My Baguio Trip Essentials

Lemme share what made me survive a very chilly weather, 2 kids and constant moving around during our Baguio trip. My new must haves as of the moment:

1.) Mulberry replica bag. The bag is my very first online purchase. Yep, I'm a virgin of online shopping. 

I ordered the bag last month from Multiply and since it's a pre-order item and came from Korea, it took a couple of weeks before it reached me. Good thing it arrived in time for our family vacay. I must say that it's very versatile, very roomy. Although the leather is not much to my liking (it's synthetic, something I wouldn't buy if I saw it in a store), I couldn't complain much because I made the purchase online. The body is made of gamusa material with color a cross between red and brown. 

photo taken with my nephew at Bell Mansion in John Hay

2) Stormtech Hooded Thermal jacket. This jacket got me through a rainy and chilly tour of the Christmas village,  a morning jog and walk around Session Rd. It's very versatile, waterproof, light and has lots of pockets that can even hold my chunky wallet and 2 cellphones if I prefer not to use my bag. I love it!

3) Clinique Dramatically Different moisturizer. I've listed this product under my Favorite things but I never really realized the benefit of a moisturizer until this Baguio trip. I put it in the morning before I go out, at night before bedtime and anytime in between as skin can really get dry from the cool wind.

So there, my 3 essentials. Of course, there are other 'essentials' I brought but for the 2011 trip I was able to manage my suitcase more. In 2010, I brought so much shoes, clothes, makeup,etc. that our car was mostly filled with my stuff. LOL!

Christmas Celebration 2011

Last December 23, our family drove to the City of Pines to spend Christmas. This is a yearly thing for my in-laws and it always excites us especially the kids. They're just that lakwatsero much :)

This year also, I decided to find something new to share from my Baguio trip. Last year it was the trip to Tam-Awan Village and the Ukay-ukay experience. This time, food trip naman.

Jack's Restaurant
This restaurant is located inside the same building as the Empire Cinema in Session road. There are other branches of Jacks along Baguio City but this one was the nearest we found from Burnham Park. It's very *uhm* old (literally) and has the carinderia ambience to it. So was the food... and that's a compliment.
Sabi nga nila, kung gusto mo ng mura at masarap, ask the taxi drivers for the best turo-turo and carinderia and they'll point you to the right direction. Well, hindi kami nagtanong sa taxi driver but it's one of those well recommended for affordable yet yummy dish. A meal will only cost you P80, with rice and stir fried veggies na. There's something about the chicken that will make you think of home and Max's. The taste is very uncomplicated and deep fried. Best of all, there's just so much veggies in each plate.

Jack's Rice with Veggies, P80

Seafood Fried Noodles, P140

My cousin-in-law ordered Tenderloin tips and the verdict was that it looks dry but it's not. Everyone was happy with their orders.
If you're along Session and want to try this place, you have to find the Empire Cinema sign. The resto is located on the second floor. 

 The inside of the building reminded me of the old cinemas in Pasay when I was young, with giant wooden wall decors. 

Cafe By the Ruins

Now this was a totally different experience. After the affordable lunch at Jack's, we decided to treat ourselves with coffee and desert. We actually went here the previous day but since it was Christmas day, the place was closed. Boohoo for me because I coaxed them to walk from SM Baguio to Shuntug Street (near City Hall) just for coffee and it was closed :( Anyway, on the 26th we went back and it's open. Yay!

This place was the ruins of a garden theatre which later became the house of then Benguet Gov. Whitmarsh. The place  is very cozy, has a chillax ambience. 

We ordered the drinks first, the Ruins blend coffee (P80) with cinnamon and tira tira sweetener. If you're a child of the 80's, you know tira tira very well. This coffee is nothing I've tasted before, it's a fiesta of different flavors in one sip.

Chocolate de Agua (P80), made of cocoa tablet and water. 

Leche Flan (P60), everything a flan should be

The Chocolate Lava Cake (P180), you have to taste this to know why it's famous. 

the chocolate oozed out of the cake. Yum!

This is another must have, the pan de sal with herbed cheese spread (P80), the richness of the cheese and freshness of the herbs are in perfect harmony. The cayenne pepper gives it a kick. 

My cousin in law saw assumption tart on the menu and immediately ordered it saying this start is a special recipe only sold in Assumption College. 

Cafe by the Ruins is all worth the long walk after all. Although parking is a challenge especially on peak days, I will definitely go back here. I'll try the main dishes next time.

December in Baguio

My husband's family made it their yearly tradition to go up to Baguio every December. For one thing, his brother who's now in London always requests for Baguio trip everytime he comes home in December. I guess he just can't take the hot weather and smog of Manila. And everytime, the Ayala Cottage is the place they stay  in which is walking distance away from Mines View. 

Last December 2010 was only my second time to go with them due to schedule conflicts. The first Baguio trip with the Garcia's, we had this souvenir photo in the cottage (taken in 2008). I was 6months pregnant then with Sam :)

This year, we attempted to have a family picture by the fireplace but it was not as successful. Maybe next year. But I got these photos of the kids. Sophie and Sam got to spend 4 days with their cousins and, boooy, you can't imagine the chaos when 5 kids come together in one house! :) 

Here, they found an empty cabinet as a nice hide-and-seek place...

We requested them to sit together for a photo op and these are what we got. Yep, the only girl (named Sophie) turns out to be the most makulit.

Day 2, we visited PMA after attending mass at Pacdal church. My husband was like a little kid in a playground when we got to the tanks. He is truly a war stories fanatic, can't count how many time he watched Band of Brothers and his collection of dvds ranges from the black and white to the most recent. He also loves Stephen Ambrose books. 

Him and nephew Miggy on top of the Landing Vehicle Tank or LVT (an amphibious) tank:

Of course, Sam had to try going up the tank too :)

Mama Karol (my MIL) and Tita Chit beside the Korean monument:

I tried to find an interesting POV for my photos and I found one, the top of  a 19th century Howitzer's gun barrel:

Will we ever forget a family picture? :0

After which, we went inside the PMA museum. For a mere P10 entrance per head, you can already get in. Look what we found? Stephen's grandad's class picture of 1943. My husband said, of the many years they went to Baguio, this was the first time they've been to the museum and seen his lolo's class picture. Nostalgic :) 

Other interesting things to see in PMA grounds :

Cadets practicing a routine

aircrafts on display 

 We still had time to visit the pet cemetery in Camp John Hay before we head back for dinner.

read this, very enlightening.

This is a creepy place but makes you think, 'better not mess up with my life so I won't end up having a tombstone like these.'

interesting message for us

 More of the Baguio trip next time :)