Tiffany in Korea: Gobong Samgyetang 고봉삼계탕

Tiffany in Korea: Gobong Samgyetang

Amidst finals month, field work in Nigeria, job-hunting, and various reports for different stuff, I found the time (indulged) to come to Korea to attend my friend's wedding. I also started writing a more personal (random) blog with friends I met in Japan. 

It's only our second day here and already I feel right at home. After arriving at the airport, we headed for information to ask about where to get wifi. It's around 400 PHP a day to rent one and we felt that it would be very convenient (and affordable) to be connected (GOOGLE MAPS YES). 

We headed to Hotel President where I'm sharing a room with my Chinese friend, Xiao Xiao. It was perfect having her with us because apparently, so many Chinese work in Korea and everywhere we've been, she's our point person speaking to the different people (wifi person etc) in Chinese. She was also the only one who looked up good places to go to so when she suggested Gobong Samgyetang for dinner, we all just said LET'S GO! 

The restaurant is near exit 5 of Euljiro Station. Just go to the direction of Starbucks, turn left, see Fridays and it's by your right side.

Samgyetang (Php 590)

They are known for their samgyetang, a soup dish with a whole chicken stuffed with rice. It has different healthy herbs like ginseng. When we told Yuri, our Korean friend, the next day about having samgyetang, she also informed us that it's very nutritious and high in calories (good calories, yay?).

Just ordering samgyetang should be enough for you. We also ordered chijimi, which I thought wasn't good at all and sort of regretted ordering.

Gobong Samgyetang 고봉삼계탕

199-13 Euljiro 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul

Tiffy in Japan: Kabuki and Shrimp

What I love about my school is that they sponsor trips and give us tickets to shows too.

(Sign says: The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus)

Last month, they provided 70 international students with tickets to the Kabuki, a classical Japanese drama

The pace of the drama is really slow. So much so that it's not surprising to see several heads nodding and people falling asleep. But one of my labmates really love Kabuki and has watched it numerous times.

On the way back to Kashiwa from Tokyo, we passed by Kitasenju. We wanted to have an early dinner so we were walking around the station to look for a place to eat. 

After walking for quite some time, we went back to this small restaurant that served shrimps and crabs. 

Almost all the food in the restaurant has shrimp in it

Their special offer for the day: ￥90 for one

甘えびの唐揚げ | えびとアボカドのわさびマヨあえ

Fried shrimp | Shrimp avocado salad

Most of their dishes are around ￥300~￥400

赤えび刺身 | Red Shrimp Sashimi | ￥300 per piece

This was by far my favorite. It was so soft and fresh and just yummy.

えびかに家

東京都足立区千住2丁目65 小泉ビル

How to get there:

(122m from Kitasenju Station)

3 min walk from Kitasenju Station West exit

1 min walk from Kitasenju Station Nakamachi exit

Google map

Tiffy in Japan: Field trip to Nikko Tosho-gu and Nikko-bori Crafting

Field trip to Nikko Tosho-gu
By: Tiffy

As far as I've been told, the Student Affairs Section of the University of Tokyo holds field trips once a semester. Last month, I was fortunate enough to have been selected (they raffle off spots) to go to the field trip to Nikko Tosho-gu, one of the more famous shrines in Japan.

Despite the fact that it was pouring, there were still so many people there. 

Look at those puddles!

In some places, we had to remove our shoes before we can enter. 

(I can confidently say that at the end of the day, not one of our socks were dry)

Look at how amazing it looks--if I can live in a shrine, I'd make this my master's bedroom. 

   

Look ma: I learned how to carve on wood!

(Let's keep it a secret that the sensei did the hard parts for me: eyes, some curves, and 「日光」)

But I totally carved this myself!

Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

Tiffy: Picnic at Odaiba

Remember back in August 2009 when Gundam was in Odaiba, an artificial island in Tokyo Bay? 

Back then, my friends and I were pretty lucky to be able to see it before they took it down. But guess what? They put it back up again, this time in DiverCity Tokyo, a new shopping mall. 

The rainbow bridge looks amazing.

I went back to Odaiba this time with my new friends--schoolmates from the University of Tokyo. This time, however, we didn't get to see the Gundam. 

Spot the lady in the wedding kimono under the replica of the Statue of Liberty.

Coca Cola Store at Aqua City Odaiba

I was supposed to buy something for Bong but didn't know which one and I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to give it to him anyway this year! Sorry buddy. 

 

We also saw this street performer who would change his position if you changed the position of the doll in front of him. My friend was mischievous and he made both of the doll's legs extend out in front of it. No worries--I put it back in a comfy position before we left. And one of my friends left some change for him. He gave us a thumbs up when we left. 

The beach in Odaiba

We then bought some food from the convenience store--cheapskates that we are

And had a picnic in a hill with an awesome view of the beach

Therese in Taiwan: Happy new year 新年快樂!

I know we're already a week into January, so this is quite a late post.. but on behalf of Manila Foodistas, I want to greet you all a "Happy New Year!"

2011 has been such an awesome year for me - what with graduating, going to Spain, and finally coming here to Taiwan. It was also my first year celebrating the new year away from the Philippines, my family, and my friends. However, I was able to (finally) see the fireworks at Taipei 101 with my own eyes! Some wishes come true!

I want to leave you guys with this video I took of the fireworks display:



Here's to hoping that 2012 will be an awesome year for all of us!

<3,
Therese
Manila Foodistas

Therese in Taiwan: Yehliu Geopark 野柳地質公園

As I mentioned in my earlier blog entry, my friends and I went to Yehliu Geopark. It is a 1, 700-meter long cape located at the north coast of Taiwan. The entrance ticket costs 25 NT (~PhP 37.5) for students/children above 115cm/senior citizens and the regular price is 50NT (~PhP 75), if I'm not mistaken. The entrance is waived for disabled people.

I did not take up a lot of science courses back when I was in university because I belonged to the College of Arts and Letters, but let me try to sound a bit knowledgeable in the field of geology for a moment.

Yehliu is full of seawater-eroded holes as well as numerous rocks in various shapes due to the rock layer of the nearby seashore containing limestone subject to marine erosion, weathering, and earth movements... Yes, you caught me! I actually just copied that statement up there off the official brochure.

There are actually a lot of rocks in the area - mushroom rocks, candle rocks, honeycombed rocks, ginger rocks, tofu rocks, etc., so I'm pretty sure you're going to see something you'll find interesting.

Mushroom rocks

One of my friends really like hiking, so we decided to walk the entire cape up to the scenic outlook. We didn't regret it because the view was amazing! We stayed there for quite some time, just taking in the fact that we were surrounded by this immense body of water. I found it to be very peaceful and relaxing.

The main attraction of Yehliu is the Queen's Head. The first picture below is how it originally looked like (picture taken from the brochure), but because of the continuous eroding process, the neck is slowly becoming narrower and narrower (see second picture). There are some people who fear that after a couple more years, the Queen's Head might totally be deformed. Be sure to look at it yourself before that happens.

How it originally looks like

Back of the Queen's Head, how it currently looks like

Operating hours 8:00AM-5:00PM

How to get there via public transportation:

You actually have a lot of options in getting there. As for us, we got off at the MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Exit 2 (捷運忠孝復興站，出口2). Nearby is a bus stop with buses heading straight to Yehliu (I think it's bus number 1815, if I'm not mistaken. You should check out the signboard just to make sure.)

More information can be found in their website: http://www.ylgeopark.org.tw

Philippines' Tallest Ferris Wheel Yet

'Twas a scorching hot, very bright Friday morning when my folks and I had our little jaunt at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA). We went to see and ride this Ferris wheel.

MOA Eye, as this Ferris wheel is called, is the tallest in the country. A ride which lasts for  more or less 10 minutes costs 150 pesos per person (same fee applies for kids). Costly? We think it is, considering you'll only get one turn! But anyway, it was such a merry experience!

The gondola

This Ferris wheel has two types of gondolas - one with tinted windows and the other with the usual clear windows. A ride in the tinted gondola costs more but the fee is yet to be decided, according to the staff I asked. One gondola can accommodate up to 6 persons.

If you have a fear of heights, I HIGHLY recommend riding this Ferris wheel. Time to get rid of your phobia and enjoy the view!  :)

The Manila Bay

On the other side of the bay, there were so many ships! Too bad I wasn't able to take a photo of it! Blame it on my imagination ha ha! It sure felt like I was watching one of those war movies where ships come and invade a land. :))

The view is probably much better at night so this place starts to get crowded at sundown. If you're the type who just hates crowds, then go here first thing in the morning! :D They're open from 10AM til midnight on weekdays and until 1AM on weekends.

I really like the design of this Ferris wheel. It looks like a giant Parol - very Filipino! That's why I can't help but be disappointed with the name of it. MOA Eye? Another copy cat. . . Anyway, come and visit this place and ride the tallest Ferris wheel in the country - it sure is fun!

Nicole's Museum Hopping: Yuchengco Museum + Rizal Coffee

Nicole's Museum Hopping: Yuchengco Museum
by Nicole


This year is about to end and a new one is about to start hence people are going to pen their to-do lists once again. As for me, I've started writing mine last month. One of the things listed: visit museums around the metro.

So it began. First stop is. . .  the Yuchengco Museum in RCBC Plaza, Makati City! HONESTLY, this is my second museum stop but I decided to share this one first :D

@ the Yuchengco Museum entrance

My humble camera died so most of the photos here are from my lovely friend (who's actually more like a sister :D).  So grateful she went with me! She also said she'll be joining me in my next museum trips so HOORAY to that! I am stoked!

The Yuchengco museum opened in September 2005. A pretty young museum but one of the best I've been to. It was created to house the art collection of businessman, diplomat Alfonso T. Yuchengco. You don't just see paintings and sculptures here but you can also read books. I just looove that this museum has a library in it! I spent a couple of hours reading some books from those shelves - España, Bound to Empire: The United States and the Philippines, and O.D. Corpuz' The Roots of the Filipino Nation.  If get rich, I would absolutely build something like this!

Library at the 4th floor
This is also the room that showcases a glimpse of Mr. Yuchengco's roots and his works.
You can also see paintings of the women associated with Jose Rizal here.

How do I go around a museum? The best way is to start from the very top - learned this from one of my favorite museums which I will be showing you guys soon. Take the elevator up to the top most floor then journey down by taking the stairs. Take the stairs - you'll get to see more stuff than taking the boring elevator :D

The Yuchengo Museum is currently hosting the Nothing to Declare exhibit. Nothing to Declare aims to contribute to the discourse on migration, the movement not just of people across borders, but also of forms and realities across time and space.

This one is one of the coolest in the exhibit! These eggs won't break even if you step on them. A metaphor for being strong and yet fragile.

 “The Easter Bunny—Just As Charming and Just As Fake” Ovoid/Void piece (2010)
 wherein the author invites the audience to walk on a ground
made of resin trays filled with resin eggs.
3rd Floor

Beside those eggs is this piece called "Suspended Garden." There are few ways on how to view this floating potato or pebble-looking recycled pulp pieces. One is to look at this from the top (just how this photo was taken). You can also lie down on that circular carpet (which is made of newspaper formed into strings). We did lie down and it was so cool! I didn't understand it but like what my friend told me, "you don't need to understand art. You just have to experience it."

Experiencing art
Tony Gonzales and Tes Pasola (Philippines) Suspended Garden Installation (recycled pulp), 2010
3rd Floor

Now down at the ground, you'll see a continuation of the Nothing to Declare exhibit, paintings by Juan Luna, Botong Francisco. . .

The Yuchengco museum joins the 150th year of Jose Rizal's birthday hence in almost every floor, there's something about Rizal. This one is, for me, the center of it all.

"Genius has no country" - Jose Rizal
A painting of Jose Rizal (center) by Juan Luna. The other two paintings are by Luna and Hidalgo
The paragraphs written on this wall are excerpts from Rizal's famous speech delivered in 1884 at Hotel Ingles, Madrid

Speaking of Rizal, here's my take home. I bought this limited edition Jose Rizal Blend from the Yuchengco Museum store. This is the most fragrant coffee I've ever smelled, hands down! The aroma is just addictive! I was so eager to drink this so we boiled this for breakfast ha ha! We don't have yet a coffee grinder at home that's why.

Php 250.00
A combination of Arabica and Robusta coffee grown in the Philippines

I had a blast in this museum! I can't wait to go back! I hope you'll get to visit this museum too. Entrance is only 100 pesos. Happy Christmas!  :)



Address and Telephone number
Yuchengco Museum
RCBC Plaza
Corner Ayala and Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenues
Makati City, Philippines 1200

Information: (632) 889 1234
Please note that the museum is at the courtyard of RCBC Plaza.


Museum hours
Monday to Saturday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Sunday and on holidays

Tiffy in Japan: Tokyo DisneySea

Tokyo DisneySea
October 27, 2011
Tiffy in Japan

Now I've always wanted to go to Disneyland since I was a little girl watching the Disney channel. I don't know why: is it fun?

Last year, I was supposed to go to Disneyland but ended up in Sanrio Puroland instead. This year, I still didn't end up in Tokyo Disneyland but I ended up in Tokyo DisneySea. When we were trying to decide where to go, my boyfriend asked his friends which one's a better place to go to and they said that DisneySea is more romantic while Disneyland is more family-oriented.

That, and one of my friends playfully warned me about the Disneyland curse. She said that couples who go to Disneyland break up because of the long lines--they run out of things to talk about. She wasn't sure if that was only during summer or if it happens all throughout the year. The existence of this curse was echoed by my boyfriend's friend when I asked him if it were true.

So off we went to Tokyo DisneySea.

Thank you, boyfriend's dad, for the tickets! 

We were there a few minutes before it opened and already, there was a long line. I was told that the line would be much much much longer had it been a weekend and had it been Disneyland. 

Trying to figure out where to go to first.

In DisneySea, as with Disneyland, there are two lines: the normal one and the fast pass one. So usually what is done is, you go to a ride you want to go to (that probably has a long line), go to the fast pass ticket booth beside it, put your ticket beneath the scanner and let it read the bar code and then get a fast pass ticket for the ride a couple of hours after you get the fast pass ticket. 

For example, we got a fast pass for Journey to the Center of the Earth at 10 AM and we can go through the fast pass lane at 11:15 AM--going ahead of everyone else lined up in the normal lane. I didn't know all this until I was already there to which my boyfriend asked, "Why didn't you check it out online before we got here?!"

We did have breakfast before we got here but already I wanted something to eat. There are various stalls all around and it's easy to find in the map. 

We got the Black Pepper Pork Rib (¥420, Php 231) and Mickey Churro (Maple) (¥300, Php 165) and coffee (¥270, Php 149). They have different-flavored churros at different areas. We also had the pumpkin-flavored one. There are also different-flavored popcorn (we had chocolate and strawberry, although he wanted to have the milktea one--I tried milktea ice cream in Korea and I wasn't impressed).

Black Pepper Pork Rib

Mickey Churro

Pocahontas--her face was pretty scary since it seemed frozen that way.