What's pink and nice for hanging out? Pink Guava!

Pink Guava. It's not a fruit, it's a foodie place. How cute. This was my first thought when I saw Pink Guava for the first time on Quezon Avenue on my way to work maybe two years ago. Last year (or was it 2012?) , my youngest son and I went there but found out they only served an assortment of hot and cold drinks. However, my kid wanted something to eat so out we went. But months later, I was happy to know they had started serving food - pastas, rice meals and cakes. Sadly, I couldn't find an opportunity to eat there...till yesterday. I had business to transact at nearby Insular Life and so had lunch at Pink Guava afterward, together with my daughter. 

These were our orders:   

Pork Sesame Oyster, P119.
My daughter loved this. It's breaded pork poured over with sweet-salty sesame-oyster sauce.

Chix and Chips, P65.
I ate only this and a huge chunk of the cake because I was still feeling full from breakfast. 
Fried bite-sized chicken and potato chips. Great for nibbling!

Almond cake, P115.
We forgot the exact name of this cake and only remembered the first word - almond. Soft and moist and just a bit sweet, making me not too guilty for indulging. Haha!

Cappuccino, 8 oz, P75. It's also available in two bigger sizes.
I loved my coffee! It was very frothy and had just the right kick.

Guava Lychee juice, P120.
My daughter so loved this. Unique was how she described it.

Cute interiors! I love pink..next to purple. 

This is our table and that's my daughter looking so relaxed with her Guava-Lychee drink.

The lamp hanging over our table. Isn't it pretty?

I think this is the one with cinnamon. I regret not having ordered this. Next time!

Or maybe this is the one with cinnamon. Haha! What poor memory I have.

This is Ferrero Rocher cake. I would have loved the cake itself but I dislike Ferrero Rocher 
chocolate that's on top so I didn't go for this.

 This is upstairs, where a function was to be held that afternoon.

Pink Guava is on Quezon Ave in QC. If you're coming from Welcome Rotonda going toward QC Memorial Circle, it's on your right and comes after National Bookstore.

I say this is one place that's perfect for having a nice chat with a friend or even just chillin' out alone . The place has simple but cute and relaxing interiors. The drink menu is quite extensive and impressive. The food menu is simple and contains not quite a lot but I guess there's a good side to it - it saves you from the stress of indecision because it's easier to make a choice. Haha! There's only a few (three or four) pasta dishes and some rice meals plus two pica-pica - Chix. and Chips and Fish and Chips, then the cakes and pastries. But my daughter liked it there so much, I guess, that she was telling me last night she wanted to eat there again. 
Well, hope to see you guys there!

(Note: This place is now closed)

Today's Word: Isaiah 64:8

Many people are unhappy with who they are, with their physical imperfections and failures in life. Yet, they really ought not to be unhappy for they and all of us are the work of God's hand! Surely, He wouldn't make something that's ugly and invaluable! Isn't it wonderful to think that we are all creations of the King of kings and Lord of lords? Not only that, He loves each and everyone of us! Despite life's challenges I'm facing, I already feel good just thinking about that.

I hope you are, too. The Lord bless you today.

                                                        (Photo credit: http://www.rubyjax.com)

Today's Word: Psalm 116:1-2

It is so joyful and reassuring to know that God hears our prayers even if we may sometimes think He doesn't. I know it's so easy to be tempted to doubt. Sometimes, I feel that way, too, when I see no answer to my prayer. But one good thing about reading the Bible is we see and hear God's truths and one of these is that He hears our voice in prayer and we just have 
to be patient for His answer. The Lord bless you today.

                                                    (Photo credit: praisephotography.com)

Live the sweet life at Sweet Avenue Cafe

Thanks to group-buying sites, I don't only save on dining costs, I also discover new foodie places (new to me and really new). Last week, I bought a voucher for Sweet Avenue Cafe in Malate and immediately used it last Saturday before going to church. A wise idea to choose this cafe indeed because our church was only 10 minutes away from there. Anyway, I was quite impressed with this cafe, which I found to be "cute". It's not very small (it can seat 30 persons, the owner told me) nor big, with wooden tables and chairs and a bar-like nook. The first thing that caught my attention, however, was the pink rose at each table and I snapped a shot right away. Perhaps noticing my enthusiasm, the owner told me the rose was actually edible as it was made out of sugar. Wow! I admired and ogled over it all the more. After we (one of my kids was with me) placed our orders, the owner (I hope I remember it right that her name is Ms. Nancy) and I exchanged some "chika" and I found out that Sweet Avenue Cafe opened last year and that most of their clients are employees from nearby offices.  She said they accept small functions like corporate meetings and they also make cakes and cupcakes on order. It wasn't long before our food arrived. I was surprised that my tall-size mocha frappe was indeed tall! In fact, I didn't finish it. Haha! 

My daughter had pesto topped by fried chicken. The pasta was good. My daughter agreed that it was basil-flavorful, but added that a little more salt would have made it better. 
She also liked the bread and the chicken. 

I had "tapsilog" which, at P150, came a full meal as there was also soup (that tasted like nilagang baka), guyabano tea and a small piece of brownie for dessert. How nice! And the tapa slices were a lot - another plus point. The meat was deliciously spiced and tender, too. Even the fried egg was delicious! I always eat tapsilog but in most restaurants, I usually leave the fried egg half-eaten. However, I ate all of it at Sweet Avenue - it was that good! There was one thing I was kinda sad about, though - the rice was not fried, thus, I shouldn't have called my tapa meal "tapsilog" in the first place because there was no "si" for sinangag. Hehe. Here's a saving factor, though: there's a side of veggies, too, which was likewise good that I also finished it.

For dessert, we shared a slice of Green Tea Cheesecake. I'm glad I chose it among the cakes and cupcakes available because I loved it for being just a bit sweet (thus guilt-free) and because it had green tea, it was healthier as well. And yummy too!   

This was my daughter's choice - cafe latte. We loved that it had coffee art. Hehe. My daughter didn't like it very much though, because it seemed to her that there was too much milk and less coffee. But she loved my mocha frappe, which I loved as well.

My Mocha Frappe. Two persons may share a tall frappe because it was really a lot!

And this was the rose I was ogling at. So pretty! 

These are edible party favors that are sooo cute! I just know they're perfect for weddings, christenings and birthdays. 

They have several fruit-flavored cupcake varieties and I was
told that those were made from real pureed fruits and no artificial flavors were used. I love that because I don't like artificial flavors and colors. Those don't do our bodies any good.
  

This is the corner that's like a bar with the tall wooden stools.

These are just some of their cake designs. Kids would love these!

By the way, Ms. Nancy (I hope I'm not mistaken!)  was so nice to give us a meat pie as token. It was meaty and delicious. Perfect with a cup of coffee. 

Sweet Avenue Cafe on Leon Guinto St. near corner Quirino Ave.

The menu outside written on blackboard

I think Sweet Avenue is full of promise because of its delicious food and quick and friendly service. Give it a try one of these days, guys. 

Today's Word: Luke 12:6-7

When we have concerns or are troubled by so many things in this world, we tend to be afraid of what would happen. Will we ever find a job and be able to provide for the family? Are we going to recover from sickness and live long? Will our children be safe when they're away? The list of worries goes on and on. Yet, God tells us we shouldn't be afraid because we matter to Him, our Father in heaven who is very concerned about all the details of our lives. May we remember this when trouble crops up. God has it covered. Amen! The Lord bless you today. 

                                        (Thanks for this photo, Bill Bossman and www.askthebirds.org)

Today's Word: Psalms 25:9

God loves those who are humble and disapproves of those who are proud. This is made clear in His Word and is mentioned many times. So many people, however, do not know or ignore this truth, that's why they do what they please and do not ask God to teach them and lead them in the right way. When they prosper, they think of their achievements as results of their strength, or wisdom, or influence and do not give credit to their Creator who owns everything and everyone on earth. May we always remember that everything that we have is from God, who is the source of all those in this world and not forget to thank Him everyday 

as a way of humbling ourselves.

The Lord bless you today.

                                             (Photo credit: livingrurallifeinahumbleabode.blogspot.com)

Today's Word: Romans 12:12

I've been praying for something, a family blessing, for almost two years now. Although I get discouraged at times, my hope props me up. I know God will not fail me, but answer my prayer in His right time, which is the perfect time. In Jesus, I have hope, knowing that nothing is impossible to Him. I know for sure, too, that He loves my family even more than I do and He also desires to give us that blessing. If today you are weighed down by trouble, listen to what the apostle Paul says in his letter to the Romans. Anchor your hope upon our Lord Jesus. If He doesn't immediately grants your request, justhold on to that hope and have patience. Keep on praying and you will receive what you have hoped for in God's time. 

The Lord bless you today.

                                                                   (Photo credit: theglorysite.com)

Today's Word: John 15:2

Do you go to church every week? Read your Bible and pray everyday? Yes to these? Amen! We must remember, however, that doing these is still not enough. The Bible says we have to bear fruit as Christians. I understand these fruits as two things: Good works and winning souls for Christ. We are Christians not just for ourselves; we must share the love of Jesus to other people by helping them in time of need. Also, discipleship is not just for the 12 apostles of our Lord in His time here on earth, it is also for us, the believers of today. 

We must minister to others in the hope that we will be able to lead them to Jesus. 

For if don't bear fruit, our branch will be pruned, cut off from the trunk to wilt and die.

God bless you today.

                                                          christianwallpapersfree.com

Pinoy food at its best at Isla Cafe by XO46

When loved ones who work abroad come home for vacation, expect them to be craving for and eating a lot of Filipino food. When my sister, who has lived in the US for 30 years came last summer (she does come home almost yearly since 2007 because our parents are now very old), the restaurants we went to to eat Filipino food favorites included Aristocrat, Red Ribbon (for their delicious palabok), 
Mangan and Isla Cafe by XO46. 
The latter is not really a restaurant but a kiosk with some tables and chairs in an obscure corner at Robinson's Place Manila. We discovered it while wandering about after having our hair and face done at a salon inside the mall. Well, the first thing we saw when we stepped out of the salon was a stall selling "chicharon bituka (pork intestines deep-fried to a crisp)". We each got a small pack of this very sinfully delicious and quite exotic treat and munched away as we walked. And then we saw this Isla Cafe and my sister liked that they have arroz caldo (their menu was printed on a standing tarp so we knew at once what they offer) so we sat in. And I couldn't forget what happened in the next few minutes. When her arroz caldo was served, my sister poured all her left-over vinegar in the chicharon pack into her porridge and ate it with gusto. I tasted some of it and it was sooo sour! My sister finished it with a breath! Sisters could be a bit weird sometimes. Hahaha! 
Anyway, we also ordered sapin-sapin ala mode, pancit sotanghon and puto. Sis finished her food off with mango shake while I had kapeng barako. We both loved the food here though I wished the sapin-sapin was softer and chewier. Still, I think eating sapin-sapin with ice cream was a unique idea, giving this popular "kakanin" a whole new twist. Plus, I think its name here is cute - Sapin-Sapin 
Bahaghari, owing to its rainbow of colors. 

All in all, "merienda" at Isla Cafe by XO46 was a delicious way to cap off 

our "me" (or was it "us"? hehe.) day.

Sapin-sapin bahaghari, P75.

Arroz caldo, P125.

Binawang na Sotanghon (served with puto), P175.

Extra order of puto

Ripe mango shake, P155.

Kapeng barako, P45.

Isla Cafe by XO46

XO46, by the way, is the XO46 Heritage Bistro in Makati City (2 branches there, I believe) that is listed among Philippine Tattler's elite group of top Philippine restaurants. Their Isla Cafe has three branches that I know of, two in Quezon City and one in Manila, the one we went to at Robinson's Place Ermita. Pay it a visit soon for some good Filipino food.

Psalms 119:105

It's a beautiful weekend, it seems (hopefully, till Sunday!), with the sun shining brightly at last, after weeks of rain.Yesterday, I shared about the Word and how it is the food of our soul. Today, I want to share exactly how I feel about the Word. It's described in the Bible itself. God's Word is the lamp to my feet and light to my path because it directs my steps and teaches me which way to go. I hope you are also in the habit of reading the Bible everyday. Your soul will be happy to be fed and nourished! Believe me, you will benefit from reading the Word as it has the answers to almost all questions you may have and guide you in important decisions you might need to make. Most importantly, the Word will give you faith and strengthen it and deepen your relationship with God. The Lord bless you today.

                                                              (Thanks to shinzoo.com)