Story of My Life - Manila Philippines

One of the best thing about living in Seoul is being able to travel to the surrounding Asian countries, even if it's just for a weekend. This past weekend was a quick trip to Manila, Philippines to explore the food, culture and of course lifestyle. Of course, there was barely any sleep involved, maybe two hours in total for the whole weekend. At the very minimum, sleeping on the plane before working a full day.

Filipino is one of the things I grew up on personally with friends that introduced me to the culture in high school. Living in Seoul, it is impossible to find good and authentic Filipino food so taking a trip to Manila for the weekend was totally worth it. The first stop after being picked up at the airport is definitely a food court to pick out all the goodies along with a fresh coconut! Dessert definitely involves halo halo which is a mix of varieties depending on where you get this from, but it's pretty amazing everywhere you go. 

In addition to food, shopping is definitely a must in Manila. In many places, other than the big department stores, bargaining is HIGHLY recommended. Although prices are so low, it is still possible to bargain them to be even lower. I didn't push it to much for the simple fact that they're trying to make a living too! On the topic of everything being so cheap and affordable in Manila, getting pampered is a must on my books. For ten dollars, even less, you can choose between a facial, eyelash extensions, manicure, pedicure, and even a massage. For me, all of the above was a must in a less than 48 hour time period! 

Nightlife is also a recommendation in Manila. Being lucky to have friends that live in the area, getting  super VIP access to the best clubs just made my one night in town. The number one club, right across the street of the airport is Republiq, located in the Resorts Casino and Hotel building.  Next door to Republiq is Opus, and going around town visiting Palladium is also a recommendation. One thing that is special about Palladium is the service of a mini container of cranberry juice with your cocktail, definitely something that I haven't seen elsewhere in the world!

Purchases of souvenirs are also recommended. Although the most popular souvenir to get from the Philippines is dried mangoes, I recommend the dried green mangoes! They are my ultimate favorite, tart in taste and chewy, just like regular dried mangoes. Many of my students who are not a fan of regular dried mangoes definitely like the green mangoes so that's sure of a winner! I think the best part of being in Manila is also the option of going to the Duty Free that sells Reese's and all these other foreign goods!

Still, with all the good things, there are a handful of things that were difficult to accept about Manila. Many things seemed to have been a culture shock which includes walking around barefoot, eating with your hands, a jitney bus that locals travel on, the selling of practically anything and everything you can think of in the streets to people driving by, and probably the worse for me to see was little kids asking for plastic bottles from cars.

Nonetheless, it is a great place to go and visit for a vacation. Although many people don't consider Manila to be the best place in the Philippines to visit, it is recommended. I am glad I didn't skip it and go straight for the islands like many said!

Story of My Life - New Jersey

So being back in Jersey City was definitely breathtaking. I got to see the snow fall where my family still lives after all these years, walk along the Hudson where our house hovers and breathe the air that I longed for this past year in Korea. There have been many changes to the area, mostly upgrades, but the best part is being able to still find the same spots that I longed for since moving to Korea.

One of my ultimate favorite breakfast spots is Wonder Bagels, on Sip Ave, but of course there's one right by my house on 440 and Danforth now. Wonder Bagels bakes up the freshest breads and pastries to be served everyday. They cater to a pool of workers and attract the noses and taste buds of all ages. Nothing explains the texture and smell of the classic bagel with cream cheese at Wonder Bagels! Everyone knows how hard it is to get a good bagel in Korea so being able to get an EVERYTHING bagel was amazing. Toasted with cream cheese to perfection.

In addition to great bagels, Filipino food in Jersey City is amazing. The food is literally just home cooked with different dishes everyday at my two favorite places: The Philippine Bread House by Dickinson High School on Newark Ave and Rowena's on West Side Ave. There is just so much to choose from with fresh breads, BBQ skewers, and of course stewed goodies.

Another well recognized location in the are is Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken. Carlo's Bakery always has a line for the famous fourth generation baker, Buddy on Cake Boss of TLC. Recognized for his funny goofy attitude and great Italian pastries, locals and tourists wait on lines that can be two blocks long just to sample his deliciousness.

Being back home meant that I had to take a visit to Rutgers, where a lot of memories of food are held. If you are familiar with the area, the number one thing that stands out to you is fat sandwiches from the Grease Trucks. Of course, there are a ton of Grease Trucks now, but nothing beats the original RU Hungry? That is the one place to get a fat sandwich (sandwich stuffed with all sorts of fried goodies and topped with a sauce) from. I am definitely considering bringing this concept to Korea just because it is AMAZING.

A few of the other popular locations in the Rutgers area includes Noodle Gourmet (for Chinese food), Thomas' Sweets (for ice cream and chocolates), and my ultimate favorite, I's Cafe (for bubble tea). Iris makes the best bubble tea in town and is always offering deals and discounts. She beats out the others by mixing all sorts of different teas and flavors together. She's not scared to experiment and is the most friendliest boba bar tender I have met thus far! Nothing beats a quick conversation with a tea specialist that pretty much remembers your favorites, even after all these years of not visiting!

One last location in the Jersey area that is worth mentioning is Sushi Palace, an all you can eat sushi buffet. The difference of this sushi buffet compared to others is that they allow you to order everything fresh rather having it sit out for a while. The best part is that Sushi Palace does not limit that things that you can order. Most all you can eat sushi restaurants only allows for you to order an unlimited amount of sushi, but Sushi Palace includes appetizers, sushi, sashimi, and desserts! Nothing beats a full-on unlimited amount of Japanese food.

Although many may not be a fan of the Jersey area and don't believe it to be recognized for much, is is one place to take a visit if you are in the New York area for the well-recognized foods and shopping. You sure will be able to save on luxury items because of the difference in tax! I sure stacked up on that prior to coming back to Korea!