Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Review: Dong Won Korean Restaurant

My family and I really love Korea and well, Korean Food; we like the fact that almost everything is grilled and has lots of veggies. I've always been seeing Dong Won whenever I drive home from school, so one time I've brought my friends here to try the food, and we did not get disappointed. I've then brought more friends here, then my sister, and recently my entire family. Honestly, what I like most about Dong Won is that they refill the side dishes without any additional charge and without any limit. We really love side dishes, (or banchan as they call it in Korea) and disappointingly, in some Korean restos that we've been to, they always had a certain 'limit'. Anyway, the food here is great! There is also some Korean authenticity when you dine in here; close enough as to how it would be like when you dine in Korea.
   
   

   
  
Happy Eating!

Dong Won is located at Jupiter Street Makati City Philippines

Xoxo,

@thecouchpatatas 

Monday, June 8, 2015

Manila Ocean Park


I have already been to Manila Ocean Park for three times already. The first time was in 2010 with my family, the second one was with my friends, and the third one was just lasts June 7 with my family again. My six year old nephew has been fascinated with sea creatures lately and so he decided to just go here.

If you live in a tropical country like ours here on the Philippines, going out during the summer months may not be an entirely good idea at all. The months of April, May and early days of June are just scorchingly hot! We have experienced this on that day, and it was just unbelievable! So anyway here's my post!

I, being the family's head of the "booking department" as they say, had always been in charge in arranging my family's trip every single time. It was actually my idea to go to Manila Ocean Park since i am pretty sure that my nephew would apprciate it now that he's five as compared to when he was just one year old! Haha! 

I have stumbled upon this deal of Manila Ocean Park tickets in METRODEAL ( metrodeal is a site that offers deals here in the Philippines which are almost less than half of their original price ), and have decided to avail them. I got the deal for P499 (which is valid from February 2015 to February 2016) via credit card transaction. And it is actually easy! Upon validation of payment, metrodeal would send the voucher to your metrodeal account (so I suppose you have to really make one..also for easy retrieval), and you just have to print the vouchers individually (one voucher per person), and present it upon arrival at Manila Ocean Park. 

The package that we availed of was the DEEP SEA RUSH PACKAGE. This gives you access to FIVE ATTRACTIONS inside the park:

The Sharks and Sting Ray Dry Encounter
The Jellyfish Exhibit
The Oceanarium
The Sea Lion Show
The Symphony Evening Show

Being mostly adults with the only goal of making a 5-year-old experience under water without actually going under it, this package is more suitable for us! Haha! Besides, we are not huge fans of humid places, and we easily get tired haha! But there are other packages than this one, and it includes access to more facilities inside the park! 

HERE ARE MY PICTURES:

(We had Lunch at Makan Makan Asian Food Village located at the second floor of MOP. They offer great and affordable food in here, plus it's the only restaurant that was not crowded when we were there)


I have to remind you guys also that MOP offers scheduled performances, so you have to manage your time while in there so thay you can go to each and every attractions. 


(Inside the Jellyfish Exhibit)
( Sharks and Ray Dry ecounter )
( Inside the Oceanarium



( Buhay na Karagatan. This is actually a huge tube where you can sit and watch the different sea creatures swim at your back and above your head. It was so hot though, and there were so many people that day, so I wasn't able to take lots of pictures! Oh and another thing too is that you won't get to enjoy taking much photos of yourselves while inside the Oceanarium because it is too dark; and let's face it, we are all fans of GOOD LIGHTING. Haha! But if you have a high-performance camera that can take good photos with low lighting, then you're good to go! Lucky you!) 

( The Sea Lion Show. It has two scheduled performances that day: 11am and 3pm. We went to the 3pm show, and it was outside, and it was sooooo Hot! But it was entertaining though )

We did not watch the Symphony evening show because we were just to drained already and my family said that it was just "lights and sounds" haha! During the first time we were here in 2010, we did not watch it as well for it was raining, and when I was here with my friends, I had to go home early. But I believe it has to be something more. Haha! 

So that's it! Feel free to look for you own deals, and also look at their website for our promos! Get your own dose of #vitaminsea ( that's a thing now, right? Haha!) Enjoy!

Xoxo,
@thecouchpatatas

Follow me on IG: @thecouchpatatas








 

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Lotte World: Seoul Korea

I have already been to Seoul Korea for three times already; and everytime we are here, we always tend to go to the same places (we're weird, I know). One of the places that we usually go to is in Lotte World. Being a kid-at-heart, theme parks have always been a part of our itinerary, more so now that I have a nephew and a niece. We travel together everytime, and we are always composed of a group of 6 adults, and one child. 

Lotte World is situated in Seoul. It can easily be accessed either through a cab or the subway. The flag rate recently (2014) has escalated as compared to when we were here in 2011 and 2012, so we've decided to just ride the train (and let's face it, it feels more "korean" taking the subway).

Lotte World is located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea. 

It is made up of two main sections, the outdoor park and the indoor park. When we were here for the first two times, we only stayed in the indoor park and I don't know the reason why haha!

 There is also a direct line through the subway going to lotte world so it is really convenient. Plus, commuting is Seoul is a Breeze because all the subways are interconnected; you just have to be careful not to enter or exit in the wrong line. If you'll ride the subway, just find:

Jamsil Station (Seoul Subway Line 2 & 8), Exit 4.

So anyways, is open all-year round. Its hours of operation on weekdays (Monday to Thursday) is 9:30 a.m. to 10p.m., while on weekends (Friday to Sunday)the hours of operation are from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
The  admission rates when we were here last april 2014 are the following:
ADULTS: (18 years and over) 

= 44,000Won 

TEENAGERS (13-17years), 

= 38,000 Won

CHILDREN  (3-12years), and 

= 34,000 Won

BABIES (12months to 2years)  

= 11,000 Won 

Late Admission tickets are also being offered by Lotte World starting 4pm, which is approximately 75% off. We availed this for we came in late and since only my 5 year old nephew would be riding on the attractions, it is more worth it  haha!
Here are my pics from the trip:

   
                

     For more information, visit their website:

http://global.lotteworld.com/main.asp

Wood Nymph Korean Restaurant: Baguio City Philippines

Baguio has always been a sanctuary for me and my family. Coming from Rizal, Baguio used to be so far away; an 8 to 10 hour trip is long is it not? Haha! But that was during the late 90's and Early 2000's. Just recently, the travel time from Angono to Baguio is only just 5 hours! Thanks to TPLEX! 

Anyway, my post would be about one of the restaurants that we truly love and where we usually eat whenever we are in Baguio: Wood Nymph

Wood Nymph actually has two branches is Baguio City. The branch that I was only able to dine in was the one in SM Baguio. It's actually easy to find as there are signs placed inside the mall. 

Being HUGE FANS of Korean Food (and Korea, of course), my family and I usually scout for Korean Restaurants wherever we go to. There is just something about Korean food! Haha! 

Here are some of my #foodshots during our trip:


This is LOVE! Our favorite Sweet and Spicy Chicken


Seafood stew




Korean Japchae! 

Dok-bokki (Korean Rice Cake)



If you are fond of Korean food like myself, you would definitely enjoy the food here! Happy Eating!

Xoxo,
@thecouchpatatas