Can't believe it's my 100th blog posting. Bilis talaga ng panahon, seems like it was just the 1st quarter of the year and now we've fastforwarded to the last quarter. Yup, it's the ber season again.s ooner or later, some radio station will be airing the first strains of a Christmas carol of the 2004 holiday season. Hmmm, gastosssss season again, hehehe.
KIDDING AROUND IN TAGAYTAY - Saturday found us - me, D2, B2, Bambi, Trixie and the kids in Tagaytay. The ever-patient B2 is as always, the one manning the wheel and going the rounds to fetch the two tribes -- the Castañeda castaways, hahaha, in Dasma; and the Lagdameo line-up in Merville. the morning was warm and sunny, cheering us up as we drove to our lunch destination.
FAT MICHAEL'S NOW IN TAGAYTAY - The sun alternated between shining and hiding as we tried finding where Fat Michael's is located. With rosemary chicken and paella ordered in advance and hanging over our heads like a welcome Damocles' sword, we look forward to finding the place pronto. Taking the dirt road alongside a tapsihan/carinderia near the Total gas station along the highway, we practically missed it then drove right smack into the place as if attracted by a huge food magnet.
As expected, the looong wait for the food was worth it. The rosemary chicken wafted into our collective heads long before it was served, when we were exploring the 3rd storey of Fat Michael's amidst the blooms of blue bells (variant of yellow bells) and a view of Taal lake. The chicken was tender and flavorful, the paella yummy. add tender chicken & beef kebabs and you've got very satisfied tummies.
The afternoon showers didn't dampen our spirits as we had marvelous servings of pancake ala mode and coffee for dessert in between kuwentos, laughter, and struggling to close and open the old wood & glass windows to keep out the rain or bring in the breeze.
Dining at Fat Michael's always has that relaxing, very casual ambience. The eclectic look and feel of the Makati resto is mirrored in its Tagaytay counterpart though with a more Mediteranean appearance with simulated white stucco-like walls and interesting knick-knacks. With classical music pervading the afternoon air, and the freedom to lift tired, socked feet atop the generous profusion of cushions, our weekend lunch became a really enjoyable, thoroughly unpretentious, treat.
TREKKING THROUGH HIGHLANDS - Thanks to B2, we got to enjoy Highlands once again. The kids had a blast riding the horses and visiting the zoo. One thing great about being around kids is you can't help but catch their contagious energy. Truth of the matter is that I wasn't feeling well Friday evening but being around D2's and Trixie's kids made me feel better, nevermind the noisy banter.
The Highlands trip was capped by, what else, but food. Rachelle and eherm, her doctor friend, joined us during this junction. Halo-halos, main con hielo, banana splits, tacos and wonderfully-fried french fries were shared and passed around as the sun set and painted interesting colors and intriguing shapes across the sky, signaling us to start winding up for our next stop.
COFFEE @ BILLANOS - Once more, the group visited Bambi's house on the ridge. This time for coffee and jumbo espasols that resemble suman or puto bumbong. The clouds obliterated the stars and lightning forks crisscrossed the blackened sky but the gathering coolness was welcome as we lounged at the veranda for a while before heading back to the city. I gathered D2 and B2 didn't have that many photos to show for this supposed to be, an OOTFS, but we certainly had fun. Till next time guys!
