Entertaining Balikbayans

I brought my two high school friends to #Tagaytay last week. From the #Our Lady of Lourdes, we had a very late lunch in Green ATS across Sotogrande Subdivision along the hway.

My initial plan was to bring them to Sonya’s Garden for lunch but since they preferred Filipino food, I switched plans. Lampas na kami ng Josephine’s, and the other restaurant cluster kaya we landed in Green ATS. It proved to be a good choice.

Against the sun

This #restaurant is not fancy and has no aircon. I got a bigger nipa hut (bahay kubo) on the lower floor by the ridge with a commanding view of Talisay and #Taal Volcano so that it would be quieter, away from the road and away from other diners.

There’s a P1,800 minimum consumable charge but I was confident our bill would be more than P1,800.

Nice Taal Lake view while washing hands with old style banga.

Olan, Lyn, Sarry, Alice, and of course, the old lady who ate the most tawilis- that’s me Ohmybuhay!

Lechon Kawali and a big order of bulalo

Kare-kare ox tail and beef laman

The four of them ordered one whole buko each. Kaya they were so full. I just had water kasi I wasn’t wearing diapers.

It was almost 5 pm when we reached Sonya’s Garden.
Sarry instantly recognized this spot popular on Facebook. Every balikbayan that had been to Sonya’s took a photo of this romantic spot.

Olan and Sarry Celestial. First time Sarry came home after 15 years of living in the US.

I haven’t been to Sonya’s Garden for more than a year. There were lots of new improvements. They now have a furniture store, a bigger Panaderia (bakery), and a store for healthcare products.

Favorite finds. The furniture are by order only.

The bougainvillea covers the whole roof. Super nice.

Alice Dacanay

It’s 5 pm and we needed some relaxation massage

Alice had a pedicure with maroon polish, and foot and back massage
Sarry, Olan, and Lyn all had 40 minute foot and back massages.

I had an hour of dry massage. Ayaw ko oil, ang lagkit at ang init-init ngayon.
I took a quick shower before the treatment to remove the stickiness.

There’s newer and bigger location for the Panaderia. I bought small pandesal with pork and chicken adobo, Adobotini.

Alice wanted to bring home buko pie kaya we stopped at one of the Colette’s stores.

Ano pala yan, franchise daw. Dikit-dikit sila, at iba-ba pala ng lasa at timplada. Nung araw daw you pay P150,000 for the recipe, iyan na ang franchise, They give you the recipe. Some put more sugar, some put less buko.
Kaya not all Colette’s buko pies taste the same. It would depend on where you bought it. Kanya-kanya silang diskarte.

Sarry’s daughter was craving for Razon’s halo-halo kaya I brought them to Razon’s in McKinley Hill.

This was the finale of our field trip.

They were still full from our late lunch kaya we couldn’t eat dinner.
Halo-halo na lang.

Arroz Caldo for Olan, Halo-halo for Sarry

This morning, another kababayan, Libring, asked me where I brought Sarry’s group. She and her balikbayan cousins from New jersey were cruising along Rosario in Pasig when she messaged me. I gave them our complete itinerary— Church, Green ATS, Sonya’s Garden, Razon’s. They are in Tagaytay right now and having lunch at Green ATS while enjoying the view. I could be a tour organizer for balikbayans.