Award-winning actress, cooking show host, wife and mother Judy Ann Santos graces the cover of the new magazine Cooking with the Stars!

With countless features already tackled about the actress, the coverstory on the ever-lovable Juday is one of the many features that will nourish all sorts of readers once you see this quarterly read. Cooking With the Stars will reveal her new side we ought to know. Here she gives advices to novice cooks, what anyone can do to even limited ingredients, and she will even inspire mothers to teach their kids to know how to cook.

A new magazine in town that is unique because it marries and merges the artista culture with cooking, Cooking With the Stars boasts of over 75 pages of full-coloured visuals and light fun and very comprehensive articles that bring out the cooks and kitchen buddies in every famous person. Published by The Best Publishing House Company, here’s where we will see hunky actors Rafael Rosell and Carlos Agassi shares their healthy recipes, the particular secrets of their ripped bodies. Ping Medina, Jessy Mendiola, Coco Martin, VJ K-La Rivera of MYX share not only their recipes but also reveal a new sense of fulfillment with being food business proprietors. There’s also football player of Philippine Team ‘Malditas’ Marielle Benitez who scores a goal with her recipe!

You will discover why Kitchen Musical cast Karylle Tatlonghari, Christian Bautista and Thou Reyes have become virtual foodies in the famous musical melodrama aired over Studio 23.Heartthrob chef Tristan Encarnacion reveals the importance of positive emotions when cooking. The very lovely Rosebud Benitez shows what makes even a ‘quickfire’ food preparation just as delicious as a carefully prepared dish. Junior Master Chef judges and culinary demigods Rolando Laudico, Fernando Aracama and JP Anglo, justify why the culinary industry is an unsinkable industry in a country like ours.

Features that will continue to feed and nourish us with inspirations is Jaworski Garcia who own’s Papa J’s and who successfully uplifted the Chicken Wings from mere pulutan staple. There is also businessman James Lorenzana, who, together with his charming wife May, hoists the fish sauce (Patis) from simple and unnoticed recipe ingredient and food condiment to Royalty level. Accompanying all these important features will be pages of covetable and collectible kitchen, cook and glassware that will lighten u; any kitchen, even enhance and stylize any dining table.

With the bevy of features the maiden issue of Cooking With the Stars has for every reader and food lover, here is a magazine everybody’s appetite will be whet! Grab your copies now! Available at all leading bookstores and magazine stands nationwide!

Cooking With the Stars is published by The Best Publishing House Company. It holds office at room 216 2nd floor, SCC Bldg., CFA Compound, 4427 Old Sta Mesa Road, Sta. Mesa Manila. Landline 2383951. You can like them on Facebook at facebook.com/thebestpublishinghouse or follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/dbestpublishing

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The Grand Palace RestaurantWe went there pastlunch time and we were just a couple of customers. Even though we are few, the service and attentiveness of the waiters and waitresses were there. They are always ready to attend to our request and needs. Inside Grand Palace Restaurant. The place looks authentic. Just like the Chinese restaurants in Macau

As part of my Chinese restaurant routine, I first ask for the house tea, next is chopsticks and lastly, a hot towel.  Next of course is to wait for your order and prepare your camera for the entourage of food.

4 Season Soup

The 4 Seson was so good but I have a little comment about the saltiness.  I guess, they might have made an extra salt springkled at our soup but overall, it still tasted good.   I like the shitake mushrooms and the texture of the soup. It was hot and very smooth.

Shrimp and Pork Shomai

As a Filipino who like Chinese food so much, Shomai will always be an order.  Their shomai was good. we ordered for another dumplings.  It was fish and vegetable dumplings. It was a small noodles and with shrimp.  It was a good as their shomai.

Fish and Vegetable Dumplings

Both were good with their soup and with their Yang Chow fried rice.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

We ordered for two more dishes.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Camaron Rebosado

Overall, the dining experience was great. This authentic Chinese restaurant will bring you to another place just like dining at Macau or Hongkong.  The sound were also Chinese songs and the people roaming around although Filipinos just like but in total Chinese outfit.   The dumplings were superb. I like the fish and vegtable dumplings very much.  The sweet and sour pork as recommended by Arnel is a total knock out.  The Camaron rebosado that was suggested by the waiter was truly a food from heaven. It was fantastically delicious.

There are still other good food that I am reserving for my next visit at Grand Palace.  You can find Grand Palace Restaurant at:

@ THE AMADEO LIM BUILDING
Imadejas/Montalban Sts.
Butuan City

This restaurant will really be in my itenerary when I go back to the Kingdom of Butuan.

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Yego Inside the Piaggio

VW Top down. Always a favorite of mine. I'm also dreaming of having one for myself.

Volvo S60

Team Subaru with the world know drifter "Russ Swift".

 Team Subaru headed by Russ Swift had a drift exhibition at the ground of the World trade.

Nissan GT. I drove this but only through the game "Need for Speed".

Now, lets go to my favorite, mini copper.  There were collection of new and vintages. I like the functionality of the new mini cooper but I still prefer the classic 1950′s.  

Mini Model. Car show ain't complete without this.

Mini Place

Mini Coupe S

Mini Countryman. This is much bigger than the coupe.

Another Mini Countryman

Mini Cooper, Paul Smith Design

MIni Classic. My first true love.

Another Classic Mini but a little bit sporty.

Here are the collection of Mercedes Benz. Truly a luxury on its own.

Mercedes Benz. Slate finish.

Mercedes Benz SLK

Mercedes Benz SLK 350

Mercedes Benz CLS 63

Benz with their model

Cobra - Shelby

Land Rover Defender. This fella is one of the best 4x4 offroad vehicle.

Lamborgini. The Monte Carlo Car.

Gabby and Yego with the Lamborgini Model.

Jaguar XF. My Favorite British Luxury Car.

Ferrari. Im not really familiar about the model but I know the brand is really cool.

Ferrari Model with Diego

Ferrari Rear

This car caught my attention. It is Hyundai Veloster. Aside from that, they also have a very pretty model.

Hyundai Veloster. I admit it, this is the first time I saw this and I haven't seen this on the road. Maybe in the near future, I will see this one.

Beautiful Model of Hyundai.

Chevrolette Camaro

Diego with Bumblebee

BMW. I just don't know what model is this.

BMW M6

Vintage BMW

Everytime I see Audi Quattro, it reminds me of Ironman.  My kids even reminded me that they want to see Ironman’s car.  It was good that incuded in the exhibit the R8 GT.

Audi R8 GT. Ironman's Car.

Rear of R8. This beast is really beautiful.

Audi Quattro SUV

A4 2.0 TDI

Aston Martin. Very nice European Sports Car.

Ford GT. This is one of the fastest sports car with a hp more than 1000.

2012 New Ford Explorer

Best Luxury SUV for the year 2011-2012

Diego Inside the New Explorer.

New Ford Expedition

Here are the line up of the Muscle Cars.  

2012 Ford Mustang. Ang pogi!!!!

Ford Thunderbird. The muscle car of James Dean.

Ford Cobra Vintage. I just don't know what year this was born.

Ford Mustang. Even the underchasis was restored.

Mustang Classic.

The Classic Ford Mustang.

 There were more that I cannot identify.  It was really feast for the eyes and I am looking forward again of attending next years Manila International Auto Show.

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Inside Ocho Seafood and Grill

What I like about Ocho Seafood and Grill is the constant improvement of their restaurant and the consistency of the taste of the food they serve. When I started to go there even during the time that I lived in Tacloban, they have always gave me dishes with the same quality and same consistency of the flavor.  Hear are my “must have” in Ocho:

Spicy Sarad

Sarad is a huge brown lookingmussels.  I use to have it grilled when I cooked it a home.  The spicy version of Ocho is a must have. It is truly delicious.

Seaweeds with calamansi

Just a plain seaweed with chilis mixed with calamansi is already a very good starter.

Halaan Soup

I have tried their sinigang soup and tinola which I also appreciated but this halaan soup for me is the best.  Why? Because the fresh spring onions, ginger and onions combined with the shell made a distinct taste of freshness and soothing feeling. 

Grilled Tasik Belly

What more can I ask for when I have the grilled trasik Belly on my table?  This is a must have in ocho. The tenderness and taste will really knock you out.  That is the same reason why I always order for these dishes in Ocho.

Ocho Seafood and Grill

When in Tacloban, never miss the opportunity to drop by Ocho Seafood and Gril and try my recommendation. Happy eating.

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As a foodie, there is always a time for Chinese food. one of my favorite place to go is at Mr. Choi Kitchen.  The ambiance caught my attention of a neo-fusion of Japanese and Chinese. What surprised me more is the taste of the food which reminds me of the old restaurant that my father and I use to go at Divisoria when I was young.

Inside Mr. Choi's Kitchen

The ambiance is warm, the staff are attentive.  What more can you ask for?  The real thing is the taste of the food and how they came up with a line up of delicious dishes.   These are my favorite food that I usually order when I am in Mr. Choi’s Kitchen:

Bird's Nest Soup

We always start our food ceremony with the hot soup. My favorite, birds nest. I always leave a small portion that I eat with rice.

Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

I was introduced to this during one of my luncheon.  My Chinese friend ordered for sweet and sour spare ribs and he was right. It was very delicious.  When I got the chance to eat again at MR. Choi, I made it sure that it was on the top list of my order.

Heavenly Hakaw

This is one of my favorite dimsum. Hakaw is made of srimp and it goes very well with soy and chili sauce.

Sir Fried Jelly Fish

Shrimp Balls

We ordered this accidentally.  My niece is very choosy in eating.  We tried to get a viand that will make her eat.  Fortunately, she liked the shrimp balls. We were happy to be introduced to this because it was really very tasty.

Fried Chicken

We made sure there is a chicken dish.  This is the favorite of my children either we go to a first class restaurant or to a fast food, we always order for fried chicken.

Mr. Choi’s Kitchen can be found at Robinson’s Galleria, Robinson’s Place Pioneer, WalterMart Munoz. For this, we went to Robinson’s Place Pioneer Center.

Peking Duck and Asado

I definitely recommend Mr. Choi’s Kitchen. It was a very good place to eat and have a casual dining experience with dishes that surely can satisfy your Chinese food cravings. I will go back to experience more of their delectable dishes.

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Maasin at the Port Area

It was a good feeling to be back in Maasin. The last time I went to this Southern tip of Eastern Visayas was two years ago.  Now, it has progressed but still remained the southern charm that it have. 

Its been a long time since last visited and it has always fascinated me to roam around in this lovely city. My favorite part, the port area.

View from Kinamot sa Abgao

In Maasin, there is this great restaurant that is known for its great food and warm accommodation.  The first time that I went there was around 2006.  The name is Kinamot sa Abgao.  It has improved.  Now, they have a hotel beside the restaurant.

Kinamot sa Abgao

Going inside Kinamot

Kinamot is a word in Visayas to “eat using your bare hands”.  We Filipinos are familiar with this way of eating and there is a proper etiquette in doing so.  You may either use your left or right but you have to make sure that your other hand is not used.  There are exemptions like eating shrimps, crabs and shells but as much as possible, it is avoided.  In eating using your hands, you have to make sure that the food that you take is just enough to enter your mouth and must be very clean afterwards. 

Going back to the restaurant, it is situated just beside the breakwaters. You will experience a cool breeze of the sea.  We even saw fishermen catching fish while we were dinning.

Inside Kinamot sa Abgao

Here are the foods that are must have:

Kinilaw

One of the best tasting kinilaw that I ever had.  The combination of sweetness and the tang our sourness plus the freshness of the fish has made this a fantastic dish.  This is highly recommended.

Inihaw Platter

Inihaw platter is a combination of grilled fish, squid, pork bacon, beef and chicken.  At first we thought at this is just a small dish good for two.  But then it came, we were three and still we had a hard time finishing it.  This complimented the kinilaw.  The grilled squid was cooked just right leaving it very soft.

San Miguel Pale Pilsen

The kinilaw and the inihaw platter were great with with a bottle of San Miguel Pale Pilsen.  The combination of grill and kinilaw is the perfect match here in Kinamot.  They also have a hotel beside the resto named Villa Romana Hotel.  When you go to Maasin Southern Leyte, never miss this opportunity to eat beside the bay with one of the best kinilaw and gilled that I tasted.  Bare in mind, Kinamot sa Abgao.

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Ayala Center Cebu Picture 1

Ayala Center Cebu Picture 2

Ayala Center Cebu Picture 3

I was caught by surprise that the parking and some vacant areas were transformed in to something beautiful.  I guess it was a long time ago that I visited Ayala Cebu. I visited Cebu a couple of times but I did not even bother to drop by the malls and I am glad to know that one of my favorite restaurant is located there. It is a previelage to go to Cebu and have a hearty meal at one of my favorite restaurant named Golden Cowrie. 

Hukad

Now, they created a new restaurant situated in the new Ayala Terraces Cebu named Hukad.  Hukad in Visayas means to scoop or a term use for ladle. Like want we do in our rice and soup meal.  As an avid fan of Golden Cowrie, I tried their restaurant and as usual, they haven’t failed me yet when it comes to service, food taste and warm accommodation.

Hukad has a neo-Filipino atmosphere using the same traditional banana leaf look like plates.  As my old time favorite, here are those that I always eat:

Crispy Pata

My First love for pork will always be the same.  Hehe. Forget diet first. Do it tomorrow instead. Crispy pata first!!! 

Baked Scallops

This has always been my pre-requisite to my Cebu travel.  Baked Scallops. Very good as a viand as well as an appetiser.

Dinuguan

One of the best Dinuguan that I tasted!!! I have to admit it, I got carried away with the Dinuguan of Golden Cowrie. It was one of the best Dinuguan that I tasted. I never went to this restaurant without ordering this fantastic and very delicious dish. That is the same reason why I appreciate Hukad a.k.a. Golden Cowrie that much.  

My meal at Hukad

As usual, the rice is overflowing. The waiters will ask you if you still want extra rice. Before all of the unlimited rice meal came out, Golden Cowrie has been doing it.  Now, Hukad kept the tradition and that made them special.  You have a choice if you want garlic or plain steam rice.

Inside Hukad

Its been almost a year since I went to Cebu and this trip made it complete again specially when I went back to one of my favorite place. They still serve the same good food, and fantastic service.

You may find Hukad at the second floor of Ayala Terraces Cebu, Cebu City. you may call them for reservations at 032-4171301.

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Hoegaarden

Hoegaarden

This beer has a long history.  It was first created in 1445 by the monks who gave birth to the Wheat Beer. This beer has received an award last June of 2009 from the International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) in Brussels and on the same year on October, it won the first place on specialty beer from the Hong Kong International Beer Challenge .  This beer has a distinct taste that is somewhat sweet with an experience of drinking a cold milk with a alcohol kick.  It really relaxes me every time I have a bottle of this beer.  I make sure I have a few bottles in my ref. Its very good to end the day with a bottle of Hoegaarden. 

Red Horse

Redhorse Beer

This beer is strong with a 6.8 % alcohol and a full flavored taste.  When you go to its web page, you will see bands, rockers, tattoos and something alternative. I gues that is only their positioning of this beer in the market.  However, I am not a rocker nor a fan of tattoos and alternative lifestyle.  This beer induces my creativity in business and mostly when I work using my mind.  I have created many business and corporate plans with this respectable beer beside me.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t drink in the office. After office, specially in the house, that is when I partner my work with Red Horse.

Red Horse

With Hoegaarden that makes me relax and Red Horse that out pour my creativity, I have my perfect drink for my perfect moments.

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After our training in Quezon City, my boss said that there is a nice place to eat along Panay avenue that is affordable with a very good ambiance.  At first I was thinking, is there such a thing as that? When you say good ambiance for a restaurant, it is usually associated with a good price.  He informed me that this place is owned by Boy Abunda and his business partner Boy So. That drew my curiosity aside from a celebrity owned resto, I really want to taste their food.

Going inside Sir Boy's Food Republique

My first observation was, they have a very accommodating guard who guided us to be parked. Then I headed towards the entrance and I was received by two beautiful ladies who are truly blessed with a lovely smile. The place was huge and definitely it can accommodate a lot of people. The price, superb!!! You can have unlimited buffet dinner for 100 pesos plus additional 25 for the drinks.

Lining up for the food

The food was a six course menu with soup rice and dessert.  You can go back as many as you can as long as you finish what you get.  No wasting of food.  Just get enough what you can chew.

Six Dish Menu

I started with my first batch on the buffet. It was spaghetti, beef tenderloin tips some vegetables and some sweet and sour pork.  It was pretty good but I like the beef tips better. It was soft and very flavorsome.

My First Food Plate

Since I can’t get enough of their food, I again got my second place. This time, no spaghetti.  I added fried tilapia and of course, my favorite beef tenderloin tips.

My Second Food Plate

It was so delicious and the ambiance was really great. However, I still cannot satisfy my taste buds. I went back again and I got additional spaghetti.

More Spaghetti

After which, i suddenly knew that I was not yet finish eating.  It is because I saw their dessert that happened to be one of my favorite.

Buko Pandan

IT was really a very good food adventure and what I like about this place is that, you don’t have to spend so much to keep yourself full plus a very beautify interior coupled with the great customer servicing.  For the budget conscious, that is one of the place to be in Manila. Sir Boy’s Food Republic is along Panay Ave. Quezon City.  Congrats to Tito Boy Abunda and his business partner Boy So.  I will surely go back and I will tell my friends about this wonderful dining experience at Sir Boy’s Food Republique.

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My Batchmates. Batch 90

Last February 4, I got the change to attend our yearly alumni homecoming at La Salle Greenhills and the theme was “Happy Verde”.  As usual boy will be boys and as a boys school, drinks, food and entertainment dominated the LaSalle grounds.  There were overflowing beer and food.  It was nice to see old friends and literally, most of they grew old. hehehe. But the spirit of being a La Sallian still stayed young.

The event is not complete without entertainments. 

Sam Pinto

 I was told that Sam Pinto was pretty. I am not really familiar with the artist since I am a food blogger.  When I went near the stage, my friends were right, she was a stunning beauty.

Geneva Cruz

The powerful voice of Geneva Cruz really drew the crowd to the party atmosphere.  

Ciara Sotto

I’m not really a fan of pole dancing but when I saw Ciara, I appreciated it. Aside from her being beautiful, it was also a skill that requires physical stamina and endurance to be hanging on the pole with your weight and being gracious at the same time.

The Fire Queen

Rachel Lobangco danced well with her craft “fire dancing”.  It was just like at Boracay.  She was a professional fire dancer to which she has perfected every moves without being set on fire.

There Bench also celebrated their 25th year with the school and they brought their models to grace the occassion. 

Bench Model

Bench Model

Bench Models

 It was a fun filled night and was wrapped by our alma mater hymn.  Afterwards, fireworks.  Here are my first series of shots of fireworks.

It was a fun evening of meeting old friend being “high school” again and celebrating what is ment to be green.  It was not only entertainment, our La Salle Family from Iligan also gave grace to the occassion as being a recipient of the typhoon Sendong where all La Sallian community hepl during the relief operation at Iligan and CDO.

We ended the evening with a hearty cheer and hopefully, we will see each other once again in our coming event on May 2012.

Disclaimer: The photos shown are intended as an aesthetic appreciation and photography skills.  No other purpose whatsover other than the two are incorporated in this blog issue.

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