Club J Dive Resort

Another November 2021 blog post dump, and this is one of the trips we wouldn’t forget. Heading into holiday mood, approaching December, suddenly we’re all in for a road trip / beach family getaway. We haven’t stepped onto the beach for years, our toddler is also always saying “Let’s go to the beach!” whenever she watches her Boracay trip.

After running searches online, a very nice photo in Airbnb got my attention and searched it more on Facebook, so we found this place called Club J Dive Resort. They are responsive to our inquiries, everything went smooth up to our reservation via Messenger, we just made a 50% down payment via GCash. They just acknowledged our reservation via Messenger and SMS. There were no other requirements from us, just the Vaccine Cards.

It’s been a while since we visited Batangas beaches so we opted to try this one. They are located at Barangay San Jose, Mabini, Batangas. A 2 hours driver from Bacoor, Cavite, that time you’re free to drive on nearby provinces, as long as the adults were fully vaccinated, no checkpoints from Cavite to Batangas. You can pin their location on navigational apps, but they are easy to locate if you use the “Tanlak Resort”.

These reviews were based from our overnight stay…

Parking Area – Small parking space. Overnight fee is Php 200.00.

Staff – They lack hospitality and needs more orientation. It’s as if they are always confused and weary whenever you approach and request something from them. They will not revert to you unless you remind them.

Room – Just an average, fair enough for the 3 adults paying. We got the room rate of Php 3,500.00, it’s a Twin Room for 3 adults, no charges for our toddler. It comes with a free breakfast meal only, you’ll have to pay for your hot drinks or coffee. The room has 2 beds (1 double sized, 1 single sized), they have a stable wi-fi connection in the rooms. Make sure to bring your own towels, slippers, toiletries like we did. We had to ask for their towels, we haven’t found any on the room. Also, don’t expect complete amenities, they don’t have electric fan, TV, room slippers. The restroom is spacious, they have 2 pumping bottles for shampoo and body soap. They allow guests to bring food inside, so we just bought our own drinking water and snacks.

Restaurant – Their price range is a bit on the high side, if you compare it to the overall quality of the resort. Availing the full-board meals is cheaper, if you have no choice. Taste is just on the average as well. For dinner, we tried their Samgyupsal Set of Php 400.00 per head, it’s just okay, side dishes and meats were not even unlimited. If you’ll order in their resto, average waiting time is at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Facilities – They have a diving pool, ranges from 5 feet – 9 feet, be careful especially those who cannot swim and with kids, we brought our own floaters, but they also have it on the pool. We enjoyed swimming in the pool, the water is not so cold and not hot.

Mostly on the shoreline, you’ll get to see poops of their resident cats and dogs. This resort is pet friendly though. But who will be happy to smell the poop when you’re hanging out by the beach? And sometimes, you get to step on the poops since the sand is dark.

Overall – We had a nice and smooth start with the resort. It’s just that the problems started to come one by one, upon our arrival at their place. We saw there were many good feedbacks online but from our own experience, there are plenty of areas that really needs improvement. Sad to say, instead of our relaxing getaway, we got even stressed out that we just checked out earlier than usual.

Hope we somewhat gave you a bit of heads up. If you have more time to read, this is the part where we detail our experience.

We checked in on a Sunday, the parking space is full, so we assumed the resorts still have guests, but we managed to get a spot, the parking attendant is friendly, he showed us the entrance to the resort and called one of the staff to get our baggage. Since we arrived 2:00pm, we stayed on their restaurant/common area first. No one was approaching us so we texted their contact person, was informed that we cannot check in yet since our room is still being cleaned. Note that their check-out time is 11:00 am, you still have some time to clean those rooms prior arrival of your next guests. We noticed the generator sound was so loud, no one bothered to inform us that there’s no electricity, we only found out upon actual checking-in at our room. Also reported it to the owner via Messenger, just the usual response received. We requested for an electric fan be plugged in to an extension, but it was not given after our several follow-ups to the staff. Imagine, you have guests and rooms has no electricity for almost an hour. We just went with the flow, tried to freshen up, the sun is about so set, so we hang-out on the shoreline, then swam on the beach. One of the guests also had the same sentiments with us that time, they were a group though. We met the owner during our dinnertime, he’s friendly as well. They did not charge the Php 200.00 overnight parking fee to us, I think since it has something to do with our raised concern on the no electricity upon checking in.

Mid-Week at La Famiglia Basilea

Both on a work at home set-up last October, we found out this another newly opened nearby resto. We went in the afternoon, right after our stressful shift, a quick planned snack turned into a dinner. Since kids are “somewhat allowed” to go out, we seized another chance for our new normal dine in / toddler stroll. And so before visiting, we asked if kids are allowed, just to be sure.

La Famiglia Basilea is a family-owned, family-friendly, al fresco restaurant that serves affordable Italian food. You can pin their location on navigational apps, though their place is hidden from the main road, just trust the apps 🙂 It’s located within the residential area, alongside the narrow road, fronting the stretch of vacant lots, you can easily spot their big signage so don’t worry. And for sure you’ll know that you arrived on their place, since the resto stands out, given their unique style inside and outside.

The price range on their menu is somewhat in the mid-range, for 3 adults we shelled out Php 900.00-1,000.00. Consisted of 1 appetizer, 1 pasta, 1 pizza, 1 main course, 1 juice drink. Also uploaded the photo of their menu, for your easy copy. Visiting there gives you an exclusivity, since you get a chance to eat at the place by yourselves, make sure to visit them off-peak days and hours. I think they tend to get crowded during late afternoon onwards and on weekends. It felt as if you went somewhere far for an al fresco trip, but you’re just in Bacoor area.

Meanwhile, their serving portions for each order were good for at least 2 to 3 persons, enough for just when you like to have a quick snack. But for bigger families, you’d have to order more portions to feed enough. On our opinion, the presentation and taste were on an average. Both pasta and pizza were good, but the herbed chicken tastes bland. A complimentary dessert was given when we’re about to leave the resto.

Our toddler was busy roaming around the resto, she felt free after a months again of staying at home. The ambiance is pretty much laid back and quiet, which we also like, and I think it’s one of the factors that you’re paying for when dining here. Overall, La Famiglia Basilea does not disappoint, though there are still some points they can improve on. The owners were families and they are accommodating, plus very responsive to inquiries even just on Messenger. We think this is much appealing to couples, friends, looking for a chill and unique place to hang-out and dine without driving too far. This is also fit for exclusive events, that’s why they are now offering venue rental and catering. To know more about them, you may visit their Facebook page.

Note that we are not affiliated with them, we just made our blog post to share our own dining experience, as a tradition here in Kaja Let’s Go page. 🙂 Please rate our post and leave comments if you happen to visit this resto as well.

Kids are back at KinderCity NoMo

A late blog post dump for November 2021. Flashback to the months when kids of all ages were free to go outside, but with caution and following safety protocols. We did not missed our chance to experience KinderCity, the ultimate indoor playground! Who wouldn’t want to go, be it kids or adults, for sure we’ll all enjoy playing here.

We booked and paid online on their website, hours prior our visit. Since it’s their first day to operate after more than a year, we reserved the opening slots 10:30am. Upon arrival, they just double checked our reservations, and there we played for almost 2 hours. There are other guests inside, but they don’t crowd the place. As required, you’ll have to pre-schedule your visit and walk-ins are discouraged. Face masks must be worn at all times. Staffs roamed around to ensure that physical distancing was observed and they sanitize the whole place after each schedule.

KinderCity has many branches in the south, we chose to North Molino or much known as NoMo since it’s near to our place, and it’s not crowded compared to other branches. We’ve been eyeing to get inside this place ever since we had our bundle of joy, then the pandemic came and delayed this kind of places for families to enjoy. But now, we got to try it ourselves with our cutie pie who really enjoyed her time and doesn’t want to come out haha.

It’s spacious, plenty of play areas and variety of sections to choose from. The almost 2 hours schedule for adults is fair enough, we’re tired and sweaty though it’s airconditioned. We love the trampoline area, and the big slides.. if we visit again, I’d like to try the tallest blue side in the middle haha. Our toddler loves the ball pit and pretend play areas, if we don’t accompany her.. maybe she’ll just spend most of her time swimming in the ball pits 🙂 Though we adults struggled on the ball pits, it’s the tiring area for us.

We noticed they have private room functions on the side, pretty nice for a kiddie birthday party and other special occasions. There’s a restroom and another room for nursing, diaper change, good that they assumed mother’s needs and privacy. Rates as of November 2021 were: Php 500.00 per kid, Php 150.00 for adult. They only allow 2 adults to accompany a kid, as part of health protocols nowadays and to limit the number of guests inside. Make sure to bring socks, wear comfortable clothes for you and your kids. There’s also a waiting area near the reception so you can still get to see your family while playing inside.

Hoping soon that kids can be allowed to go outside and play to their delight. We’re looking forward to visit and play at KinderCity again!

Tuesday Holiday: Awesome TwoSome Kitchenette

Visited this nearby al fresco kitchenette, just a barangay away from us but it took weeks to go there. Been raining frequently and our schedule visit gets cancelled since it’s an open area with no roofing.

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Still rainy on a Tuesday but the afternoon sun glimpsed for a few hours, so we took our chance to finally visit this lovely place called Awesome TwoSome Kitchenette.

Drizzling when we arrived but the sun started to glimpse.

Searchable via Waze/Google Maps, its located along Camella Street, inside the Vista Verde South Executive Village. The village has two main gates, one along Molino Boulevard and the other is along Mambog 4 Road. Manage your expectations because it’s just a small backyard, few tables and chairs, parking spaces are along a small street only.

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Awesome TwoSome Kitchenette is like the real life version of “Delicious Emily” – one of Gamehouse’s famous time-management games back then, which I also still play to date hehe. It’s like a pop-up café on a backyard with a rustic theme, mismatched furniture and various accents are all so pretty. Plant lovers will also like it there as the mural speaks for it.

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  My fave corner, my toddler likes the swing.

We love the overall vibe and atmosphere, no need for background music, simply sitting and enjoying your food will do. Good spot to chill as well or for those food trip moments. Plenty of food and drinks from their menu, priced affordably. We tried their Aglio Olio, Classic Cheeseburger, Wintermelon Milktea, all were yummy and we enjoyed it as our go to merienda.

Downsides? The place has no roofing at all, there’s a big tree in the yard but not enough to give shade on sudden downpour. Parking space is limited and along the small street only. Best to come there on sunny days and weekdays, to enjoy more the al fresco dining and you can have the whole place to yourselves.

It started to drizzle again when we are about to finish our food. My toddler’s too sweaty from roaming, she enjoyed playing with the sauces and likes the shabby chic bed/couch plus the aesthetic mirror corner 🙂 There are other 3 guests dining in as well during our visit, so we decided to just eat and go.

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  That mask though hehe.

We’d definitely love to visit them again and try other selections. Good thing we’re near so we can drop by anytime we want. Though it’s just a small place, we still like it and best kept hidden to avoid crowds. Their motto is “Delight in every bite.”, well indeed they are right. Actually even if I won’t take a bite, simply chilling in their place is also a delight for me haha. Its such a good find, I really like this place. ❤

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That’s about it, please rate this post. Thanks!

Random Saturday: Brick Wood Fire Bistro Ph

Opted to have a merienda-dinner somewhere near our place, but it rained and the place we’re headed has no roofs. We decided to try this other al fresco place called Brick Wood Fire Bistro Ph. Searchable on Waze / Google Maps, you can easily spot their big signage along Tirona Highway, its located at JS Ville Subdivision, Habay 1, Bacoor, Cavite.. near/behind SM Bacoor.

Corner Lot

The place is easy to locate, few parking spaces available along the street only. Went there on a Saturday around 5:00 pm, was able to park and we’re the only customers. Kids are allowed but they encourage to have a prior reservation. In our case, we just walked-in and they still allowed our toddler but we’re seated on a separate room. We asked if we could be seated outside somewhere far, since it’s hotter inside the room.. but they told us that guests with kids were usually separated for health protocol/safety reasons, we did not insisted anymore. Though on some posts, we saw babies, toddlers, kids seated on the al fresco area. Actually my toddler roamed around their place too while waiting for our food. They also discourage posting of photos online with kids, but we’re the only guests during our visit so I think that’s okay.

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Overall the place and ambiance is above average, prettier in actual than Facebook posts but it’s smaller. We can agree their place looks so nice, it’s like your not in Bacoor area. But in our case, we did not experienced the al fresco dining fully since we’re seated inside the room, one big fan stood beside our table. It got even hotter when the kitchen beside the room prepared our orders. Big flies were flying around our food, so we have to focus shooing them away instead of enjoying our food. Mosquitoes were under the table, we asked to turn on one of their mosquito-insect killer lamp.

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Al fresco dining

“Your al fresco bistro” is the motto below their name, well they can portray it. Their menu features American, Texan, and some Pinoy choices. Since we’re the only customers that time, we did not wait that long for our food, though they advised us that food preparation especially for pizzas (30-45 minutes) takes longer, since it’s made there from scratch.

We ordered their best sellers – Brick Wood Baby Back Ribs, Totopos Tostados Light, Quattro Formaggi, Fried Calamari, and their Angus T-Bone Steak with fries and salad, the waiter showed and asked us to choose from their frozen steaks. As a compliment from their management, they gave us Churros Con Chocolate-eh and Avocado Lime Cheesecake for taste test, they are yet to sell the new cake flavor in the market.

Angus T-Bone Steak 316 grams with salad and fries as sides.

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Our ordered food plus two complimentary desserts from the management. 🙂

Generous portions indeed and can feed 2-3 persons, delicious dishes, cooked well, nice presentation.. we’re fully satisfied. The Brick Wood Baby Back Ribs quickly became our favorite and the Angus T-Bone Steak was really yummy. Note that they sell steaks by the grams, so you won’t get surprised on the billing. 🙂 Their pricing is a bit high compared to other food places in Bacoor. But we can say that it’s priced fair enough, you get what you pay for, food and portions is satisfying.

Half-slab Brick Wood Baby Back Ribs, our fave real quick.

A closer look on Angus T-Bone Steak (the ketchup was for the fries hehe)

If you’re looking for a nearby place, something special to celebrate an occasion, or if you just feel like dining for some good food, Brick Wood is there to satisfy that. I don’t think it’s recommendable for family with babies/toddlers, they don’t have high-chairs, it’s a bit inconvenient to dine, given the pandemic situation and protocols we have to follow. We’d say visit them on weekdays if you want to avoid crowds or in the early opening hours if you really want to go on a weekend. It’s recommendable to couples, friends, families with older children. I’ve been following their Facebook page for sometime now since I really like their theme and food posts. I was saving our visit for a special day but unexpectedly we got to try their place other than my target al fresco/cafes much nearer to our place, all thanks to that Saturday afternoon rain hehe. Overall, we can give them a thumbs up. 👍

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Hope you find this helpful and please rate our post. Thanks!

Monday Lunch – Grandma’s Cafe, Resto & Events Place

It was the usual hectic Monday, we accompanied Daddy on his errand and had a quick lunch date at Grandma’s Cafe, Resto & Events Place. Conveniently located along Molino Blvd., fronting Wilcon Depot, it’s also searchable on navigational apps. We usually passed by their vicinity and often see this resto, so when I found out that kids are allowed to dine in, we did not missed the chance to visit this nearby cafe.

We are the only customers at that time and just to be sure.. upon entering, I still asked them if my toddler is allowed inside. I thought they only serve drinks & pastries, but the given menu has many selection from Sandwiches, Pasta, Pizza, Filipino Cuisine. The staff suggested we try their best sellers – Kare-Kare, Fried Chicken, Grandma’s Signature Pizza. Yep, yummy food with big servings good enough for at least 3-4 persons. The price range is somewhat fair and affordable, given its taste and serving.

This cafe looks nice outside, you can easily spot it from afar, parking spaces available too. They have lovely interiors more on the shabby chic side and Parisian inspired, I get it why their place is usually booked for events. Ambiance is very cozy, old music being played as background is not overpowered. It’s a family-friendly place, my toddler likes the furniture accent and wallpaper.

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We are really satisfied with our first visit. Overall, their place is recommendable and we’d love to go back soon. I want to try other food and sweets from the menu, it would be also nice to go on the upper floors and see other picture-worthy accents of their interiors. Best to come on weekdays, I think their cafe is packed during weekends. By the way, this post of ours is not sponsored though, I made this short review based from our recent visit. For other info, visit their official Facebook page on this link, they are responsive to online inquiries.

VID_20210621_124021.mp4Download

Please rate this post and hope this helps. 🙂

Shambala Vibes

It’s already mid-year and June is another special month for us, since it’s your Momma Joan’s birth month. Given the changed guidelines in GCQ, we visited this quaint place for my advance celebration. The moment I saw it online, I couldn’t get it off my head and I really wanted to go there. “Kaja, let’s go to Silang!

Being in Cavite for sometime now, we’re exploring more nearby places instead of travelling far. Plenty of uncommercialized yet charming places to visit. Silang is another example of municipality which is underrated, it has a rural mood without driving too far as well, and lately they are boasting in the dining and restaurants experience.

Found this lovely place hidden in Barangay Pulong Bunga, it’s called Shambala Silang. The name itself sounds unique and wait till you visit this place personally, it will leave you in awe. I first saw it featured on Facebook from one of Cavite based pages, and when I found out that toddlers are allowed, yep already did a reservation.

Visiting Shambala Silang is all about chilling and being one with nature. Appreciating the whole place and everything in it. Taking a stroll and feeling the cool Silang breeze while enjoying the Ifugao-like sceneries. They have a mini-tour inside yet they leave the rest for you to explore. Mana Kitchen is responsible for the food, drinks, pastries served. They have plenty of areas for alfresco dining. So many greens and floras, I’m sure every plant-lovers will jump for joy. You can also find Tawid Art Gallery inside, it houses artworks and pieces and you’ll get to learn much as you go through it.

Tawid Art Gallery

Greens everywhere

Our thoughts? The whole place is such a gem, Mountain Province vibes but you’re in south. It’s a unique experience with your family and kids. You seldom see a place like this, perfect for a quick break from all the stress we have.

The pre-selected food/menu that comes with our availed package tastes hmm average or so-so, the serving is enough, but their Vegetable Spring Rolls and signature drink “Maluca” a mixture of Malunggay (Moringga), Luya (Ginger), Calamansi (Lime) were both good.

Nice presentation

It’s helpful if they can add high-chairs though on the dining area, we asked for a high-chair but they don’t have it. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes, the breeze and weather is fine, a bit chilly since it’s on the hills. But there are times that it still gets hot especially if you’re exploring downhills, going up and down their stairs is another thing hehe. Bring insect repellant lotion, if you’re one of those insect/mosquitoes magnet, and another safety for babies/kids.

The owner is accommodating, she interacts with guests. Same goes for their staffs, aside from being responsive to my online inquiries, we also felt their hospitality during our visit. My toddler likes Ms. Mira and got friendly with her along with our gallery tour, she calls her Auntie. 🙂 Got my birthday cake when we’re settling our bill, found out the staffs we’re looking for us to serve it, but we got carried away in taking some family photos on the huts and views downhill.

Though you use a navigational app, it’s still a bit hard locating their place. They could’ve informed the visitors in advance regarding the specific directions going to their place. We used Waze and Google Maps but we had to re-route twice. Pook road in Silang is under construction and we went back to Aguinaldo Highway. We took a left turn on Daang Balite, it’s near Acienda Outlet already. From there, we just followed the many turns and mini-roads leading to Pulong Bunga road. This road has many plant stores and gardens, you’ll see the small Shambala Silang signage, yep the small road leads you there. Better to chat with them when you’re nearby so they can guide you.

Offered package rates per head ranges from P600.00 (tour only), P800.00; P1,200.00; P1,500.00 per head (with pre-selected food menu). They have additional 10% service charge on top of your total bill, and a cup of rice costs P30.00, it’s a separate charge from the package rates. They also accept day and overnight stays, it ranges from P4,600.00 to P6,000.00. They don’t have a pool inside, but the bath tubs on each huts were all nice. I think if they also add a Hot “Kawa” Bath, it would also add more appeal to guests checking in overnight.

Good to know they only accept reservations to avoid crowds. They accommodate guests of all ages, but still practicing health safety protocols. Facemasks is still required inside, though you can also remove it. For face shields, they are not so strict if you don’t wear one.

Amenities

Best to come there on weekdays, to enjoy the place with fewer guests and lesser traffic. Their plants are all in lush during the rainy season, be sure to bring an umbrella due to sudden rain showers. They are open Tuesdays to Sundays 9:00am to 5:00pm. For inquiries, check out their official Facebook page on this link.

Will update this post again, to share the video of our Shambala Silang experience. 🙂 Please rate this post, thank you!

A Refreshing Pause

March, the usual month that simply says it’s the start of summer or dry season here in Philippines and as Daddy Dear’s birth month makes it even extra special. He wanted to celebrate it outdoors but still with safety. A hidden place of our own, “Kaja, let’s go to Amadeo!”

We chose to look for nearby stays and just within Cavite, it’s still inconvenient to travel far given the pandemic travel guidelines per LGU. So we went to Amadeo, it’s a municipality in Cavite, also known as coffee capital of the Philippines. It’s close to Tagaytay, so also expect cold weather less the crowd and surrounded by more greens. Going there is just one to one and a half hour drive away if you’re from the south. I found this place at airbnb, they have an awesome pool photo that really caught my attention. We booked directly with them and got a promo for our overnight accommodation. Checked in from Sunday to Monday, we are their only guest. 🙂

Going there is better if you have a private car, it’s tucked away from the highway and you have to go through alleyways. Upon entering the main gate, make sure to follow their guard’s direction. It’s like a big compound with several properties inside, I even saw some residences there.

Since it’s a garden place, you feel so serene, it’s like you’re hidden from the busy life, as if you’re not in Cavite anymore. The buildings, facilities are kinda new since they only opened 2018 and all are well maintained. We’re supposed to check in 2:00pm, but they hard a time cleaning and sanitizing the rooms due to previous guests that exclusively rented all the rooms and whole resort. After one hour of waiting, the manager saw us at the reception area and took us to their cafe, she offered coffee and ube pandesal as their apologies and compliments. We don’t want stress though we’re a bit disappointed on a rough start, it’s okay and besides we have the whole place for 2 days.

They have unlimited Amadeo brewed coffee, but it’s only available at the cafe. We rode their “golf cart” when going to our room, it’s a bit far from the main area and pool. The room has 2 beds, it can accommodate 4 persons, it’s spacious and we love the balcony with a view of trees. You can hear birds in the morning and insects at night. They have available room service for food especially at night, when you don’t want to go out anymore.

The main feature of their place for me is the pool, picture perfect and classy. The surrounding area is also clean even up to the comfort rooms, they also provide pool towels. Just be brave enough to swim in the cool water and be kissed by cool breeze when going out of the water haha. They also have several venues for birthdays, weddings, even a camping grounds. Actually, it’s not a resort, more like an events place that also offers accommodations. The food serving is a bit generous, one plated meal can serve up to 2 persons. Meals are good and somewhat tastes like those in catering, especially the roast beef. Breakfast is just the usual but still with big servings.

Our overall stay is nice, we felt safe and relaxed, their staff are also hospitable. Our toddler loves to swim in the pool and she can easily sleep on the wooden swing 🙂 Do try their delicious Ube Pandesal and I think they also sell Amadeo coffee. Some points that can be improved: The resort doesn’t have a wifi yet, but I think they are already on the installation process. Data connection is fast only at the main areas, poor signal inside the room. Given their room rates, at least offer free breakfast for overnight stays. Since accommodations are far from the main areas, be prepared to walk, their golf cart is not always available. For room service or food orders, you have to text them. Bringing of food and drinks inside the resort is not allowed.

Here’s a short video of ours during our stay at Montvida Garden and Events Place. For inquiries, visit their page at Montvida Garden and Events Place | Facebook

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Weekends at SOMO Market

Recently amidst pandemic, most of us are looking for a quick chill spot that even just dining in a restaurant can be considered a stroll. There’s this one stop shop ala bazaar and mercato with wide open space in the south, “Kaja, let’s go to SOMO Market!”

Yes, we have a mall in Bacoor, Cavite that’s called NOMO, meaning North Molino. I think this is also related to SOMO, since it’s located near Vista Mall Daang Hari and it’s located in South Molino thus explains the name. It’s like a weekend market similar to those at Salcedo and Legaspi, Makati.

Just type SOMO Market on Waze or Google Maps to locate it, you can’t miss this place since it’s almost beside Vista Mall Daang Hari, it’s along the highway too. Plus, the big water tank with it’s name on it is another given. 🙂 It’s like a huge vacant lot that has been transformed into an open market. Plenty of parking space but you’ll have to pay a parking fee of P30.00 before entering.

Community market / bagsakan as what their FB page says, so there are lots of tent stalls to match your shopping mood. They sell lots of varieties from food, clothes, thrift finds, toys, housewares. To me, it’s like those World Bazaars held at World Trade Center in Pasay back when we can still shop without worrying on that virus.

For families and with kids, I think it’s best to visit in the morning. They open at 8:00am, you can catch the morning sun and breeze while playing in the grass or simply sitting beside your parked car. For our own safety, we just went to wide areas with our toddler, we did not visited the food stalls covered with tents. We’re also worried that their management might call our attention hehe. There are some babies and kids at SOMO too, I guess since we went in the morning, they kinda allowed us and we always maintain physical distancing to other visitors.

For couples, friendships, it’s best to visit late afternoon. Food trucks are also stationed, they have live bands at night, so expect food trip with acoustic music.. perfect for upcoming dry season, some even do picnics here. I also noticed that more stalls open late afternoon than in the morning.

Still, always remember to apply physical distancing, wear face masks and face shields. Also, per checking their page earlier, they have an announcement that only 15-65 years old are allowed to enter.

SOMO Market is open every Friday-Sunday only. For other details, visit their official Facebook page here – SOMO Market | Facebook.

We are not related to them nor this post of ours is not sponsored, we just simply want to document our experience.

That’s it, please rate this post and happy shopping! 🙂

Zoo-tiful Yoki’s Farm

Pandemic may have stopped all of us from being outdoors, especially for babies and kids. A quick visit to this place is enough to reconnect us with nature and refuel our minds that got used to being indoors for a long time.

Yoki’s Farm is located at Mendez, Cavite. A 1-2 hours drive if you’re from the south. Can be easily searched on Waze or Google Maps. It’s near Tagaytay as well, so you can have a side trip there afterwards.

What’s good at Yoki’s Farm is that they allow babies and kids, no age restriction even to senior citizens. We went there early morning on a Friday, a long weekend holiday for 2021 Lunar New Year. Our tour lasted for almost one and a half hour. Overall experience is nice, it’s a new experience for my 2 year old toddler who loves animals. Seeing her reaction on the animal encounters is worth it. And it’s her first time to go outside for a long time since the pandemic started.

In terms of health protocol, you’ll still feel safe since the property itself is wide, spacious and open area. The tour guide also ensures that phyisical distancing is followed, they don’t crowd the guests in one area. We also saw alcohol bottles and disinfecting mat on each area.

Entrance Fees: P300.00 per person for Farm Tour only; P800.00 for Animal Encounter; Tour Guide Fee P100.00. Babies up to 3 years old are free.

Helpful Tips:

• Food and drinks are allowed inside
• Best time to visit is early morning to avoid long lines at the entrance and crowd inside. The cool breeze in the morning is a bonus.
• You can bring a stroller but not recommended since there are parts wherein you have to climb a few steps. And the farm tends to get slippery & muddy when it rains. You can leave the strollers in the reception area.
• Bring a small umbrella, though the tour guide also provides 1-2 umbrellas for the group.
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
• Always check their FB page for updates before visiting.

Update as of today, I checked their FB page and saw their announcement that temporarily only 15-65 years old are allowed to enter their premises.

Here’s a short video of our visit at Yoki’s Farm.