review Archives - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Sep72010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Waddy’s Place | Where to stay in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental

Features, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

About an hour and a half away from Bacolod City is San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. It's a small, quaint little city that was the very first out-of-town host of a Presidential cabinet meeting during former President Fidel V. Ramos' administration. San Carlos City is also home to Congressman Jules Ledesma, boxer Gerry Penalosa and singer Jaya's mom, Elizabeth Ramsey. And yes, it was in San Carlos City where Jules proposed to actress Assunta de Rossi. My friends Joyce, Iza, Crissa and I, together with Crissa's parents, went straight to San Carlos City the very same day we all arrived in Bacolod City. It was drizzling that time but the rain eventually stopped once we arrived at our destination - Waddy's Place. Located at Sitio Punod, Waddy's Place is a mountain resort overlooking San...

Jul182010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Yummy Sunday birthday lunch at Kagay-anon Restaurant

Blogging, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Personal

My family and I recently celebrated my brother Ben's birthday by sharing one delicious, special birthday lunch on a Sunday at Kagay-anon Restaurant. One of our brothers, Nathaniel, wasn't around, though, since he's already based in Cebu City but we called him several times all throughout the day so we still strongly felt his presence. For that special Sunday birthday lunch, we had camaron rebosado and calamares: We also had another family favorite which is lato seafood. Check out the lato serving at this restaurant in Cagayan de Oro City after the jump! (more…)

May282010 by Mindanaoan Irene6 Comments

Review: The Maxwell Hotel Cebu | Budget hotel Cebu

Business, Consumer, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

The Maxwell Hotel Cebu is located along N. Escario Street, Cebu City, Philippines - a prime location in the Queen City of the South. It's a fairly new hotel in Cebu City and can be considered a Cebu budget hotel. Mindanaoan stayed at the Maxwell Hotel Cebu for two nights during my recent 4-day escapade at Cebu to attend the first ever Cebu Blog Camp 2010. The first two nights were spent at my Cebu City-based brother's apartment. My brother is also a blogger, by the way, and he accompanied me at the Cebu Blog Camp. He blogs about tennis here. Since he often lacked sleep because of the uber warm Cebu weather as of late, I, as the dutiful "ate" (ahem, ahem), decided to check-in at The Maxwell Hotel Cebu and treat him to two days of rest, sleep and an absolutely relaxing massage (more about...

Mar42009 by Mindanaoan Irene5 Comments

Review: Tia’s Beach Resort Camiguin Island Mindanao budget hotel

Camiguin, Hotels, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Northern Mindanao, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

Summer is drawing near and I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, of you are thinking of places to go to during those hot summer days. And with airlines now offering more flights to and fro Camiguin Island, Mindanao, I'm sure many of you are considering the place dubbed as the "Island Born of Fire" as one of your summer destinations in the Philippines. Tia's Beach Resort in the Island of Camiguin, Northern Mindanao, Philippines can be considered a good place to stay especially if you're on a budget. The last time my mother, brothers and I stayed there was last year during the Holy Week. We planned to go to Camiguin at the last minute so practically most of the hotels and inns were already fully booked. Good thing my brother remembered Tia's Beach Resort and how he and his friends like...

Nov212008 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Review: Da Spooftacular Showdown (featuring Jon Santos, John “Sweet” Lapus, Candy Pangilinan and guest Pokwang)

Arts, Entertainment, Humor, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update

It was a chilly Friday night (November 14, 2008) when my mom and I went to watch the ASAP Live-produced and Phillip Lazaro-directed “Da Spooftacular Showdown” comedy show featuring top Filipino comedians Jon Santos, John “Sweet” Lapus, Candy Pangilinan and Pokwang (who was that week’s guest). We arrived at Music Museum, Greenhills two hours early, which was fine since we wanted to have dinner beforehand. We spotted former Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition winner Keanna Reeves, by the way. She, along with a much younger guy, stayed in front of the Starbucks joint near the Music Museum entrance. She looked restless and seemed to know that people around her were staring at her and talking about her. Who wouldn’t be when she was wearing a very sexy attire? It was just really amusing when so...

Nov72008 by Mindanaoan Irene7 Comments

Review: Songs I Grew Up With (Jay Durias solo album)

Arts, Davao City, Entertainment, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Musings, Opinion, Personalities, Reviews

Album review written last August 31, 2007 and published by many media outlets. Thank you! The author of this piece (who is also the one behind Mindanaoan.com) is a long-time supporter of award winning Filipino band South Border. She was also cited in the album acknowledgments. Jay Durias, a certified Dabawenyo, is South Border's musical director and keyboardist. Jay's solo album, "Songs I Grew Up With," is a project album. Admit it - you’ve always wondered how South Border keyboardist and musical director Jay Oliver Durias would fare as a solo artist. After all, he’s largely considered as “the main man” behind the highly successful band, having composed and arranged most of South Border’s hits including “Rainbow,” “Love Of My Life” and the favorite of many, “Kahit Kailan,” and h...

Oct62008 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Review: Mallberry Suites Cagayan de Oro City hotel

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Hotels, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

IMPORTANT NOTE: This review of Mallberry Suites CDO was written in 2008. A lot of things have changed since then. You can see the new facilities and book your Mallberry Suites CDO hotel room here. I've been staying in a lot of various hotels in Cagayan de Oro City as of late. One of my favorites so far is the Mallberry Suites Business Hotel, which is located right along Florentino Street. It's right behind the Robinson's Mall near the Lim Ket Kai Center in downtown Cagayan de Oro City. Mallberry Suites CDO is a relatively new hotel in Cagayan de Oro, which is dubbed the "City of Golden Friendship." It's perfect for traveling businessmen who need a place where "everything's within reach" and for someone who may need to conduct their meetings at the same hotel where they're billeted in...