Hukad has been well-known locally for many years now so I was surprised when I saw that they added in a new dining experience and since we were craving for some local food, we knew we had to try it out for ourselves.
I know very little about the backstory of how this Hukad Cafe came to be but from what I've seen and experienced, this does stay true to its "cafe" vibes. Dining is not their usual restaurant style. It's like patio dining but still inside the mall. We went to their SM City Cebu brand right beside JCo.
I don't really mind al fresco and the likes style of dining but it just sort of feel off when it's inside the mall. SM City is a very crowded mall. We went pretty early so there was not much crowd but expect that there will be a lot of people passing by during peak hours. We stayed at the inner portion of the restaurant just because we like a more private type of dining.
I would like to sincerely apologise for these terrible food photos again - I swear I'm not really this bad at taking them, I just got hungry (again) that I forgot to take a dedicated photo of what we ate. This is a screenshot from a video that I took.
Anyway, I was craving for dinuguan and I have always loved the ones in Hukad restaurant so this is what I got. The soup is still very tasty and gives all the glory of a dinuguan without any funky taste. It was really good. The only problem I had with it was the chicharon was really tough a lot of it was unchewable. I soaked mine in the soup for a few minutes and even until I was done eating, there were still hard as rocks.
Their pork sisig was incredible. It had a kick of spice but even those with low tolerance for spice would still really enjoy this.
This is something I would highly recommend if you're dining here.
The serving sizes for both dishes are okay but if you're thinking of a family dining, you might want to get more. They're really cafe-size dishes - more of a snack size than a full meal. This is not bad at all because they're priced really well and worth it.
Overall, the experience was pleasant and the food were really tasty. The nice young lady who waited on us was really nice and helpful.
If you have loved Hukad for a long time now, you might want to also try their new dining experience. If you haven't already, this might be a new way to experience local food.
Starting a new chapter in a new city is naturally challenging and at most times overwhelming. A lot of students, fresh graduates, families from other provinces in Cebu or other parts of the country flock to Cebu City with hopes for a better life. For a lot of us, rentals are our first options because real estate prices are quite unrealistically high nowadays.
If you're looking to move to the city and you're looking for a long-term rental, here are a few tips you might want to know.
Where to look for reliable listings
If you have the chance to visit the city prior to moving, it would be much better because you'll be able to have a look at the neighborhood you want and see if there are rentals in the area. If not, then looking online is the next best thing.
The easiest place to find rental listings will be on Facebook Marketplace. The landlords or brokers reply so much faster on Facebook than any other listing places on the internet.
The next best place to look for rentals is Rentpad. It is best for people who are looking for apartments, condos and houses. The downside to this is that a lot of listing owners are contacted via email and they take a really long time to respond to queries.
What to ask for
Other than what you are personally look for in a rental, it is best to ask for other important things such as the community and accessibility to transport. Most times, cheaper rentals mean that you have to take an extra mile to get there. Know that Cebu has a lot of elevated areas and a lot of cab drivers won't be able to take you very far.
If you are renting a condo unit, it is worth asking if there is water delivery within the building, how far the nearest laundry area is and/or how close it is to grocery and restaurants.
For those looking up listings and enquiring just online, ask for as many photos and videos as possible. Also ask for photos of the immediate vicinity of the rental and see if that's a community you're willing to live on for the long term.
How to check for legitimacy
The best way to spot a scam listing is to be visit the rental at least once before you move in. However, if you are not able to do that, there's still a number of ways to make sure your rental is legitimate.
Landlords will require for deposits and advance prior to moving in. You might want to ask if the landlord is willing to take one month as a reservation and you will pay the remaining upon move in. If this is not possible, ask for proof of ownership of the property and identification. This is not too much to ask really especially if your landlord understands that this is only for your security. If you're renting a condo, you can take it a step further and try to contact the admin office to verify ownership.
Do not forget to ask for acknowledgement receipts for your payments. Other rentals will have lease contracts so don't forget this as well.
Looking for the best rentals is no easy and looking for them solely online won't make things easier. Make sure your steps are carefully planned and you are provided with all the information you'll need to make your decision.
Picking up a new furry friend is undeniably a very exciting stage for any fur parent and it doesn't even matter if it's your first time or your hundredth time. The excitement really never dies out.
If you are overwhelmed with the preparations before you pick up your dog and you don't know what to start shopping for, then this list might help you out a bit. Basically, there's really not much that you need contrary to the tons of options for dog "essentials" in the shops.
Food and treats
You should consult with your veterinarian on what could be the best diet to start your dog with and the right dose. If you are picking up your dog and won't be visiting the vet for a few days, I suggest you go for a smaller pack of a good brand dog food may it be a wet or dry food. On the first few meals, observe how your dog responds to the food you are serving him and adjust accordingly.
For treats, young puppies do not and cannot chew on hard treats so prepare the tasty chewy options. Try not to buy too much food for your dog because you are not familiar with his preferences yet.
Crate
The crate that you purchase will largely depend on the area of your home, your dog size and your lifestyle choices. If you are looking for something to use in the long term, I suggest you get the crate that will fits your dog when it grows at its largest. This will save you tons of money because crates really do not come cheap.
It is very important to know that crates are not cages. They are not meant to "imprison" your dog just because you cannot handle its behaviour.
Crate training your dog is extremely important. Your dog should be able to voluntarily go inside his crate or at your command. His crate should be his safe place. It should never be a source of trauma for your dog.
Feeding bowls
Feeding bowls are now available at a lot of designs and sizes so just choose whatever fits your taste but stray away from elevated ones when your dog is really short. Other owners keep one set (one for kibble and another for water) each floor of their house especially if they have a puppy or a senior dog. Other than that, choosing feeding bowls is a no-brainer.
Grooming tools
You'll basically need a shampoo, hair brush (if your dog is furry) and a towel. You can step it up and also pick up a hair dryer. There are shampoos that are designed for specific age ranges and needs in dogs so that is something that you should also keep in mind when buying new grooming tools.
Toys
Just like food, it's not a very good idea to buy too much of these in the beginning. You can start off by buying one soft toy (like plushes) and one firm toy (those that are made out of rubber or plastic). While other dogs would play with both, there will be some who prefer one or the other.
Knowing your dog's toy preference is important especially in the months that they start teething. During these months, you will have to train them to chew on their toys instead of everything else in your home.
Potty pads
Whether you decide to housebreak or train your dog to do his business outside or both, having a potty pad at the first few weeks will help your dog to learn that he should not just pee everywhere. In the first few hours and on the hours that you cannot pay close attention to your dog, designate a room or enclose a space with a pet playpen with the potty pad. In my case, I did this not only to start housebreaking my dog but also to know his call of nature schedule so I can carry him over to the potty pad and wait for him to do his business.
Bed
This is not something that you should really go out and buy. If you're still starting as a fur parent, you can always use old (but clean) towels or blankets or pillows. However, if you feel like giving your dog a big welcoming present, feel free to get him a nice bed. Just know that not all dogs are fond of plush beds because they prefer to sleep on the floor instead.
I am not in any way a dog trainer or a dog expert and I am only speaking from experience. I hope everything goes well with your pupper and let us know how it went for you in the comments below!
It's a Friday and it has not been a tough week at work or life in general. We all look forward to a movie or any relaxing activity when we get home.
If watching movies is on your list for tonight, here are some feel-good chic movies that are guaranteed to make you feel good.
So, sit back, relax and enjoy!
Sisterhood of Traveling Pants
This movie is about a group of friends who magically finds jeans that fit all of them. They share the pair of pants with each other equally as they spend their summer vacation miles apart. The movie tells the story of four separate summer vacations and a time when their friendship goes through a significant test.
The movie has a relaxed, but still a very interesting plot. It will take you through a number of emotions but still keep a light smile in your heart. If you'd like to imagine yourself as a young teenager again, then I would highly recommend this. It is available on Youtube to rent for Php 150.
Wild Child
Wild Child is a story of Poppy Moore, a carefree American teen who got sent to a boarding school in the UK after a rebellious act back home. Her father told her that he did not recognise her any more and that she needed to be sent away. Poppy's mother passed away when she was a little younger and she has not been the same since. The boarding school is the total opposite of the environment that she was used to and Poppy worked to get expelled but instead found herself drawn towards the school even deeper.
Now, this might be a little bit of a more typical teen chic film but hear me out - it's still very much entertaining as it is. The characters are all very likeable and they develop well throughout the film. There's not much relatable lesson in this movie though, just pure good fun.
You can catch this film on Netflix.
The Perfect Man
Sometimes teenagers and young adults think too highly of themselves that they think they're adult enough to manipulate situations - but they're actually not (surprise, surprise). This is what happened in The Perfect Man. Holly Hamilton grew tired of having to move each time her mother breaks up with a guy and she got tired of how she kept choosing the wrong man. So, she took it upon herself to pretend to be the perfect man. This got too entangled as her mom's bond with this fake ideal man grew bigger and she got stuck in all the twists.
If you're looking for a feel-good movie but still with a little bit of drama, then look no further. The Perfect Man (in my opinion) is a lot more realistic in a way that this presents the point of view of a child of a broken family who tried to play the adult in the family just because the adult in her life is definitely not acting like one.
It's a good family movie and it is a great one to watch. You can still catch this on Netflix as well.
Confessions of a Shopaholic
I saved the best for last. This movie never fails to pick up my mood. It is funny and entertaining all throughout.
Confessions of a Shopaholic is the story of a shopaholic named Rebecca Bloomwood who found herself under a mountain of debt, (initially) unemployed and being chased around by a debt collector. Rebecca found a new job ironically at a finance magazine and writing articles about how to save money. She got charmed by her editor.
If you're looking to pick up your mood and a little touch of romance, then this movie should be at the top of your list tonight. It's sure to take all the stress away.
Having been to a number of flights means that you might have witnessed a number of people who are just unpleasant at airports. I've had my fair share witnessing these types of people and it just think what the fudge were they thinking to be able to act the way they were.
And I am not talking about the people who just look tired and may have been stressed. These are the people who just acted that way just because they think they can.
Those who just like to rub their citizenships and residence status at other people's face.
In one of my flights, while I was queuing to pay for my travel tax, there was a middle-aged lady who had trouble paying for hers because she didn't have the sticker to show what date she arrived in Cebu. For those who do not know, if you arrive in Cebu via an international flight, a machine will generate a sticker showing your date of arrival. You'll then have to place this sticker on your passport. She might have lost hers or something but the travel tax counter looked for it because she was still using a Philippine passport. She went on to insult the employee and bragged about how she lived in the United States for years now as a green card holder but she never encountered this problem. The employee responded with "Yes ma'am, but I need the date of your last arrival in the country." I don't know how long they took to resolve her issue or if they resolved it in the first place beacause I just left.
In another situation, my flight to Shanghai was delayed for around 30 minutes and the gate was moved. This was announced clearly by the ground crew. When we were getting ready to board at a new gate, an older American man and his Filipina wife who just arrived that time snapped at the ground crew. He said they didn't hear any announcements and the crew should have done better. The Filipina wife also said that they have been US citizens for years now and they've had many flights but they've never experienced that problem. For one, they made it to the boarding gate a few minutes before boarding so there really was no point complaining. Second, if you have travelled even just more than once, you will know the delays and gate changes are normal.
I still don't get what makes other people think that their foreign citizenship or residence status from first world countries gives them any privilege or holds them any higher than the locals.
Those who steal seats at the airplane.
Most airlines let us choose our seats when booking our ticket. If they don't let you do that, you can always graciously ask the check in counter at the airport if there are any seats of your preference that are available. For these reasons, I will never ever get why people try to steal seats at an airplane like savages. I personally prefer window seat and I make sure I get that seat in either of those two ways. There was one time a much older woman just conveniently took my seat and when I told her she was on my seat, she just said she wanted that one and even had the audacity to call the flight crew. I just came from a long flight and I was extremely tired but I still stood my ground. Judge me all you want, but I really could have given the seat if only she asked nicely. Just because anyone's older does not automatically give them the right to walk over another person.
I just really hope that people will stop stealing seats. You can have the seat that you want, just make sure you get it right before you ask for your boarding pass.
Those who cut lines.
For someone who is able to afford expensive plane tickets, you will expect him or her to at least have the basic human decency to follow the queue, right? Not always. There are way too many instances where I saw people just conveniently cutting lines - there was once that they used their senior citizen companion to hopefully cut the regular lane and make way for their senior citizen companion and three able adults and another one able adult who was still on the way to the airport that they wanted to wait while they are in the check in counter. Note that was another lane for people who need special assistance. The regular lane that they tried to delay had tons of people behind them who have been waiting in line for hours. The audacity.
Unless you are someone who needs special assistance, please follow the basic rules of queuing.
Those who hog the overhead compartment space.
Time and time again I have seen passengers just hog the entire overhead compartment space for their row. The others who came in a little later had to check in their bags or place them in compartments that are much further from their seat.
Most airline guidlines will actually state that each passenger is allowed two carry-on bags: a large bag for the overhead compartment and a much smaller bag for under the seat. It is not right to sneak in around four bags and just occupy the entire space.
I would like to sincerely apologise if this seemed like a rant post but it's really difficult to talk about this without showing the emotional impacts.
What terrible ones have you encountered in your travels? Tell your story in the comments below!
We live in times where excess seems to be the name of the game - the more you have, the more valuable you seem to be. People even think they earn bragging rights just by having too much of everything.
Rewearing clothes, going thrifting or just simply choosing to go sustainable sounds boring and basic for a lot of people. Believe me, I used to find happiness in excess and I realised it was extremely wasteful financially and in a larger scale, a harm to the environment.
What is fast fashion and why is it harmful
The video above gives a comprehensive view on the large scale effect of fast fashion. All the waste of fast fashion end up in landfills that most of us never see so most of us never really care about.
Basically, fast fashion is the lifestyle of purchasing so much clothing and only using them once or twice.
It's the ideal of having a new outfit each time perhaps to impress people or just to feel good about ourselves.
Shein, one of the largest online clothing retailer was just recently reached valued at $100 billion USD - just the same value as SpaceX, Elon Musk's company. Imagine how many tonnes of clothing they could produce at that value and how much excess it could create.
Is sustainable fashion expensive?
Sustainable brands, yes, are priced higher than fast fashion brands. This is because they have different business models affecting the price. Factors such as sourcing, labour, ethical practices, etcetera all contribute to higher pricing. While there are fast fashion brands slowly adapting ethical and more sustainable practices, they still have a long way to go. Sustainable brands are also lesser known but a lot of times they are a lot better than the bigger brands we all come to know.
Sustainable fashion, however does not need to be expensive. If you have the money to support sustainable brands, then by all means go for it. However, I understand that this is a lifestyle - some people cannot due to financial reasons while other just simply are not willing to leave their excessive lifestyle.
I am hoping this would speak to those who are willing to go for sustainable fashion practices without breaking the bank.
There is no harm in outfit repetition.
As a matter of fact, your great fashion sense and creativity will actually be seen if you know how to reuse what you already have. Mix and match your current items to give off a different vibe each time you post something. Reuse what you have until they break or gift them to those you know will still make good use out of them.
It does not have to be a different set of products each time you go out.
Besides, I don't think people remember if you keep repeating your outfits. I don't think a lot of people care about what we wear enough to build a reputation.
There really is no harm in repeating clothing items. It does not make you uncool. It does not make you cheap. Never believe people who tell you that - they're just too wrapped up in their own little bubble to know any better.
Don't be scared of thrifting.
In my case, I never get ashamed if I tell people I am wearing thrifted clothes or ukay ukay. It's actually my first line of defence if I want new clothes especially if it's for occasions that do not come around quite often.
Thrifting is a great way for you to find treasures in other people's "trash". This way, even though you really are not buying the more expensive sustainable brands, but you are still doing your part in preventing those clothes from making their way into landfills.
Just make sure to clean them well though!
It's all about quality, not quantity.
There is no point of having hundreds of low quality clothes when 90% of them are just good for one to three uses.
When it comes to sustainable fashion lifestyle, a person is more proud to have only a few pieces that they know they'll have tons of use rather than having one single item that only serves one purpose.
You can still go for non-sustainable brands if they're the only ones that fit your budget and you are confident that they will last long.
Invest in your essentials.
If you know what kind of looks you usually go for, see what the basics are for that category and invest in great quality ones. The ones that you can wash and wear hundreds of times. A lot of clothes are cheap but they can only last a few washes.
Invest in what you know you will need and the occasions that you usually go for.
Going for a sustainable lifestyle in fashion is much easier said than done. However, I am hoping that those who read this will have even just the littlest amount of care for the harmful effects of poor fashion choices enough to make the change.
Again, it does not have to be expensive. You don't have to completely go for sustainable brands for this to work for you.
If we all care a little bit more, we could create a bigger wave of change in this industry.
Saving up for a trip is not always easy especially when there's only so much wiggle room in your finances and you got to squeeze every cent to make it. I always found myself in that tight spot when I was still constantly looking and planning for my next destination. I was only lucky when I got to go for business trips.
I am in no way, shape or form a financial advisor but this is an average person's method to make things work. I've tried a lot of ways to manage what I can in order to fund my travels but this one worked its absolute best for me each time. I think of this as "saving by category". Not only does it help me have a very specific target, it also gives me something to look forward and celebrate whenever I finish a category.
You might want to try this out for yourself if you haven't done already.
This is essential in order to categorise your travel funds. You have to identify your trip down to the expenses and conversion rates if you are travelling abroad. This takes a lot of research but once you get this out of the way, everything else in the planning stage will just fall into place - plus, you get an organised itinerary at hand!
You can change this according to your needs, but here are the categories that I almost always use when making a detailed itinerary:
General activity category. My options include:
Air travel - this covers airfare
Government fees - travel tax and airport taxes
Land travel - cab fare going to and leaving from the airport, any land transportation in destination country
Experience - tour fees, entrance fees
Shopping - souvenirs and personal shopping budget
Food - all meals and drinks
Date and time of activity
Name of activity - Note which activities can be booked online and which ones you need to pay in cash.
Accomodation - hotels
Cost in your currency
Cost in your destination's currency (optional)
Notes (optional)
With regards to the costs, make sure you add in 5-10% of what you found on the internet just to give an allowance to currency lost and price changes from the day of your planning to the day that you actually pay for it.
2. Get the total cost per category
In my list above, my categories are in bold letters. The next step would be to take the general cost per category. You can subcategorise if you think this narrowing them down would help you.
3. Prioritise your categories
Now that you have categorised and determine the actual costs, it is time to prioritise which ones you save for first. My rule of thumb is that I save for the expenses that often change prices like airfare and hotel. This is how I prioritise the rest (list is from the most to the least):
Price changes/rises fast and/or when closer to date of travel
Airfare
Hotel
Activities that can and need to be booked online
Things that need to be paid for in cash
Government fees
Land travel
Experiences that need to be paid for in cash (including tips)
Shopping
Food
The ones that can be paid for in cash should be the last category because you don't really need to have the money until you need to exchange them to your destination's currency which is usually done days or even hours before your trip.
This can be the most difficult part of it all because this is actually taking all the planning into action. Once you've saved up enough money to pay for your highest priority (in this case, it's the airfare), you can start booking your flight according to how long you realistically identified that you'll need to save up for the rest. It would help if you have a consistent goal to add to your travel fund to identify your time frame. For example, you have Php 1,000 to add to your travel funds per month. You then divide the total cost of your trip plus an extra time in case there are other home expenses. This way, you can pinpoint which month of a specific year your can make the trip.
The thought of living on your own after years of living under your parents' or guardians' roof can be one of the most exciting stages in your lifetime. Some move out to live alone, others move out and live with roommates or their significant other. No matter who you live with or live without when you move out, it's really important to have survival skills because you should be able to fend for yourself when you move out.
While you can still move out without a clue on anything, it will make your life a lot easier if you at least know these:
Basic cooking
This might be an unpopular opinion but it is not always cute to hear that someone does not know how to cook. If eating is a basic human activity, then there is no reason for anyone not to learn how to cook. When you move out, it is important that you learn to cook even the basic dishes to get you through. YI know there's always takeout and deliveries, but that is not very sustainable in the long term.
Cleaning
Unless you are moving in with a personal butler, then you will have to learn how to do basic cleaning chores like laundry, dishwashing, vacuum/sweeping, mopping, etc. I am hopeful that you would not be calling any other adult in your life to do this things for you.
Financial management
I have mentioned this in my previous moving out post. Basically, when you move out of your parents or guardians' house, you will have to take care of all the bills that they may have covered for you in the past. These bills will become your priorities so all other expenses have to take a backseat. If you have the money to cover both then this wouldn't be a problem at all. However, for a lot of us, there will be luxuries that will be compromised, there will be trips that will be cancelled or we'll have to learn how to choose the best value products when shopping for groceries.
Financial management is not something you'll get right the first time around but it is okay to let yourself to navigate the best way that works for you and your lifestyle.
Time management
How sane you will be when you move out largely depends on what things you make time for. The best thing about this is that it will be easy to make self care a priority because you are on your own now and your main priority is yourself.
It is important that you manage your time according to your highest priorities.
We all know that Holy Week is a time where a lot of us have some time off to visit churches (for Catholics) and/or go on vacations. For my hometown Bantayan, it has always been the most crowded time of the year ever since I was little. It gets too crowded that a lot of people think it is our fiesta but it really is not.
The municipality of Bantayan has just announced that the regular religious festivities will resume this year and it is expected that everything will be back to what it used to be prior to the pandemic.
I personally would not recommend coming to the island if you wish to have a more calm experience but if you don't mind the crowd and this time you want to see the island for the Holy Week, then here are some things that you might want to know before taking the trip:
The commute is very challenging.
If you are commuting on Good Wednesday, you should expect to be overwhelmed by the crowd at the bus terminal. It is almost impossible to be have a seat at the bus stations and at Hagnaya port. Expect extremely long lines and people fighting for seats. If you are travelling by group, you might want to consider renting a private transport just to ease yourself half the stress of commute for that day.
Accommodation rates during the Holy Week in Bantayan is usually 2x or sometimes even 3x higher than regular rates and a lot are fully booked even months before the Holy Week. If you're planning your trip around this time, you will find it difficult to get rooms at the popular resorts or rooms at ideal locations in the island. I suggest booking your accommodation in advance via Agoda, Airbnb or via Facebook messenger. As much as possible, do not come to Bantayan without booking a room because there will be a high chance that you will end up without a place to stay.
Bring as much essentials as you can.
Other than the accommodation rates, the prices for almost everything shoot up. I suggest bringing as much essentials as you can so you can avoid unnecessarily expensive purchases in the island once you're there. For example, water bottles are sometimes sold at Php 100.00 per liter and that price was pre-pandemic. No one knows how high they could go up this time.
Arrange other rentals in advance.
If you're thinking of renting bicycles, motorcycles or cars in the island during your trip, it is best to arrange them beforehand. You can ask your resort for assistance and make sure you ask for acknowledgement receipts.
Travel responsibly.
One of the biggest problems by the locals during the Holy Week is the filth that comes with the tourists or even fellow locals. Whether you hit the beaches or the towns in the island, please always make sure to clean up after yourselves. Respect the island and help maintain its beauty. It's already 2022, please do not act like savages.
