. (Don't judge me lol) But it ended up being my favorite visit in the whole trip. Read on to see why!</div>
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Upon exiting the platform, there is already a small indoor market with TONS of treats for you to try!</div>
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We got some mochi with strawberries! Absolutely divine. Japanese strawberries are sweet with a slight tartness that is perfect for the sweet mochi red bean paste. Always always a great idea!</div>
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But little did I know it was only the start of a crazy food trip at Dazaifu.</div>
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This long road leading to the temple is a *haven* for snacks for you try as well as bring home. Also! It's important to note that there is an automated money changer before you reach this road so you can get some cash there if you need it.</div>
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First thing I got was an Amao Strawberry Soft Serve! I thought it was only right to have Fukuoka Strawberry Ice Cream in Fukuoka! It is - no surprise - amazing.</div>
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Next, we tried this Mentaiko Fish Cake thingy. (I don't know what it's called but I'm sure you guys have seen street food like this before all around Asia) Nothing too special about this one, but you can definitely taste the salty smoky Mentaiko.</div>
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They also Plum Wine for you to try! I love the dark sweet and sour taste of plum wine. Perfect for any season!</div>
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Yep, I had ice cream again. I was honestly looking for Tofu Ice Cream because I remember visiting Fukuoka once before and having Tofu Soft Serve and it was *amazing* but unfortunately never found any in this trip. Huhu. So I ordered Sakura Mochi flavor from a place called Tomi Sujahta Silk Ice which has the most flavors in the many Ice Cream shops on this road. I highly recommend you just go straight there for all your ice cream needs. They have flavors like Sweet Potato, Black Sesame, and Hokkaido Squash! MUST TRY THEM ALL!!!</div>
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Unfortunately, they close at around 5PM so I only got to try this Sakura Mochi one.</div>
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Not sure if this is year round, but I assume they wrapped the torii in pink fabric to signify spring!</div>
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From that view, if you look to your left, you can see the famous Starbucks designed by Kengo Kuma! So beautiful seeing it in person! I've actually had the opportunity to attend two of Kengo Kuma's lectures and I love his close working relationship with wood in his design. Absolutely beautiful!</div>
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Once you pass the pink Torii, you can either go right or left. First go to the right because the main temple is to the left!</div>
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On the right path is a small display area. Since it was spring, they had these beautiful understated pink lights.</div>
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To the left of the display is a small prayer area.</div>
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A beautiful juxtaposition of minimalist modern art and rustic temple architecture.</div>
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Now moving onto the left of the initial area!</div>
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Of course, it wouldn't be a Japanese temple without a beautiful build up leading to the temple.</div>
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Going straight from here, you can reach the main temple. But if you look to your left...</div>
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There's an area for hanging wishes! For free, if I'm not mistaken.</div>
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Most of these wishes are apparently students praying for good grades!</div>
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Now moving onto the temple!</div>
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Don't forget to wash up first!</div>
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To the left of the main prayer area is a place to buy charms and other artifacts.</div>
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To the right of the main prayer area is a beautiful spot to take photos! It's where I took the photo at the start of this post!</div>
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Afterwards, we went to Ichiran for an early dinner!!! Ichiran is located just outside the station as well. After exiting, simply go right and you should be able to spot the iconic red green colors of the Ichiran building. To commemorate the coming of spring, they switched their bowls to pentagons instead of the usual round ones. In my opinion, pentagon bowls are much easier to handle. The soup is also easier to drink on the points of the pentagon. Haha!</div>
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It can be a little scary ordering from the vending machine. Thankfully though, there weren't any people behind us. And the staff are quite helpful. Plus! There are English instructions. While you use the vending machine, staff will give you pieces of paper that you give together with your order slip from the vending machine. On the paper, you answer the smaller details such as richness of your soup, hardness of your noodle, level of spice, and any extra orders you might want with your ramen!</div>
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I've honestly been waiting for this moment for a long time. So surreal finally getting to do it!!!</div>
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Ichiran is famous for its individual booth set-up. This is so you can enjoy your meal without any distractions. There's also convenient bag hooks and coat hangers so you can enjoy your food without any problem at all.</div>
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I ordered their ramen with extra slices of chashu and an egg!</div>
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I pretty much checked the options for the ramen that were recommended by Ichiran on the paper and definitely did not regret anything! As expected, Ichiran ramen is incredibly good! Nothing too crazy though. At the end of the day, ramen is ramen. I would say it doesn't veer too far away from say, Ippudo here in Manila. It's definitely better, of course. But not by a lot. Haha!</div>
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Stay tuned for the remainder of my Fukuoka travel series! Up next, Nagasaki! :)</div>
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<br />Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-4610632208517884012018-05-20T20:58:00.000+08:002018-05-20T20:58:27.594+08:00Fukuoka 2018 Part 4 | Yanagawa River<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a name='more'></a>We started the next day with a trip to Yanagawa for their famous river cruise! The plan for the morning was the river cruise, to be followed by a trip to Dazaifu afterwards. I took so many photos that they deserved their own respective posts! Haha!<br />
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We headed to the Nishitetsu Station in Tenjin which functions to bring you to different parts of Japan. Similar to that of the bullet train system but as I understand it, they're a different company from JR.</div>
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There's a ticket package that takes you from Tenjin to Dazaifu, Tenjin to Yanagawa, as well as Yanagawa to Dazaifu. Basically you can approach this package depending on your preference! Yanagawa is farther so we decided to head there first then Dazaifu afterwards since it's a stop on the way back.</div>
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The whole ride takes about an hour and a half to two hours. Not bad especially considering the distance and the train is insanely comfortable.</div>
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The river cruise ports are just a few minutes of walking from the station, and the Nishitetsu package also includes a voucher for the cruise!</div>
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So the river cruise starts with more urban scenery. You are assigned a boat captain that talks about the different sights that you see. Unfortunately though, they speak in Nihongo, but you can enjoy the scenery all the same. :D</div>
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We rode the boat with foreigners from all over Asia as well as some locals on vacation!</div>
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You will occasionally pass by tunnels such as this one, and everyone will have to crouch down. It's a very fun quirk to the cruise. Small obstacle courses. With the echos of the tunnels, our boat captain would sing folk songs about the river and the spring. Too lovely for words!</div>
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Here's our amazing boat captain! He was an adorable elderly man with a beautiful voice! :)</div>
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The cruise itself is about an hour and a half. So at some point, it did feel like it dragged. But honestly, it's such a great time to relax and admire how beautiful this country is.</div>
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We also bumped into a couple doing their photo shoot! And they were more than happy to smile for our cameras. :)</div>
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Towards the end of the ride, you'll be brought to a "Drive Thru" where you can order snacks and ice cream! We ordered Hokkaido Milk and Fukuoka Strawberry Ice Cream! Both delicious and perfect for the weather!</div>
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After a few tunnels, you'll eventually reach the end. I didn't take a photo but there's a nice souvenir shop at the end point where you can buy lots of interesting food like Unagi Ramen and Yuzu Hot Sauce (Yuzusco). I highly recommend the Yuzusco!!! I am obsessed!</div>
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We had our lunch at this restaurant that specialized in Unagi Rice. A discount coupon to this place is also included in the Nishitetsu Package!</div>
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We ordered the small set meal, because the larger ones were so insanely expensive! But let me tell you that the small set is more than enough even for someone who eats a LOT like me. Haha!</div>
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The soup above is Eel Liver Soup! Clean and clear but tasty, especially when you eat the strongly flavorful eel liver.</div>
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You also get a side of pickled radish with green tea!</div>
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Build-up of anticipation is REAL.</div>
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The box is quite deep despite the size so you get a lot of rice! Though the eel is only little in quantity, you would easily get full from the fried rice and honestly the sweet smokey flavor can take its toll so I believe this is just the right ratio for Unagi to Fried Rice. I definitely left satisfied!</div>
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Nearby is actually a great supermarket with really good prices for snacks and drinks. Honestly the cheapest price for my entire trip. Definitely worth checking out!</div>
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Stay tuned for more Dazaifu! :)</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-65128880938898397822018-05-06T12:57:00.000+08:002018-05-06T12:57:03.797+08:00Fukuoka 2018 Part 3 | Manu Coffee + Nokonoshima<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our third day in Fukuoka, we visited Nokonoshima which is an island you can reach by ferry from Fukuoka.</div>
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Started the day with a quick visit to the market in Tenjin! Manu Coffee can be found here which is where we were headed for some morning coffee.</div>
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This was also my first time at a Japanese market which was a lovely experience!</div>
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Everything is mostly uncooked but they all already look so good. The quality of produce in Japan is just next-level.</div>
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You can also find stores that sell treats such as mochi!</div>
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Tofu and dumplings~</div>
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You can also find actual restaurants that you can dine in! Now that I think about it, I wish we tried eating here while we were there.</div>
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And of course, you can find sashimi cuts! I honestly really wanted to try this Fatty Tuna as I hear it literally melts in the mouth and is so flavorful! Unfortunately though, I wasn't able to try Fatty Tuna. But my dad did however buy Whale Sashimi which was crazy. (Sorry to all the whales) It was delicious though and quite an interesting experience. Though, I would probably rather try Fatty Tuna than eat a whale again...</div>
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At one of the exits of the market is Manu Coffee! It's been talked about online a lot so we decided to try it.</div>
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They have a gorgeous seating area upstairs that makes all the quaint cafes out there look so bad. It's so pretty here!</div>
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I ordered the Honey Cinnamon Latte because I've been so obsessed with coffee and cinnamon lately. Of course, I enjoyed it but it wasn't anything that made me jump out of my chair. I would honestly return for the beautiful space though.</div>
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Afterwards, we took the bus to the Meinohama Ferry Terminal.</div>
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A tricky thing about the ferries to Nokonoshima is that it only comes every hour so you have to be strict with the time on this visit unless you're okay with waiting a whole other hour when you miss the ferry.</div>
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The ride itself is about 10 minutes and then you'll be in the beautiful island of Nokonoshima! From the port area, you will immediately see the bus stop that'll take you up to the actual garden. Like the ferry, the bus also follows an hourly schedule so plan your trips accordingly once again! The ride up can be taxing if you end up standing during the ride. The many twists and turns can be exhausting.</div>
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When you reach the top and enter the garden though, it's a totally different story!</div>
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I honestly can't think of a better place to visit than Nokonoshima during the spring. Though I hear Ohori Park is also amazing. (We didn't get to visit Ohori though)</div>
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If you come from a tropical third world country like me, it's almost surreal experiencing true spring scenery such as this. I've always just grown up seeing this on TV but now that I was experiencing it, it was so amazing and so unreal.</div>
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You can really see everywhere how happy the locals are to be able to play comfortably outside.</div>
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Nokonoshima is an incredibly large park, and you wouldn't even realize how much time and ground you've covered because of the endless scenery.</div>
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For lunch, we had Yakiniku in the park! It's not the most affordable meal, but the quality - as expected - is topnotch. The six of us shared a meal package but I feel that four people would be better to share this package.</div>
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Afterwards, we explored the iconic flower field!</div>
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You can wade into the flowers for pretty pictures but be warned that their pigments will stick to your clothes! :O</div>
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Ending this post with me being the happiest I've been in a park. Hope you guys get to visit Nokonoshima in the spring! You really won't regret it! :)</div>
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Stay tuned for more of Fukuoka!</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-65619365023055332102018-04-29T13:01:00.000+08:002018-04-29T13:01:27.126+08:00Fukuoka 2018 Part 2 | Fushimi Inari + Atago Shrine + Marinoa City + Canal City Ramen Stadium<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a name='more'></a>On our first real day in Fukuoka, we made our way to Fushimi Inari and Atago Shrine for the morning sightseeing. The easiest way to get there is by train and then a brief walk.<br />
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The underground station at Tenjin is beautiful, to say the least. I'm reminded of the general Harry Potter Ministry of Magic aesthetic whenever I passed by here. It's dark but warm and beautifully integrated to the various malls above ground. But the passages underground are every bit as filled with stores for you to check out.</div>
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Once you get off at Muromi Station, take Exit 1 and this should be what you see upon exiting. Then head straight from here.</div>
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The view from the bridge!! Japan never ceases to amaze me with how insanely clean their waters are.</div>
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The walk to the Shrine probably won't be as fun in the height of summer so as always, I recommend visiting during the spring when it's slightly cool! This will keep you a lot more patient when it comes to walking up hills like this.</div>
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You will eventually see these stone toriis. From there, keep going up the stairs which will eventually lead you to...</div>
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The actual entrance to the Fushimi Inari shrine!</div>
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Not to be mistaken with the large Fushimi Inari in Kyoto, the Fushimi Inari in Fukuoka is surprisingly small - almost like a hidden area!</div>
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It is customary to wash your hands before entering prayer areas. Right then left. Then, using your left hand, rinse your mouth, and then wash your left hand once again. As a final step, with the remaining water, tilt the ladle to a completely vertical position so that the water washes over the whole handle. Then you're done!</div>
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Emas at the prayer chamber.</div>
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Unlike most temples, Fushimi Inari accepts offerings in foreign currencies so you're more encouraged to try your hand at making a wish or a prayer!</div>
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There's an unexpected amazing view of the city from Fushimi Inari though!</div>
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And of course, like the famous Fushimi Inari in Kyoto, it also has a series of Toriis but just a fraction of the amount of toriis in Kyoto. If you follow this path, it'll lead you to Atago Shrine!</div>
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Atago Shrine is actually one of the oldest shrines in Fukuoka and it's amazingly stunning in the spring as you can see!</div>
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The stairs before the actual temple is the perfect place to take your spring vacation photos!! Unfortunately though, I didn't get to go into the actual temple part - because I was admittedly taking so many photos lol. But the shrine in itself isn't too different from Fushimi Inari but it is much larger - according to my siblings haha!</div>
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From there, it was a long walk back down to the nearest bus stop. We literally walked along the side of a mountain for a brief moment, but since the weather was quite nice, I didn't really notice the long walk.</div>
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We took a short bus ride and got off at Marinoa City which is the most popular outlet mall in Fukuoka.</div>
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I didn't really take photos of all the shops here, but there are a ton of local Japanese brands at friendly and not-so-friendly prices. So I think it could be a great place to get acquainted with the local mainstream fashion scene here. If you're looking for your usual Western brands, they have Tommy Hilfiger and Columbia. However, for sports brands like Adidas and Nike, they're all carried under ABC Mart. And there are two separate ABC Marts here. One concentrates and shoes and is found in the outdoor mall, while the other is in the indoor mall and is much larger. The deals there are also better and there are definitely more choices in terms of shoes - and of course, it's the shop with clothes!</div>
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We had lunch at Kisuimaru because we were craving for some Sashimi Bowls!</div>
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I ordered the Salmon Bowl (1280yen) which was not bad at all for the serving size and the quality. Nothing much I can say except that it was delicious and that the salmon was fresh and melts in your mouth! :)</div>
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We went shopping afterwards and headed back to Tenjin to leave our stuff at out AirBnBs.</div>
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For our dinner, we decided to try out the famous Ramen Stadium at Canal City! You can actually walk it wherever you are in Tenjin, though it will most probably take a long time, which you won't really mind in cool weather. However, if you're traveling with older people, you can take the bus and it should take just about 5 minutes to get there! Though the bus can come really late...</div>
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Canal City is actually a giant mall, and you can do a lot of your shopping here. The UNIQLO is huge and definitely more organized than the one in Marinoa or Tenjin. There are a lot of other stores but we didn't fully explore because they closed early except the Ramen Stadium.</div>
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To get to the Ramen Stadium, you simply keep going up until you reach the top.</div>
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And then it becomes a surreal ramen haven!!</div>
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If you want to go on a ramen pilgrimage, you can just as easily keep coming back here during your entire trip to taste so many varieties of ramen.</div>
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We ended up trying Shodai Hide-chan. I'm not really sure why though, but I just followed my family lol. You make your orders at the little machine at the side before being seated.</div>
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I ordered the Number 3 in its most complicated form. (a.k.a the one at the top right) Unfortunately, something was lost in translation and I ended up getting the most basic version (lower right).</div>
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The Gyoza here is fried and densely packed inside. If you eat it with the sauce, it is soooo good! However, Gyoza does mostly taste the same anywhere you eat it, but I liked the extra crunch to this one.</div>
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The serving size of the ramen here is pretty decent. Very much the same from what you would expect at any ramen place here in Manila! I did feel that it was only alright? By this I mean, I would have equally enjoyed a bowl of ramen here in Manila. So I was sadly not too blown away (or maybe my expectations were too high?)</div>
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Don't get me wrong though. It's still definitely a great bowl of Ramen. Haha!</div>
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Stay tuned for more of my Fukuoka travel series! :D</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-83220806302599104712018-04-22T17:00:00.000+08:002018-04-22T17:00:16.013+08:00Fukuoka 2018 Part 1 | Settling In Tenjin + Dinner at Hanamidori<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Finally have the time to blog again! I've been so lazy in general lately so I've just been lying around at home since thesis season officially ended while my Japan photos remained untouched huhu. Can't believe I'm graduating but I also can't wait to share what I did on my latest trip to Fukuoka here so let's get started!</div>
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We arrived at Fukuoka at around 3PM and was *immediately* greeted with Hanami (Blooming cherry blossoms) but exiting the airport! I wish I could put into words how amazing it is to see cherry blossoms especially coming from a place like the Philippines. You'll definitely see that this travel series is going riddled with photos of sakura!</div>
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So as usual, the best way to get to the city is by train. But coming from the international airport, you have to take the free shuttle to the domestic flight terminal and then take another shuttle going to the nearest train station from there. The whole ride should take about 15 minutes.</div>
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Once you're at the station, get yourself a train card! It's so cool that you can now personalize your cards, and that way you won't mix them up with your travel companions and the personalization is included when you buy your card from the machine!</div>
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Afterwards, we took the train to Tenjin which was about a 10 minute ride. Everything is honestly relatively near in Fukuoka and I love that about this city. Nothing is a hassle to get to!</div>
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It was a bit of a long walk to our AirBnB apartment, mostly because we took the wrong exit from the station. The underground station in Tenjin also has a gigantic mall, and you can basically get to so much of Tenjin and avoid street traffic by just walking in the underground mall. Unfortunately, it is so big that it's easy to get lost, which is how we ended up taking the wrong exit. Haha! Just refer to the map nearest you, and you should be fine.</div>
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Quick outfit of the day: <b>Zara Man </b>top, <b>UNIQLO </b>skiny jeans, <b>Palladium </b>boots, <b>Fifty Percent (Taiwan) </b>tote bag.</div>
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As you can see, you can easily get away in Fukuoka without a jacket during the daytime so no need to pack any heavy layers. It only actually gets legitimately cold during the early mornings and the evenings but it's honestly nowhere as cold as Seoul during the same time of year. In Seoul, I would always have a total of three layers on, while in Fukuoka, for the most part, I just had a sweater on.</div>
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After settling in our apartments, we set out for an early dinner!</div>
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Our first dinner at Fukuoka was at Hanamidori which is a very famous hot pot restaurant in Fukuoka.</div>
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And since it was so famous, the prices are also high. However, according to guides, you only really need to order the most basic hot pot package so that's what we did lol</div>
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Also take note that you can't share a package here. It's always one package for every person but they serve it together.</div>
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One thing you'll immediately notice is there is no distinction of areas for smokers and non-smokers. So before our food came, we sort of suffered from the smoke coming from the next room which was from a bunch of Japanese businessmen. Thankfully it didn't last too long.</div>
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So the first thing we were served is the appetizer which is a small plate of Mentaiko (Cod Roe) and Preserved Seaweed. I recommend mixing them together so the seaweed can tone down the fishiness of the Mentaiko and they create a really interesting flavor and texture in your mouth!</div>
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Next, in a small teacup, a pinch of rock salt is sprinkled at the bottom and is then mixed with some of the broth from the hot pot. Here, you sample the quality and flavor of the soup in the simplest way possible and it is, of course, *so good*</div>
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The whole experience is very ceremonial and everything is of great quality which is quite expected if one package costs about 1800PHP. The good thing about Japan is that you will almost always get your money's worth because quality is key in their culture.</div>
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Then, a splash of Ponzu sauce is put on a plate and you dip the chicken from the broth there. It is something so simple yet so flavorful. The Ponzu sauce is like a very light version of black vinegar and works so beautifully with the really tender chicken.</div>
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The server then takes a bamboo plate with ground meat and manually balls them up on the spot in small swift motions with a tiny wooden spoon and quickly adds them to the broth.</div>
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Lastly, you add the vegetables according to preference.</div>
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By the way! You eat the meatballs the same way as the chicken which is by dipping them in the Ponzu sauce. They also added some gizzards and internal organs to add a deeper flavor. Once everything is cooked, you can put some Ponzu sauce in a bowl as a base and then pour in the soup and the meat and eat to your heart's desire!</div>
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Just when we thought the meal was over, there was still a porridge dish they had to make!</div>
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They refilled the bowl is a little more of the broth and then added the cooked rice.</div>
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Afterwards, the heat is turned down and scrambled eggs are added to give more texture and flavor.</div>
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You then enjoy it with the pickles and pickled seaweed on the side, but I added some Ponzu sauce because I fell in love with Ponzu sauce in this meal lol</div>
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Afterwards, we visited Don Quijote (Donki for short) and hoarded all the stuff that's exclusively affordable in Japan. It's just a few steps away from Hanamidori! I focused more on skincare, but honestly, you can hoard anything here. Plus, you can get your stuff tax-free and it's open 24/7! I found myself coming back here constantly throughout the trip mostly because it would be the only shop left open after a full day of sightseeing.</div>
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Aaaand that is it for the first leg of my Fukuoka travel diaries!</div>
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Stay tuned for more!</div>
Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-92028222881912145232018-04-15T14:21:00.000+08:002018-04-15T14:21:23.491+08:00Soft in Red<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So the time has finally come for my thesis defense! It's so hard to believe that it's been five years since I started college and to say that so much has changed - is an understatement. I've always remembered watching my upperclassmen defend their theses every year and I can't believe it's finally my turn to do it. To say that I am scared - is yet another gigantic understatement. I'm just so glad the company I keep has helped make the tension ever more bearable and all that's honestly left is to go through with it. Huhu. Fingers crossed.</div>
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Onto the outfit! This is my last outfit from my Taiwan travels and certainly one of my favorites. The outfit itself is simple but it speaks volumes with the details - which is how I always roll. My love for K-Pop has easily made its way into the way I dress, and I'm absolutely obsessed with this H&M sweater my sister got me over the holidays. So fluffy and cute and very me. Haha! Finished it off with skinny jeans and boots for comfort and you've got yourself a simple yet interesting outfit for travel!</div>
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<b>H&M </b>sweater and skinny jeans, <b>Palladium </b>boots.</div>
<br />Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-50343809463719950062018-04-08T13:56:00.000+08:002018-04-08T14:00:10.700+08:00Orange Is The New Black<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Long time no style post! I've been pretty busy wrapping up my preparations for my thesis! (Last semester in UST, hopefully!) So I've been sharing style posts quite sparingly because I haven't had the time to take new ones due to just being constantly tired from thesis preparations. I am, however, happy to announce that I'm more or less just waiting for my defense! There really is nothing more rewarding than working extra hard to be completely stress-free on vacations. All that's left now is my thesis defense which I hope I'm ready for after rehearsing almost everyday since the start of March.</div>
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Here's an outfit that's perfect for those planning a spring or autumn trip! I wore this in Taiwan last December where temperatures were around 16 to 17 degree Celsius which isn't really all that cold for December but would go just as well in the springtime for countries like Japan and Korea! You can usually get away with a thick shirt and a light jacket. You can also throw on a thermal undershirt if you tend to get cold easily. Finished off the look with skinny jeans and boots to complete that sleek semi-biker look and a giant tote bag that can fit everything you bought that day. Haha!</div>
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<b>ZARA Man </b>jacket, <b>From Korea </b>sweatshirt and bag, <b>H&M Divided </b>skinny jeans, <b>Palladium </b>boots.</div>
<br />Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-18351324425739422282018-03-25T16:28:00.001+08:002018-03-25T16:28:54.904+08:00Travel Guide | What to Expect at a Taiwanese Night Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys! Instead of mixing this into my <a href="http://thedapperdrone.blogspot.com/search?q=taiwan">Taiwan 2017 travel diaries</a>, I decided to create a completely separate travel guide post to show you what it's like at a typical night market in Taiwan! So read on for a quick tour!</div>
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Taiwan is famous for their night markets because it's where you can find almost anything that's unique to the country - especially when it comes to food and fashion! The one I'm touring you guys through is the Feng Chia Night Market in Taichung but the set-up is pretty much the same anywhere you go. :)</div>
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The night markets or 夜市 can usually be found with a well-lit arch or sign like the one above. The famous night market in Shilin, Taipei is even in English!</div>
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There is usually a mix of sit-down restaurants as well as stalls so it's not all eat-while-you-walk.</div>
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There are also TONS of clothes to check out at varying prices! Some are really affordable while some can lean on the pricey side. Usually the pricier ones are actually from independent designers (usually they're the ones who own the store), while the really the affordable ones are mass produced and most likely sourced from China. That's not to say that they're bad but I just prefer looking for clothes are truly unique to Taiwan and Taiwanese design because you're there after all!</div>
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You can also get affordable bags that sourced from different countries - some even from Korea!</div>
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Fancier boutiques such as this one are more certainly owned by designers themselves and you're sure to get pieces that are more one-of-a-kind. Also, support local talent! :)</div>
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And of course, THE FOOD! It's no secret that Taiwan is a food lover's paradise because you can get tasty treats at really affordable prices and they definitely don't skip on quality as well as quantity so you know you'd be getting your money's worth.</div>
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Here, you've got a savory delicacies such as blood cake, tofu, sausages, and so many other things I can't name, but if I remember correctly, these are on the sweet-salty smokey side. Definitely worth trying!</div>
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The most commonly available street food is fried stuff of course! You can fried chicken fillet or Ji Pai (雞排) and Fish Balls!</div>
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You've also got different beverages like Coffee, Chocolate, Milk Tea, and Fruit Shakes. And also Taiwanese pancakes which are suuuuper tasty!</div>
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However, I think the most iconic street food in Taiwan remains to Chicken Fillet or Ji Pai 雞排 (whether fried or grilled) because you don't really see lines like this anywhere else! The most famous brand has to be Hot Star because it's expanded everywhere else in the world. One of the most memorable ones I tried during my last visit however was this one from 按摩雞排 which apparently made it to the local news because of how good it was. You can even see them streaming that segment on a monitor by their stall. Haha!</div>
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Ji Pai is more commonly fried, however this place also offers it grilled which I tried because they were all out of the fried one! The grilled version is more sweet and smokey with a little spice. The texture is soft and juicy as expected! Perfect for a light dinner for me. Haha!</div>
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The owner is also very nice because he tries to make a little conversation while you wait for you order. Thankfully our Mandarin was still in working condition after years of zero use in Manila. Haha!</div>
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You can also try different parlor games if you're up for them!</div>
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Other than small stores, you can also find bigger shops such as these near night markets so there's just a lot of options for everyone. ABC Mart seems to be a staple in any Night Market. There, you can buy popular sneakers, sometimes at crazy deals so it's always good to check out.</div>
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P.S. Red Velvet - Irene! <3</div>
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In nearby streets you can find the more mainstream chains such as Cosmed and Watsons.</div>
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Another shop that I've noticed in most shopping districts is OMA! It's a huge store that sells insanely affordable clothes. However, it's always a hit or miss in this place so check it out if you feel like really patiently checking out the stock. Everything here is usually really really affordable. You can find tops for just 100 to 150 NT$! And everything else is just as cheap.</div>
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Ending this travel guide with this quaint store front! Isn't this so cute?! Haha!</div>
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'Til next time!</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326039334761562994.post-19916966186782150642018-03-18T12:57:00.000+08:002018-03-18T12:57:41.545+08:00Taiwan 2017 Part 8 | Shopping in Taipei: Zhongxiao & Ximending<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After almost a week of going around the different parts of Taiwan, I was honestly just so excited to be back in Taipei because re-exploring the city after almost 7 years is what I really wanted to do. As much as I wanted to spend more time though, the time that was given to me to do this was literally not even half a day thanks to the tour. And we would already be leaving for Manila the next day. :(</div>
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We arrived in Taipei at about 3 in the afternoon and they made a quick stop at Taipei 101 for a quick photo. Let's face it, there's not really much to do in 101 unless you want to take a photo or you're really into shopping high-end stuff so we quickly moved on. The tour was actually supposed to go to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial and National Museum next, but I've visited both twice so I used that time to get dropped off at the road nearest to Zhongxiao with my siblings because I've honestly been dying to authentically experience the city without a tour group.</div>
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After about 3 minutes of walking we finally reached the Zhongxiao Road on the Dunhua side. I've been dying to check this area out for about 3 years now and I was really happy to finally get here. Zhongxiao actually has 2 main districts - Zhongxiao Dunhua & Zhongxiao Fuxing - both of which you can easily access by train! It's actually pretty hard to read on these areas because there's not a lot of info out there except to say that this is where the hipster crowds of Taipei like to go - so I'll try to explain it as best as I can!</div>
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This is the main Zhongxiao Road that you'll get out of from the subway. The really big road is where the big stores are like ZARA, Forever 21, etc. However, if you want to access the hipster areas with all the small stores and cafes, you simply just have to go to the streets parallel to this one. So take any alley you can find on this street on either side and this will lead you to smaller streets where the cafes and random stores are and just explore away!</div>
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GU in the distance!!! Definitely one of the things on the agenda when I visited Zhongxiao. However, I will say that generally affordable places like GU and UNIQLO in Taiwan are shockingly pricey - similar to K-Beauty where they're priced similarly here in the Philippines except you change the currency to theirs. For example, PHP590 shorts here in Manila would be NT$590 in Taipei which is almost double the price! But I do recommend looking in the sale piles because those are still insanely cheap! I got a turtle neck in GU for about NT$100 and I wish I'd gotten it in more colors!!! #regrets</div>
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Once you take the side streets, you'll be suddenly transported to quiet neighborhood with small buildings and quaint stores like this ARTIFACTS store! I can't accurately say where this is but this is on the ZARA side of Zhongxiao Dunhua. Just take the alley beside the ZARA building!</div>
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If you're looking for K-Beauty in Taiwan, 86shop is your best bet. I visited a lot of branches even in Taichung, and I have to say their branch in Zhongxiao is probably the most complete and the most detailed. The prices here are pretty decent too! You can find brands like Neogen, 3CE, Rire, and even Pony Effect! The way the products are organized can be a bit tricky though so just keep looking for what you want to buy because they're not always obviously in sight.</div>
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We also passed by this men's clothing store that sold products from Korea!! I can honestly vouch for these because I remember seeing many of the pieces from my last trip to Seoul and the prices are pretty much the same with Korea so it's pretty safe to buy from here if you like something because of the fair price. However, I didn't get to buy anything because well... men's clothes in Korea are a bit pricey. Hahaha!</div>
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As much as I wanted to keep exploring Zhongxiao though, we had to leave because of the rain. It was hard to explore thanks to the weather and the slightly dim streets. We decided to head back to Ximending so we'd be closer to the hotel.</div>
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It was still raining a little when we got to Ximending but this was such a familiar sight from my student days! Back then, I couldn't recognize the famous Red Theater and paid it no mind. Hahaha! And we would always explore the old part of the area which is why I was unaware about the more commercial areas which were directly opposite from this.</div>
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On the other side of the Red Theater is the <a href="http://thedapperdrone.blogspot.com/2018/01/taiwan-2017-part-1-mitsui-outlets.html">area we explored on our first day here</a> and I was excited to try and explore it as best as I could with the few hours I had left for the night :|</div>
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Tried the Hokkaido Milk Soft Serve at the Japanese-themed stall! Pretty good but obviously not as good as the real thing according to my brother hahaha! I haven't been to Hokkaido sadly, but I thought this was pretty good lol</div>
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We then proceeded to look for a good milk tea place and that'd have to be 50嵐! (50-Lan) I remember really loving the milk tea from there in my student days and a few people I know who've recently visited Taipei still agree. Haha! I'm not exactly sure how I found it because it was located at a small alley.</div>
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If you look up, you'll see the sign and that's how you'll know it's the right alley. Hahaha!</div>
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I really love 50嵐's Milk Tea especially because of the option to have really small pearls! I grew tired of the usual sized pearls because I didn't really like chewing them. These are perfect! I am however glad that I can get the similar experience here in Manila by just going to Coco in Trinoma! Trust me: Coco's White Pearl Milk Tea at 30% Sugar, Less Ice = AMAZING.</div>
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Obligatory night market photo! Not bad too for just being taken with my Galaxy Note 8! (All these photos are taken with it btw and I'm so impressed!)</div>
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Afterwards, we had some chicken at Hot Star, shopped in Fifty Percent then went to the hotel because the stores were starting to close. Huhu</div>
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Last day blues! Can't help but feel really bummed about not getting to explore the city more but at least the night before at Ximending was fun!</div>
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Before heading to the airport, we stopped by another outlet called Gloria Outlets which is your typical outdoor outlet mall. Again, here, you have your typical sports stores with some surprising pricey local brands that have outlets here. However, the real prize here is...</div>
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The Palladium store!!! I literally did a double take because this was honestly the most unexpected thing. I'm actually a HUGE fan of this brand mainly for the crazy comfy and crazy beautiful design. However, it is pricey so it's hard to collect haha!</div>
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For those who've been wanting to buy a pair, this place is absolutely amazing. Their prices are crazy low. I actually got a pair of boots for about 1800-PHP from its regular price of almost 5000-PHP. Isn't that so crazy? Needless to say, me and my siblings got a pair each because how could you not? Definitely worth going to Gloria Outlets just to splurge on Palladium!</div>
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Afterwards though, it was time to go back to Manila so I'm ending my travel series with this photo of me and my siblings at Ximending. Haha!</div>
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Cheers!</div>
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Jason P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06342932803786148675noreply@blogger.com0