Monthly Archives: February 2014

In City and Country Elmer Borlongan 1992 – 2012

By | Arts and Culture, Proud to be Pinoy! | No Comments

Congratulations Elmer Borlongan on your 20th Anniversary!

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Elmer is such a humble and soft spoken guy and I admire him not only for his works of art but also for being such a wonderful husband to Plet. in-city-and-country-elmer-borlongan-1992-2012-2.jpegin-city-and-country-elmer-borlongan-1992-2012-8.jpeg

 I don’t know Elmer very well but I see that he is so sweet and so loving to Plet.  He is always so “game” to join Plet in her movies 🙂 her photo sessions and he never fails to acknowledge her.   And as expected, even that evening Plet gets special mention 🙂  So I admire them both for who they are as individuals and together as a couple 

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Come and visit the Ayala Museum and see a great compilation of his works from 1992 to 2012
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Get a copy of his book

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we had ours signed that evening.  We are so happy

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Glam Hatters Tea at Raffles Makati

By | Fashion, Foodie, What's New at Rustan's | No Comments

I went to the Raffles Makati, Writer’s Bar to have tea

You can come with your own fascinator or you can choose from many styles available there 🙂

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So happy to see the people behind Raffles Makati, Monique Toda and  David Bachelor and my beautiful cousin, Dina Tantoco!  

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And of course with the ultimate Glam Hatter, Tessa Prieto Valdes who has around 300 hats! 

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All of us who enjoyed our afternoon tea party 🙂

It comes with all of this, one by one so you can enjoy a slow pace afternoon tea for P 1,100 for two people.  But you can also request that they bring everything all at once
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Rustan’s has a tie up with Raffles Makati!  Shop at Rustan’s and get a chance to win exclusive first class stays at Raffles hotel

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U Pillow

By | Great Inventions, Shopping | One Comment

Heart2Heart loves the U pillow!

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It’s being sold by Kyla Olives ( +63 0927-785-6789 ) or email upillowfindsahome@gmail.com
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I first saw it from Monchet  

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Isa Palabyab’s U pillow

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It’s really big 🙂

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Mandarin Oriental Welcomes French Michelin Star Chef Toix at Tivoli

By | Foodie | No Comments

I had lunch today at Tivoli 

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Heart2Heart is so honored to have tried the amazing talent of Chef Richard Toix today

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It’s so timely because now that it is art month, Chef Richard to me is a chef and an artist.  You will see this in his presentation and he is just truly talented.  This is his most recent photo taken today 🙂  compared to the photo in the marketing collaterals.  He told us that he had stopped smoking which made him gain a few kilos.  I think food is still a better vice than smoking 🙂  

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 So happy to see Charisse Chuidian and Peter Pysk, Director for Food and Beverages

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Our Maitre D’ – Nel 

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We were served the Degustation.  You can have the degustation even during lunch and not necessarily just the Business lunch.  I highly recommend the Degustation!  As with any degustation, this will be a three hour experience and believe me it is worthwhile and something not to be missed!  He is only here til Sunday so make your reservations now.  Call 750-8888 for reservations

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Chaud-Froid de petis legumes et coquillages – Chaud -froid of young vegetables and shellfish-Whipped cream with calamansi and spring onion, Jerusalem artichoke, clams, razor clams, sea snail, cherry tomatoes, asparagus 

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Croustillant de pomme de terre et truffles, emulsion beurre noisette.  Potato Black truffle, croustillant with brown butter -They had to import the potato from overseas to be able to come up with the croustillant which is the circular crisp.  That is not a puff pastry but a crispy fried potato which was thinly sliced.  Potato spuma, fresh black truffle, burnt brown butter and truffle vinaigrette

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Soupe de Chataigne, comte pains grille.  Chestnut soup and Comte toast.  Delicious!  

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Champignons. Mushrooms -You cannot order this dish in the ala carte which is why you need to order the degustation!  I have and will not just eat any fresh button mushroom but this one was perfect!  This is an amazing dish!  Rajo and I loved this!  Fresh button mushroom chips, Duxelle mushrooms, bacon ice cream and white chocolate shavings!  YUM!  

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 When I was a kid, my favorite restaurant was Tivoli!  I love lamb chops and I would go here to have the lamb chops 🙂  As soon as they made me choose the main course, no doubt I chose the lamb and I am happy Chef Richard had a lamb dish!  The lamb is served pink 🙂  slow cooked in 65 degrees for 25 minutes.  It is topped with a Nori ( seaweed) crust made of breadcrumbs, nori, parmesan cheese and butter!  WOW! I could eat 4 of this 🙂

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This was the other choice for the main dish Dos de Merou, cannelloni crabe et avocet, vinaigrette et crust aces.  Lapu Lapu fillet, crab meat-avocado cannelloni and shellfish vinaigrette

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Foret noire version 2014. Black forest cake 2014 – Valrhona Chocolate, vanilla mouse with cherry sorbet

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Homemade Treasures by Chona Ayson

By | Foodie | 3 Comments

I am so happy to see Chona again!!  The beautiful lady behind Homemade Treasures.  She comes all the way from Pampanga with all her delicious sweets!!!

Previous Entry:  Homemade Treasures January 4,2014

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Here she is again up close
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Best seller and her specialty is the Classic Ensaymada
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Best seller # 2 is the Cheese rolls which I got to try and wow!! LOVE!!!
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Her ube jam is also a bestseller
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and the Ube Ensaymada is getting to be very popular as well.  I tried many things from Homemade treasures and you can really tell that she does not scrimp on her ingredients
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Calamansi Mamon – YUM!
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Ham ensaymada!  Also so good!! With a very generous amount of ham inside!  She does not scrimp!
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Guava Mamon

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New!! Honey Mamon!
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Honey Caramel Ensaymada
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Pistachio Ensaymada
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New!! Caramels!! I love this! I shared it with my sister too – reminded me of dulce gatas from Bacolod but this comes in balls
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External Battery Charger

By | Great Inventions, H2H Favorite Things, Technology | 2 Comments

These are all my back ups for my phone to make sure I don’t run out of battery!  There was an article on how you can save your battery, but I am really a heavy user especially if I am mobile so I need all the power reserve that I can get 

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Thanks to this gadget I won’t need all of those anymore!! This external battery can charge my iPhone 4 times!  or Charge 4 gadgets at the same time!  It’s quite big but it can still fit in your bag- it is only 1 pound and I don’t mind bringing it and using it – it is better than running out of battery for my phone.  I know there are many out there and there are branded ones which will be more expensive and which might probably be better but this one I have tried and tested so it is okay.   

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You don’t need to look for an outlet if you are in the car, on the airplane, in a restaurant or when you are outdoors!!  It’s perfect for me!

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If you are interested in purchasing one, I am bringing in a few from the States together with mine.  Please call Beth at landline 8981371 to reserve and they will arrive on March 4. Heart2Heart’s favourite things closed already so items will come from the office. It costs P 2,700.00.  

It’s perfect

1.)  For travelling- whether land, sea or air  

2.)  If you plan to be outdoor the whole day  

3.)  For a gift to someone who has everything 🙂

4.)  For someone like me relies a lot on the phone to work when mobile

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There is a smaller and more compact kind which is like a lipstick!  This can charge your phone only once but it is very handy and you can hang it on your neck or put in your pocket.  This is P 1,200.00  If you like this, please specify your color as it comes in many colors ( below )

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The black one comes with these

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The other colours come like this

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Romantic Eats by Pinoy Eats World

By | Foodie | One Comment

Heart2Heart was so busy on HEART day 🙂  I went to the travel fair and realised I was too early arriving at 8am for the 10am opening, so I went to Podium to see this 🙂  Again I was the earliest 🙂

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Saw JJ Yulo there a few minutes before I had to leave.  I forgot to ask you JJ what your shirt meant haha 🙂  I like going to JJs bazaars because I find new things I do not know about 
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Just a simple set up with a few booths.  A few but very interesting booths – Quality not quantity 🙂
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New discovery!  Gourmet Cotton Candy!  This was Pia’s first time to attend a bazaar and introduce her product.  All natural cotton candy which are hand mixed.  It’s healthier without the preservatives but of course no claim of being sugar free 🙂 You can hire her cart for parties or events or you can buy the powder/mix from her
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Chona of Homemade Treasures took me here – Yummy cheesecakes.  The ube one uses the ube of Homemade Treasures so I therefore conclude it is Yummy 🙂
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LOVE this booth! Pink, hearts and everything sweet 🙂
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Sugar Twists by Gonuts Donuts – their booth was not yet set up so no photo of the booth
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Marianna and Migs for Buckies!!
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Some wine
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Sticks and Balls- very interesting ones 🙂  The Bananutella Buchi and the Prawn and foie gras balls 
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Risa’s booth was not yet set up so this is all I took 
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Aries Caces at the Polk Arts Center

By | Arts and Culture, Entertainment, Great Achievements, Proud to be Pinoy! | 2 Comments

I am so blessed to be part of this private concert at the Polk Art Center 🙂 and have the priveledge to listen once more to the great and very talented pianist, Aries Caces.  Aries is a pianist, conductor and professor in Vienna, Austria and is back for awhile in the Philippines.  He will be back next year for a solo concert with the Manila Symphony Orchestra  

Previous entry:  Aries Caces and Minette Padilla March 10, 2012   

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This piece is a beautiful and very unique performance that I have never seen in my whole life.  It’s a left hand alone piece composed by a Filipino, who was the teacher of Aries.  Listen to Aries explain and then see how he plays this piece.  I am so happy to have captured this

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More power to you Aries!! You make us Filipinos proud!


Thank you to my bestfriend, Eds, for organizing this and inviting us over





Cocktails by the beautiful pool of Eds.  Eds is a very good customer of Gourmet Garage catering 🙂  





And a Happy Birthday Eds!! We love you!
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