Saint Patrick Village, Baguio City

View from the entrance

Saint Patrick Village is a 14-villa compound accommodation in Paterno Street, South Drive. Very near to Camp John Hay, you are surrounded by pine trees which is a rare sight if you book close to town. We were able to check its relaunch during its open house last August 11-16, 2015. It served the same purpose before and has basically just transferred ownership thus the new name and relaunch of the place.

There are 14 contemporary cabin-style villas - 13 villas are available for transient bookings while 1 villa is being used as the reception and houses their restaurant - Cafe de Angelo. It kind of reminded me of the Forest Cabins in Camp John Hay although more compact.

A view of the other villas

Each villa can accommodate 10 guests comfortably. There is an extra room which can accommodate 3 helpers. Additional people can be accommodated however, there is extra cost for additional mattresses and toiletries. 

Villa Features:
-5 bedrooms
-5 bathrooms
-Living room with fireplace
-Kitchen
-Porches and balconies
-Attic
-Helper's quarters
-2 car garage

Garage

Living area

Dining and kitchen areas

Bedroom (Ground Floor)

Bedroom (Second Floor)

Bedroom (Third Floor)

Masters Bedroom (Third Floor)

Bedroom (Fourth Floor)

Attic area (Fourth Floor) - Playroom and/or additional sleeping area

One of the bathrooms in the villa

Common outdoor area

Here are the amenities and services available:

-Cable TV
-DVD player
-24-hour WIFI
-3 LED TV sets
-Village shop for snacks and refreshments
-All-day dining restaurant
-Daily housekeeping by request
-Kitchen equipment and utensils
-Complimentary bathroom supplies
-Home service spa/massage
-Shuttle service
-Butler service

Spa services and rates

A night's stay for the whole villa during low season (March-November) costs Php 18,000.00 while during peak season (December-February, and holidays), it costs Php 24,000.00.

For couples and small groups, you may also book per room. Below are the rates:

-Standard room (good for 2) - Php 3,200.00
-Deluxe, Masters Bedroom (good for 2) - Php 3,600.00
-2-bedroom arrangement, Attic area (2-4pax) - Php 5,800.00

Their restaurant, Cafe de Angelo, serves good food and can also deliver to your villa if requested. I have a separate review of our first food experience in their restaurant here.


*You may directly inquire from Saint Patrick Village thru their Facebook page.
**Rates does not include breakfast.

Cafe de Angelo

Cafe de Angelo at Saint Patrick Village, Baguio

TP and I first tried Cafe de Angelo during the open house of Saint Patrick Village last Sunday. We decided to have lunch here after viewing the model villa within the compound.

I initially ordered Shrimp Pasta but it was not available. Though there were several items in the menu that enticed our curiosity, we ended up ordering the Garden Burger (Php180.00) and Bacon Bundle Sandwich (Php200.00).

We waited around 15 minutes before the order arrived. The plates were full and very filling, with the sandwiches either having wanton crisps or veggie sticks on the side. The Garden Burger is a perfectly seasoned double-decker sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts. The Bacon Bundle is a cheese, tomato and basil sandwich wrapped in bacon. It was a sinful yet interesting meal that is worth trying.

Garden Burger

Bacon Bundle Sandwich

Despite the location inside the Saint Patrick Village, you can still eat at the restaurant even if you are not a guest at any of their villas. Cafe de Angelo also has a branch (their first branch) in Chapis Village Road, Marcos Highway, Baguio.

We will surely try to visit their other branch next time to have a taste of their other dishes.


*You can check Cafe de Angelo further thru their Facebook page.
**Cafe de Angelo (Saint Patrick Village) menu below.

Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken

Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken in Bluebay Walk, Pasay

We had the convenience of trying Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken a month ago because of some meetings in Manila. Hot-Star is the famous street food in Taiwan, known for its huge chicken at an affordable price.

Because there were five of us, we were able to order all their chicken meals in 3 varieties and their fish meal. For the chicken, there is the Original, Crispy and BBQ Large Fried Chicken. The fish fillet is called Large Crispy Fish.

When we were called to get our order, I was overwhelmed.The 12 inch long chicken is good for at least 2 persons, and you can easily get full eating just the chicken. Since it looks like a fillet, I did not expect the bone when I dived in to my dinner, but all's well since it's still mostly meat. The spiced fried dory (spiced, not spicy!), which is almost 1 foot in length, tastes good also. For drinks, we all got the blue lemonade which is a nice alternative to normal soda or iced tea.

You have the option to request for your chicken to have some kick. I ordered my crispy chicken meal with chili powder and it just works!

Hot-Star is fast expanding with 5 branches to date: Quezon City, Bluebay Walk, Shaw Blvd, SM City Manila and Eastwood City Walk 2.

One extra rice please.


*Menu below taken from the Hot-Star Philippines website.

Menu taken from Hot-Star PH website

Ozark Diner

On a rainy Sunday, we had lunch at Ozark as per TP’s recommendation. This restaurant is located along Bareng Road, at the back of SLU Bakakeng. It is a relatively new place which opened around a year ago.

Ozark offers Southern American food – think southern fried chicken, biscuits and beans.

Just a bit of a background, the restaurant’s name was derived from the Ozark mountains in the United States. It is a mountain range similar to the Sierra Madre of the Philippines, and it covers several states like Missouri and Arkansas.

Ozark’s ambiance is nice and fuss-free. You can get a nice view of pine trees and oval track of SLU Bakakeng.

We ordered the BBQ Plate (pulled pork) and Chicken Fried Steak (cornmeal breaded beef sirloin) for the main dishes. Each main course is served with dinner rolls (or biscuits) and your choice of sides. There are several sides to choose from - we chose Hoppin’ John (black eyed peas with smoked ham) and Mac & Cheese. We also ordered Ozark iced tea (freshly brewed iced tea).

BBQ Plate with biscuits and Hoppin' John

Chicken Fried Steak with dinner rolls and Mac & Cheese

Ozark iced tea

The servings are big even without the rice. The Chicken Fried Steak with its sidings can feed two people. I loved the chicken fried steak and Hoppin’ John, which can even serve as a viand on its own. Their brewed iced tea is also very refreshing, a must try.

For dessert, we got the Dark Beer Cheesecake and Chocolate Sili Labuyo Cheesecake – for free! Coincidentally, they have a promo – order a main dish and get a free slice of cheesecake. The cheesecakes are just okay for my taste though TP liked the Dark Beer cheesecake. The promo runs for the entire month of July 2015.

Dark Beer Cheesecake

Chocolate Sili Labuyo Cheesecake

They are soon coming up with bed and breakfast accommodations. It is currently under construction. 

We are definitely going back to try their other food offerings.

 

*Ozark is open daily from 10am to 930pm. You may contact them at 0939 8818125 or 0905 AT OZARK. You may also visit their website here.

**I took snapshots of the menu below. They also have student meals available for around a hundred pesos.

 *****

 

 

*****

6 Things To Do in Boracay

Once a year trip to Boracay paradise is just right. After having visited the island many times, here are the activities that I would recommend doing once (or over and over again)..

Walk in the sand. Or sit. Or lie down.

#1 on my list. When I say walk in the sand, this means removing your slippers and walking on the sand nearest to the beach, not the path beside the establishments. They say it does wonders to your feet, but to me, it does wonders to my soul.

Enjoy the best beach sand in the world.

Photo by Angel Pestano

Go to Puka beach

If you are up for more waves, go (or go back) to Puka beach. Accessible via boat and land vehicles, it’s a temporary daytime escape from The White Beach.

 

Parasail

This activity is worth repeating. Every. Single. Visit.

Tip: Do it at sunset.

Photo by Angel Pestano

Cliff dive

Also worth your seconds and thirds and so on.. whether you do it in Ariel’s Point or some secret cliff – just make sure it is safe. Try to dive at the lowest point before moving to higher grounds. Let go and let loose.

Visit Crystal Cove

This is usually a part of the island hopping activity. If you have not been there, its about time you visit. Do not mind the entrance, I tell you it’s the usual. Explore a little more and the short trek, the little pockets of coves and rock formations will do you good. Find a nice cove and enjoy.

Learn fire dancing

Learn a local talent.

Arca's Yard

I have heard of Arca’s Yard before from a friend. I never had the chance to visit it until TP brought me there for late lunch after our Sunday mass. Arca’s Yard is situated along Ambuklao Road, a 5 minute drive or less from the Pacdal Rotunda. It is located right after the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary (APTS).

Arca’s Yard has a normal house façade along a road turn, with wooden totem poles and a simple painted built-up signage. Going inside, you will see a grand view of the mountains. The place is quaint and homey. There are two floors for the dining area, with a selection of normal dining seats and floor seating. It reminded me of former Gayuma restaurant in Katipunan and Likha Diwa in Krus na Ligas because of the feel of the interiors and the floor seating.

View from the balcony

Floor seating

A part of the second floor dining area

An abundant display of local wood works

Local wood utensils on display

It was a good thing that we arrived around 1pm because the restaurant was almost full. When we arrived, customers were halfway done with their meals. We initially sat at the balcony with the amazing mountain view, but transferred to one of the floor seatings inside after some customers left.

TP ordered the Pork Steak while I tried the Pesto Carbonara Pasta. We also ordered Tortilla de Patata (potato omelette), Arca's Sweet Potato ala mode (camote pie) and Cacao Hot Choco. We loved the pork steak, it has a simple marinade and gravy but you can definitely taste the marinade flavor.

Pork Steak

Pesto Carbonara Pasta

Tortilla de Patata

Arca's Sweet Potato ala mode

Cacao Hot Choco

Servings are good for sharing, especially the pasta. The others are just okay for my taste.

The place can benefit from more parking spaces and some directional signages.

Arca’s Yard also offers transient rooms for P2,500.00 a night. The daily rate is good for 3 people. The place is open from 9am – 8pm daily.

*Cash basis only