Manila Guide Online

Most people go to Lipa City for the beaches and the historical sceneries. But this place is also a haven for foodies. What’s great about it is that the city is just outside Metro Manila, thus very accessible.

Here are some little-known food finds in Lipa, to feed your gastronomic adventure.

Dulcissima Bakeshop

A tiny backeshop that specializes in its cheesecakes and cream puffs. You can get basic puffs and cheesecakes anywhere in Metro Manila, but you have to travel a few miles to get one that tastes a bit differently. The cheesecakes are individually packed like tart and has a very distinct flavor. It’s hard to stop eating just one or two. The cream puffs, on the other hand, are a nice blend of moist, puffy and crunchy.

Milk Joy

Perhaps the tastiest milk I’ve ever come across, Milk Joy actually supplies Starbucks and has been, since 1993, a household name in the city. Milk Joy is also found in selected groceries in Metro Manila. But of course, in Lipa, you can find it anywhere.

Lomi King

Lomi is very popular in Batangas and the best lomi house to go to is Lomi King, which is already an institution as it was built in 1968. The secret to this delectable dish is in always having everything farm fresh. The food is served without flavoring and the vegetables aren’t mixed into the soup to keep it fresh, too.

Café de Lipa

Get your caffeine fix with Café de Lipa’s authentic Kapeng Barako. The coffee is world class but doesn’t carry the expensive $$$ price tag. Try their Caramel Macchiato, the ultimate best seller when you are in Lipa.

It’s the latest food craze in Metro Manila. You see plenty of these yogurt stalls in the malls and you see the different food concoctions and combination for it. Called fro-yo by the hip and the cosmopolitan crowd, frozen yogurt is actually a food staple that became popular back in the 70’s. It’s like ice cream, but it comes with less fat….and because it’s made of yogurt, it has that sour and tangy after taste.

What’s the best fro-yo brand in the metro today? You can actually take your pick, because there are really many options.

Fro-yo addicts look to Pampanga for the best choice. The store is called Cold Spoon located at the Fil-Am Highway in Clarkfield. I have friends telling me it’s the best kept secret in Yogurt-land, and mostly because there is still no branch in Metro Manila (therefore, isn’t heavily commercialized). The store is owned by Koreans, I’m told, but it is managed by Filipino staff.

California Berry in Silver City Ortigas has quite a selection of yogurt toppings that I actually like it. They claim the products are all imported from the States. The serving is small but my tastebuds seem to prefer their yogurt better than most.

I’ve recently discovered White Hat in the Marikina area, specifically SM Marikina. The yogurt apparently comes from Italy, so that it tastes a bit different from the ones I’ve tried (Korean and USA). They have some unique combinations and I have yet to try most of it. But I like the fact that they have huge servings.

Yogurbud is actually one of the first ones to set the trend and I think I’ve only tried this twice. I find their yogurt really, really sour and mix it with frozen fruit, which ruins the consistency.

Thrift stores, or ukay ukay shops as it is called in the local language, abound Metro Manila and major cities in other regions. These stores are our version of the Salvation Army. The items sold here are mostly used and they range from anything including handkerchief and toys. If you really have the patience to go through the racks and piles, you may just find an authentic brand of designer clothes or bag for the lowest price ever.

If you don’t have a skyrocket budget, the ukay ukay should be the best place to go if you’re looking for something fashionable and trendy. Prices of items usually range from P10 to P400. Sometimes, there are special deals, like buying three blouses for P50.00.

In Manila, the best ukay places to go to are located in the following areas:

• Blumentritt cor Rizal Ave near the Mercury Drug
• Kamuning Area, beside the Chowking fast food chain
• Araneta Center in Cubao, at the Quezon Theater Bldg.
• JP Rizal Makati Ave in the Lucky Star Bldg.
• Marcos Hi-way in Marikina Marikina City
• Cainta Junction in Cainta, Rizal
• At the back of the POEA Bldg in Ortigas.

Ukay stores also abound in Davao City along Ponciano St. Uyanguren St and at the Bankerohan Market. There, rows and rows of stores sell very good condition clothes for P10 to P120 only. Never anything above that.

In Cebu City, you can find Ukay stores in Colon St, at the Carbon District as well as in Tabunok, Talisay City.

Mind you, even affluent Filipinos who can afford to pay brand new scour the thrift stores to get the best deals.

Major parts of the Philippines went under water today as tropical storm “Ondoy” unleashed its wrath, leaving thousands stranded and residents climbing to their rooftops for drier ground.

While the provincial regions like Pampanga are known to suffer these flash floods every time there is a storm, Metro Manila was totally unsuspecting of the floods that hit major parts of the country. Hard hit countries included Marikina, Quezon City, San Juan and Paranaque which are still seeking help from rescue teams. The power for these affected parts of the metropolis was also cut by MERALCO to avoid further casualties from execution.

Here are some video footages taken by local residents tied up with the destruction that Typhoon “Ondoy” caused.

For people who frequent Metrowalk in Pasig, Metro Manila, please beware. Especially for car owners who bring gadgets and valuable stuff and leave them in the car, you may come back to a surprising scene such as a tampered rear window and all your belongings gone.

Now this happened despite security personnel present. The parking space is free and while there are guards around (would you believe they only have three guards for such a big parking lot?) there are robbers lurking around. And they hit cars in random.

Just the other night, an acquaintance lost a laptop (well-hidden) and cellular phone batteries. This all occurred despite a heavily darkened tint Toyota Fortuner during the evening. But the only problem was I guess that his Toyota Fortuner did not have an alarm installed.

Regardless, all people who go there to dine, drink or buy some pirated DVDs or apparels, beware. You may be losing more than you bargained for.