MISTERYOSA.COM ARCHIVES

‘Twas the day after Christmas and the last Friday of the year. Plurkers from all over Metro Manila convened at Paseo de Magallanes for some early-morning caffeine fix and breakfast. The missions were to crowd Tagaytay City, eat like a king, enjoy the cool December winds and weather, and just have fun.

Jenny was my “official chauffeur” since we’re practically neighbors. Loaded up with a hearty Hellenic lunch at Manos Greek Taverna. The interior was blue-and-white utilitarian, with bottles of Greek wine and maps of Greece on display. We left with stomachs full. The place to be if you want home-cooked Greek cuisine.

Next stop was Bag of Beans. Made chit-chat and teased the guys mercilessly. It was a forgettable experience in terms of service, which could be a hundred times better (how dare they ignore the kid that was Jeric), but the company was great so I wasn’t bored…much. :p

Stayed for a couple of hours on the view deck of Taal Vista Lodge, a must-go if you want a spectacular view of the Taal Volcano and Taal Lake (“a lake within an island within a lake”). The sun was beating down on us, but the cold wind whipping around the trees more than made up for it. A series of jump shots were taken, with Fritz having the most creatively thematic and funnest poses.

And I wasn’t emo-ing, okay? It’s just that I love the serenity that overcomes my normally angsty state, and this only happens whenever I have a panoramic view of the ocean, or any body of water. I welcome a relaxing atmosphere and a breathtaking view, which I usually don’t get in the hustle and bustle place called Manila. I’m sure someone who has led a city life since birth and never got around to travel much will know what I mean.

Attempted an early dinner at Leslie’s Restaurant, but it ended up badly. Let’s just say that if I were in their place, I wouldn’t even *think* of charging a service fee when I didn’t even render any service. Leslie’s = FAIL talaga. Such a disappointing experience.

Dinner found us at Kanin Club in Paseo de Sta. Rosa. You’re in luck if you get a table in less than 15 minutes, because the place is almost always full. No wonder, though, because their dishes are absolutely made of YUM! Much thanks to the owner for the complementary salad, which was just about the best plate in the table.

‘Twas a fun-filled day. Although I pretty much spent too much money. Heh. Worth it, though.

(First photo: Arbet. Second photo: Karla. Third photo: Fritz. Fourth photo: Fran. More photos on Flickr. )