The Sweet Escape

A trip to Magalawa Island was unexpected. It only took us ten days to plan and organized everything.  I know deep inside that we will have a very good time even though everything was so sudden. Some of my friends even have to buy immediately rash guards for the trip.  It was just the start of summer and we don’t want to be toasted by the sun immediately.

 

An overnight stay is just enough to experience the serenity of Magalawa Island in Zamabales. The place is starting to grow in popularity which is very evident on our visit. The resort we went to was fully booked and there are lots of tents pitched outside our room. I thought at first that the place will be boisterous because there were lots of people but everyone seems to mind their own business and are also cautious of other visitors.

We arrived in the afternoon and we are all excited to head on the beach to relax and refresh. However, it was the UAAP Finals Volleyball Game between Ateneo and La Salle so we sit on a bench in front of the beach and watched the game. We watched through a live streaming from my friend’s mobile phone. And yes… we were shouting everytime the score gets close. 

UAAP Volleyball Battle

We waited patiently for the sunset. The sunset was very beautiful. The water has a beautiful reflection of the sky’s colors. The moon is already visible on the other side giving another beautiful set of color.

The sunset

Another Picture of the Sunset

The Moon and Sunset

The Moon at Night

We were so sleepy that we were not able to watch the sunrise. After we had breakfast we fixed a snorkeling trip with the host of the resort. We stroll on the beach while waiting for our boat for snorkeling.  

The Sands

Beach Bum

The Other Side of the Island

There are lots of starfish on the shore. We took some pictures and brought them back to the sea. We just sat at the beach and enjoying the calmness of the water.

After sometime, we were called for our snorkeling trip. We went aboard a raft but we chose the one that has a roof.  I’m not a good swimmer so I mostly just stayed at the raft and took pictures of my friend.

The Boat that Pulled our Raft

After an hour of wading in the sea we went back to the resort. The host told us that they already prepared our lunch. We then made arrangements for our departure.

Our stay at Magalawa was only short but it was something worth remembering. It was not luxurious but it was enjoyable. We were lavished not by the amenities of the resort but of the simple things in the island. 

Magalawa from a Distance

The Road to Sweet Escape

Summer is officially here! The cold nights and lazy mornings are gone. The heat of the sun has scorched the Metro that as early as March people are starting to get-out of the city and head to the beach.

Within ten days we were able to plan out an early summer get-away in Zambales. My friend has already

visited the place two years ago and she was lucky that she has experienced the place at a time it was not yet that popular. The place I'm referring to was Magalawa Island in Palauig, Zambales.

At first, we were planning to get a tour package but it requires to be at least ten in the group. We decided to contact directly the resorts in the island and choose which will give a better offer. There are only two resorts in Magalawa Island namely Armada Resort and Ruiz Resort. Most of the blogs I have read chose Ruiz Resort and they highly recommended it however due to limited time we chose which of the two resorts will respond to our query first.

I've send a text message on both resort and its Armada Resort who called back and answered our query. Luckily they still have rooms left for our accommodations. The accommodations cost us P1,500 each and we are only required to pay P1,000 as reservation fee. We made our confirmation just five days before our planned date. For more details about Armada Resort you may visit their website http://magalawaislandresort.com/ 

My friend offered their car for our travel and her sister volunteered as our driver so that she can also join us. It was a very long travel. It took us more than six hours to reach the place not to mention that the port for the boat transfer was difficult to find. Going to Zambales was just easy. The hard part is finding the rough road which will lead to the port for the boat transfer.

We actually got lost finding the rough road which will lead to the port. Our contact person at the resort called us and sent the instructions so that we can get to the place. We were told to look for a tricycle terminal and ask for Radyo Veritas road. It leads to the rough road although there are some part which is already cemented. It took us around 30 to 45 minutes in the rough road.

The nice thing about Armada is that they have their own port. For those who like to bring their own car, you may leave it at their port. The boat travel will just take about 15 minutes. Their boat can carry 30 passengers.

Our contact person at Armada is already waiting for us. She showed us the place where we will stayed and told us that they will just prepare our lunch. We went to the nipa hut where our foods will be served after we have settled our things.

The P1,500 we paid consist of foods, snorkeling, rafting, lodging and boat transfer. The price we paid is very reasonable. Just imagine paying P1,500 and you have four complete meals. It includes lunch on the first day, dinner, breakfast and lunch before the departure. Below are some of the foods we had.

We had a great weekend for an affordable amount. The place perfect for anyone who wants an affordable getaway. It may not be as fancy as other places but it can still temporarily help you forget all worries.

Sangria for the Night

A friend invited us for a drink last night. It was a bit cold night even though Summer is fast approaching. I was a bit hesitant but her persuasion made me come along with her.

We went to Beso in Bonifacio High Sreet. My friend frequently goes there to have their Sangria. Sangria is a common beverage in Spain and Portugal. It is a mix of wine, chopped fruit, a sweetener and small amount of brandy. Our sangria was mixed with orange. Other fruits that can be mixed are mango, peach, kiwi, melon and berries.

The Sangria has helped to forget the past weeks that was very exhausting. It was indeed a nice a idea to just sit and have a drink for awhile.

We ordered a Jamon Serrano to go along with our Sangria. The pork was air cured for 36 months and was sliced as thin as a paper. I cannot exactly explain the taste of the meat. All I know is that it was just perfect with our drink.

Aside from these thin sliced meat, we also ordered the Beso Paella. This one is very delicious. It has pork, chorizo, bacon, prawns, squid, mussels, clams and bacon. I loved it because it has lots of prawns and squids.

It was a very relaxing night. We were able to relax and enjoy the evening even if we were all stressed out. The Sangria at Beso is something that I will always look forward to every Friday night.

The Experiment of Cupcake Lab

Cupcakes are now very common. It seems that you can start a cupcake business as long as you know how to make cupcakes. This might seem so easy because anyone can easily learn how to make cupcakes . With the help social media like Facebook and Instagram, selling of products become much easier. However, since there are already a lot of cupcake stores, you have to ensure that yours is above the rest.

It's no wonder why Cupcake Lab has created its cupcake to be different from the rest. I was able to visit their store in Podium. It was just small and they have just some few table were their customers can dine and eat their cupcakes.

You may think that Cupcake Lab is just your ordinary cupcake store. Yes, they sell the famous red velvet and its one of their signature cupcake. Their red velvet get easily sold and in just a few hours after opening the store their red velvet are gone.

Aside from the famous red velvet, what I like about their cupcakes is that its different from the others. Its only at Cupcake Lab that I saw a cupcake with gummy worms. The colorful candy is placed on top of their cupcakes. You'll be attracted when you see it because of the colorful gummy worms. 

Cupcake Lab has a creation that would be surely enjoyed by people who love to drink Jack Daniel. The Jack Black cupcake has a mix of Jack Daniel. It has a sweet taste and then there is a spicy and bitter taste after. I honestly didn't like the taste but for those whose taste buds are willing to experience a mix of everything this cupcake would not be disappointed.

My personal favorite is their Peanut Butter Smores. At first, my only thought was the idea of the marshmallow swirl on top of the cupcake however when I had my first bite the taste of peanut butter overwhelmed my taste buds. It was really good.

Another tasteful treat is their Oreo Surprise. Aside from the Oreo on top of the cupcake you'll be surprised of the colorful interior of this vanilla cupcake. We can't stop ourselves from taking a photo of this cupcake.

Almond lovers will surely like their Almond Brownie. The almond on this cupcake is overflowing. Aside from that they also have Tiramisu, Cheesecake, Ferrero and Green Tea. They are continuously experimenting just like the cupcake with a pretzel on top of it.

The creativity of Cupcake Lab is really superb. They know that people will always look for something new so they don't just settle for something ordinary.