WHY IT'S MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES

We started the New Year right by taking a short trip to Manila. Yes, I love that it's only three and a half hours away from SG. Yey!

Mandaluyong, Philippines. January 2012.
View from our condo unit's balcony via Instagram.
New Year Must Do: mag-"general cleaning." (That term is so Pinoy!)

With the non-stop reunions (aka kainan), it really is more fun in the Philippines!

Banapple lunch with my brother's family.
 Beef stew, crispy bangus, some yummy cheesy pasta,
blueberry pancakes and blueberry cheesecake.

Made it to our UP Barkada's annual reunion!
E to Me: "Thanks for flying thousands of miles
to be with us."

Cake Party (cakes not in photo)
at M & C's brand new home.
Plus salad, tacos, lechon manok, liempo, white rice.

Foggy or Smoggy? Tagaytay or Baguio?
View from M's balcony. Guess where.

Recipes dinner with my dear cousins and nieces.
Kare-kare, gising-gising, General's Chicken,
General's fried tofu, lechon kawali and kangkong, lotsa rice!

Cafe Breton.
Hubby and I love Breton's Tarzan
so we ordered one each, for the first time!
Miss na miss? We usually share lang. LOL.

More than the country's breathtaking natural wonders (Palawan, Boracay, Sagada, Batanes...) and good food (Hubby and I ate too much Max's crispy pata and Lapid's chicharon during this trip), we enjoy coming home to chika time with family and friends.