The cat is out of the bag

"The cat is out of the bag"

Sun.Star Davao, May 30, 2009

After almost a year of planning, the cat is finally out of the bag. Davao City welcomes the latest addition for its caffeine-loving citizens—Coffee Cat!

“Coffee Cat is simply a coined term for people who love coffee. It is an intriguing play of words that many people find appealing”, explains Eugene Tan, one of the owners of Coffee Cat.

“Our family loves food. We spend our quality time by dining out and bonding over a cup of coffee. Through Coffee Cat, we want to share that experience to everyone”, the 28-year old entrepreneur discloses.

The corporation which owns Coffee Cat is composed of Eugene and his family together with brother-in-law Jason Lao, the general manager of 8telcom Inc. Together, they represent a highly-experienced management team with backgrounds in business management, culinary arts, food retail, and marketing.

Through close collaboration with Architect Patrick Tan, the coffee shop’s impressive interior design was inspired by “modern minimalist architecture with certain elements grounded on Filipino sensibilities”.

The bright lights, hip white and black chairs, stainless steel countertops and cream-colored brick and wooden walls exude a contemporary yet cozy feel to the 120-square meter lifestyle coffee destination which can comfortably accommodate 60 persons at any given time.

“Coffee Cat is proud to offer Illy, a well-known Italian coffee brand which is served in 140 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. Illy is a unique blend of high quality coffee made from 100 percent Arabica beans”, shares Eugene.

The De La Salle University business management graduate relates that friends only found out that they were opening a coffee shop during the final stages of construction. “Many were excited to try out the food and drinks our coffee shop had to offer”, says Eugene.

Aside from Illy coffee, Coffee Cat boasts of its Avalanche Ice Blends which has a variety of flavors like Double Chocolate, Strawberry Creme and Vanilla that kids and families can surely enjoy.

“Our Yogo (yogurt smoothies) is also a must-try. Made from 98% fat-free yogurt, it is a guiltless treat for those diet-conscious individuals”, suggests the young entrepreneur.

Other refreshing drinks include wide selections of hot and iced tea drinks and Cremosa Sodas in strawberry, lime and apple flavors.

Among Coffee Cat’s delightful desserts are the Mango Crème Cake, Coffee Sansrival, Crème Brulee Cake, Oreo Cake, Concorde Cake, Cinnamon Roll and Choco Pinipig. The Green Tea Cheesecake and Sachertorte Cake are not only sinfully delicious but visually appealing as well with three-dimensional white chocolate cat designs incorporated on top.

Food items range from P18 to P95 while drinks start from P75 to P145.

“A lot of people have been quite receptive to the Coffee Cat concept. And to satisfy our customers, we can customize our drinks according to their taste. All they need is to ask and we will be happy to do it for them”, Eugene smiles.

With this innovative kind of service, Coffee Cat proves that it is first rate and is definitely no copy cat when it comes to perking up Davao’s discriminating coffee-sipping clientele.

Coffee Cat is located at F. Torres Street, Davao City. Website: www.yourcoffeecat.com. E-mail address: info@yourcoffeecat.com. Opening hours: 9:00am-12mn (Mon-Thurs), 9:00am-2:00am (Fri-Sat), and 8:00am-11:00pm (Sun).

Special thanks to Jasper Huang for the photos you see in this page.

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit http://www.momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com/.

Siam and spice

"Siam and spice"

Sun.Star Davao, May 23, 2009

They say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”.

It simply means that “when you are visiting a new place, you should try to do as the people do who are from the place”.

And, you can’t go wrong with experiencing the true essence of a culture than trying out the locals’ favorite food.

Mompreneur Carmina Mapa-Del Rosario had such fond memories of her growing up years in Bangkok (where she studied in an international school during her teens) that when she and her husband Raffy decided to open their own business in Davao, they immediately thought of a Thai restaurant aptly named Bangkok Wok.

But, unlike other Thai restaurants in the city, Bangkok Wok prides itself in serving Thai cuisine in its “most authentic and unpretentious form”---Bangkok street food prepared by its very own Thai cook, Chef Tum.

“I grew up surrounded by food and foodies. And I’m lucky to be born into a family of travellers. Growing up in Bangkok was fun, but not as exciting as the food I discovered. 

Eating in Bangkok was always an adventure and even if we had access to the best restaurants, I preferred the streets of Bangkok”, Carmina reminisces.

“Vendors set up clusters of stalls, transforming major street corners, empty lots and alleys into lively food bazaars. Being in the midst of it all helped me understand their culture and way of life. The streets were alive with so much activity! It was truly a hodgepodge of so many flavors and spices—I don’t think I’ll ever forget the noise, the aroma, and the taste of Bangkok”, she happily shares.

During its opening early this month, my husband Gary and I, together with other invited guests indulged in the exotic flavors of Siam as we sampled Thai specialties such as Pad Thai (stir-fried noodles Thai style), Sate Chicken with peanut sauce, Pho Phia Sod (vegetarian fresh spring rolls), Yam Pla Duk Foo (crispy catfish with mango salad) and Tod Mun Pla (fried fish cake) for cocktails.

While catching up with acquaintances and old friends, we sipped the refreshing Tamarind Shake which was such a welcome treat for that humid evening.

Carmina came over to our table and we chatted for a while. The charming hostess disclosed that after graduating from high school in Bangkok, she studied in Boston where she graduated with a degree in Communications.

“I then pursued a very hectic and stressful career in advertising for many years but my love for Thai food was always there. In fact, when my husband and I were living in Manhattan for 5 years, we had to have Thai food 3 times a week. But it didn’t even come close to the Bangkok I knew. It just wasn’t the same so when we decided to move to Davao we knew we had to re-create this experience for us”, Carmina divulges.

“There’s a misconception that Thai food is generally spicy. But, this is not true. Some of our specialties are not spicy at all and can be enjoyed by the whole family”, clarifies Carmina.

At Bangkok Wok, Carmina introduces Dabawenyos to new dishes such as the “Yang”, a Thai twist to the regular ihaw or sugba fare which goes perfectly well with the Som Tam (a spicy salad with shredded papaya).

Other highly recommended dishes include the Tom Yum Goong (hot sour shrimp soup), Tom Kha Gai (chicken with coconut soup), Gai Hor Bai Toey (chicken in pandan leaves), Kaeng Nua (red beef curry), Kana Moo Grob (stir-fried kangkong with crispy pork), Kao Kluk Gapi (bagoong rice), Kaeng Hua Pla (yellow fish head curry) and Ba-Mee Krob Rad Na (crispy noodles with chicken and shrimp).

Gary and I enjoyed our first Bangkok Wok experience that we returned to the place with high school friends for my belated birthday dinner the next day.

We were quite impressed with the avant-garde interiors, which was uniquely different from the other Thai restaurants in the city. The hip orange-colored couches and lights gave life and excitement to the gray walls and modern steel chairs.

The well-appointed interiors stems from Carmina’s exposure to Old Asia, their family-owned antique shop in Manila.

Our group ordered some of the specialties that Carmina mentioned during the opening. Service was courteous and efficient and the servings were good for two to three people. Most importantly, the food was superb and reasonably priced.

When Carmina and Raffy arrived at the restaurant, they did not hesitate to personally take down orders, serve water and wipe the tables themselves. From time to time, Carmina would drop by various tables to check how the customers liked the food. She even surprised us with a complimentary Tako (tapioca in pandan cups) to cap our lovely meal.

Aside from being hands-on with their business, I was totally in awe of their down-to-earth nature in spite of being a part of one of Davao’s more prominent families.

With the Del Rosarios’ warm hospitality, fresh ingredients from Thailand and a Thai chef to boot, Carmina and Raffy guarantee that their latest pride and joy is “nothing short of eating in a restaurant in the heart of Thailand, sans the hassle of travelling”.

Siam and spice and everything nice...that’s Bangkok Wok!

Bangkok Wok is located at Robinsons Cybergate, J.P. Laurel Ave., Davao City. Tel. 2821231/Mobile no. (0928)5053605. E-mail address: bangkokwok@rocketmail.com.

Party around the world

"Party around the world"

Sun.Star Davao, May 16, 2009

A mysterious red envelope is delivered to our home with this intriguing note pasted on its flap, “An important document from Trent Republic”.

Curious, I immediately open it and was surprised to find a blue-colored ‘passport’ issued by Trent Republic. It read, “The Secretary of State of Trent Republic hereby requests all whom it may concern to permit the citizen/national of Trent Republic named herein to pass without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give lawful aid and protection”.

“Discover a world of fun as Trent turns one!”, the succeeding page indicated. Why, it’s our family friends Ron Jeriel (RJ) and Stephanie (Fanfan) Seng-Ong’s first birthday party for their eldest child Ryce Trenton!

I excitedly showed the artistic invitation to my kids. Images of adorable dolls from different nations graced the third page, “Come in your favorite costumes and take a journey around the world!”

Party around the world

When Fanfan was still pregnant and found out that she was having a boy, the very organized hands-on mom began conceptualizing themes for her son’s first birthday.

“While discussing it with my husband, we came up with three required elements – that it be unique, educational and have a hint of the Bible as we are both Christians and wanted to share even just a modest portion of God’s Word with our friends and family”, Fanfan reveals.

The couple decided on a fusion of “Around the World in 80 Days” and “It’s a Small World” based on the whimsical artwork of the awe-inspiring illustrator, Mary Blair, who designed the Small World attraction in Disneyland.

“It gave us the chance to deviate from the modern, mainstream themes and allow us to look back fondly on our childhood”, the 26-year old Fanfan explains.

In order to transform her brilliant ideas into reality, Fanfan knew that she could only rely on no one but her trusted party planner, Annie Lim, for help.

“It is not difficult working with such a pro like Annie. Her imagination, creativity and ideas are endless”, Fanfan attests.

Fanfan specified some trademark items that must be present during the party such as hot air balloons, windmills, the Small World backdrop as well as the color palette she desired.

“After that, I left Annie to do her magic which she did, in her signature tasteful fashion. She came up with gigantic jets, running trains, suspended hot air balloons and a multitude of cuddly animals to fill up the Marco Polo Ballroom”, Fanfan illustrates.

The talented Chef Booboo Maramba also came up with a gorgeous 3-layered cake with a hot air balloon as a topper and the façade of “It’s a Small World” on the front.

“Booboo has an uncanny way of reading my mind. She produces meticulously detailed cakes that suit my aesthetic tastes”, Fanfan gushes.

Trent Republic

Upon arrival at the “Immigration Area” of Trent Republic, the passports were stamped and guests were given tickets to the various destinations.

The Italy booth served scrumptious Pepperoni and Hawaiian Pizzas by Basti’s Brew and ice cream-cum gelato from Allegro while assorted nachos, chips and All That Juice fruit shakes can be ordered from the festive Mexico booth.

A tres chic Paris booth likewise offered delectable cookies with French landmarks as decorations. Then, there was oriental Japan with the challenging “Toss the Ring” game.

RJ, who is an ardent basketball fan, conceptualized the U.S.A. booth. It featured a basketball with two hoops and an American staple, french fries from Potato Corner.

The most popular attraction though was the vibrant and exotic Africa booth with its array of inflatable animals up for grabs if one was lucky enough to hit the target with a bow and arrow.

“We made sure the game booth prizes were an assortment of interactive, biblical, educational toys and books that would nourish both the soul and mind of each child”, Fanfan describes.

In line with RJ and Fanfan’s desire to share God’s Word, they infused a short skit about The Story of Creation performed by the Seng cousins and some friends complete with attractive costumes, backdrops, lights and sounds.

“I’m thankful to my Ko-ko Len, Annie, her team and Ellen Garcia (the narrator and party host) who pulled the skit together so seamlessly after a few harried practice sessions. We were inspired by The Story of Creation because God created and loves everyone regardless of size and color”, shares Fanfan.

After the delightful skit, the kids sang “Jesus Loves the Little Children” while exchanging bracelets representing different countries to encourage camaraderie, friendship and love.

The audio-visual presentation also brought a few tears to Fanfan’s eyes as she recalled her journey bringing Trent into the world and the many milestones of his life before turning one all to the sound of Celine Dion’s “Beautiful Boy”.

Little ‘Trentsetters’

“The moment Trent stepped into the ballroom, he was instantly fascinated by the display of colors and decorations that adorned the area. He has always been a keen observer often taking a quiet moment to take in his surroundings before reacting”, Fanfan smiles.

“Obviously, he had no idea this was all for him but the rapt expression he had all throughout the party and the cheeky grin I would catch sometimes was enough to make our hearts melt and bring a smile to our faces”, Fanfan fondly remembers.

Trent had two amazing costumes for the special occasion. He first came out as a Canadian Mountie representing Fanfan’s love for Canada, having lived there for a few years as a young girl.

His next costume was of an American Indian ornamented with colorful beads, fringes, patches and an intricate feathery headpiece fit for a tribal chief.

“We decided to have the children come in costumes so that they could recycle previous costumes used for school events and other activities”, discloses the practical mom.

Towards the end of the program, several kids were given recognition and prizes for their outstanding national attires.

For give-aways, Trent’s kiddie friends received cool travelling bags stuffed with goodies, toys and a Bible Story. Attached to the yellow and blue bags were personalized luggage tags with “I’m a Little Trentsetter” imprinted on them.

Fanfan admits that planning for Trent’s 1st birthday party during her first trimester (Fanfan is expecting another baby soon—a girl!) was a bit overwhelming yet fulfilling.

RJ and Fanfan agree that Trent’s 1st birthday is something they will forever treasure and will always be a reminder of how God has blessed them tremendously.

They cherished the presence of doting grandparents Rudy and Janice, Tennyson and Susan as well as the great grandparents from the Seng and Uy side who constantly shower their “Little Shaolin” with their generosity, thoughtfulness and love.

“Beyond the festivities, gifts and cheer, Trent, we hope that you will grow up to be a child of God – wise, compassionate and humble. We hope you will keep this verse close to your heart, 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV): “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. We love you!”, the pretty mom ends with this touching message.

Pinky's purpose driven life

"Pinky’s purpose driven life"

Sun.Star Davao, May 5, 2009

I first met businesswoman and consumer safety advocate Pinky Pe Tobiano at Brisbane Airport when we joined the same tour group in Australia last month.

When Pinky learned I was from Davao, she immediately warmed up. The amiable mother of two excitedly shared that her best friend and ‘kumare’ Mia Dragon is married to Vincent Floirendo (who happens to belong to one of Davao’s prominent families). She loved Kuilan siopao and looked forward to having dinner at Ahfat Seafood Restaurant when she visits the city this month.

During the week-long tour with our respective families, I had glimpses of Pinky’s thoughtful ways. When my niece Stef celebrated her birthday during the tour, she sweetly gifted her with Easter egg-shaped chocolates. On our return flight to Manila, she asked if we needed a ride to our hotel.

Bubbly and always on the go, everyone was surprised when Pinky, who is only in her late 30’s, disclosed that she was a cancer survivor.

Pinky’s touching story of how she overcame cancer is truly inspiring. With permission from Pinky, I am sharing to you in full Joanne Rae Ramirez’ “A Christmas (card) story” which came out in the “Philippine Star” last December 6, 2005.

A Christmas (card) story

“Pretty Pinky Tobiano, a chemist by profession, was attending a medical forum in Tokyo in May 1994 when she and a colleague decided to take a cruise on Tokyo Bay at the sidelines of the convention. During the cruise, then 21-year-old Pinky made friends with several people, including a specialist from the Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York named Dr. Jatin Shah.

After the cruise, they all promised to keep in touch. Then they all bid each other goodbye and returned to the routine of daily life in their respective homelands. As we all know, some solid friendships are formed amongst people in a tour group. But it is just as true that there are many acquaintances that end after a tour or a convention, when faces dissolve into our memories just like the colors on a paintbrush dipped in water.

But Pinky did as she promised, and that Christmas and every Christmas thereafter, she would send greeting cards to Dr. Shah and the other friends she made on the Tokyo cruise. Dr. Shah never responded to her greeting cards, but she remembered him as such a nice person so she sent him a Christmas card every year, year after year.

Fast forward to 2003. By this time, Pinky had become a successful businesswoman and was rushing to the airport for a business trip to China when she slipped on the stairs of her house and hit her head on the steps.

She was rushed to the hospital for a head scan but somehow, the technicians went beyond the head zone and scanned her throat as well. There was nothing wrong with her head but two suspicious lumps were — accidentally — spotted in her throat. They were found to be cancerous.

Pinky was referred to surgeon Dr. Samuel Ang of the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital. During her consultation, she found out that Dr. Ang trained at Sloan-Kettering and she casually mentioned that she had met a doctor named Dr. Jatin Shah from Sloan-Kettering on a cruise nine years ago.

Dr. Ang’s eyes widened. “I trained under Dr. Shah!” he told Pinky, adding how respected and famous Dr. Shah was in the medical community. And he told Pinky something more. Dr. Shah’s area of specialization, for which he was internationally renowned, was throat and larynx cancer!

Dr. Ang then asked Pinky to take a chance and to e-mail Dr. Shah. Pinky checked Dr. Shah’s nine-year-old business card, but didn’t find an e-mail address, just a fax number. So she sent him a note reintroducing herself and told him that she had throat cancer (stage 2 papillary carcinoma).

Just to make sure he remembered her, she faxed him, too, a photocopy of one of their pictures during the cruise and she encircled her face and wrote, “This is me. You once told me to call you in case I needed help one day.” She wrote down also her cell phone number. She hoped for a response, but did not expect it to be so swift.

At 2 a.m. Manila time, her cell phone rang. It was Dr. Shah. Dr. Shah, who was by then in his fifties, told her, “Of course I remember you. You were that child on the cruise. I am sorry, I’ve been so busy and have not been able to answer your Christmas cards.”

Dr. Shah then instructed her to tell Dr. Ang to ring him up during her next consultation. At 4 p.m. the next day (4 a.m. in New York), Dr. Ang roused his former teacher and they conferred on Pinky’s case.

When they hung up, Dr. Ang turned to Pinky in amazement and told her, “He’s flying to Manila to operate on you.”

Dr. Ang told Pinky the Philippine College of Surgeons had long been inviting Dr. Shah to come to Manila for a lecture, but Dr. Shah had always declined due to his busy schedule. 

But he was making a special trip just for Pinky and while in Manila, he expressed willingness to address the Philippine College of Surgeons as well!

It was December 2003, nine years to the day of Pinky’s first Christmas card.

As she was being wheeled into the Operating Room of the St. Luke’s Medical Center, Pinky noticed that there were so many doctors around. Apparently, they had heard that Dr. Shah was going to do surgery in the hospital and they wanted his autograph.

When Pinky awoke after her delicate operation, the first thing Dr. Shah told her was, “The cancer’s gone.” He had taken it all out.

Dr. Shah watched over Pinky during her recuperation, and sent her flowers to cheer her up. 

The day before she was scheduled to leave the hospital, Pinky asked Dr. Shah for his bill. He looked at her in the eye and said, “You have long paid me in full for my services. The nine years in which you sent me Christmas cards without fail are more than enough.”

He flew back to New York the next day”.

Consumer safety advocate

“Dr. Shah was a stranger who gave me back my life. I have learned never to take the people you meet for granted. They could save your life,” Pinky reveals to Ms. Ramirez during the interview.

With her new lease in life, the Harvard-educated Pinky decided to “pay it forward” by initiating meaningful projects that would not only benefit her family and friends but the Filipino people.

In 2006, Pinky established QualiBet (“Quality is Better”) Testing Services Corporation—“a world-class food, water, pharmaceutical and veterinary testing facility which conscientiously complies with good laboratory practices, ISO 17025 standards and applicable government regulations. Its testing laboratory is recognized by government agencies”.

“We offer third party testing services to check the calorie count or nutrition facts, transfat, melamine contamination in fast foods, fine dining restaurants, and food manufacturing companies”, Pinky explains.

Moreover, QualiBet can determine the presence of heavy metals and bacterial contamination in cosmetics; examine the purity content and efficacy of veterinary and pharmaceutical products; check water quality for bacterial contamination like e.coli; among others.

Through QualiBet, Pinky has likewise been actively involved with the Philippine Coast Guard in helping preserve marine life by safeguarding the shoreline water against oil and other toxic chemical spills.

One of her most important roles as a commander in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary is spearheading the ‘Save the Butanding (Whale Shark) movement’ in Donsol, Sorsogon.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary “assists the Philippine Coast Guard in the enforcement of maritime laws, sea safety, and search and rescue, marine environmental protection and preservation, youth development, and humanitarian service”.

Pinky cares

Pinky is also the founder of the The Pinky Cares Foundation, “an institution that provides health seminars, consumer awareness and medical projects to strengthen the health of every Filipino”.

“The foundation works hand-in-hand with other government and non-government organizations to provide full service to Filipinos and design programs and projects that support and help the underprivileged Filipino people”, Pinky states.

For fifteen years now, Pinky, who loved her late Amah (Chinese for grandmother) dearly, has been visiting the Golden Acres Home for the Aged on a weekly basis. The elderly home “provides care to senior citizens, 60 years old and above, both male and female who are unattached, dependent and needy”.

Even when she was sick with cancer, Pinky regularly brought food, medicines and cheer to the 200 lolos and lolas once a week. Her birthday, which falls in July, is celebrated at Golden Acres.

Pinky grants wishes of the elderly during the special occasion.

Every month, she conducts feeding programs and medical missions at Golden Acres. So far, forty-seven elders have received free cataract operations.

When some buildings of Golden Acres were gutted by fire years ago, Pinky adopted the community for an entire month. “We cooked and delivered breakfast, lunch and dinner for the lolos and lolas of the center with the help of my dedicated staff”, she recalls.

Pinky’s generosity and compassion for the elderly was featured in People Asia magazine in 2007 and caught the attention of Barry Akrongold, a business partner of American real estate/media mogul Donald Trump. Through the magazine, Mr. Akrongold promptly sent $4,000 for Pinky to be donated to Golden Acres.

Even Donald Trump pledged to donate money for Pinky’s various charities and invited her to be part of a TV show lauding Asian women who have made a difference.

H.O.P.E. springs eternal

Recognizing the great power of music to inspire and enliven cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, Pinky produced two CD albums with her friends namely, “H.O.P.E. (Healing of Pain and Enlightenment)” and “H.O.P.E.: Wings of the Soul”, both distributed by Star Records.

H.O.P.E, which earned a gold record award, boasts of high caliber recording artists such as Gary Valenciano, Jose Mari Chan, Jamie Rivera and Charice Pempengco. These talented singers performed for free.

The worthwhile recording project benefited two cancer support groups, Bosom Buddies (Pinky’s mom Tessie is herself a breast cancer survivor) and I Can Serve Foundation. Each of these support groups received P500,000 from proceeds of the top-selling album.

On the other hand, “H.O.P.E.: Wings of the Soul” featuring Ms. Lorna Tolentino, “encompasses a different set of concept: acceptance, healing, surrendering and moving on”.
“Wings of the Soul” topbills Sharon Cuneta, Piolo Pascual, Aga Muhlach, Christopher de Leon and many more. These stars lovingly dedicated the CD to Lorna and Rudy Fernandez.
Sales from the album will benefit The Pinky Cares Foundation and The Rudy Fernandez Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Pinky’s purpose driven life

With her fast-paced lifestyle, one wonders how Pinky still has quality time for her two adorable daughters Pianne and Karrel. But, trust Pinky to productively juggle the multi-tasking roles of mother, daughter, wife, friend, entrepreneur, chemist and crusader to a hilt.

The fashionista mom wakes up at 5:00 a.m. to make sure that her hair, make-up, clothes and shoes are just perfect. Pinky vows that she will never leave the house unkempt. “It’s a sin!”, she laughs.

“I want my children to remember me as a pretty mom with a very happy disposition and positive outlook. Their friends say that if there’s “The Devil Wears Prada”, then I’m “The Princess Wears Hermes”, Pinky remarks in a past interview with People Asia magazine’s Ivy Ong.

“Every morning, I personally bring my daughters to school before reporting to the office at 7:30 a.m. On the way to school, we recite the Holy Rosary together”, she shares.

Surviving cancer taught Pinky to “embrace everything that she cared about by becoming motivated and proactive.” She feels “extremely blessed by God’s goodness and wants to make each day count by sharing her blessings to the less fortunate”.

The selfless Pinky never expects anything in return. “My simple wish is just to see my daughters graduate and have their own families”, Pinky confides.

“Now, more than ever, I am so determined to live my life”, the indefatigable Pinky declares. And, what a purpose driven life it is!

Cheers to you, Pinky! Happy Mother’s Day!

An Aussie holiday

"An Aussie holiday"

Sun.Star Davao, May 2, 2009

Our Qantas plane touched down early morning at Brisbane Airport. Although we barely slept during our eight-hour journey, all the kids in our family seemed not to mind as the promise of a week-long Australian holiday covering Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney awaited them. 

Good day, mate!

After retrieving our luggage, we headed off to Mt. Coot-tha Lookout Complex to catch the splendid sunrise. Witnessing the stunning panoramic view from that vantage point was the ideal beginning to our first day in Australia.

The Brisbane city tour that followed after breakfast was fascinating for the adults but the clock was a-ticking for the restless children. They were excitedly counting down till 10:00 a.m. when the gates of Dreamworld in Gold Coast would be open to the public.

Dreamworld

Currently Australia’s largest theme park, Dreamworld has various family-themed attractions that will keep everybody happily busy for hours.

Nickelodeon Central was a hit with the kids as they enjoyed riding Blue’s Skidoo, Dora the 

Explorer Sea Planes, SpongeBob FlyPants, The Backyardigans Mighty Go Round, Rugrats’ Runaway Reptar Roller Coaster and loads more!

As expected, the children were absolutely thrilled every time they saw familiar mascots like Dora the Explorer, Jimmy Neutron, Sponge Bob, Patrick and Tommy of Rugrats.

The colorful Wiggles World was such a sight to behold with gargantuan houses, candies and a host of infant/toddler-friendly rides.

At The Australian Wildlife Experience, my daughter Anicka, nieces and nephews cuddled a live koala as they had their pictures professionally taken with the adorable creature.

In addition, as the Eastern Grey kangaroos roamed around freely at this attraction, we scurried to have photo opportunities with them. It was a hilarious sight. As we posed for the camera, the kangaroos would suddenly hop to another location. However, after several attempts, we managed to get some great shots. Whew!

My brother Jason and I braved riding The Tower of Terror--a two reverse freefall roller coaster and the fourth fastest roller coaster in the world.

We wanted to try the adrenaline-pumping rides The Claw, Cyclone, The Giant Drop and Wipeout, too, but there were height restrictions for the kids and trying them all would break our group.

Other must-see spots in Dreamworld are the Tiger Island, Rivertown, Gold Rush Country and Rocky Hollow.

Warner Bros. Movie World

The next day, after having much-deserved sleep, our group’s itinerary was another exhilarating treat for the young ones—Warner Bros. Movie World!

Dubbed as ‘Hollywood on the Gold Coast’, Movie World is the home of remarkable movie-themed rides and attractions that will certainly thrill even non-film aficionados.

Our first stop was at Batman Adventure-The Ride where we rode an action-packed

motion simulator that elicited shrieks from the kids as we tried to save Gotham City from evil

villains.

The Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster looked deceivingly tame when we boarded the indoor ride. But, just a few seconds after, we realized that we were so wrong! It was an unforgettable action-packed adventure as we rode an elevator and experienced sudden backward drops and wild twists and turns with scary lighting and special effects.

With our feet freely dangling from our seats, we screamed our lungs out at Lethal Weapon-The Ride as we travelled at 85 km/hr and felt the 4Gs of gravity. We dove, dropped, bended, rolled-over, plunged and pulled double spins and loops. The ride only lasted for one minute and forty-two seconds but it felt like an eternity!

On the other hand, we donned our 3D glasses at Shrek’s 4D Adventure and ‘felt’ the 4-D film’s simulating effects such as having spray mist in our faces when Donkey sneezed, air blowing when Shrek passed gas and creepy crawlies under our feet.

At the Kids’ WB! Fun Zone, the younger kids adored the Looney Tunes-themed attractions featuring Road Runner, Yosemite Sam, Taz, Sylvester, Tweety, Marvin the Martian, Speedy Gonzales and Sylvester.

Moreover, we were like mad paparazzis as we eagerly took our photos with mascots Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, Justice League, Catwoman, Shrek, Austin Powers and Scooby-Doo with Mystery Inc. buddies Fred, Shaggy, Velma and Daphne.

Gun shots, explosions and car chases enthralled us as we witnessed the 30-minute Hollywood Stunt Driver show. Professional stunt drivers screeched around corners and drove on two wheels as they pretended to shoot an action film set in Italy.

The All-Star Parade showcased costumed characters with their vehicles and movie-themed floats.

Mesmerized in Melbourne

After two fun-filled days in Brisbane/Gold Coast, we flew to Melbourne for the second leg of our Australian vacation.

At Phillip Island, we saw the world famous Penguin Parade which is the country’s most

popular natural wildlife attraction.

Considered the world’s smallest penguins, the Little Penguins emerge from the sea after a day of fishing and return to their sand dune burrows every night at sunset.

We waited quite a while for the penguins to arrive and when they did, they were so tiny that from afar I thought they were just seagulls. It was a mesmerizing scene reminiscent of the animated movie “Happy Feet”.

Afterwards, we silently observed some more penguins from the elevated boardwalks and viewing stands.

The following day, our tour guide took us to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, Victoria. Nestled on a former gold mining site, Sovereign Hill is an awesome re-creation of life in Ballarat during the 1850s.

People dressed up in period costumes amidst a backdrop of old buildings. We experienced the daily activities of that time like riding in horse-drawn carriages, panning for real gold, traveling underground for the Red Hill Mine tour and many more.

Towards evening, we dropped by the Fitzroy Gardens to visit Captain Cook’s Cottage. Captain Cook is James Cook, the famous English navigator, explorer and cartographer.

What’s so interesting about Captain Cook’s Cottage is that it was originally located in England. “It was deconstructed brick by brick and packed into 253 cases and 40 barrels for shipping on board the Port Dunehill from Dull. Cuttings from ivy that adorned the house were also taken and planted when the house was re-erected in Melbourne”.

Soaring in Sydney

The last leg of our tour took us to Sydney where we started our stay by boarding the Captain Cook Cruise. As we savored our buffet lunch, we were awed by the breathtaking landmarks, fabulous architecture and beachfront houses.

As we disembarked at Darling Harbour, we immediately went to Sydney Aquarium where we ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ at the myriad of Australian aquatic life consisting of more than 6,000 individual fishes and other sea and water creatures. Key exhibits include the recreation of a Great Barrier Reef coral environment and underwater, see-through, acrylic glass tunnels where sharks swim above guests.

It was photo shooting galore time again as we set foot at the Sydney Opera House, definitely one of Australia’s most recognized symbols. We stood, sat, jumped and posed in the most unusual ways while being photographed. In the end, my husband Gary took one of my most favorite shots of me soaring gracefully against the imposing Australian icon.

We capped the day by going to the city’s tallest free-standing structure, Sydney Tower. At the observation deck, we marveled at the spectacular 360-degree night view of Sydney and its surroundings. The 3D OzTrek virtual reality ride transported us to Australia’s beautiful tourist spots and white water rafting via a 180-degree cinema, real-motion seating and impressive effects.

On our last day in Sydney, after a short trip to the Sydney Olympic Park, we visited Scenic World Blue Mountains--a mountainous region in New South Wales. One of its best-known attractions is the sand rock formation The Three Sisters.

We held our breaths and tightly locked our hands on the railing as we rode the steepest incline railway in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The railway line descends through sandstone cliffs and features fantastic views of the lush fern-filled rainforest.

In the afternoon, we had our final animal encounter at the Koala Park Sanctuary. The children played with cute koalas, fed the kangaroos and even petted a wombat, an Australian marsupial.

Taking in Australia’s magnificent scenery, nature, wildlife and theme parks in just a week was quite hectic and yet, the 3 to 12-year old kids in our tour never got tired. They all agreed that they had a jolly good time!

A rousing cheer for Australia! “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!”