Michi Photostory

October 20, 2016

Irvins Salted Egg

Update: August 2017 Irvins Salted Egg is now available in the Philippines. (SM Megamall)

This year I’ve been seeing a lot of posts about salted egg chips so I became curious to try it out. I listed it on my agenda when we went to Singapore two months ago but unfortunately I was not able to buy one because of limited time. I was hoping that I can find one at the airport but I was wrong, I did not see any Irvins Salted Egg Potato Chips at Changi Airport.

Last month, I saw a post from a friend about Pre-order of Irvins Salted Egg Products so I immediately messaged her and asked for the price. She gave me the PHP price (shipping not included) but I told her that my husband will just pick up my order in Singapore so she gave me the SRP, no more profit. :)

She asked me when is my husband’s flight because she needs to pre-order it, two weeks' delivery time. Waah! It is really popular in Singapore that you need to pre-order para hindi maubusan. Good thing that she received the products a few days before my husband’s arrival.

I ordered Irvins Salted Egg Potato Chips SGD16 and Irvins Salted Egg Sauce SGD8. Since I’m not fond of fish skin, I did not order Irvins Salted Egg Fish Skin SGD16. It is available in regular size for SGD8.

The salted egg potato chips are not cheap. If I will convert it to PH Peso, let say 1SGD = PHP35, one large chip (230g) is P560. That is so expensive for chips so I was really hoping that it is worth the splurge. #DangerouslyAddictive''

Upon the arrival of my husband in SG, he immediately meets his friend to get my order and I patiently waited for three more days just to hold these goodies. I even posted on IG, “Hindi ko alam kung saan ko mas excited sa salted egg potato chips ba o sa pag-uwi ni hubby”. hehehe!

The pen is just to show the size

My husband and I love salted egg and salted egg shrimp is one of our favorite meals in the house. I brought the Irvins Salted Egg Potato Chips during my son’s Field Trip so this was our companion during traffic.

Read: Salted Egg Shrimp Recipe

I like the packaging, it is very sealed and the packaging is resealable too. Since it is freshly made, you need to consume it 6 weeks from the production date and within a week after opening it.

So our verdict, the salted egg potato chips are just okay. It is not dangerously addictive for us. I’m not sure if I just expected too much or if I’m not really into chips. The taste is a combination of salty, sweet, and a tinge of spiciness. I’m not fond of sweet and spicy foods, so kung chips gusto ko lang salty parang Chippy. Hehehe! My husband finished this pack.

I used Irvin’s Salted Egg Sauce in my Salted Egg Chicken. I just put a few tbsp of the salted egg sauce in the pan and add the fried chicken strips. Honestly, I haven't tried this dish yet and this was my first time cooking it.

My husband ate salted egg chicken when he went to Brunei and he liked it so I asked him how's my salted egg chicken. He said, magkalasa daw so he loved my dish (same taste). So if you want salted egg chicken, just buy the Irvins salted egg sauce and you will have a perfect dish. hahaha!

If you will ask me if I liked it, I will just say “ok lang”, kalasa (same taste) din kasi ng salted egg potato chips. Hehehe! And because my husband loves my salted egg chicken, I'm cooking this again today just for him. :)

Where to buy Irvins Salted Egg?

VivoCity B2-K25
Across Texas Chicken

Raffles Xchange B1 (Weekday)
Across Pop In store
11-7PM (Pick-up 11 - 6:30PM)

Westgate L2
Across BEGA
11-7PM (Pick-up 11-6:30PM)

October 19, 2016

Amada’s Leche Flan and Desserts

Our family loves leche flan but I don’t usually make this at home. Most of the recipes that I have tried only use egg yolk so sayang naman ang white part and nauumay naman ko sa whitel omelet. So most of the time, I will just buy leche flan.

Actually, this is my son’s favorite dessert and whenever he sees leche flan in the menu, di pwedeng hindi siya oorder. He even asked me, what are the names of the restaurants that have leche flan.

Last year, we had a chance to visit Blogapalooza and one of the booths there is Amada’s Leche Flan and Desserts. We were able to try their Leche Flan and we all loved it. It is not the usual leche flan that we tasted before. The leche flan is thick, dense, creamy and not too sweet so hindi ka mauumay.

As much as I want to order this leche flan last year, they don’t have outlet yet. Meet-up is not possible because I live outside NCR so I was glad when I learned that they have a kiosk in Southmall, it was opened last July 1, 2016.

But during my past visits, I can’t locate where is their kiosk but after watching a movie last Saturday, I saw their kiosk on the lower ground floor near Jollibee and Mang Inasal.

I bought leche flan at P155 (from P195), sale yata. I was planning to buy their pili roll cake but it was not available at that time. Maybe on our next visit.

“Our family’s treasured recipe. For almost 20 years, Amada’s Leche Flan has made our special moments sweeter. Now we share it with you. From our family to yours”

October 18, 2016

Our Free Movie Date

My husband is always busy so most of the time, he doesn’t pay too much attention to all the text that he receives from his postpaid plan or any other text alert on his phone. Then two months ago, he discovered that he can use his points in SM Cinema so lagi niya kami niyaya na manood ng movie. But my son and I always decline, natatamad kami. Hehehe!

We seldom watch movie because it is expensive and we have our own preferences. My son likes cartoons, my husband of course, likes thrilling and action movies while I like feel good movies. So choices pa lang ng movie, di na kami magkasundo. Hehehe!

Last Saturday, we really had no plan in watching a movie. We just need to pay bills and go to the supermarket. On our way to S&R, my husband suggested that we should watch a movie first before grocery so we went straight to Southmall.

Feeling ko strategy niya yan kasi no choice na kaming mag-ina at nakasakay na kami ng kotse. Hehehe! I’m not updated with the movies but I saw the “Oops, Noah is Gone” so I suggested this to hubby because it is included in Family Movie Day Oct. 15-16, 2016.

Buy two SM Cinema Tickets and get two additional tickets for FREE
Free movie tickets are applicable to kids 4ft and below.
Free movie tickets must be used on the same schedule of the purchased tickets.

But my husband prefers “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”. I don’t know how to redeem the Smart Rewards Points for movie tickets because my husband did it. Well, it is not totally a FREE movie date because we need to pay P1 each for paper cost fee.

I have no time to search for this movie so nung nag-umpisa, natakot na ko kasi mukhang horror. Knowing me, I don’t like horror movies but my husband said “hindi ito horror, magic ito”.

Throughout the movie, my son was whispering to me.

Ethan: Mommy, this is a horror movie.
Mommy, I don't like this movie.
Mommy, daddy chose the wrong movie. (Repeat for the nth time)

After the movie, he said to his daddy.

Ethan: Daddy, nagwaste tayo ng 3hrs. Hahaha (more or less 2 hrs lang movie)

Well, good thing that we only paid P3 for this movie. Actually, nagkanightmare pa anak ko dito, he really woke up in the middle of the night sa takot. So hindi niya talaga makalimutan that “daddy chose the wrong movie”. hehehe!

So if you have Smart Postpaid line, don’t forget to use your points. Sayang talaga yung mga hindi naredeem ni hubby. As far as I can remember, five years ago yung last namin nagamit yung points niya. We also watched movie.

Read: 3 Peso Movie Date
Smart Rewards and SM Cinema Tickets and Treats

We also used his points for Red Ribbon mamon, o di ba may baon na anak ko sa school. Hehehe!

October 17, 2016

Paper Moon Cafe

We were in SM Mall Of Asia last Thursday because we were following our son. He has Field Trip on that day and since chaperone is not allowed, we just followed him.

Read: Field Trip

Their last stop is Exploreum in SM MOA, we were so early so my husband and I decided to eat merienda first. We saw Paper Moon Tokyo so we paid a visit.

I’ve been seeing raves and positive reviews of this dessert online. Since it was our first time, it took us so long to choose a flavor. The staff was recommending matcha but I dislike matcha. Ending, we just ordered one Mango Mille Crepe P350 and Hot Americano P100.

Mango Mille Crepe is different from the usual crepe that we eat, it is layers of thin crepe, cream and fruit filling turned into a cake. It is an eye candy and you know that it is not easy to assemble this. Maybe that is the reason why this dessert is not cheap.

The dessert is very light, the layers of crepe are not sweet, the cream is not sweet and the mango filling is not sweet too. Waah! Ano ba ito kinakain namin? I was expecting the mangoes to be sweet but no, it tastes bland and may part na overripe.

The Mille Crepe is good but if I will consider the price, I think it is not worth it. I don’t spend P450 for merienda only. Well, charge it to experience but if you have the budget, why not.

Paper Moon Tokyo Cafe
G/F 101 SM MOA
Galleon Wing J

October 15, 2016

Why Staycations Can Be Tons of Fun?

If you’re thinking of going on holiday as a family this year but don’t want to stray too far or spend too much money, a ‘staycation’ can be a really fun alternative. Although you’ll have to miss out on traveling abroad, staying at home in the UK when planning your family holidays can be a great way to spend some fun and memorable times with your partner and children without having to break the bank. We’ve put together some of the best reasons to opt for a family staycation this year, and why they can be tons of fun.

Road Trips

Going on a road trip to somewhere together as a family can be a lot more fun than taking an aeroplane. Road trips give you the opportunity to control exactly where you go, where you stop along the way, and any detours that you take when you see signs for interesting places that you want to check out. Family road trips can be excellent bonding time and are perfect for laughing together, having meaningful conversations, and simply getting to know one another better. Visit toptests.co.uk to revise your driving theory before a road trip.

Save Money

One of the main reasons why more and more families are opting for staycations rather than traveling on holiday abroad is that they can often be much cheaper. With flights being far more expensive during the summer holidays, getting a cheap family holiday abroad can often mean your little ones missing out on school. The best thing about road trips and staycations is that for the most part, you won’t usually have to pay more for things simply because it’s the school holidays.

Be Adventurous

Staycations can really encourage you to be adventurous and do things that you wouldn’t normally do. When you take a holiday abroad you usually just want to sit and relax by the pool, but staycations can be filled with a range of interesting activities to take part in.

Avoid Stress

When it comes to choosing between staying at home or going abroad for your family holiday, staying at home can be a great way to keep your stress levels at a minimum. Packing suitcases with weight limits, going through security, dealing with bored children on a flight with hundreds of other passengers, and waiting to collect luggage when you have tired kids in tow is all avoided when you take a staycation, so it’s no surprise that more mums and dads are booking their family holidays at home.

Straightforward

When you’re going on holiday with kids, chances are you have a massive checklist of things that you need to do and what you need to pack in the weeks leading up to your trip. When you stay at home for your family holiday, you won’t need to worry about things such as boarding passes, passports, currency exchange, or letting your bank and mobile phone network know that you’re going to be traveling, meaning that it’s easier to get prepared.

If you’re looking for an alternative holiday to traveling abroad this year, a staycation can be a great idea.

October 14, 2016

School Field Trip

Two months ago, I received a letter about my son’s field trip and he was hesitant to join because of the no chaperone policy. Last year, he did not join the Field Trip so now, I persuaded him to join kasi sayang naman ang bayad. The Educational Trip fee is included in the tuition so whether you join or not, they will not refund the payment.

Read: When Plan Fails

I was able to persuade my son but when he agreed, I felt nervous because this is the first time that my son will go on a trip without chaperone. Sa dami ng nangyayari sa bansa, I cannot help but be a paranoid mom. One week before the trip, I bought cellphone for my son so I can call or text him.

Read: Where is my Son?

But few days before September 9, they canceled the Field Trip because of the Davao Bombing incident. There are so many bomb threats during that time so just to be sure, they moved the schedule.

Fast forward to yesterday, I took a bath and my son asked me,

Ethan: Mommy, why are you not wearing pambahay?
Me: I will go with you and daddy sa school.

We went to school for my son’s Field Trip. Like I said before, I’m such a paranoid mom so I asked my husband to file a vacation leave so we can follow our son. Bawal chaperone pero pwede naman magconvoy. Hehehe!

Itinerary for the day:

PHILVOCS
Philippine Science Centrum
Manila Boystown
Exploreum

First stop is PHILVOCS, I thought we were so late because we cannot see the bus on the road. Yun pala, mas nauna pa kami nakarating sa bus. And because I was early, I was able to take pictures of the lobby.

They allowed us to enter, maybe because there is no entrance fee in PHIlVOCS. So I was able to watch the video about volcanic eruption, earthquake and tsunami. The videos are very informative, kids will know what are they going to do if there will be a disaster.

Actually, my son was surprised when I called him at PHILVOCS, he did not notice that I was standing in front of him. He has no idea that we will follow him. Hehehe! S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E!!!!!!!

Ethan: Why are you here?

Next stop is Science Centrum, we have visited this place when my son was 2 years old. This is the first field trip that he joined, it was his cousin’s field trip and pwede magsama ng buong pamilya basta magbayad. Lol. We’re not allowed to go inside so no picture, hanggang labas lang ako.

Read: Science Centrum

Entrance Fee

Students and Adults: P130 maximum stay of 1.5 hrs. P60 extra hour thereafter
Senior Citizen with ID: 50% off
Teacher with ID: Free

My husband and I took our lunch while waiting for our son. When my son went out, we told him that we will meet him in MOA. We will not go to Manila Boystown anymore. If you remember my post yesterday, I have a problem with Paypal so I need to go to the bank to deposit my payment.

Read: Why I Can’t Use my Paypal Balance?

And because of that, we’re so early in MOA. We paid our bills, we ate at Paper Moon Tokyo Cafe and napagod na kami sa pag-ikot wala pa rin anak ko. I was texting and calling him but he was not answering. Napaparanoid na naman ang lola niyo. I felt relieved when I saw the bunch of kids walking to Exploreum. Akala ko naiwan na sa boystown anak ko. Hehehe!

Again, hanggang labas lang kami but few minutes before the time. Pinapasok na kami ng guard hanggang dito lang. Hehehe! So I was able to take a picture and video of this. Then I saw my son na, uwian na.

Honestly, nakakapagod magconvoy. Parang paparazzi lang ako na buntot ng buntot at picture ng picture pag nakikita ko anak ko. But at least, I have peace of mind that my son is safe. #paranoidmom

Maybe next year, I will not follow him anymore. Maybe... just maybe ... hehehe!

My son went home with 200ml Safeguard Body Wash and pin. Freebies at Exploreum.

October 12, 2016

Why I Can’t Use my Paypal Balance?

I have Paypal since year 2009, I can’t remember why I registered but it was only year 2011 when I started using it. It is one easy way to send or receive payment without going to the bank.

I used it in reserving hotel, hostel or buying stuff online. That’s why I do appreciate online shopping site that has Paypal or COD payment because as much as possible I don’t want to use my credit card online. My credit card was hacked before even though I rarely use it online.

Read: My Credit Card Was Hacked

I never had any problem with my Paypal until last Friday, I tried to use it when I was paying my order at Beauty MNL but it would not let me use my Paypal Balance. It doesn’t allow me to change my payment method. The only payment option is via credit card. I just brushed it off and I did not use Paypal anymore.

Read: My First Shopping Experience at Beauty MNL

Today, because Christmas is near I’m starting to shop for Christmas gifts. Again, I chose Paypal. The seller sent me an invoice and when I clicked the invoice it would not let me use my Paypal Funds.

I have enough funds to pay the transaction but it automatically chooses my credit card. I try to send money but I have the same fate. I checked my payment settings and everything was correct.

Choose a payment method at checkout

If you have a PayPal balance, we'll use it first.

But still, I can’t use my Paypal Balance and I don’t know why! I was able to use it last June when I bought clothes online. So I was really surprised that all of a sudden, I can’t use my PayPal funds. Why o why? I really don’t know what to do.

I already contacted the support and still waiting for the reply. I hope it will be fixed soon. So for now, I need to go to the bank just to pay my order. Waah! Have you experienced this?

Update: This was the reply

"I saw your attempt to send money for the amount of PXXX PHP using your account balance was not available because it was temporarily being review by our internal security model.

PayPal internal security model is similar to the way many banks and credit card companies work when approving payments. When a payment is stopped, this means our system detects a pattern associated with your PayPal and the merchants PayPal account indicating a higher than normal risk.

For now please avoid resubmitting the payment. It will be best to wait after a couple of hours up to a day from the last attempt because the more the customer attempts to complete the payment and it is being reviewed, then the more the system is triggered.

You have my assurance that you can still use your PayPal account for future transactions. As a business, we would also like this payment to go through because that's how we earn money. However, we'd rather prioritize your security than our profit. We value your business and are committed to your satisfaction.

Update: October 26, 2016

I placed an order online and tried paying via Paypal, I was able to make a payment using my balance but it does not allow me to choose the currency. I need to pay in PHP amount but the payment was deducted in my USD balance. I messaged them again and here's the reply.

Thank you for contacting PayPal. My name is XXX from PayPal Customer Support.

I understand that you wanted to use your PHP balance for your payment to XXXX. Since your PHP balance is more than enough, it would have been used for your payment. This could be a possible system issue. Don’t worry, we will look into this further and we’ll let you know once the investigation is complete.

What I like in Paypal is I received answers within 24 hours but I hope no more issues in the future.

My First Shopping Experience at Beauty MNL

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know for sure that I’m not really into online shopping. I try to stay away from online shopping site so I can save money. Hehehe!

But this doesn’t mean that I don’t shop at all, I shop online from time to time especially if the items are not available in the mall, if I have no time to go to the mall or if I don’t like to brave the traffic. Ber-months are here so traffic is everywhere. I rather shop online than waste my time in traveling to malls.

BeautyMNL contacted me last week to try their website. I bought clothes, toys, books, stationery and other products online except for beauty products so it took a long time to browse the website.

After few days, I finally registered on the BeautyMNL site, I just entered the usual information such as name, email, and birthday. I was surprised when they also asked me about my skin type, then I remembered that Beauty MNL is a website for make-up, skincare, and hair care. Hehehe!

After submitting my information, they found out that I was a member of Deal Grocer so I don’t need to create another account daw, so I used my existing username and password.

Then I started browsing the website and adding items to my cart. Just like other online shopping websites that I have tried. Beauty MNL is also easy to use. You can search according to brands or prices. There are promos and sale tabs too.

I clicked proceed check-out then it leads me to my Cart Summary. You can easily delete items if over na kayo sa shopping budget niyo or add more if money is not an issue. I like the pop-up box that shows “Items worth adding”.

Next is Click Ready To Pay, there are different payment options such as credit card, PayPal, bank deposit, and COD (Cash on Delivery). Unfortunately, the COD option is not available because I live outside Metro Manila.

After I clicked place my order, I saw a note and summary of my purchase. “You’re good to go and we’re tickled pink for you! After all, beauty is one of the most precious investments you’ll ever make. Keep investing!”. Beauty is an investment daw. I also received an email regarding the status of my order.

I ordered October 7, 2016 Friday
I received my order on October 11, 2016 Tuesday

My order was placed inside the ziplock bag and everything was wrapped in bubble wrap.

I'm excited to try these products.

Super BB Cream with Super Cover SPF50 (Maybelline)
Orange and Vanilla Dry Shampoo (Made by David Organics)
Chunky Lip Pencil (L.A.Colors)
Pond’s Age Miracle Day Cream

Good to know:

1. Beauty MNL website is so easy to use.
2. There are different payment options such as credit card, PayPal, bank deposit, and Cash on Delivery but I hope COD is available nationwide.
3. Deal Grocer Platinum and Elite members enjoy free shipping.
4. Free Shipping if you spend P2000 above which I find it so high because other websites offer free shipping above P995. (Update P1500 na ngayon ang free shipping)
5. Delivery fee is P50 for Metro Manila (within the next business day) and P150 outside Metro Manila (within 3 to 5 business days).
6. All orders made on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays will be dispatched on Mondays.
7. For someone who is so clueless about make-up, skincare, and hair care, I appreciate the reviews from Beauty MNL customers. It gives me an idea before buying the items.
8. Most of the items I like are sold out. There’s a waitlist option but I dislike waiting. I hope they will have more stocks especially the best sellers.

Update: August 2017

I mentioned before that free shipping of Beauty MNL is so high, P150 is quite steep for me. While browsing my IG feeds, I saw the FREE Shipping promo of Beauty MNL and there is no minimum purchase requirement. I took advantage of the promo and place my order.

August 8, - ordered and paid via PayPal
August 9, - received my order.

I was surprised when I got my order the following day because according to their site, address outside Metro Manila has 3-5 business days lead time. Level up na yung nagdeliver, sa cellphone na ko nagsign, unlike before na sa paper pa.

Here are my orders

Witch Hazel Facial Mist Beauty Bakery P199
Lip and Cheek Stain Alive! Skin Genie Color: Cherry Pink P80
Nude Lips Everyday Love+ Color: No.3 P199

I also got a free sample of Jergens Lotion

Update: January 2021

I discovered BeautyMNL wayback 2016 and the last time I ordered from them was year 2017 because I became addicted to Althea Korea in the same year. Since then, I’ve been buying Korean Skincare products.

Just this year, I was looking where to order Kurin Products because Kurin website only delivers within Metro Manila. I’ve been using Kurin since December 2019 and I used to buy it at Sesou but because of the pandemic, I won’t visit malls just to buy this. My stock won’t last anymore so I need to hoard again. While searching, I discovered that BeautyMNL is offering Kurin products so nagbalik loob ulit ako sa kanila.

I’m really so late when it comes to online shopping because I just recently discovered that BeautyMNL is not only offering beauty products, parang one-stop-shop na rin. They have products for health, skincare, makeup, bath and body care, nutrition, mom and baby, and home and lifestyle. They have FREE SHIPPING if you spend P1,500, the last time I shop kasi P2000 pa yung FREE SHIPPING nila. One more thing, COD or Cash on Delivery is already available for provincial address.

Anyway, I browsed their website and purchased 6 bottles of Kurin (500ml), 2 Kurin Pocket-Sized (65ml) and I added Iwhite Korea Original Nose Pack, Iwhite Korea Nose Pack Black Extractor and Purenskin Korea Good Bye Sebum Charcoal Nose Pore Strips Pack so I will hit the minimum amount for FREE Shipping.

I received my order after 3 days and I was shocked because aside sa bubble wrap may mga shredded papers pa just to make sure na hindi magbabounce yung products. Unfortunately, may isang bottle ako na natanggalan ng seal and nagspill siya. I reported this via email and I sent photos. They asked me to sent other proofs pa na they need to investigate. Good thing that I always take pictures so may proof talaga ko kung paano dumating ang package.

They offered me two options, a refund or a replacement. Of course, I chose replacement because I need the product. They sent me a new bottle of Kurin. Yey! Kudos for the good customer service. I still have products on my cart, I will try ordering food items naman next time and I am crossing my fingers na hindi mabasag.

January 10, 2021 - I placed my order and chose COD for payment options. I received an email confirmation and delivery instructions.

January 13, 2021 - I received my order but one bottle is not in good condition so I emailed my concerns.

January 22, 2021 - BeautyMNL sent me the replacement

January 24, 2021 - I received my package and it arrived in good condition.

October 11, 2016

8th Birthday

Where did the time go, I now have an 8th-year-old son. Every time I look at him, I know that he doesn’t look a baby anymore but of course, he will be forever my baby.

Read: 4 Birthday Party Theme for Boys

This year, no more theme birthday party for him. He was not asking for a party but he wanted a staycation. He said, “Mommy, I want a hotel with playhouse”. Waah! It is really a challenge to find a hotel with a playhouse, I know he was not referring to a small playroom. He wants a hotel or resort that offers activities for kids just like the Crimzone.

Read: CrimZone at Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan

The only hotel that I know that has a playhouse in Metro Manila is Shangri-la at the Fort but I was hesitant because I’ve read mixed reviews. So my husband called the Makati branch but he was advised that there is no playhouse and pool is under renovation. Waah!

I was running out of time. September 30, day before our trip, I saw EDSA Shangri-la on my newsfeed so I checked their site. While browsing their website, I saw the Wet Play Area. I know that Ethan will like this because we saw this in Jurong Bird Park and Singapore Zoo but he was not able to try it because we’re so busy with the shows and animals. Click here for the video

I immediately informed my husband about it, he called the hotel and reserved a room for October 1-2. Again, it was a last minute decision so nagmamadali na naman ko sa pag-empake ng gamit. Hehehe!

Read: Birthday Staycation at EDSA Shangri-la

Fast forward to his birthday, he went to school. My husband and I went to SM Southmall to buy gift and cake. It was time for lunch so we took advantage my free buffet at Sambokojin. (free because I reached 10 stamps) Instant date with hubby! Sayang lang, free birthday buffet sana anak ko but he was in school.

On our way home, my husband called my in-laws so they could celebrate with us. May pasok din lahat so 3 lang ang nayaya namin, hehehe! We picked up my in-laws and we waited for the birthday celebrant at home. Ethan was surprised when he came home from school. Nagulat siya na may bisita siya hehehe!. We had lasagna, fried chicken, and cake to celebrate his 8th birthday.

To my favorite son (may iba pa ba?) Happy 8th birthday!

October 10, 2016

Things to do in Singapore

Singapore is our most visited country but we cannot say that Singapore is our favorite country. There are countries that we really wanted to visit and revisit but the budget is not enough. Hehehe! As of this writing, I’ve been to Singapore 3 times, my husband 5 times, and my son 2 times but honestly we still have a long list of places to visit in Singapore.

Singapore is just a small country but few days of stay are not really enough. There are so many attractions to visit that cater to both adults and kids. I guess, there is no perfect Singapore itinerary that I can suggest because we have our own preferences but I will share with you, our itinerary.

We celebrated our first wedding anniversary in SG, it was a last-minute decision. I just booked it when I saw the Cebu Pacific Air Sale. Good thing I was able to renew my passport before our flight. (Got my passport, two weeks before our trip)

SINGAPORE ITINERARY

2 DAYS IN SINGAPORE

It was our first out-of-the-country trip as husband and wife. At that time, we’re just starting to travel, of course, we have our salary na. Hehehe! I was clueless about DIY travel so I didn’t have an itinerary. I was still working so I have no time to research. I just booked a hotel, listed some places to visit, and off we went to Singapore.

Because of the flight schedule, we only have two whole days to enjoy SG. Good thing that there was a travel agency nearby the hotel where we booked our tours. There were several options and we chose the following.

Day 1 Singapore City Tour

We availed of a half-day city tour and we visited Esplanade Theater, Merlion, Chinatown, Botanic Garden, Souvenir Shops, and Little India. It was a quick trip to each attraction.

Singapore Zoo + Night Safari

Singapore Zoo is so big and we were on a group tour so we were not able to explore the whole zoo. We need to follow the tour guide. After SG Zoo, we immediately fell in line at Night Safari so we can ride the first tram. After watching the show, we went back to the hotel.

It was a long day for us so the following day, we woke up late. We did not book any tour in the morning but we explored Orchard Road. It was Chinese New Year so most of the stores were closed.

Day 2 Sentosa Trip Package

For our afternoon trip, we availed of the Sentosa Trip Package. Our itinerary is Mount Faber, Underwater World, Images of Singapore, and Musical Fountain. I have no idea that we will ride a Cable Car at Mount Faber so it was a scary experience for me because I’m afraid of heights.

Then we went to Images of Singapore, we were so delighted in taking pictures and when we went out, nakasimangot na mga kasama namin at mukhang inip na inip kakahintay. We’re the second to the last na lumabas sa museum at buti na lang at hindi kami last, kundi nakakaguilty. Hehehe!

Next is Underwater World, tinapos namin agad ang pag-ikot so we can proceed to Musical Fountain but unfortunately we missed the show and we did not want to wait for the next schedule. So we left Sentosa and went back to our hotel to get our luggage. We took a taxi on our way to the airport to catch out evening flight.

Read: 2 Days in Singapore

3 DAYS IN SINGAPORE

After seven years, I already know how to make my own itinerary so when we went back to Singapore, I did not book any tours. We stayed at South East Asia Hotel in Bugis area. We explored Singapore using Singapore Tourist Pass, we did not take any taxis on this trip.

Day 1 DIY Singapore City Tour - we started our trip from Clark Quay Station. This was our walking tour itinerary

Asian Civilization -> Fullerton Hotel -> Merlion -> Esplanade -> Makansutra -> Helix bridge -> Gardens by the Bay -> Marina Bay Sands

It was really a long walk because we have a 4 years old son in tow.

Day 2 Universal Studio Singapore - USS was not yet opened when we went there 7 years ago so it is really on top of our list to visit. We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary here.

Day 3 Singapore Flyer - we did not ride Singapore Flyer, we just went there because we’re going to Legoland Malaysia. To make our life easier, we availed coach transfer at WTS travel agency.

Read: Legoland Malaysia
6 Days in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore

5 DAYS IN SINGAPORE

Two months ago, we were able to revisit Singapore and we stayed at Sheraton Towers Singapore. This time, we concentrated on Wildlife Reserves Singapore Zoos.

I availed the Park Hopper Plus tickets so I can save money. The Park Hopper Plus ticket price is SGD79 adult and SGD59 kid. The ticket includes admission to River Safari, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. We have unlimited Amazon River Quest Ride, unlimited tram ride, and one free carousel ride.

So for 3 days, my son and I were visiting zoos. Yes, I revisited Singapore Zoo and Night Safari.

Day 2 River Safari
Day 3 Singapore Zoo
Day 4 Jurong Bird Park
Night Safari

Finally, I shopped at IKEA Alexandra and was able to taste Swedish Meatballs.

Read: Shopping Haul at IKEA Alexandra
Food Trip at IKEA Alexandra

As I said, I still have a long list of things to do in Singapore. Care to share your favorites in SG.

Read: 5 Days in Singapore
Where to Stay in Singapore

WHERE TO EAT IN SINGAPORE

Carnivore
Brazilian Churri
Jumbo Seafood
Wine Connection
Irodori Japanese Restaurant
Newton Food Centre

PASALUBONG FROM SINGAPORE

Irvins Salted Egg Chips
Irvins Salted Egg Cream Sauce
Kaya Spread

October 09, 2016

Day 5 Singapore: Last Day in Singapore

We were supposed to visit Gardens by the Bay before going to the airport but we canceled our plans because my son wanted to swim. We’ve been staying in the hotel for 4 days already but we haven’t visited the pool area.

After breakfast, my son and my husband went to the pool for a quick dip while I finish packing our stuff.

We checked out at 10AM and left our baggage at the Concierge.

Then we went to our friend’s house who resides in Singapore. For the very first time, my son met his Ninong. :) Maganda pa yung pool dito kaysa sa Sheraton Towers Singapore.

Read: Sheraton Towers Singapore

Then we trooped to IKEA Alexandra so I can eat Swedish Meatballs, as I mentioned in my previous posts, we will not leave Singapore hanggat di ko natitikman ang Swedish Meatballs. Hehehe!

Read: Food Trip at IKEA Alexandra
Shopping Haul at IKEA Alexandra

After eating and shopping, we went back to the hotel to get out luggage then we went straight to the airport. Unfortunately, our PAL flight was delayed. Good thing Changi Airport has free wifi and they have a fast connection.

We spent our time playing in the Social Tree and we also checked different stores, if ever may mabibili kaso mahal naman lahat. Hehehe!

We ate dinner first before going to the gate, I can’t remember the name of the restaurant but this Hainanese Chicken is only SGD5.

On our way to the boarding gate, we saw this foot massage and it is free. Finally, namassage din ang aking paa. Di biro ang nilakad namin sa 4 na zoos.

May nakapila na agad. hehehe!

Because of the flight delay, my son doesn’t want to eat anymore when they served the food. Gusto na lang niya matulog sa airplane, he just ate the bread and sleep. Sayang yung food, bayad din yan. Hehehe! Next time, I will bring a snack box so I can take it home. I only have one extra zip lock where I put the ice cream.