Heart Tea (♥ Tea)

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After iTea, we were on our way to grab something to eat in Ayala. However, we passed by another (yes, another) tea place in IT Park. It was a lucky day and we even chanced a friend across the street. He eventually paid for our drinks so it was great. Thanks, Pol! ;)

Heart Tea (♥ Tea) is a small stall that you can find beside Krispy Kreme in IT Park. They're always packed with people and customers. I think they really should consider getting a bigger space. 

Anyway, they offer a wide variety of teas. They have milk tea, fruit-flavored tea, fruit juice, and healthtea drinks. What sparked my interest was their basil drink. It looked interesting and they said it was also healthy. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite in the mood for another drink since we just finished drinking from iTea.

It was just a bit sad that they were out of wintermelon for that day. So, we just opted for the next thing which was tapioca. I wasn't really such a big fan of their flavors but that one was pretty good. I did like their pearl which was softer than others. The boyfriend did like their milk tea and he was raving how nice and soft their pearls were.

iTea at IT

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Oh, gosh. There's just a lot of tea places in Cebu and I just have to try them all. A friend tweeted me about the new tea place in IT Park, iTea. I didn't know about this place, honestly. I guess they opened during my internship at a local newspaper which kept me in my beat in either Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.

We went to try iTea last Saturday but the place was crowded. So, we went to Handuraw instead. It was only yesterday when we had the chance to drop by as I was feeling a bit sad. The place is really colorful. The doodles on the wall perk you up. The tables and the chairs are also colored. The place really looks fun. Their place is also cozy.

We ordered honeydew tea (with pearls instead of lychee) and tiramisu milk tea. We were supposed to have  wintermelon and green tea milk tea but they were sold out, unfortunately. Even their french fries were unavailable.

Their teas are really affordable. However, I was just shocked to see how small the plastic cups were for our orders. So, that's the price you pay. I was happy that their tea made up for its small size. My honeydew was really refreshing. Even the boyfriend thought it was great. It was just the right sweetness that made it really refreshing.

honeydew tea and tiramisu milk tea.

I like how milky their tiramisu was instead of tasting like real tiramisu. The boyfriend was quite disappointed with his share of milk tea, but I really liked its milky taste. It wasn't as sweet as I would have wanted it to which is really a waste.

However, you can always choose the sweetness level of your drink if you want to. They have a sweetness meter posted right in their counter which allows you to choose whether you'd go for intense or something lower. We didn't get specific sweetness levels for our teas, though.

On a side note, their attendants were not as nice and courteous as I want them to be. One came out a bit rude while she was taking our orders. The management should train attendants well as this can affect the reputation of their shop and also their sales. XD

I think that the place is good, especially for students who are having their breaks or need to do some school stuff. My friend comes here frequently just to connect to the internet (but she orders, too). They have outlets available, so you can just plug your laptop if you need to recharge (which I think is free when you order). 

OT: I'm Selling Stuff

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Forgive me, but I have to do this. For those who don't know me personally, I'm actually a seller. I've an online shop I call Spektra. I've been selling (with another older account)  a year or so ago. Back then I always got a bit too busy with either work or school. But now, I've decided to keep on with the shop and really stick with it, especially my schedule's a bit friendlier now. 

I recently teamed up with a friend (and the boyfriend) for this new collection. My friend, Cyrine, obliged to do the shoot. I'm really grateful that she's such a sport. We did our shoot at the UP volleyball court. Being a UPian, the UP campus is probably the best place to shoot. There's just a lot of interesting places in school. We were also lucky it didn't rain when we had our shoot.

Anyhow, the following are some photos we had. You can check out the items and the prices here.

OT: Going Vintage at Cadi Shack Diner

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The love for vintage cars (and everything else vintage) is probably something that the boyfriend and I have in common. I'm really into VW vans and beetles while he's more into Coopers and American cars. That's why when he found out about this place that has a Cadillac on display, he went ecstatic.

So, we went out to Cadi Shack Diner in Mabolo. The place is dainty, comfortable, and 50s inspired. They have diner-esque tables and chairs at the side. Their Cadillac is placed just outside the diner and you can  glance and view it while eating. They also have many Marilyn Monroe pictures hanging about, which I personally like. I also spotted some vintage video recorders and a camera which sparked my interest. They also have model vintage cars displayed on the counter.

We got their fish with tomato and basil, chicken noodle soup, chips and dip, and pork steak. Their food is good for two persons. I really enjoyed their fish and chicken noodle soup. The soup was really yummy and it smelled nice. The fish, on the other hand, melts in your mouth. I really loved it. What I didn't like was their chips and dips and pork steak. The chips was a bit burnt for my taste. The dip also lacked the spiciness that I anticipated. I also found the pork steak not as tender as I wanted it to be. The boyfriend did like it but he thought that the steak depended too much on the gravy for more flavor.

The boyfriend wanted to note that when you want to add extra gravy for your pork steak, you need to add P20. 

me. :)

I think the Cadi Shack Diner is a really great place if you want to have dinner without competing with other people. Their prices are reasonable and it's good "getaway restaurant" away from the crowd. It's also a unique restaurant that's lets you enjoy your meal in a different atmosphere.

*photos taken by Paw*

Cupcake Society

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It was another surprise date that brought me to Cupcake Society at Fuente de Oro. It's not really your usual cupcake place since it's located at the lobby of a hotel.

There weren't really much cupcakes available so we just contented ourselves to four different sweets. We got strawberry, red velvet, creme caramel, and blueberry cheesecake. I also got their hot cappuccino (for my colds) while the boyfriend got caramel. Their cupcakes were priced at P60, blueberry cheesecake at P75, creme caramel at P40, cappuccino at P95, and caramel P125

what we partook that afternoon.

cappuccino, red velvet and creme caramel.

hahahaha. squash. xD

Their strawberry cupcake seemed a little "bread-y" to me. I do like the icing but it's just not really enticing. The cupcake did have some sort of strawberry filling which was fun. The boyfriend also liked the strawberry cupcake better. Their blueberry cheesecake wasn't as yummy as I expected it to. It tasted a bit weird at first but you get used to it.

What I did like however was the red velvet and the creme caramel. I brought an icing/candy to go along with my red velvet which was really cute. I like the icing, but the boyfriend disagrees. He found it a bit bland and "hard." It was really okay for me. The creme caramel, on the other hand, is really oozing with sweetness. It's really made for sugar high. 

yummy caramel blended. ♥

What I looooved with Cupcake Society is their caramel blended (cold) drink. It was REALLY good. Just a sip and it was like heaven. It's really milky and sweet that I could just close my eyes and finish the entire thing. I'm not really sure if you'll also prefer milky sweet stuff. Maybe trying that out would really change your point of view.

Generally, I find cupcake society okay. If I'll be back, I'll definitely get the caramel blended for a take out.

*photos by Paw*

moonleaf

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After getting home from the longest out-of-town weekend of my life, we went to the opening of moonleaf in Pelaez Street, near USC main campus last Monday. (Sorry for the late post! Dx )

I really had no idea where the place was having no internet for the entire weekend. It was a surprise/welcome-back milk tea date that the boyfriend planned. While walking and finding our way through the streets downtown, we were lucky enough to meet a waitress giving away fliers. She then took us to moonleaf.

As usual, we got the wintermelonmilk tea and passion fruit green tea.  Their teas don't have pearls in them though, when you buy them so you have to buy the extras and add them to your drink.We only spent P150 for both teas, which is really affordable than usual.

passion fruit and wintermelon. ♥

I really love their passion fruit green tea. It was good and it has a fruity kick to it. The wintermelon was also good. I was a bit disappointed with the tapioca pearls though. I was expecting them to be soft and chewy like Bubble Bee's. However, the pearls were very much similar to other tea houses in the metro. So we concluded that maybe this is the real taste tapioca for milk tea. Nevertheless, their passion fruit green tea was great. Maybe I would't get the tapioca pearls next time. I think it's still good enough without them.

The owner (I think he is) later on approached us and told us that we could actually ask for the sweetness level to be adjusted, depending on your preference. This is similar to Cobo's and Sprockets. This is great for those who are conscious with their sugar intake. But, I like my passion fruit as it is. It's just sweet enough for me.

The place is really cozy. The interior is simple, too. I just think it's too small and there aren't enough tables and chairs. Maybe they could put additional tables outside at night when it's not raining. That's a good idea. They also have a fast internet connection which is a good news to all the leech out there, you know who you are. :P

Moonleaf is definitely a good place for students. Their drinks are affordable that most of the other tea shops in Cebu.

*photos taken by me and Paw*

Heaven in CupcaKen

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It was a surprise date that led to loving my new cupcake haven, CupcaKen.

 

I fell in love with the shop the first time I laid my eyes upon the shop. It’s not as quirky as my taste permits me, though. The place is a bit sophisticated but has cute cupcakes all over. Their interior is mostly white which makes it look really clean and nice.

 

There were A LOT of cupcakes available. I was really feasting my eyes on all of the cupcakes available on the shelves. I could really live in CupcaKen and be surrounded with pretty cupcakes.

 

We got red velvet, mango float, mint chocolate, and choco marshmallow to curb our sugar hunger. Each cupcake costs P55. They also have drinks like coffee, iced teas and other beverages available. 

 

I really love their cupcakes. They are all delicious. The cupcakes were soft enough for me and the icing was just perfect. Their red velvet is one of the best that I’ve tried so far. Their mint chocolate and choco marshmallows both are choco moist, which I really like. The minty icing is not as minty as I want it, though but it was good enough. The mango float cupcake has an interesting taste, especially the icing. It’s a noteworthy cupcake that you should try. I like choco marshmallow less of all the cupcakes we’ve had.

 

choco marshmallow and choco mint

mango float and red velvet

♥

I think CupcaKen is a great place for those who want to study and have a dose of sweets on hand.  The place was quiet when we went there. I think it’s really conducive to studying compared to those packed coffee shops, unless you prefer the noise. They also have wi-fi in the area.

 

PINK!

I would definitely come back and eat more of CupcaKen next time. It really is worth all the hassle and distance. I wouldn’t mind going there if ever I need the urge to eat some of their cupcake.

*photos taken by me and Paw*