Just Like Dining In Your Neighbor’s House at Casa Roces

I’m no food blogger. I don’t even know how to cook and the only food taste I could define are sweet, sour, salty and definitely nothing in between. But I love paying a visit to food havens especially those so-called holes-in-the-wall. I love unconventional restaurants–themed ones or those which has eclectic designs, which give diners a happy feeling of enjoying their food and the place at the same time. Of late, I’m currently fancying those old houses turned into a restaurant. I totally love the laid-back, homey atmosphere they give off.

One Saturday ago, my church friends and I had a really happy lunch at Casa Roces in Malacañang. We were supposed to go to Pagsanjan, Laguna for some summer fun adventure but since only a few could join, we decided to just have a lunch out and do some catching ups. I’d already dined at Casa Roces with my highschool friends a year ago and was so satisfied with the experience that I suggested the same place to my church friends. Good thing they gave in to my promotional knack and were convinced to try Casa Roces as well 

The place looks intimidating at first with its stylish, elegant facade. Oh well, why canit it be? Casa Roces used to be the house of one of the buena familias back then. The National Artist Alejandro Roces used to live in this house then.

Once you get inside Casa Roces, all those feelings of intimidation will be gone since you will be greeted by a smiling host and very accommodating staff who are always ready to assist you with your dining needs (and yes, that includes taking picture of you!). It’s really like being invited by your neighbor friend to have lunch in their house while enjoying casual conversations with them. It’s very homey and warm.

The Menu

Aside from their yummy food, one of the reasons why you will really enjoy dining at Casa Roces is the privilege to tour the  house and have a glimpse of the Roces’ family’s history. You can see there some prints of the La Vanguardia and the old Manila Times news papers as well as some family photos and memorabilia. The Roceses were prominent in the print/publishing business back then that’s why there’s even a statue of a newsboy welcoming guests by the entrance of Casa Roces. The old rooms turned into function rooms were even named after newspaper titles such as The Tribune, Manila Times and La Vanguardia.

Chicken Adobo Confit (Php 285.00)

Pork Stew Binagoongan (Php285.00)

Pescado En Salsa Verde (Php345.00)

For the second time around, Casa Roces didn’t fail me. I had the same satisfying dining experience I had when I first tried the place. From the restaurant’s setting to the excellent service, and of course the really sumptuous food, I must say that Casa Roces is really a place that deserves good review and more visits.

It was indeed, a happy Saturdate with these ladies!

And this was my first Casa Roces experience with my ever wacky friends!

I wonder what we were laughing about here???

The Hidden Beauty of Lake Pandin

I’ve always raved about the beauty and wonders of my beloved Philippines and I have to admit that there are still a lot of really majestic places I’ve yet to discover in my country. Thankfully, there’s Mr. Google (or Miss?) who’s ever so reliable when it comes to exercising one’s researching prowess.

I’ve always loved places which is not yet very commercialized and only those with a heart to really get to know more about the Philippines could discover. And the latest revelation to me was San Pablo Laguna’s Lake Pandin. All thanks to my sister who was really the one who discovered the place and was very excited when she shared it with me and my cousins. We could feel her excitement and we even shared it with her when we Googled for Lake Pandin’s images. Right there and then, we planned for a one-of-a-kind summer experience with our cousins.

Lake Pandin is one of San Pablo’s seven lakes (the other 6 are Lakes Bunot, Cabilato, Yambo, Palakpakin, Muhikap and Sampaloc). It is just approximately 2 hours away from Manila, which is another happy factor since you don’t have to go that far to experience serenity that Lake Pandin could offer.
There’s actually a water rafting tour being organized by the wives of the fishermen in the area and is supported by the local officials. According to some blogs I’ve read about Lake Pandin, it was the fishermen who built the rafts to give their wives something to do and earn from. These rafts are now being used to take the tourists from one point of the lake to another.

How refreshing can it get to be welcomed by such a beautiful view as this?

Tourists need to contact Aling Siony (I supposed the leader of the fishermen wives’ club) and reserve with her a balsa or raft. Her mobile number is 0929.9789565. The fee is P180 per person. You can also opt to avail of their lunch package for an additional P180 per head. The lunch package includes grilled tilapia, ensaladang pako, small shrimps, rice wrapped in leaves, and fresh coconut juice. Their lunch package is highly recommended because they are really yummy, plus you won’t have to bother bringing bulky tupperwares for your baon.

Before you have a view of the pristine water of Lake Pandin, you will have to walk/trek the road going to the lake for around 10-15 minutes. Aling Siony’s apo met us by the parking lot where we got off from the tricycle ride coming from the town proper. He was also the one who guided us during the trek.

The bus and tricycle ride and the somehow long walk were all worth it once you get to Lake Pandin. You will be welcomed not only by the picturesque view of the place, but also with the spirit of “bayanihan” among the community dwellers. When we arrived at the place, we were welcomed by Aling Siony and we sincerely felt like we were their relatives visiting the place again after a long time. They were all smiling and assisting us as we made our way to the big balsa.

our hearty lunch 

Two women rafters paddled our balsa going to the other point of the lake where we had lunch and had a quick but satisfying swim. Lake Pandin has an area of 20.5 hectares and a depth of 63 meters. It was quiet scary to jump into the water at first knowing its depth but since we were all wearing life vests, we plunged in anyway. Just a precaution to those who are not good swimmers, don’t try to swim farther from your balsa or dive hard since 63 meters (206 feet) is no joke.

Lake Pandin Pandin has a twin lake known as Lake Yambo. The two are only separated by a narrow strip of land so you can opt to visit Lake Yambo as well after enjoying Lake Pandin. According to folktales (and wikipedia  ), Pandin and Yambo lakes were named after two lovers. Pandin was cursed not to step on land or something bad will happen to her. Yambo is Pandin’s lover who did not know about the curse and had made her step on the land. The moment Pandin’s feet kissed the ground, a terrible noise was heard and a heavy downpour followed which converted the area into twin lakes separated from each other by a bare strip of land.

It was indeed a brand new experience for me and my cousins. It was the first time we went out on an adventure like that together and we really had awesome fun. In fact, we’re planning on completing all the 7 lakes of San Pablo in our next summer adventure. The only drawback of the place was that they don’t have a bathroom to clean up after swimming in the lake. They only have a changing room and if you wish to take a bath, you would have to ask the boys there to fetch water for you from the lake, too. So you will have to take a bath using the lake water as well. I, however, don’t see it as too much of a drawback since it even added a little spice to the experience.  It’s not everyday that you get to bathe with lake water 

The whole Lake Pandin experience is something I would definitely look back to and smile about whenever I want to feel calm and relax. Seeing places like that in the Philippines makes me feel so thankful that I was born in this country which is so blessed with lots of natural resources. Plus, it’s great to know that Lake Pandin tour is not being run by big tour operators but of the humble and accommodating fishermen and their wives living by the lakeside.I just hope they would be able to maintain the serenity and untouched aura of the place.

Going to Lake Pandin:

If you’re going on a commute, just ride a bus bound to Lucena in LRT Buendia (fare is P127). Ask the conductor or the driver to drop you off at San Pablo Medical Hospital. From there, you can either ride a jeepney bound to Ilog near San Pablo Church and ask the driver to drop you off at Sto.Angel, Lake Pandin for only Php17, or ride a tricycle on a special trip for P150.

Wandering Solo in the Lion City – Day 3

My last day in Singapore was spent reading Who Moved My Cheese at Book Kinokuniya, wandering around Orchard Road, Lucky Plaza Mall, Chinatown, a quick visit at Little India, and relaxing at the sights in Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands.

Who Moved My Cheese?

Happy to be seeing books about Filipinos/Philippines in a Singapore bookstore.

Some few walks inside Ngee Ann City  and I found this happy place! Nice wooden toys at Plan Toys!

I also had a taste of this peppermint ice cream wafer being sold along Orchard Road for just SGD1!

And then off I went to Chinatown…

I even had my first authentic Korean Ramen experience here for SGD3.80!

Kimchi Ramen Udon

Hawkers station along People’s Park in Chinatown

I also went inside this Buddhist Temple and Indian Temple just to have a view of what’s inside.

And then there’s that posh-y cute restaurant across the street–Antoinette.

After Chinatown, I decided to experience Little India so off I went there.

A rainy afternoon at Little India

I only spent a few minutes at Little India since it was raining hard and I couldn’t cross the street to go to Serangoon so I decided to just go Esplanade and wait for Char there. She, however, messaged me and asking if I could just meet her at Bayfront station so we could go to Gardens by the Bay together.

I wasn’t able to take photos inside Marina Bay Sands, though, because my phone’s already dead by the time we got inside MBS.

Char’s also scheduled to go to the Philippines for a vacation so I took the same flight with her. Our flight’s scheduled at 1:30am, Wednesday, so after eating dinner at Texas Chicken, we headed back to Char’s pad to prepare for our flight back home.

My sojourn with Singapore was sweet and experience-full. I appreciate my friends living there who were really hospitable enough to make me feel at home and treated me to good food. I’m super thankful to Char for being such a wonderful and loving host 

It was an experience worth remembering over and over again. I never thought I could go around the streets of a foreign land all by myself but God’s very generous to let me experience it 

Although I didn’t like the place prior to this trip, I came to appreciate Singapore’s government, the safety for solo travelers like me, the discipline of the people there, the not-so-polluted air and even their transit system. I would love to see the Philippines having that kind of discipline and clean government in the future.

Undoubtedly, Singapore is a really nice place but still, it’s no match with the Philippines when it comes to the warmth of the people, the happiness you can see in the faces of the people you meet along the way. The people in Singapore seemed to be so busy with their careers that they’re unmindful of the people around them. Even if Singapore is a greener pasture as compared to my country, I would still choose to live in the Philippines a million times more than there. I love the simplicity of life in my country and the way a family is being valued very much in the Philippines is incomparable.

Traversing the streets of Singapore would make you appreciate the modernity of life but traveling in the Philippines and experiencing its beaches and having a view of its natural resources could make you feel that indeed, God loves our country so much to bless us with these things. And for that I would say that it’s still a lot more fun in the Philippines!