Everyone loves to eat a steak or two-but having access to them whenever you want to is a different story. HueMann invited me over to try their pork steak and not only that, they took me to their kitchen to show me how they do it.

Not an entirely new experience to watch the whole process since my friends-God how I miss both, used to come over at home and cook steak while we uhm, drink the wine ahead before the whole meal is ready-there is something satisfying about the ASMR of the making of a perfectly cooked steak. As a fan of sizzling plates, I love the sizzling sound it makes as a hot skillet makes contact with the meat while the scent of a promise of a great meal fills the air-every food lovers regardless of where already has a special place in their heart for their favorite steak place. 

Huemann serves a generous portion of Pork Ribeye Steak; Ribeye is known for it's marbling and rich flavor-and a crowd favorite because of it's juiciness and tenderness. While my friend S has shared that practice makes perfect while making a steak-the not so secret technique is the sear and savor of the whole process. Huemann makes theirs by searing their pan and I can taste the richness of the steak-and butter upon first bite, the muskiness of the rosemary made me shamelessly sigh as well, I am very expressive with my food

They can also customize on how you want your steak to be done and I prefer mine to be Medium. A portion of their Pork Ribeye Steak is served with coleslaw and buttered corn-no gravy.  If you are a rice person like me, you can request for it with additional fee. They also serve a junior-sized portion as well with rice.

Great props to Huemann not just for serving pork steak that's accessible and price friendly to every one, but for the agility to adapt to the ever changing market; I remember being invited for the first time late last year and the menu was different. The owners are analytical and very much in touch with what their target market needs so they added new items for us to go back to and try again. Put this in your prio list upon your initial visit and pair it with their tuna pesto. I love both so much and the surprise of this whole entry is that, the juice of the steak is perfectly hidden at the bottom of the plate. Order the extra rice-it's worth it. 

Personally, the perfect time to drop by is around 11AM when the lighting is naturally good and every picture you takes almost zero filter, Huemann's operating hours are from Monday to Thursday - 10am to 10pm and Friday to Sunday-10AM to 12mn 

Get updated with Huemann's active socials by following them on: 

IG: huemannph

Tiktok: huemannph

FB: HueMann

Fast Facts:

1. Wide Parking Space

2. Located at Queensland Manor, same building as Tavern and Hues X Palette

3. Outlets for charging available

4. Accepts cash and G-Cash

5. Serves German coffee.

Stumbling upon Ari is a happy accident and a cute manifestation of what was a cancelled happening is a redirection for somewhere else.

It was a Tuesday and the original plan was to go to Wat Sai floating market and have breakfast there. Nothing much happens at Bangkok before 8AM so I decided to take their bus; It's cheaper and it takes time-18 stops to be exact. This whole bus ride only cost me 13 Baht-around 20 pesos. Non-Aircon but it's clean and I was with the locals. Turns out, this day was a holiday so I did not experience the morning rush and I was just enjoying my bus experience with some elders.

I was heavily relying on Google Maps to take me to Wat Sai and the map has instructed me to stop at this fly over. For the most of Bangkok actually looks like a cleaner and safer version of MNL and this bus stop really looks like I was just at Manda and everywhere is very unfamiliar. I started to get anxious because I can't see any directions or signage leading to Wat Sai. Turns out, I have to walk for more than a kilometer for a train ride. Google map made me walk into residential streets so narrow that a car can't pass through and I was semi-praying that no one would try to pick pocket me

 

 

Again, it was a holiday and there were pictures of their royalty with gold and food outside so I'm deducing that no one would make a move on me. Maps has directed me to this stop in the middle of the market. As you can see, it's a place that tourists might not want to stay into but luckily, I look Asian. It was hot and the next train will arrive in 20 minutes-which gave me plenty of time to wait.

 

 

 I was hungry and though there were street food available at the train stop, I was looking forward to eating at Wat Sai so I just bought a milk tea and waited there for the next train station. 

 

 

It was a happy time for me because I did not feel like a tourist. I felt like I belonged. The heat was tolerable and I got on the bus, the train ticket guy was very very kind. He knew I can't speak Thai so we basically did google translate and he told me that he will let me know when it's my stop. 

 

 

The train ride took around 15 minutes and I felt like I was in the heavy residential and undeveloped part of Bangkok and it cost me 4Baht. I KNOW! 

 There was a sari-sari store when I got down from the train and I asked the local for the directions at Wat Sai floating market and she told me that IT'S ALREADY CLOSED and they are only open from Friday-Sunday. I did not bring a power bank, I only have less than 50 BAHT with me during this time and I'm hungry and have to wait for additional 30 minutes for the next train to stop by. It was uncomfortable for the most part because my plans did not push through and I did not have an alternative plan. Luckily the woman who owns the sari sari store asked me to sit in her area while waiting for the next train stop and I got back from the marketplace less than an hour but during this time, I really had nowhere else to go to. It was around 10ish, and my time is vacant until 4PM. I considered going back to my hostel since I really needed to charge my phone but when I walked towards the exit of the market place, I saw their Skytrain. Truth be told, this was my third day in Bangkok and I mostly got around by walking, cruise, or tuktuk, the bus just this morning-train too but I did not consider riding the Skytrain. I don't have anything against it just that-there's no Skytrain presence near KHAO-SAN area. Just like any MRT-Skytrain stops, there's a convenience store nearby so I was able to buy a power bank (guys sakit kai ni sa akong buot because it cost me 700 Baht), after charging my card, I bought a rabbit card in the ticketing area and impulsively decided that I will go down at a stop in a place that has the least number of letters.. for no reason at all so actually. I was thinking that my itinerary has been cancelled anyway so what more harm it can do. 

So Ari it is.

As soon as I got down Ari it was only during this time that I decided to check what's there to try, and what appeared at the topmost was their Dog Cafe, which is only 200 meters away from the Skytrain station. There were many instagrammable stops, places to eat and cute cafes to try but I decided on Dog Cafe since I'm a dog person and I plan to spend some time there since I'm also going to have my brunch.

Ari is not exactly a tourist destination more so when a tourist only has a limited time to spare but I spent my late mornings and early afternoons at Ari. To be honest, it wasn't exactly more of my age bracket because you can see Gen Zs posing at almost every corner there despite the scorching heat. 

Dog Cafe has just opened by the time I arrived and they are charging 350Baht with one free drink/cake for every experience. Do I think it's overpriced? Yes it is. But the upkeep for those dogs is also expensive. They are kept in an air conditioned room and also groomed well. The food that they are being fed is also of top-tier quality for them to have a built like that. I bet each dogs have different needs too as they are of different breed.

Taken last December 2022

 After my haircut at Icon Siam, I decided to ride the ferry to on the way to Chinatown. 

Chinatown, regardless of which country I drop by is a must-stop for me. The whole area is so rich in culture that despite the huge coverage, I will still remain transfixed by what I see as I walk. 

 

 

I arrived here around 6ish from Icon Siam and I missed my stop by one ferry so I have to walk a short distance, but it's an okay walk nonetheless. Apparently, the streets going toward Chinatown-regardless again of which country looks the same. But what surprised me the most is how they have those iron cordon which separates the pedestrian area from the passing vehicle. This same cordon causes people to be squashed on a specific side while walking around Chinatown. I'm not a claustrophobic person but with the recent events that happened at Itaewon during this time, this cordon has made me extra cautious..and with people really not minding social distance at all, no masks and everyone was just jostling everyone back and forth, I decided to do a fast food trip and leave soonest. 

Here are some videos of the food I tried there. I would've wanted to try at least 5 but SADLY, my tummy only allowed me to eat one main dish and one dessert... which only cost 100 Baht or Php160.00. I will forever be amazed by the fact that here in Bangkok, everything is very affordable.

 

 

After about almost an hour of walking around and immersing on the colorful lights and as the night progressed and more and more people are just milling around with limited space because of the cordon, I felt like I am panicking. I was alone in a very crowded space and I am full so there's no need to explore more and I felt like I just have to get out of there so I know these tuktuks are expensive but I rode one anyway and it took me back to my hostel which was 5Kms away.. the cost is almost the same as my whole meal at 150 Baht. 

 

Bangkok banks on it's tourism and since well, tourists are there for only a limited amount of time, they came up with using these river boats for the tourists so that they can minimize the amount of their travel time while also enjoying the sights that Bangkok has to offer at their port side.

 

I made that one up by the way but it makes so much sense because my trip from Wat Arun to Icon Siam was only less than 30 minutes including three stops but I have enjoyed every minute of it. It was sunny as I rode this big boat around 3PM and I am very much proud how I've followed my Day 01 itinerary down to the tee-but I've decided to choose the outdoor seats on the second floor of this boat

Prior to going to Bangkok, I've already planned on getting ahircut and the reason why I've held off for a couple of months is because I dressed up as the iconic Britney Spears for her video "Hit me Baby One More Time" during our Christmas Party-which is a day prior to my Bangkok Trip. I didn't know anyone from my network who has tried getting a haircut in Bangkok so I have decided to try it.

I googled "getting a haircut at BKK" and no clear/preferrable entries came up so I googled Salon at Bkk and "Chalacol" or "Hair Chalacol" appeared which is coincidentally at Icon Siam.

I also feel very proud that I found their salon without instructions (considering that Icon Siam is VERY massive) I ambled since I was also enjoying the coolness inside the mall. Upon entry, I checked their rates and the haircut (with blow dry and shampoo) is at 900 Baht. I refuse to compute that in pesos because if you know me in real life, I don't spend that much on hair cuts. 

Thank you HXP

But then again, Bangkok is known as a shopping district here in Southeast Asia but I honestly had no plans to shop and I went there to sight see, experience new things and eat good food. So I justified that exorbitant amount for a haircut by convincing myself that it's an experience and even if they do a botch-job I can always grow my hair back.

Thais in general are helpful by nature despite tha language barrier. I know I look like a local and ater briefly explaining that I'm not, I informed them that I would like to get a haircut. They showed me pictures and asked me samples of a hairstyle but I told them to surprise me.

Segue- For most of my life, I've had a long black hair. When I say most I meant maybe for the first 14 years of my life-then onwards to 16-30 years of age. The 2 year gap was when I was 14 my dad took me to a barber shop and asked the guy there to give ma a boy-cut which gave me a traumatic experience. I think I only had less than 10 pictures on that 2 year gap that I tried to grow my hair back.

Fast forward to 2019, I partnered with HXP hair studio and literally left my hair ont he hands of a very competent stylist. To date, my hairstyle has always been "surprise me" I've used to always held on to my long black hair because I've equated my beauty to it, that I might go back to my "ugly mushroom shaped face" if I experiment and you know what? I would like ot thank HxP Hair Studio for healing me with my trauma one hairstyle and color at a time. They initially approached me because-wait at this point,  I just realized that I didn't ask them this question)but as of today, I have yet to know the answer but I've been told that  around Chrsitmas Season 2 years ago-sales blew up because of my rainbow colored hair. They approached me for a hair collab-and their sales and exposure somehow grew but they didn't know that they also healed a part of me that used to believe that I only look beautiful when I have a long black hair. I was just talking to a friend this morning about how I look forward to going to HxP beacause the stylist and all the people there will not try to sell you anything and they will only offer ahir suggestions or products only when asked. You can relax knowing that you will know exactly how much you are paying for even before your actual appointment because their Facebook Page is highly responsive to client queries. If you want to get the accurate price of the hairstyle that you prfer, all you have to do is take a picture of your hair, inquire by sending them a message and they will reply swiftly.

This entry is supposedly about my haircut experience with Hair Chalacol but I got distracted. Haha

I guess Hair Chalacol people are not used to having customers giving them freehand as to what to do and it's understandable. After thoroughly shampooing my hair, the stylist cut-off around 3 inches of my hair ever so slowly, gave me a side fringe ever so conservatively, asked me if I was okay with it and I aggressively nodded my head wanting them to actually do more and surprise me but I guess they can't risk a Thailand-Philippines war because that's all they did, they blow dried and curled my hair and now it looks like this

 

 People change

and more often than not, some might think it's too late but for me, it's all in the right time

Taking a little break from my BKK post to share my experience a few days ago regarding application of Students' Permit here in Cebu.

God has put a lot of life deliverables for me this 2023 and while I used to be fine with my previous status quo (commuting in between locations-I don't entirely rely on my husband to drive me anywhere, he also has a busy schedule), riding a bus to take me anywhere is starting to an enormous amount of my time; queuing for one more so. Get me wrong, I used to think driving is a privilege but as with life in general, God will really put you into a circumstance which will require you to acquire skills that will make your life more efficient.

So I decided to again, continue the tedious process of acquiring a drivers' license. In general, going to government offices is really a traumatizing experience for me because when you have a small bladder like mine (the need to pee every hour is real), lining up in crowded places with no clear instructions as to where to go is a waste of time.

I'm glad all that has changed since Duterte's time-I am not going to argue about this with any one because again, I am relating MY experiences. This is not the first time I have processed a student's permit but this is the first time I have processed it more than 6 years ago but I can still remember how different my experiences were. I began searching online on a clear way to go about it but since I am a beginner, the jargon confused me so I decided to try my best to clearly outline the process on how to go about it.

For context, I live at Talisay City Cebu which is right beside Cebu City but our city has it's own LTO office so I am banking on that fact that there will be lesser people there. What I know is that should we enroll in a driving school, and it has to be accredited with LTO before we can process the students' permit. I remember the old process being you have to go to LTO first and the driving classes are actually optional. I used FB to look for an accredited driving school that's around Talisay area, or along the highway of Minglanilla since I will just commute to go there. I found Defensive Driving School on FB and they have a branch at Juana Osmena and along the highway of Tunghaan Minglanilla. 

As of Feb 2023, this promo is still ongoing. For everyone's reference, TDC means Theoretical Driving Class. The promo includes 15 hours of theoretical driving class and 8 hours of driving (options for automatic or manual cars)

I went to their office at Minglanilla and availed of TDC+B combo package. There is an additional Php500 on a chosen combo if you prefer to have it online. I have availed of mine online since the face to face option at that price is scheduled at Tue-Wed-Thu 5 Hours each. I paid for the Php5,799 TDC+PDC B online option and when they gave me the receipt, they told me that I should keep and take care of the receipt since LTO will look for it when I file for my students' license. After payment, they asked for my GMail account since that's where they are going to send my personal access to my theoretical driving class. After sending the link for sign up, they told me that I have 30 days to finish the 15 hours of online class and that access will expire once you have exceeded 30 days. I checked my email as soon as I got home and the link there for sign up and login is very user friendly. Once you can already log-in, the list of classes you have to attend is just a click away. 

 

Please note that these online classes which are in average-two to three hours long can't be clicked forward NOR I personally think you should do so since it's very important as we also don't just think of our safety but also, of other people and drivers with us on the road. 15 Hours of theoretical driving class include a brief history of LTO, LTFRB, comprehensive discussions on road regulations, safety, road signs, how-tos and what to do for different vehicle related situations and for every session, there is an exam/knowledge check that you have to have an 80% passing score.

I finished my online class in about a week since I spare about 2-3 hours everyday before and after work. The officer at Defensive Driving School told me to go back to their office after my 15 hours of TDC so that I can pick up my certificate there-which will also be presented at LTO during the SP processing. It took me 2 weeks to find a time to go there since my plan was to go there, pick it up, and go straight to LTO Talisay for the processing (distance between both buildings are less than 3 KMs only) and I intentionally went after lunch because there are noticeably lesser people on government offices around late afternoon. 

 

When I was at Defensive Driving School to pick up my certificate they took my picture as part of the certificate, and rechecked my requirements (for married women, this includes NSO, CENOMAR, Valid ID and the Driving School TDC Certificate)-all of which, they told me to prepare beforehand before going to LTO. It was already 1pm-ish during this time and I told them that I will go straight to LTO, they have booked me for a Mar 21-22 driving with an instructor schedule and when I asked them if it can be any sooner, they informed me that they will try their best to book me early. I think? on average, since driving schools now are limited due to accreditation-there is a huge back log in which I totally understand.

I arrived at LTO before 3PM and I approached the guard and asked for the first step in processing Students' Permit, he confirmed if they still accept walk-ins during this time since they only accommodate 30 SP applicants' per day. Less than 2 minutes he went back to me and gave me the okay signal and told me to go upstairs for the medical exam. I asked him ahead if there are papers that I need to photocopy and he told me there's no need to photocopy requirements. After I went upstairs to the medical exam area, I filled up a form and paid Php550.00 for the medical exam.

After paying, I went to the doctor inside the room and he checked my eyes, asked standard procedure questions about my health and gave me a clean bill, there is a desk outside the doctor's area and the clerk there encoded my details, asked for my requirements (enumerated above)\ took my picture and told me to go downstairs in the public help desk.

I went to the public help desk, I submitted my documents and they rechecked my requirements, put a stamp on my registration form and told me to go back by Mar07 for the final step. The whole procedure of arriving at Talisay City LTO to leaving took less than 30 minutes

So as of today, February 23, 2023, I have to go back by Mar 07 at Talisay City for the final step and wait for my driving class come Mar 21-22, 2023

I hope this entry helps :) let me know if you have any questions by sending a DM through my socials

IG: MYNYMISNYM