The Boutique Bed & Breakfast

A secluded escape that promises luxury intertwined with comfort sprinkled with liberal dashes of romance in a city not to far from the Metro, it was a promise too tempting to resist.

I’ve read mixed reviews about this quaint bed and breakfast and I’ve been curious for ages that is why, since we are in the Philippines for our 123rd monthsary, I’ve decided to surprise honey with a little trip to Tagaytay. I’ve booked the I Lust room by calling them, it was quite easy, just gave them my credit card number and voila! I’ve secured a night’s stay at their best room. I’ve also availed of their birthday package, this package includes a cake, candles, wine, balloons and rose petals to be scattered in your room. Very nice touch!

The B&B was quite easy to find, we arrived just before dinner. We went to the small room just at the back of the reception to choose the scents that we want for the room and for our toiletries. After sniffing fragrances and making our choices, we were taken to our designated room, the I Lust room. The first thought that went to my head was, “This is it?” Don’t get me wrong, it’s a really pretty room with an inviting king-sized bed at the centre topped with a gazillion pillows. It’s just that the expectation for this room has been so hyped up that I was looking forward to something more.

After dropping off our bags, we went downstairs to have dinner in the Hawaiian Barbeque and that was a big hit, hubby loved the fall-off the bone ribs, it’s a definite must try when you’re in the area. We forgot something in the room (I forgot what it was now) and hubby was about to get up to go back in the room to get it. Good thing I remembered that some hotel staff would be there arranging our room so I convinced honey to forget it, whew!

I pulled off the surprise, honey had no idea about it, he was very surprised when we entered our room and there candles every where and petals were scattered on the floor. The birthday package was really worth the penny.

The room in my opinion is a totally different matter all together. For starters it was a bit small, and I thought that the tub would be in a bathroom with a window that overlooks Taal, instead it was in one corner of the room opposite the bathroom. I’m not sure but there something about it that I find off. Maybe it was the fact that when later during that night after I got up from enjoying a hot bath, the cold air from the aircon (which was directly opposite the tub) gave me shivers, LOL! I also found the balcony too small; so small that during breakfast the following morning, the service trays were inside the room coz the balcony can barely accommodate the table and two chairs were we had our breakfast. Apart from being small, I felt that the concept of the room wasn’t translated enough. I kept on thinking, what made this room the I Lust room, there was no defining aspect, there was nothing in the room that suggests lust or passion (well apart from the book that was under the shelf which was about love and sex).

As part of the room rate, the B&B also offers welcome drinks and a forgettable plate of espasol, some goodies were also found in the room (I wasn’t too thrilled about these either, it was a very small bottle of shing-a-ling and another very small bottle of hard yema). The room rate also include a mid night snack of hot choco and churros.

The following morning, we were served a Filipino breakfast, I ordered Tapa and honey ordered tocino, it was nothing special really, but the nice view made the breakfast more special.

I have mixed feelings over the Boutique. I really admire the plan, the idea is really promising and I believe that the potential could be great. I believe the exact words I told honey is that The Boutique’s concept is superb down to the room ideas to the service included in the rates of the rooms but the execution falls short.

So will I go back? Honey liked it enough to think of going back, but I told him, I didn’t feel that it was good value for money and I’d be able to get the same or even more for less.

Spring, Summer and Breakfast

Good weather is not at all common in this part of the world that is why a lot of people have been ecstatic about the wonderful spring/summer we’ve been experiencing ever since we got back from our holidays in Manila. Our temperature ranges from 16-28 degrees Celsius and that may not be very warm for a lot of people but I must say we’re really quite happy with it.

To make sure that we get the most out of this rare blessing, honey and I have been having our breakfast at the roof terrace during weekends. I must say, it improved our mornings immensely. See, I have planted some strawberries, blueberries, and some other potted plants in the roof terrace and it’s great to look at them and enjoy the sight of these growing plants while enjoying a mug of hot chocolate.




Honey also organized a potluck barbecue, two weeks back, at the park with some friends. We’ve put up a tent, brought some barbecue stuff, plenty of drinks and buckets and buckets of rice and started feasting. Everyone had a grand time.



As I’ve said time and time again, spring is my favourite season of the year and as it turns out, my favourite season has been extended this year and I am a happy gal.

Beautiful brown longanisa logs

During weekends, I tend to plan our breakfast more carefully resulting to a more elaborate menu. After a week of plain and sometimes hurried breakfast, I want to pace myself in preparing and savouring the first and most important meal of the day during weekends. This is the case last Saturday, I chanced upon this simple recipe for longanisa, something that honey has been telling me he’s been craving for for a while now but we don’t get longanisa in this part of the globe readily available. The moment I saw this recipe, I knew exactly what we’re having for breakfast.



The recipe is really easy and really yummy, it reminds me of the longanisa I used to have when I eat breakfast at Mcdo, really tasty. I paired these beautiful longanisa logs with some fried rice and fried eggs with a bowl full of tomatoes drizzled with some fish sauce. Voila! The perfect breakfast. The best thing of all is that honey absolutely loved it.