HILLSIDE RANCH ROAST BEEF BELLY AND CORNED BEEF BRISKET.. PAMPANGA'S BEST KEPT SECRET NO MORE!

                Mike Tyson is pummeled by Buster Douglas for the Heavyweight Title, 1990. The star-studded Los Angeles Lakers is manhandled by the Detroit Pistons for the NBA Championship, 2004. Steve Darcis stuns Rafael Nadal in the first round of the 2013 Wimbledon. 

                Hillside Ranch doesn't win the Ultimate Taste Test, 2012.

           With all due respect to whoever actually won The Ultimate Taste Test that was held in Rockwell last September, I'm sure whatever they served was delicious. But my vote went to Hillside Ranch's Roast Beef and Corned Beef. To me, it wasn't even close. 

           Sometime in May, I witnessed the launch of Hillside Ranch's two Flagship Products. The stage was set. 

          Let me tell you about Hillside Ranch, The best Corned Beef & Roast Beef, you haven't heard of. 

STAYCATION SERIES: F1 HOTEL MANILA AT BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY

          I believe it was in the year 2005 or so when I first discovered the beauty of a "Staycation". Even though I was already working then, I was still living at home, so I didn't have rent or mortgage to think about. Meaning I had money. I purchased a "Club Membership" from an exclusive Hotel in Makati, that offered room vouchers that gave me huge discounts, and just to seal the deal, they even included an overnight stay, absolutely free. 

      At first, I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical. I wondered to myself, "Why pay money for an overnight stay in a hotel that's just around 30 minutes away from my house?". Nonetheless, the membership also gave me a 50% discount at their famous buffet, so that was enough for me. 

      Within minutes of checking in, I saw exactly what the whole point of a staycation was. The point was to get yourself absorbed in all of the relaxation, without the hassle of long airport lines and bumpy plane rides. You drove a few minutes away, yet you're taken to completely new world.. One free of stress, where your every whim is catered to. 

       As a blogger, I was fortunate to have been invited to a staycation late last year, and made some wonderful friends from the blogging world along the way. That experience inspired me to expand my horizons in 2013, and try to write more travel posts, including some amazing places in the metro where you and your family could enjoy a relaxing staycation.

      Early June, I was elated to be able to add another hotel to the list of places I've had a staycation in. Considering it was a Hotel that I pass by every day on my way to work, nothing could further epitomize the concept of "Staycation" than F1 Hotel Manila. 

Explore BGC with BGC Eats!

The first time I went to BGC some years ago, I was fascinated with the place most especially Serendra and Bonifacio High Street. When you look around, you feel like you’re in a movie (sort of). You see happy kids so carefree, playing on the grass, playing with pets, teenagers skateboarding, musicians singing without a care, and even photographers practicing their shots on anything and anyone. It made an impression on me that this was a safe place, where people can do what they want in peace. Sit on the grass, under a tree, and not worry that a guard might tell you off. Nothing but good vibes!

Slowly I saw BGC grow to be more than just a family place, but a place too where adults can unwind (The Fort Strip), where kids can learn (The Mind Museum), there’s even a soccer field for sports-minded people. Basically everything you need is in Bonifacio Global City. Hotels (F1 hotel, Seda, etc.), big malls (Market! Market!), and an awesome supermarket where you can purchase imported stuff (SNR), world-class hospital (St. Lukes), and more! In fact, my husband and I were talking about it a few days ago... that if we ever purchased another home (a condo), BGC would be our first location choice. It truly is a perfect location. Oh, and it’s a perfect place too for foodies who want to go restaurant hopping!

The Asian Food Channel presents Chef Aaron Craze!

           I have to admit it. I didn’t know Chef Aaron Craze at all. Don’t blame me. Everyone knows I don’t cook.  And our television is only tuned in if not on Disney Jr. , on DVD mode for Sesame Street. (Ah yes the life of a toddler’s Mom). I know more versions of the song ABC than recipes. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be exposed to the culinary world. I do find it interesting. Especially the tasting part.

HAPPY THIRD YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO US :)

         Today marks the third year to the day in which I signed up for a blogger account, opened up a new post and typed in the words, " Hello. My Name is RichieZ. And I am the Pickiest Eater In The World." 

       Little did I know that doing so, would open a world of opportunity, and lead me on to a roller coaster ride of awesomeness.

Shakeys App: Delicious Pizza In a Swipe of a Finger!

         It's a Sunday afternoon. A lazy Sunday afternoon. Exhausted from an eventful weekend, me and my wife Rina just didn't feel like making an extra effort to cook for dinner. (Good thing Rain has her tinola in the ref and is just one re-heat away.) 

      In times like these, what do you do? 

       You guessed it right: Pizza Delivery!

SPIRAL AT SOFITEL MANILA: A TRIUMPHANT RETURN

        A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of being one of the guest speakers at the Belle Du Jour "Street Chic" event. After I told the lovely ladies about my favorite Pig Out Spots, I answered a few questions from the audience members. One of the questions I was asked, was "What's the best buffet in Metro Manila?". Without even thinking about it, my answer came naturally. I simply said, "If how they were before their renovation is any indication, my favorite buffet has got to be Spiral at Sofitel Manila." I heard a bunch of "oohs" and "aahhs" that made it clear that many of these ladies knew what I was talking about. I told the lady who asked, "But I haven't been back since it re-opened, but I hope to soon.".

       Someone up there must have been listening, because a few days later, I once again found myself standing before the most lavish buffet in the country.

       This is my triumphant return to Spiral. And an homage to Spiral's Triumphant Return. 

THE WINNERS OF THE RACKS GC'S....

THE LONG WAIT IS OVER!

            It's only been a few days.. but I apologize for the delay in the announcement. Surprisingly, none of you have made me kulit about it hehe.. I've been a little swamped at work recently, which is why Rina has been helping me out with posts (Otherwise I'd be posting once a week only: ( sniff.. hehe), Nonetheless I woke up early to write this! 

In case you've forgotten, I'm about to announce Two winners of GC's worth P1,500 from RACKS RIBS...

You guys ready?

Let's do this!

A Night At Lombardi's!

One can never have too many Italian places to go to. It’s actually my favourite cuisine. It’s everybody’s comfort food. It’s one full meal. You have your carb and a number of delicious toppings from veggies to meat and tasty sauces. That’s why it’s a delight to know that another great Italian Restaurant has opened at the 4^th level of the new East Wing of Shangri-la Mall Plaza, which is kind of near our place.

COCO ROYAL NOW IN THE PHILIPPINES!

          Although I love my homeland dearly, living in a tropical country with this humidity can sometimes make you feel like you're living in the fiery depths of- wait.. I won't continue that sentence.. I saw how people reacted to Dan Brown.. But you get what I mean. I always find myself looking for something to cool me down in during scorching hot days. 

        Although soda is usually the first alternative, we all know that the sugar content, among other things, makes it both fattening and unhealthy.. But because of the weather.. it's still so very hard to resist. 

          Which is precisely why the entrance of Coco Royal, a healthy yet delicious beverage line into our shores is news that we all should welcome! 

THE MCSPICY IS HERE!

As I write this, I am thinking of a couple of friends of mine who will be thrilled with the news that I am about to announce. These friends of mine enjoy spicy food a lot. Back when we were still working at the same office, I would recall them always ordering the spiciest chicken item on the delivery menu. (Yes I’m talking about you Farrah, G, and Marjo!) And so I am happy to tell them that our favourite default fast food restaurant has added a new item on their menu, and it is spiced up really really nice!

Presenting, the new McDonald’s McSpicy!

Yes! The New McSpicy Chicken Burger which has been spotted in Austrailia, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc. has finally reached the Pearl of the Orient Seas! I was lucky to be one of the first to try this hot burger last Tuesday for a Media Launch.

QUICK RECIPES WITH MEGA CREATIONS SARDINES!

                It's been a long time since I last ate a can of sardines. I'm not really a huge fan of it, but I don't mind eating it either. It's just that whenever we're at the canned goods aisle, the Spam section has always gave the most effort it calling my attention. (And it just won't stop staring at me.)

              But a few days ago, we received a package from Mega Fishing Corporation. It was a package containing six cans of their product, Mega Creations! (Thank you Mega!) And so Rina and I thought instead of eating it with steamed rice, why not create something out of it for a change? Plus, it's fish so it's a break from me and Rina's usual meat intake hehehe. (Disclaimer: we buy fish for Rain though) . It's a good opportunity to experiment in the kitchen!

               So one hot afternoon, we raided my mom's kitchen, made a mess, while we created two snacks using Mega Creations!

Presenting our very simple creation!

THE LUZVIMINDA FOOD FESTIVAL AT THE F1 HOTEL MANILA

    

       You don't have to be a comic geek to know that the success of the movie "The Avengers", which earned a staggering US$1.5 Billion in its worldwide box office, can be attributed to the public's anticipation of seeing Earth's Mightiest Heroes assembled on the big screen for the first time. Even a year after its release, I still sometimes find myself going on to Youtube just to watch the scene where Dr. Banner casually strolls toward the Huge alien transporter/creature that is chasing Iron Man, and nonchalantly tells Captain America, "That's my secret Cap.. I'm always angry", then transforms into the Hulk, and punches the creature square on the nose, causing it to flip over, just in time for Iron Man to blast it to smithereens. 

       To this very day, the scene that followed, where they are all gathered around in a circle, with the camera panning around them still gives me the chills. 

        Though they're aren't superheroes, seeing the collection of talented Filipino Chefs from across the country that F1 Hotel Manila assembled for their groundbreaking "LUZVIMINDA: Filipino Festival of Flavors" stand before me, gave a food lover such as myself tingles down my spine. 

         I knew that this moment, was something very special, and I was excited for what was to come.

FUNTIME WITH KIMY PLAYSTIX - RINAZ

Everyone has a kid inside them. And there’s always that something that brings it out no matter what. In my case, there are two things... theme parks and ICE CREAM!!! At any buffet, I am always drawn to the ice cream of the dessert station even if there are a lot of other unique pastries up for grabs. Ice cream really comforts me even if I don’t need to be comforted hehehe.

That’s why I was like a kid again when we received two boxes of KIMY Playstix Pack from Nestle! It was a long time since I had some KIMY and it was such a treat to be eating this again especially during the summer.

What I like about KIMY is how innovative they are in making the flavours fun and unique. They’ve got the Swirl is a pretty looking strawberry flavoured ice cream with swirling pink and yellow colors. They have the Lava which is a Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream with Chocolate filling. They also have the Krazy Banana which has a jelly coating so that when you eat it it’s like peeling a real banana to reveal the banana ice cream inside. Pretty cool! And a lot more. With these attractive ice cream, you’d think they used a lot of food coloring but you’d be wrong. They are 100% free from artificial coloring and only has the recommended amount of sugar. Smart!

It was the first time I saw these Playstix and I have to say kudos to them for thinking of a fun way for us consumers to reuse ice cream sticks and at the same time exercise a child’s creativity to build anything beyond their imagination!

One box of KIMY Playstix Pack includes 2 KIMY Swirl, 3 KIMY Lava, and 10 more pieces of KIMY Playstix!

It also came with this already-built Playstix which I think looks like the cotton weaver from Hay Day (Yeah, I might be playing too much Hay Day)

 I immediately let Rain play with her new toy but of course at 1 year and 8 months, all she wanted to do was either chew on the stix, or hold and throw the pre-made one hehehe.

 And then I tried to make a square, and she took it from me and wore it as a crown hehe. So it was up to me to attempt to make something out of these colorful sticks for Rain!

So here are Mommy Rina’s simple masterpieces! Hehehe

Orange popsicle hehehe

A raft with a small sail out at sea :-)

A Peacock

Can’t wait to make more! Thanks Nestle!

Follow KIMY on Facebook and be updated with their latest Playstix contests!

TORCH LIGHTS UP THEIR NEW MENU! - RINAZ

A few weeks ago we were supposed to try out a restaurant in Greenhills named Torch with other blogger friends. But unfortunately no one could look after Rain at that time so we had to decline last minute. We heard nothing but raves from our friends who were able to go. And that made us more curious about this Torch place.

        Then the universe worked its magic! A few weeks after we luckily got an invitation to a Media Lunch Menu at Torch! What can I say? It’s destiny! *tear*. So off I went one weekday to Greenhills. According to the map, it was along Connecticut Street. I was driving slowly from the side of Greenhills Shopping Mall, looking for Home Studio Building. I was almost near EDSA but still didn’t see it so I turned back. It was only then that I saw the facade of Torch. It was quite big so I’m not sure how I missed it. Maybe because of the tree branch blocking it.

THIRD ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY #2: RACK'S RIBS!

            For the second Giveaway of my Third Year Anniversary.. I'm going to be giving out P3,000 worth of Gift Certificates to RACKS, for some lip smacking ribs!!

THE YABU GC WINNER IS...

            Thank you to everyone that participated in the Yabu GC giveaway. The Giveaway was held in honor of the Third Year Anniversary of The Pickiest Eater Blog, as well as the birthday celebration of my wife Rina's birthday!