Stacy's, Capitol Greenstreet

We just had a long weekend in the Philippines, the first for the year, because of the Chinese New Year which fell on a Monday. The family attended two events on Sunday, a christening and my aunt's birthday, so our scheduled dinner on a Sunday was put off for Monday night. I urged them to try Stacy's.

I have read about Stacy's and recently, one of the celebrities I follow in Twitter and Facebook had their picture taken at the restaurant. It is such a dainty restaurant. If you are familiar with Sonja at Bonifacio High Street, it's like a bigger version of it. I researched some more and found out prices are very reasonable and menu is actually a mix of Filipino, American, and Italian dishes. And they have cakes! :)

This if for free. A cup of marshmallows, popcorn, and pink pretzels. I love the cup. I hope they give it away. Or peg for a certain amount, as long as it's reasonable, I'd take it.


Share popcorn while waiting for the food to be served.
My daughter ordered Homebaked Chicken Parmesan which she devoured up to the last piece. She loves food with cheese generally.


Home Baked Chicken Parmesan, P215
She partnered it with hot choco. Hot drinks come with a cookie I suppose because my husband's coffee has one too.


Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows, P95
I do not take rice often so I settled for the Spicy Lemon Shrimp Scampi which comes with a soft wheat bread with garlic and butter spread. I love it! I also like it that the food server asked me if I do not like my scampi spicy. It's as if she read my mind. I do not like spicy foods. I was about to say to just make it mild.


Spicy Lemon Shrimp Scampi, P215
My husband had Mobster's Meal which has sausage and a mix of stir fried vegetables. This one's really spicy. By the way, the rice is molded in a heart shape. Nice.


Mobster's Meal, P215
For dessert I ordered Devil's Cake. I love the chocolate filling with chocolate bits.


Devil's Cake, P125
My husband ordered Cafe Americano which perfectly matches the cake we shared. My daughter really has no sweet tooth so it's only husband and I which consumed the cake. Good thing. :)


Cafe Americano, P80
Oh yes, the change comes with butter ball. I do not see butter ball in the grocery. I thought this is phased out a long time ago. :)


I love the interior of the restaurant. My husband loves it too as he is so fond of the 50s. It looks cozy, dainty and just so much fun.

Cuteness!


I love the pink ref!

Us :)
We're going to visit this restaurant frequently. It's just a short distance drive from our home. :)


Stacy's
Capitol Greenstreet Commercial Center,
1 Capitol Hills Drive, Quezon City

***More food sharing at Picture Clusters and Food Trip Friday.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

I am officially missing Katniss, Peeta and Gale. Even Cinna.

I finished Mockingjay yesterday, the final chapter of The Hunger Games Trilogy (written by Suzanne Collins). I know these books since they were released, from 2008 for the first book, 2009 for Catching Fire and around August of 2010 for the last book. Obviously I have not paid much attention to them until last December when my daughter wanted the books.

There were no single issue of The Hunger Games but they come in threes already. I bought the whole set for my daughter. I started reading it too. I got hooked.

Yes, this book is classified under the Young Adult (YA) category, roughly from age 14 to 21. But a middle-aged woman like me still loves this particular trilogy.

Why do I like it? Let me see. My thoughts are racing why I like these books so much I need to organize them.

1. Characters:
Katniss Everdeen's character is very interesting for someone her age who lived through poor conditions in a post-apocalyptic world. With a sister to take care of, a mother who seemed to withdraw from the world when their father died and an ugly cat who's another border in their house - she's both strong and vulnerable.

She poaches, she hunts, she trades in a black market, she manages her feelings for a certain boy. Stubborn, strong-willed for a 16 year old girl. She doesn't always make the best decisions but always manages to hold on and stand by her words and actions.

I am glad to note the writer did not make her a superwoman nor someone too pure and great but someone who shows her vulnerability, picks up where she messed up, plans another course of action, and do it.

The boys are there of course. I like Peeta Mellark for his being honest that it hurts. He bakes too! And paints and knows what to say and what not to say which makes him someone to lean on in times of distress. He's someone you look for when things are getting so chaotic.

Gale Hawthorne is the hunter, strong, good looking, fighter with almost the same family background as Katniss. I love his character in the way that he loves Katniss but not lovelorn. He lets go of the woman he loves knowing he is not the one she needs to survive. This he did with no drama. Letting go and moving on.

2. Setting:
As always, in every book I read, the setting plays a major part in my imagination. I get all the more enticed to read the book with how I imagine how the characters live and move in their houses, in their buildings or wherever they may be. In this case, in the arena where the hunger games are held. I cannot wait to see the Cornucopia in the movie version. How does the Capitol look like? The other districts? The whole of Panem?

3. Plot:
It's the plot where I got so really engrossed which also made me wonder why it's under YA category. The Hunger Games and later on in Mockingjay, Quarter Quell, leave nothing to your imagination the way battles are described. Your mind will see how it is happening. I mean it's very graphic your heart will race as to how this will end.

That's the reason why it's hard for me to put the books down especially reading towards the last part of Mockingjay. How on earth will this end? It's like there is always a cliffhanger. The author is very good at that.

For Catching Fire and Mockingjay, I can't seem to guess how they will end the story because the pages are thinning already but the story still does not suggest what is going to happen. As a reader, and I'm talking about myself here, I get to foresee or at least imagine how the story will flow. But with the two books I've mentioned, I was really waiting how they will hack it so to speak. In some books that I read somehow I know "oh it's bound to happen" (like Dan Brown books). But The Hunger Games trilogy excites me in this way, what will they do next?

Oh dear, I cannot wait to see the movie version of The Hunger Games. It's on March 2012. I love the preview.


I am not really keen on post-apocalyptic movies or television shows that's why I am surprised I love The Walking Dead and The Hunger Games. Well, pleasantly surprised. :)

Yes I'm Doing It Again

I'm just so excited about the new year. Well, a different kind of excitement this time. I am just savoring the feeling. I am starting on a lot of things this year. May God be with me in all my endeavors. I know He is with me as I have been praying all this time. I am doing my best but I trust in God to lead the way. May God's will be done for His plans and perfect timing are always the best.

Anyway, on the blogging front, I have revived my Life Bliss Daily. Yes, I am doing it again. :) I love, love the template. It's just so happy. I tried recalling since last night what was that site which gives cute, dainty free blogger templates. I was just glad to see the link this morning in my inactive blog.

My dilemma is how do I make a distinction between this blog, and the Life Bliss Daily blog. Oh I will know it. My Life Bliss Daily Blog are are mostly picture (or pictures) which highlight my day or my thoughts. And this blog will still be about sharing my life's bliss the way I'm dong it. :)

Here's a screen shot of my Life Bliss Daily blog. This is where I will post pictures on a daily basis of what I consider to be the highlight of my day or anything at all which captures my emotions, my thoughts, Life Bliss Project 365.