Lego Exhibit: It's More Fun in the Philippines

Pinoy Lego

     Lego again had another exhibit at The Block in SM North Edsa. Last time it was a Star Wars feature, now it's some of Philippines' famous landmarks. Good thing we had a day to check out the 2 week long exhibit! :)

The Block

Lego Land

     The exhibit featured a huge map of the Philippines, showcasing famous landmarks in the different provinces and cities. On the other area are the Lego toys for sale as a well a corner for kids where they can make their own Lego creation. 

     We'll guide you through the landmarks throughout the 3 main islands of the Philippines. 


Note: this is a picture heavy post. :)   

LUZON

     First up: Luzon the largest island in the country. Some of the landmarks include the Bangui Windmills in Ilocos Norte, old houses in Vigan, Banaue Rice Terraces, Mayon Volcano in Albay, Crocodile Farm, the Underground River and the limestone cliffs in Palawan, Fort Santiago and Luneta Park in Manila among others.

Bangui Windmills (Ilocos Norte)

Paoay Church (Ilocos Norte)

Vigan (Ilocos Sur)

Napa Restaurant & Bar

Napa Restaurant & Bar

     We have read a lot of raves about Napa's lava cake and that's one of the reasons why we wanted to dine here. Add to that the fact that their food is also much talked about.

Welcome :)

     Napa Bar and Restaurant is located at Scout Borromeo, South Triangle Quezon City. It was formerly at Il Terrazo and was called Bistro Napa. The new location used to be a house which they turned into this Napa Valley inspired resto. They offer Italian-American fare which most Pinoys love. They're is open everyday from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to 1am.

The Ambiance

     The restaurant is very homey, with the dim, warm lights, yellow colored walls with hand-painted designs, colorful paintings and a spacious area. The room has a casual elegance, perfect for romantic dinners, simple family dinners, even for meetings. 

Dining area

Napa Valley-inspired

     The seating is a mix and match of brown and light green wooden chairs with red cushions, the tables simple -- not getting your attention from the beautifully adorned walls. There is also a big, plush sofa on one corner which makes for a very comfortable seating! Past the green wooden panels is an al fresco dining area with metal chairs coupled with glass-topped tables. They also have the brick oven there as well as the glass display of their desserts. 

Pipino: Vegetarian Food by Pino

Pipino: Vegetable Food by Pino

     The Lenten season is fast approaching. With regards to food, it's the time for fasting and abstaining from meat. Pipino is the perfect place since they serve vegetarian dishes and desserts, too! :)

Details

     Pipino is owned by  Ms. Alessandra Libongco and PJ Lanot and is located at Teacher's Village. They are open from Mondays to Saturdays from 11am-12mn, and on Sundays from 11am-10pm. On the floor below it is Pino Bar and Resto.

THE AMBIANCE

Mio Alphabet

     The small restaurant has a nice feel to it, thanks to the high ceiling and big windows that let natural light in. You won't feel claustrophobic even if the room is quite small. Dominating the brick wall on the left is a large cork board with photos, memorabilia and some posters.


     On the far corner of the room is a spot dedicated to The Mio Alphabet. The monogram greeting cards and vinyl stickers designed by Mio, a 7year old boy diagnosed with leukemia last 2009, are for sale and funds go to Mio's medical treatment as well as those with rare diseases. To learn more about this project, visit miofightscancer.com 

Take a seat! :)

     The tables and chairs are simple, in line with the theme of the restaurant. There are also long tables coupled with benches, good for groups of 4-6. It feels like you're in a school cafeteria, but much more peaceful. :p

Van Gogh is Bipolar

Van Gogh is Bipolar

     Our friends have been raving about and were urging us to try this place. We've read a lot about this restaurant and liked what we saw. We didn't pass up the chance to go to this place on our rest day. :)


     If we'd describe this place in a word, it would be HAPPINESS! Read on to find out why. :p

Entrance

Come in!

     Van Gogh is Bipolar, a quaint, oddly furnished place, is Jetro Rafael's home by day and restaurant by night. Mr. Rafael was diagnosed as bipolar three years ago. To cope with this, he cooked and created unique dishes that play with your mood. He uses ingredients that can either calm you down or lift your spirits up! His cooking is both beneficial to him and to those who savor his dishes. 


     We didn't have the chance to talk to Jetro because he was being interviewed by a group of college students but it's good that they asked what we wanted to know. By eavesdropping, we learned that, like anybody else, he had a hard time accepting his condition. This didn't hinder him though from living a productive life. PROST! :)

Footwear is not allowed

     We made reservations three days in advance via SMS as he only allows 12 diners a night. First things first, footwear is not allowed inside his home. :p 

VGIB's House Rules

     Once you enter the small but festive looking room, you'd have to follow the House Rules. We'd tell you all about our dining experience through these rules. :p

Lego Exhibit: Star Wars

LEGO Star Wars

     We've grown up playing with Lego and watching the Star Wars films and we were excited to see the exhibit at SM North Edsa - The Block. Seeing the toys at the exhibit brought out the child in us. The Star Wars Lego Exhibit started last February 25 and will last until March 11, 2012. :)

Galaxy far, far away

     Did you know that "LEGO" is the abbreviation of "leg godt", two Danish words that mean "play well"? It has been an established brand, started out in 1932. All of us have enjoyed playing and creating with these LEGO blocks! 

     Star Wars has been a pop culture phenomenon since it was first released in 1977. From this, video games, books, television series and toys were created. It's fitting that LEGO made a series out of this popular hit! :)

Battle at Endor

     On the right side before the entrance is a battle scene at the forest moon of Endor, between the Ewoks and scout troopers. The scene is made more alive with the bright green Lego trees, troopers and Ewoks with their weapons.

Ewoks versus imperial AT-AT

Ewok battling an Imperial scout trooper

Bellini's Italian Restaurant

Bellini's

     Before heading to Casa Santa, we went to this restaurant which we came to know because of the movie One More Chance. We wanted to see it for ourselves and experience Italian dining. We're glad to have visited the place -- it looked great and the food served were scrumptious! Read on! :)

Up close!

     Bellini's is owned by Roberto Bellini and his wife, Ma. Luisa. It is located at Marikina Shoe Expo in Cubao, along with the other unique shops and restaurants. It's an Italian resturant that serves great tasting pizza and pasta! :)  

THE AMBIANCE

     The place looks so vibrant and festive with all the paintings and eye catching photographs displayed on the walls. The also have a cool wine rack showcasing numerous Italian wines. The restaurant is divided into 3 rooms.

Famous spot

     The largest one is where a scene from the movie One More Chance was shot. On the back wall is a miniature leaning tower of Pisa and on the right are framed photographs and newspaper clippings of the owner from when he was a paparazzo, covering the Edsa Revolution.

When in Rome

     The next room features murals and a replica of the famous Colosseum. This room is also adorned with colorful paintings, from the ceiling to all the walls!

     The third room is where we dined. The entrance to this room is an archway with the phrase "La Dolce Vita" which means the good life or the sweet life.

Parvati

Home Made. Dessert Shop.

     From our hearty meal at Stacy's, we craved for something sweet. We did not have any of Stacy's desserts so we could try the other restaurants'/ cafes' to satisfy our sweet tooth.

     Parvati is a small dessert shop by the Mindanao exit at Trinoma. They have a variety of goodies like cookies, cakes, and ice cream.

Facade

     You will be greeted by a display of mouth-watering desserts, a row of simple chairs and tables and friendly servers. On the left side is a display of their bestseller cakes and pastries, along with a TV showcasing how some of them are made.

AMBIANCE

Always the better choice

     The small yet clean-looking cafe is brightly lit, and smells really good! On the walls are pictures of delicious desserts which we can't wait to taste! :p

Photo wall

     They have simple, glass-topped round tables coupled with light weight stainless steel chairs with brown cushions. On the right side of the cafe are long cushioned seats, with small rectangular, glass-topped tables. These make for a laid back, relaxed atmosphere.

Stacy's

Welcome to Stacy's! =)

     After seeing and reading about this place in blogs, we also wanted to experience and taste the delicacies Stacy's has to offer. We met up at Trinoma, rode an FX then a trike (after crossing Commonwealth Ave twice!) to get here. Whew! :p

Facade

Al fresco dining

     More seats are available outside, under big umbrellas. It's probably nicer out here during night time as it's cooler. And the view is probably better, too, as it is located on a hill.

Kiddie corner

     Once inside, you'd feel light and kind of giddy! The place just gives off this happy vibe with all the colorful wall decors, kiddie nook and Heima designed furniture.

AMBIANCE

Counter

     The simple, white counter looked clean and well-organized. The beverages were written with colorful chalks on old school chalkboards which looked cute along with the fun paintings! There was also a display for mouthwatering cakes and an eye catching, bright pink refrigerator which added to the whimsical feel of the resto.

Pan de Amerikana: Bakery and Restaurant

Welcome to Pan!

     From Ayala, we took the MRT to Ortigas station then hailed a cab to get to Katipunan Ave. via White Plains. We immediately spotted the resto, thanks to the bright red upside down car. =D

 

Already teeming with diners ^_^

Entrance through the roof?!

     Pan de Amerikana is said to be the FIRST and only UPSIDE DOWN RESTAURANT in Southeast Asia. Outside is a bicycle and a shiny, red Land Rover parked in front of the upside down house. Upside down flower pots adorned the triangular window. It was so odd but very nice -- couldn't wait to see what was inside! :p

Gayuma ni Maria

Gayuma ni Maria

     We've been wanting to try Gayuma ni Maria's famous dishes which people have raved about on the net. Finally, we reached the place by riding a jeep from SM North to QC Hall then to Kalayaan cor. V. Luna and a tricycle ride to the resto. :)

 Gayuma's facade

Artwork

     
     Gayuma is unlike other restos. It had a simple signage, they offered a menu for the day and had several artworks adorning the walls.

Five Cows Resto and Ice Cream Bar

Five cows

     Crossed out one of the restos in our ever growing list of places to eat today - Five Cows Resto and Ice Cream Bar in Trinoma, famous for their desserts. We rarely get to eat in a resto that offered a variety of dishes, complete with great desserts. We would usually have dessert some place else. This time though, we got to enjoy both the meal and dessert in one place. And that's a treat! :)

THE AMBIANCE

 Sumptuous meals!

     The place feels like your in a dairy farm of some sort, with the wooden furniture, shutters and simple decors. It's appealing to look at as the resto is brightly lit.

 Moooooo ^_^

 Cow print boxes

     You can't miss the place! It's just on the 4th floor, by the cinemas. It's owned by Nestle, inspired by The Creamery. The specialty is, of course, ice cream -- served in a variety of ways!

Justin Bieber Live in Manila!

My World Tour

     Finally, the day most tweens are waiting for came -- Justin Bieber's My World Tour in Manila! All those with bieber fever, gather round! =)
   

Tickets! :)

     We got our tickets on the morning of the concert Haha! -- good thing there were still some available. We arrived at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds just before 8pm (got agitated in traffic first hehe!) They say that some 40,000 people were in MOA that night.

 Poreotics

Showing off their moves =p 

     America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC) Season 5 champions Poreotics opened the show. Theirs was a crew that specializes in popping, choreography and robotics, hence the name. Too bad we weren't able to watch their number.