Pinoy Roadtrip

Manila International Airport Lounge: The MIASCOR Lounge (NAIA Terminal 1)

February 2, 2014

Manila International Airport Lounge:

The MIASCOR Lounge (NAIA Terminal 1)

In October 2013, when I took an international flight from NAIA Terminal 1, I was able to use the MIASCOR Lounge courtesy of my American Express Platinum card. The American Express Platinum card allows the cardholder (whether main or supplementary) plus 1 companion FREE entry to the MIASCOR lounge. For more details on this American Express card benefit, check it out here. It doesn't matter what airlines you use or what passenger class you're in, you can use this lounge as long as you're an American Express platinum cardholder, or a companion of a cardholder.

Select Citibank credit cards and accounts also offer this benefit for a limited time. For more details, check it out here.

Where it is located

NAIA Terminal 1, beside the entrance of Gate 9

The arrow shows the entrance of MIASCOR lounge

Hours of Operation:

24 hours, 7 days a week

The counter where you present your credit card.

There are two lines in the counter:

1. for credit card holders

2. for business class passengers

Procedure for Entry:

1. Present your American Express platinum card and your boarding pass to the counter in front.

2. Sign the logbook.

3. You are given the Wifi password.

4. Then you are allowed to enter the lounge.

Layout of the MIASCOR Lounge

AMENITIES at the MIASCOR Lounge

FREE FOOD AND DRINKS

Soft bread, pan de sal, chicken and rice, pad thai

Pastries, chicken congee and drinks section

Sandwiches, pastries, cereal, butter and jam

Drinks: juice, softdrinks, beer.
At the left (not shown) brewed and instant coffee and water

Wine and liquor
Chicken congee with assorted condiments

SPACIOUS LOUNGE

FREE WIFI

FREE NEWSPAPERS

CABLE TV

MALE AND FEMALE RESTROOMS WITH SHOWER

FLIGHT INFORMATION AND PAGING SYSTEM

The receptionists at the counter inform you when it's time to board the aircraft.

BUSINESS CENTER

There are computers with internet available for use.

MY TIP:
Make sure to arrive at the airport AT LEAST THREE (3) hours before your flight to be able to use this lounge. One (1) hour is spent checking-in and going through immigration, an hour and a half (1 1/2) to eat at the lounge and the remaining 30 minutes is for boarding.

If your airline departs from NAIA Terminal 1, you can use this lounge even if you're an economy class passenger if you are a cardholder of the American Express Platinum credit card.

Related news:

MIASCOR LOUNGE opens a pay VIP lounge at Davao airport: Read more here

PAMPANGA: Where to buy Kapampangan Tamales

January 19, 2014

PAMPANGA: Where to buy Kapampangan Tamales

What is the Kapampangan Tamales?

The Kapampangan Tamales is a Filipino dish originating from the province of Pampanga. It is made of ground rice, peanut and coconut milk cooked into a paste and then wrapped with meat, usually chicken and egg, in banana leaves then boiled.

This is a totally different dish from the Mexican tamales both in flavor and ingredients. The only similarity is the way it's cooked. The ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves and boiled in water.

Where to buy the Kapampangan Tamales?

Residents of Pampanga usually have regular suppliers in markets or from home industries. For tourists like us, here are three places I discovered where you can find a regular supply.

RAZON'S OF GUAGUA RESTAURANT

MEGA CALTEX STATION at the North Luzon Expressway, Southbound Lane, after the San Fernando Exit

It's not Razon's restaurant who's selling the tamales. A vendor was allowed to put up a small stall/desk inside the restaurant and sell the tamales.

My tip: Be there from 11:00 AM onwards. The vendor arrives at 11:00 AM

View City of Sn Fernando in a larger map

PRICE: 70 pesos per tamales (if you're one of the first buyers, they give it at 50 pesos per piece as "buena mano" price for good luck)

SUSIE'S CUISINE
MacArthur Highway, San Fernando City

This is the branch where we bought our tamales. I'm not sure if other branches sell tamales too.

View City of Sn Fernando in a larger map

PRICE: 70 pesos per tamales

SAN GUILLERMO PARISH CHURCH

There's an ambulant vendor in front of the gates of the Church who's selling tamales. We found her there when we arrived around 1130 AM on a Sunday, but left before we finished visiting and exploring the Church. So we weren't able to buy tamales from her. Perhaps she sells the tamales when there's Mass.

View City of Sn Fernando in a larger map

My tip:

To me, the Kapampangan Tamales sold by the vendor inside Razon's of Guagua restaurant at Mega Caltex Station, NLEX tastes much better than the tamales sold by Susie's cuisine. This is not to say tamales sold by Susie's cuisine tastes bad. Susie's tamales tasted good too. I just prefer the tamales sold inside Razon's because it's less salty and more flavorful.

CASA XOCOLAT: Ending the Christmas Season at Our Favorite Restaurant

January 5, 2014

CASA XOCOLAT:

Ending the Christmas Season at Our Favorite Restaurant

It's the last day of our Christmas vacation and what do you think is the best way to end it? With pasta and lots of chocolate at our favorite chocolate restaurant. Yup, we're seated at the right corner in the photo above.

OUR FAVORITE MEALS

Meaty Lasagna (P175.00)

Xocolat Chicken Pasta (P195.00)

Pasta Alfredo (P175.00)

Chicken Pesto Pasta (P175.00)

OUR FAVORITE DESSERTS

That Xocolat Cake (P95.00)

Xocolat Oreo Cheesecake (P125.00)

Aztec Xocolat (P145.00)

Taza de Xocolat (P145.00)

Frozen "Hot Xoco" (P165.00)

THE COUNTER WHERE YOU ORDER

THE MENU

CASA XOCOLAT

172 B-Gonzales St., Loyola Heights,Quezon City

Website: www.xocolat.com.ph

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

My NEW YORK Itinerary with Kids (Day 4: Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Plaza Hotel, Central Park)

January 4, 2014

My NEW YORK Itinerary with Kids

(Day 4: Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Plaza Hotel, Central Park)

DAY 1. MONDAY:

ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK

Read more of Day 1 of My New York Itinerary with Kids

DAY 2. TUESDAY:

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN TOUR by FREE TOURS BY FOOT

TIFFANY'S STORE FEATURED IN "BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S"
FIFTH AVENUE

UNITED NATIONS TOUR

Read more of Day 2 of My New York Itinerary with Kids

DAY 3. WEDNESDAY:

STATUE OF LIBERTY, LIBERTY ISLAND, ELLIS ISLAND

911 MEMORIAL

BROADWAY SHOW: LION KING

TIMES SQUARE

Read more of Day 2 of My New York Itinerary with Kids

DAY 4. THURSDAY:

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA)

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

PLAZA HOTEL

CENTRAL PARK

The map below shows our itinerary for the day:

View New York City in a larger map

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Since we had a very late night at Times Square the day before, we started late today.

Go to 34th St - Penn Station. Board E going towards Jamaica Center, get off at 5Av/53 St. Walk to the Museum of Modern Art at 53rd Street

12:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Museum of Modern Art

Finally saw Van Gogh's "Starry Night" at the Museum of Modern Art

Read more on What to See at the MoMa if you only have TWO HOURS: Must See Paintings at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

From the Museum of Modern Art, walk to Madison Av/East 52-53 St. Board M2 bus going towards Washington Heights Broadway -168st via Madison. Get off at Madison Ave/83rd St. Walk towards 5th avenue to the entrance of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Arrival at the Met

Before going in, we had a 15 minute hotdog sandwich lunch at the steps of the Met.

Hotdog stand in front of the entrance of the MET

My tip: DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF PAYING FOR ADMISSION TICKETS AT THE MET.

Contrary to what people think, tickets at the Met are FREE!!! The entry desk indicates that adult tickets are $25 but it's also stated below that they are only recommended, which means it's optional. New Yorkers know this but visitors are misled by the signs.

Check out these two articles:
Don't Pay the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 'Recommended' $25 Fee
Seeking Clarity on Fees at the Metropolitan Museum

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Metropolitan Museum of Art
The collection of the Met is so vast that it's not possible to see them all.

My tip: The best way to be satisfied with your visit to the Met is to know beforehand what particular collection you want to see and go see it. This means you must read about the Met before your visit to know where to go. In our case, even if we knew what we wanted to see, because of the sheer size of the museum, it took a while to find it. I wanted to see the works of my favorite painter Johannes Vermeer, but I couldn't find it on my own. I had to ask for assistance of one of the museum employees stationed in the area to find it.

On the other hand, one of my daughters wanted to see the Egyptian collection where all the sarcophagus and other artifacts were, another wanted to see the sculpture section, but all of them unanimously enjoy looking at the work of Impressionists: Monet, Renois, Cezanne, Latour.

Self-portrait in a Straw Hat by Vincent Van Gogh

Bouquet of Sunflowers by Claude Monet

Marguerite-Therese (Margot) Berard by August Renoir

Young Woman with a Water Pitcher by Johannes Vermeer

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Walk to 5th Av/East 80th St. Board the M@ bus going to East Village 8th st via 5th ave. Get off at 5av/West 60-59th St. Walk to the Plaza Hotel

6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

The Plaza Hotel

WHY THE KIDS WANTED TO SEE THE PLAZA:

Because my kids watched the 2003 Disney TV movie "Eloise at the Plaza". The film was based on the famous Eloise series of children's books.