DAVAO DINING: Sea Green Cafe and Lifestyle Shop

Healthy vs. Delicious

I have this notion that to eat healthy, one must endure the unpalatable taste of it. Plus, 'healthy' food products are more expensive than the ordinary yet delicious food available in the market.

Apparently, there is this small restaurant along Circumferential Road that offers healthy yet delicious food, as what my peers had told me. My family and I would always pass by this restaurant, Sea Green Cafe and Lifestyle Shop. I have heard and read reviews about it but I didn't have the time to check it out.

Luckily, in our fourth and final day of Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2014, Sea Green Cafe and Lifestyle Shop was in our gastronomic itinerary.

I Found My Chew Love in Tacloban

I settled in Tacloban City last March and since then, I have been searching for good places to eat and to stay in this quaint city of Eastern Visayas. Eight months after Super Typhoon Yolanda wreaked unimaginable havoc to this city, Tacloban is now officially back to business and it is slowly returning to its normal vibe, so to speak.

There's this one particular restaurant in P. Gomez St. that really caught my attention. It was love at first sight.

My First Pintados-Kasadyaan 2014 Experience

I've been here in Tacloban City for four months already, and so far it has been an eye opener to me. The developments were slower than anticipated, and the wastes and debris left by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) can still be seen along major throughways of the tiny peninsula of San Jose and downtown area of Tacloban.

But that doesn't stop the Taclobanons to celebrate the 28th Pintados and 19th Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals. Besides, they have organized this festival since 1986 in honor of Sr. Santo Niño.

The White House Dining Experience

Nom nom nom.

For some, it was just an ordinary night. But for the Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2014 participants, it was a night to remember. We were all gathered in a dimly lit room, seated at a long table like King Arthur and his men. But, instead of planning for our next fight, we were there for one important mission: to eat as if there's no tomorrow.

The White House Fusion Cuisine and Wine Lounge apparently knew our weakness - FOOD.

Of Long-Term Travel

The rough road.

I was browsing my social media accounts when I read this particular email. It goes like this:

Hi Renz!

I know you don't personally know me but I have read your travel blog for quite some time. I have one question for you though: Have you ever considered long-term traveling?

Now, here's my take about long-term traveling:

Audition: The Amazing Race Philippines Season 2

For those who didn't know, The Amazing Race has always been my favorite show and I'd always look forward to watch the upcoming seasons. I have always been a fan of this show since Season 3 (I was only 12 or 13 that time). Ten years later, the show still didn't fail to surprise me. The Amazing Race is still AMAZING - full of twists, unexpected results, and real drama.

For Filipinos, it is impossible to audition for this show because firstly, one has to be a US citizen. I believe it is still difficult to audition for The Amazing Race Asia if you're only a Philippine passport holder. Boom. But as years went by, more and more countries acquired a franchise of this show, and one of them is our beloved country, Philippines! Dreaming of becoming one of the contestants of the show is now possible.

Now, are you up for an adventure of a lifetime?

The Claude's Le Café De Ville Experience

Beautiful interiors of Claude's

On the second day of DFAT 2014, I skipped most of the restaurants during the day since my family and I were at Villa Mercedes, celebrating mom's birthday. Good thing, I had managed to squeeze my blogger duties at Claude's. I've been a resident of Davao for more than two decades already yet it's a shame that I haven't tried their authentic French and Mediterranean cuisine!

Hence, I took this opportunity to finally try Davao's premier and only full-service restaurant offering authentic French and Mediterranean cuisine.

The Jumpseat Experience: Inside the Cockpit of A330-300

Cleared for take-off.

Last May, I availed a free flight to Davao from Tacloban (via Manila) through our yearly DFR (Domestic Familiarization Route) privilege. For those who didn't know, Philippine Air Traffic Controllers are entitled to have two free domestic trips plus one emergency every year. Well, at least we have this cool privilege from giving air traffic services to airlines.

As a new ATC of the country, it was a humbling experience to be there.