Reviews Archives - Page 5 of 11 - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Apr182014 by Mindanaoan Irene5 Comments

Eating sea urchins at White Island Camiguin

Camiguin, Food, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

Living sea urchins don't look appetizing at all - what with their scary looking spines. But mind you, sea urchins or "tuyom" as they are locally known are actually considered culinary delicacies in many parts of the world. In fact, a kilo of sea urchin roe fetches hundreds of dollars. So when I spotted some fishermen selling fresh sea urchins for sale at White Island, Camiguin, I just had to get some! They were selling them for Php 50.00 (about US$1.50) for 3 pieces. Ate them raw with coco vinegar. Yum! Have you tried eating sea urchins? Let me know in the comments section :) Meanwhile, here are some shots taken at White Island, Camiguin. Planning to visit this beautiful island in Mindanao? Here's a Camiguin Island Travel Guide and here's how to get to White Island Camiguin...

Mar242014 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Simply Penang at @Sunway_Pyramid Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Food, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews

So of course I had to hunt for nasi lemak as soon as I got settled in during my most recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where I was one of the Malaysia Social Media Week 2014 speakers. Never mind if it was already way past noon time and if nasi lemak is usually eaten for breakfast. I love, love, LOVE nasi lemak and, like many foodies nowadays, I absolutely do not mind eating it any time of the day. So, together with my co-speaker from the Philippines, Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet, we looked for a nice restaurant within Sunway Pyramid Mall, which was adjacent to the hotel where all of the speakers were billeted in - Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel. We found Simply Penang. It was located near the skating rink. Anton and I took one of the tables outside so I don't have any idea ho...

Mar132014 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Relaxing stay at Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel Kuala Lumpur Malaysia @Sunway_Pyramid

Hotels, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Travel

During my most recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where I spoke about "Viral Magic" during the Malaysia Social Media Week 2014, I had the pleasure of staying at Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel, much thanks to the MSMW 2014 organizers and sponsors. I stayed at this Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia hotel for 4 days and it provided the perfect respite from work and hectic days. Located at Persiaran Lagoon, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel KL is adjoined to Sunway Shopping Mall. It is also within the same complex where Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa, Sunway Lagoon Waterpark and Surf Beach (the world's largest man-made surf beach and the first in Malaysia to offer the Surf Simulator Flow Rider) and Sunway University are. My carpeted room, which was on the 6th floor, had a ki...

Feb182014 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Why you should visit Tsinoy’s Pares and Mami House CDO

ARMM, Banks, Beauty, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Consumer, Dipolog, Fashion, Features, Food, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, News, Northern Mindanao, Resorts, Reviews

I love Filipino food. I love Chinese food. Sometimes I crave for a little bit of both and then want something interesting that I don't get to try everyday. Did that confuse you? Let me put it this way - don't we have days when we just want both Chinese and Filipino food - and then maybe something that could remind us of our memorable Asian trips - all in one table? Good thing Michelle of Tsinoy's Pares and Mami House CDO recently invited me, my mom and Emma to try out their fare. It was the perfect way to satisfy cravings! Nestled at Tiano - Mabini Streets, Cagayan de Oro, Tsinoy's CDO is a 7-month old restaurant that's fast gaining fans and loyal customers. Of course, judging by their establishment's name alone, we know that they serve Chinese and Filipino food. However, Tsinoy'...

Jan252014 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Bukidnon: Must-eats at Del Monte Golf Clubhouse

Bukidnon, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Northern Mindanao, Reviews, Society

A lot of people who get the chance to visit the famed Bukidnon tourist spot - the clubhouse at Del Monte Golf and Country Club, Manolo Fortich - almost always rave about the steaks there. Undoubtedly, the steaks served at Del Monte Golf and Country Club are really good - the fact that they get meat from pineapple-fed cattle already tells you that the steaks there are worth every penny. However, there are also other food choices you might want to try the next time you visit this Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon tourist destination. Of course, there's the bottomless Del Monte pineapple juice. For only Php 35.00 per person, you can drink ice cold pineapple juice to your heart's content. The Del Monte baconsilog - bacon, sinangag (fried rice) and egg. The clubhouse serves all-day breakfa...

Dec262013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Foodspotting: Famous Belgian Waffles

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Northern Mindanao, Reviews, Society

Famous Belgian Waffles. Just how "famous" and delicious are these waffles? Well, Famous Belgian Waffles Limketkai CDO is just one of the more than 100 outlets all over the Philippines and there's always a bevy of hungry and eager customers at each of their waffle stores so I guess they're doing something right! :) I got to try these delicious treats a few days ago when the CDO franchisee invited this Mindanaoan blogger for a visit. I also brought along several blogger friends and my brother, the Tennis Guru, who was also in town for a vacation. To say that we all enjoyed our freshly baked, delicious, crispy golden brown waffles is actually an understatement. All of us absolutely LOVED our treats! Most of us tried the blueberry creamcheese while one tried the banana hazelnut variety. ...

Dec152013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Travel: New way to explore Davao and Samal Island beaches

Advocacy, Blogging, Business, Consumer, Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Features, Island Garden City of Samal, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Resorts, Reviews, Society, Tourism, Travel

One of the many joys of living in Davao City is that it is just several minutes away (a 15-minute ferry ride away, in fact) from Samal Island (Island Garden City of Samal or IGACOS), home of white sand beaches, great resorts, clear water, healthy marine life and dive spots. A lot of tourists usually go to just one resort in Samal Island but did you know that there's now a new, fun way to explore Davao and the beaches around Samal? Why not go island hopping aboard Explore Davao? Explore Davao is an outrigger boat (bangka) complete with an expanded sun deck, bean bags, iPod dock and a cooler. Explore Davao island hopping banca even has its own comfort room and a nifty trapdoor! To show you just how comfortable Davao island hopping aboard Explore Davao is, here are my cool friends an...

Nov22013 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Review: Fersal Hotel Makati – homey budget inn

Hotels, Leisure, Manila, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Travel

Looking for accessible, affordable yet very homey hotels in Makati can be quite a challenge. Most Makati hotels within the business district can be pricey and for budget-conscious travelers like myself, it may mean that I can only stay in cheap Makati inns in seedy areas. So I was really very grateful when I had the chance to stay for two nights at Fersal Hotel Makati during my most recent trip to Manila. This comfortable bed and these seriously soft pillows welcomed me. I knew there and then that it was going to be a cozy two night-stay. Fersal Hotel Neptune Makati is just a stone's throw away from Makati Avenue, one of the city's main thoroughfares. Although it is also very near a lot of dining choices, Fersal Hotel also has a cafe near the lobby where you can enjoy sumptuous m...

Oct312013 by Mindanaoan Irene5 Comments

Mindanaoan is 2013 Mindanao Blogger Of The Year

Advocacy, Agriculture, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, America, Announcements, ARMM, Arts, Bacolod City, Banks, Basilan, Beauty, BIMP-EAGA, Bisaya, Bislig, Blogging, Broadcasting, Bukidnon, Business, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Campus, Caraga, Cebu City, Commentary, Compostela Valley, Consumer, Contests, Controversial, Corporate, Cotabato, Culture, Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Dipolog, Education, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Flights, Food, Freebies, General Santos City, Gifts, Government, Headline, Hongkong, Hotels, Humor, Iligan City, Internet, Island Garden City of Samal, Jobs, Journalism, Kaamulan Festival, Koronadal, Kuala Lumpur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Leisure, Macau, Maguindanao, Make Money Online, Malaybalay City, Malaysia, Manila, Marawi City, Media, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Movies, Music, Musings, Muslim Mindanao, Negros Occidental, News, North Cotabato, Northern Mindanao, Opinion, Ozamis, Pagadian, Personal, Personalities, Photos, Politics, Radio, Recipes, Religion, Resorts, Reviews, Sarangani, Shenzhen, Shopping, Sindangan, Singapore, Society, SoSCksargen, South Cotabato, Sports, Style, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacurong, Tangub City, Tawi Tawi, Technology, Television, Tourism, Travel, United States of America, Videos, Visayas, Weddings, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Peninsula, Zamboanga Sibugay

It still feels a bit surreal, truth be told. Winning the 2013 Mindanao Blogger Of The Year award and the Best Lifestyle Blog award during the Mindanao Blog Awards 2013 held last October 26, 2013 in Davao City was the farthest thing from my mind. I was there to meet my blogger friends, have a good time, maybe drink a cocktail or two and cheer for other finalists. My mindset that night was (and I actually wrote this days before the finals): Win or lose, you are a champ. What's important is that you did your best in letting more people understand and appreciate the power of social media and blogging in sparking more conversations, making better communities and harnessing better understanding. Social good, folks. Only the good. So when my name was called, you could just imagine my shock. Yup...

Sep72013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Must-visit in Puerto Princesa Palawan: KaLui Restaurant

Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Visayas

Visiting Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines soon? Then you must visit KaLui Restaurant! I did and it was a truly lovely experience. In fact, I even mentioned KaLui Palawan to my cousin who was also set to visit Puerto Princesa days after my trip. She swears it was truly one of the highlights of her own Palawan trip! So on our last evening in Palawan (I was flown there recently by the US Embassy for a speaking engagement), a friend from the embassy and I had dinner at KaLui Restaurant. Located along busy Rizal Avenue and just a few minutes away from where I stayed in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, KaLui is not only a place for good comfort food but a place where you can relax and appreciate art, music, creativity and even your sense of touch! You see, KaLui Palawan requires their patrons t...

Jul102013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Camiguin Hotel: Villa Paraiso Resort and Apartelle

Camiguin, Hotels, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Northern Mindanao, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

So on a recent trip to Camiguin Island, my family and I stayed in a different resort in Camiguin this time (we've already stayed at Tia's Beach Resort, Golden Sunset Camiguin etc) After a little bit of research and getting recommendations from friends, I booked a family suite at Villa Paraiso Resort and Apartelle Camiguin. I chose Villa Paraiso Resort Camiguin because it was located in Mambajao, the capital town of Camiguin, because they offered a 20 percent discount (off-season rate), because their resort had a pool (I figured my family and I would like to go on a night swimming session), because their room rates came with free continental breakfast (read: toasted bread and eggs) and free unlimited coffee (cool!) and, most importantly, the one who took care of my room reservation, Bern...

Jun182013 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

A must-try in Davao City: Wine quartet at the Apo View Hotel

Business, Consumer, Davao City, Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

As part of the Apo View Hotel Davao's 65th year of operations and a first of its kind in Davao City, the Philippines' second longest operating hotel has launched the unique Wine Quartet, whereby diners can savor a set of 4 carefully and thoughtfully selected wines to match their favorite dishes at Entree, Apo View Hotel Davao City's buffet restaurant. Definitely a great way to match good food with good wine! Under the Entree Wine Quartet promo, you get 4 glasses of wines for only Php 250.00. You can taste 4 different wine varietals: two white wines (Torrontes-Sauvignon Blanc and Macabeo) and two reds (Tahuna Pinot Noir from New Zealand and Castillo de Almansa from Spain). The wine choices will be changed every month but the price will remain the same. The Apo View Davao Entree Wine Q...

Mar252013 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Photos: Save Me Hollywood at Bukidnon San Miguel Beer event

Bukidnon, Entertainment, Events, Features, Festivals, Fiesta, Malaybalay City, Music, Personalities, Photos, Reviews

Hi everybody! This Mindanao blogger was in the Province of Bukidnon for the Kaamulan Festival, a yearly gathering of Bukidnon's 7 hill tribes. One of the festival highlights was the much-awaited San Miguel Beer Night or SMB Night, which was held last March 10, 2013 at the Capitol Grounds, Malaybalay City. My dearest friends Jojo and Jacquee invited me and a bunch of other friends to watch the SMB Night concert, which was headlined by no less than iconic Filipino band Rivermaya and up-and-coming pop funk band Save Me Hollywood :) VIP treatment - backstage access - seats nearest the stage (although my friends and I chose to be a part of the moshpit instead!) and here's the coolest part - unlimited San Miguel Beer! :D Thanks so much SMB, Jojo and Jacquee! Allow me to share some of the p...

Mar242013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

MAC Cosmetics Archie’s Girls Collection Launch In Cebu

Beauty, Business, Cebu City, Consumer, Events, Fashion, Features, Gifts, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Shopping, Society, Style

I was so excited when I got an invitation to attend the grand launch of MAC Cosmetics Archie's Girls Spring Collection 2013 in Cebu City. The timing was perfect! I was actually in Cebu for the Social Media Influencers Summit 2013 and I always welcome additional events to attend especially if time permits it anyway. So I immediately said yes to the invite-only MAC Archie's Girls launch in Cebu! The MAC Archie's Girls makeup collection 2013 Cebu launch was held last March 16, 2013 at the Ayala Center Cebu Activity Center. The place was packed with so many eager MAC Cosmetics fans! I spotted TV host Bianca Gonzales, celebrity makeup artist Jigs Mayuga and fashion bloggers Kryz Uy and Camille Co. I also met Atty. Christina Garcia-Frasco, the daughter of Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia and ...

Feb32013 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

Review: STK Ta Bai Sa Paolito’s Seafood House Cebu

Business, Cebu City, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Visayas

My family and I spent Christmas 2012 in Cebu City. If you've been following my Mindanaoan blog for a while, you may have noticed that my family and I regularly go to the Queen City of the South - not only because one of my brothers is now based there but also because we have business connections and plainly because we just love Cebu! :) And whenever we're in town, I always see to it that we do, eat, try, discover something new. This time around, I heard about a homey, family-run restaurant located at the Cebu Capitol area that accordingly served reasonably priced sutukil. SuTuKil or STK stands for Sinugba (grilled), Tinola (soup) and Kinilaw (ceviche). So off we went to STK Ta Bai at Paolito's Seafood House along Orchid Street for dinner to see what the fuss was all about. STK Ta Bai...

Jan262013 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Etude House Centrio Mall CDO For Cute Korean Cosmetics

Beauty, Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Fashion, Features, Freebies, Gifts, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Shopping, Society, Style

A lot of Filipinas love Korean beauty brands. Not only are they of very good quality but these Korean beauty products come in cute, eye-catching packaging and they're affordable. So it's pretty good news that one of the world's well-known Korean cosmetics brands has opened not just one but two (!) branches in Northern Mindanao. Etude House recently opened their Cagayan de Oro City branches - the first was at Centrio Mall along Corrales Avenue and the second at SM City CDO - to the delight of so many ladies here in Mindanao. Etude House is a global beauty brand and Etude House Centrio CDO and Etude House SM CDO are just two of their over 550 stores worldwide. Etude House invited Mindanaoan to check out their new Ayala Centrio Mall store. I was also asked to bring along several of m...

Jan222013 by Mindanaoan Irene12 Comments

Sign up for a Glamourbox beauty box Philippines

Beauty, Business, Consumer, Fashion, Features, Gifts, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Shopping, Style

I received something pretty special while I was in the hospital a few days ago. Something that really cheered me up! Presenting my first and very own Glamourbox beauty box! Now before I share with you the contents of this elegant box, a brief backgrounder :) Mindanaoan first shared the news about Glamourbox Philippines via this post. Glamourbox, a premium online beauty subscription service in the Philippines, lets you try carefully selected deluxe beauty products before you buy the full sizes. The goodies are sent every month via courier. And all for only Php 595.00 per month! Pretty nice concept, di ba? I loved the idea of receiving an elegant box with deluxe beauty samples - all carefully curated - every single month. I also liked the fact that one of the founders of ...

Dec172012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Tokyo Tokyo: Now Serving CDO

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews

Tokyo Tokyo CDO is finally open! The very first Cagayan de Oro City branch of Tokyo Tokyo opened last November 29, 2012 at the 2nd Floor of Limketkai Mall but I was pretty lucky. The night before the grand launch, Mindanaoan was among the very first to try their signature dishes - I was invited to a special gathering of friends from Tokyo Tokyo and the local media community. By the way, a few days before its grand launch, Mindanaoan shared the news about Tokyo Tokyo Cagayan de Oro via this blog post. I was pretty stoked especially since I frequently visited Tokyo Tokyo back when I was still working in Manila. My "usuals" over at Tokyo Tokyo are the shrimp tempura, maki, pork tonkatsu and miso soup. Of course, the popular and truly delicious Tokyo Tokyo red iced tea is never far behind. ...

Nov212012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Tokyo Tokyo To Open In CDO On November 29, 2012

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Events, Features, Food, Reviews, Society

Tokyo Tokyo, the #1 Japanese fastfood chain in the Philippines, is set to open its Cagayan de Oro City branch on November 29, 2012. Tokyo Tokyo Cagayan de Oro will be located at the 2nd floor of Limketkai Mall, CDO. And guess who's absolutely excited about this news? ME! :D Mindanaoan will be among the very first to visit and try the signature dishes at Tokyo Tokyo CDO. I will be there before its official opening - stay tuned for photos and updates :) I just love Tokyo Tokyo. Back when I was still working in Manila, there was hardly a week when you can't find me at Tokyo Tokyo SM Megamall. My favorites at Tokyo Tokyo are the tempura, maki and the pork tonkatsu (yum). The veggie side dish, the unlimited rice and the delicious red iced tea are also wonderful treats. And oh, it's also r...

Nov192012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Yves Rocher Philippines Centrio CDO – why you should visit them today

Beauty, Business, Consumer, Fashion, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Society, Style

Yves Rocher is one of the new stores that opened at Centrio Mall Cagayan de Oro City and truth be told, from the outside, the store looks "sosyal" and the products seem to be very expensive. Lo and behold, that is NOT the case! The expensive products bit, I mean :) Yes, the store does look sparkling clean, attractive and nice but the products are very affordable - so affordable that there are products that are even priced as low as Php 80.00! Yes, you read that right. And did I mention that the products are all botanical (made from plants) and are all dermatologically tested? So did that catch your attention? :) Here are more reasons why you should pay the Yves Rocher store at Centrio CDO a visit like...right now! ;) Read on... Yves Rocher Philippines is named after the sam...

Nov32012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Review: Marriott Hotel Cebu City Philippines hotel @MarriottCebu

Cebu City, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

My family and I only stayed at Marriott Cebu Hotel for less than 12 hours (yep) but from the very moment I stepped inside our Cebu City Marriott Hotel room, I knew for sure it was going to be a lovely stay. Located within the Cebu Business Park, Marriott Hotel Cebu offers the same 5-star Marriott service known the world over. Cebu City Marriott is just beside Ayala Mall and a few steps away from The Terraces, where lots of lifestyle and wellness shops, coffee shops, bars and restaurants can be found. This Cebu hotel is one of the city's most loved - it's a favorite of many prominent personalities, foreign tourists and celebrities. Marriott Hotel Cebu City has 301 guestrooms which includes 22 suites and 19 executive level rooms. My family and I were given two deluxe rooms. Each room w...

Oct282012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Bigby’s Rack-A-Bye Baby Ribs Giveaway During Centrio Ayala Mall Opening

Cagayan de Oro City, Contests, Food, Reviews

Just recently, I was commissioned to write a Cagayan de Oro travel piece. I was also asked to include top 5 things to try or eat in CDO. I just had to include Bigby's Restaurant, a homegrown brand, and also had to include one of their bestsellers - the Bigby's Rack-A-Bye Baby Ribs. I personally find the baby ribs at Bigby's tasty, succulent and very tender. So tender that the meat actually falls off the bone! I also like the barbecue sauce/gravy that comes along with the ribs. The Bigby's baby ribs will definitely delight any meat lover. Now you have the chance to try Bigby's Rack-A-Bye Baby Ribs...for FREE! Just join the "Who Ate My Ribs?" mystery game. It's a game launched by Bigby's Restaurant via their official Facebook Page. Join Bigby’s in solving the mystery and get the cha...