QC Food Crawl: Figaro

Social media does do wonders. As I was reading through my timeline, I found out my friend and co blogger Azrael Coladilla was in Quezon City. He was in the Tomas Morato are in fact. I live nearby so when he wanted to have an impromptu food crawl in this area, I went in and showed them around. Kamuning is such a small town but I've got small joints here that I know would be of some interest to writers and bloggers. There's not much content, so we went to Figaro Tomas Morato to meet first. 

Unknown to many, Figaro is my office. I don't want to tell people about it that much because I'll lose the charm it has for me. The low foot traffic, the strong wifi and the available outlet on my favorite seat. I can charge stuff or stick my laptop if it runs out of battery. Other than that, the coffee choices are enormous and the food, you can choose rice meals, pastries or cakes and they all have it. You just have to make up your mind. Although I'm regretting you about this place in Tomas Morato, I guess if you're around the area you might as well pay a visit. After all, it's not like the other popular coffee chain on the other street that's so crowded and have pricey wifi. Let's start with the food shall we?

We had refreshments first. Figaro's Iced Tea was first on the list. It's very tangy than the usual Iced Tea and pretty affordable. If you're not into coffees, then I suggest you have this. If you don't like iced teas and went here for coffee, take this other drink below.

It's Figaro's Freshly Brewed Coffee. Of course it's one of their best sellers, they're a coffee shop for cryin out loud LOL. They serve this with the usual cream and sugar. We weren't there for this though, we had to have what they call the Favourite Meals.

This is Figaro's Beef Broccoli Stir Fry. It was good, although I would have loved to only have green broccoli with it. This one came with broccoli that's a little old so the flowerettes were a little yellow in the photo above. As for the taste, it was okay, the beef, the young corn and quail eggs on this dish had kept us happy because it was soft and perfect with the white rice. It's not too salty so if you're just in a hurry coming from your office and wanted to have lunch, Figaro can make you these dishes in a few minutes. Then there's another choice!

This one is Figaro's Salisbury Steak Burger. It's a burger patty smothered with Mushroom sauce on top. It's served with corn, carrots and peas on the side plus a cup of garlic rice. If you want something filling, this would be your best bet. Although some may find the mushroom a little salty, make sure you don't individually eat it and only have it with rice. It was made for that purpose I guess. All of these meals will be served with a glass of iced tea so you can grab em and go. If you don't like lunch this way, they serve breakfast meals too!

My personal favorite is this, Figaro's Gourmet Tuyo in Olive Oil. If some may find this salty, Tuyo is in the first place salted fish. It's soft and briny, mix it with the runny egg yolk and a spoonful of garlic fried rice, you'll have a great meal right there. You don't have to have this on a date, but if you're looking for something homey, something that would be comforting, this Gourmet Tuyo would be your choice. Trust me on this one because even those of my friends who were complaining it was salty suddenly found themselves finishing all the plate! It is good.

For what it's worth, Figaro has some of the best sandwiches and pastas too. If you're looking for something new than the ordinary sandwiches and cakes the other more popular coffee shops offer, then make your next lunch or breakfast be at Figaro in Tomas Morato. If you're there to occupy my table in front of the counter, please do it some place else LOL, don't disturb me too while I'm working! Ha!

For more information about their products:

Figaro Coffee Company

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Visit their official website

http://www.figarocoffee.com/

Aicelle Santos In Her "Class A" Birthday Concert

Aicelle Santos isn't really new to the singing and performing. We've all loved her during her stints in the group La Diva. You might have missed her performing every week in Sunday All Stars or any program on GMA, but when she decided to turn a leaf and make her own path, she didn't know opportunities like these would open up for her. Aside from her great performances and awards in the critically acclaimed runs of "Rak of Aegis", she's now braving to have her own concert entitled "Class A" at the PETA theater on the 25th of February. She's also releasing a couple of tracks, hopefully an album too in the next few months. The concert too will be sort of her celebration, it's her birthday as well.  It's the opportune time to do it, yes I believe it's her time!

Aicelle says "After the second run of Rak of Aegis, I thought of having a concert and do it in February so it coincides with my birthday. I suggested it to GMA Artist Center and they agreed, Stages came (production of Carlo Orosa) and it was conceptualized then. The guests, we started calling them one by one and they all agreed to take part in this. I am so happy because I will be with my Nanay Regine Velasquez Alcasid, with my Ate Kyla with my friend Gian Magdangal and with my idol and icon Ms. Celeste Legazpi. It's definitely is a concert where I'll be singing songs that would be really close to me, some even more musical in nature, but all the production numbers will have a bit of dancing.

It's a Wednesday and People Power day so I hope everyone would come. The songs really, would be a surprise. The guests. all really play an important part of my life. It's my personal favorites, everything was penned by me, the list of songs will be a story. It's the story of Aicelle, my journey, we'll go there. I consider the two musicals as my biggest break, I've known my self as a singer but with musical theater, it's a new thing, it's a wonderful thing to come back to. Rak of Aegis was a blessing because I won an award for it. I see friends per group, but usually on my birthday I just spend it with my family.

I actually was a little kilig when I saw that Mr. Gary Valenciano told such wonderful things, when he saw me perform too together with Ms. Cherie Gil and other great actors, you would want to do more, it gets you fired up and get you inspired. You want to explore a lot of roles now, with the recent discovery of this path, this process, I want to do other things. You don't stop learning, I though I only was here on earth to sing, when I got to GGSS I even did Jaya. It's at that point where I want to try new things, I want to swim, climb mountains, things like that. TV, I've done small roles in soap operas, well in times that I didn't do any soaps I was busy with recordings and Rak of Aegis.

She gave us a short sample of what to expect during her concert, it's a surprise she says but we can always give her a nudge to let us know how it'll look like live!

Kapangyarihan ng Pagibig (Power of Love) is by Junjee Marcelo is so nice, it's got really good melody. It's out on itunes and other streaming sites, in a few months I hope it's going to be an EP, perhaps to be distributed by Ivory Records. I'm very hands on with this because this is self produced. It's a different sound and it's totally different with the La Diva vibe. I grew up with this vibe, with this sound. The EP will kinda sound like this and I hope people would go and download it off these sites. Valentines day I was with my family, about love, for now I'm very single but not really ready to mingle. I'm not dating. The track by the way is the power of love from the creator, from the one you love. It's a way of giving thanks, there are so many miracles in my family that I want to share that. I turned Christian two years ago and that made me realize a lot to be thankful for. I'm excited to hear what people would think. I don't think La Diva would be out for good, we're still friends. This doesn't mean we're not going to perform as a group soon, but we're all good, we're just taking time apart doing solo stuff which I think can be helpful to our careers.

For a newbie to be nominated was an overwhelming thing, usually you get to only receive things in singing but getting that was not in the plans. I pray for things to happen but I don't know in particular what will happen and when it does, it just startles me. I'm very thankful. This sound that you'll hear from my concert is something very close to me, I chose these tracks all by myself and I'm thankful for the composers for working for me. The song Liwanag is my own work, I wrote and put in music so you'll hear a piece of me when the album comes out too. I got frustrated going out in events singing foreign songs and a single OPM track so I made my own song. Funny, it wasn't a prayer but the feeling was, I had like divine intervention. I finished it the next day so it was quick, it only took me about more or less 20 minutes. I have others, but it was all about young love. For now I'm happy with how my career is going and I would love to perform with La Diva again, I think we just had to, I feel it was just time to make our own tracks. We all have our own taste, I just pray they like my singles. I hope someone notice how nice it is because this is what I do, this is how my sound is like now. I'd like to have a duet with Mr. Gary V, it would be a dream to have one with him. Also, Ms. Lani and Sir Martin. With singing, I'm really thankful for it and I hope I could do more theater stuff. I would audition for any role that would have a big voice. I couldn't handle anything too sweet, but I would do it too as a challenge. If given a chance, why not."

Then when I posted her wish on Instagram (because Ms. Angeli Pangilinan follows me there and on Twitter!), this happened!

I guess dreams do come true! :)

For more information about their artists:

Official GMA Artist Center

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Visit their official website

http://gmanetwork.com/artistcenter

J.CO Brings Forth Better J. Coffee

It's still the love month but there's no reason to be sad when there's so much to be thankful for. J.CO, the Philippines well loved donut brand (who consequently still has blockbuster lines in their stores as we speak) has brought in J.Coffee, for their line of coffee drinks that have existed in their stores for quite sole time now. This is sort of a relaunch and they're taking time to show us techniques on how to make the perfect cups of coffee and the added latte art. Their using hot milk and froth to make these wonderful designs and it was a treat to have their artistic coffee experts teach us on our tables how to make them from scratch.

They also have in house espresso cups and coffee mugs which you can buy off the shelf available in all J.CO stores nationwide. J. Coffee only serves Arabica beans from regions that can provide Grade A quality beans. We tasted some of it while we were there in the store. Some of which are special brews which we were privileged enough to get on the spot! 

Let's not forget the fact that J.CO also has the best, freshly cooked donuts that are not too sweet and perfect for the Filipino palate. I'm taking home boxes of Al Capone because it's my family's favorite too! Now think about your favorite donut flavor and pair it up with a J.Coffee avocado flavored coffee or anything else from their menu, I'm sure your best day will turn out even great when you try their best cup of joes in any of their stores. 

I'm loving J. Coffee... You should too! Come over to any of ther J. Co Branches in Metro Manila, have that donut and make that experience better than ever with J. Coffee as well.

For more information about their products:

JCO Philippines

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Visit their official website

http://jcodonuts.com.ph/

Jillian Ward's 10th Birthday!

It's a lovely afternoon and we went to Star City today to celebrate Kapuso Network's prime child star Jillian Ward. This event was organized by GMA Artist Center and thanks to her sponsors, they'll be treating her guests to the happiest place in Manila. 

She's also invited kids from Onesimo Bulilit, a community organization catered to uplifting lives of young ones in Quiapo, Manila. Some kids are part of the center and live there while others are community based so they go home to their families after activities during the day.

As always, sponsors have given these kids food and snacks during Jillian's birthday celebration. Star City also gave them gift passes so they can ride all day in Manila's premier theme park. She also wanted to thank Magnolia, New Zealand Ice Cream (really good imported ice cream), Pandelton (who makes really nice cupcakes!), Pastrybin and Fernandos Bakeshop. 

Jillian by the way will be starting to make their new series together with Dingdong Dantes called "Parekoi" and it will be shown around late March. She wants you to watch out for her new show and still patronize all the products she's endorsing, they helped her event happen and this is a bit memorable for her. 

Happy birthday Jillian! You're almost a tween now! 

For more information about their artists:

Official GMA Artist Center

Like them on Facebook


Visit their official website

http://gmanetwork.com/artistcenter