Month: March 2016

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Finally, Authentic Vietnamese Food in Manila Tra Vinh – Banawe

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Pandie Rating: 👍👍👍👍

When you go to the Philippines, you probably won’t see a lot of restaurants from our Southeast Asian neighbors well maybe except for Thai. As for Vietnamese food? It’s the least represented and there isn’t even a category for it in Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secret Awards. There hasn’t been a good authentic Vietnamese restaurant (Didn’t like Pho Hoa or Zao because of their ingredients and frankly, it was Filipinized) in the whole of Metro Manila, except for now.

Introducing Tra Vinh Restaurant, an Australian franchise that finally came to the Philippines. I am wary about franchises so I was a bit hesitant to try this. It was only due to the clamor of my brother did I go eat here and I wanna say, thanks bro!

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Photo taken from their Facebook Page

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Presenting… The Pandie! (And Other Works)

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When I was in my previous blog, I had a mascot for it. A Witch Panda because I love Harry Potter so much. For this new blog though, I figured I needed a new brand mascot and since I wanted it to be essentially me, I asked Art of Maryam to create one for me. So this is the Pandie that I imagined and what I imagined myself if I were transported to an animated land. And yes… I’d have red hair because I can! HAHA

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Please DO NOT USE image.

An explanation – I love Ariel’s red hair and if I could, I would dye mine red as well. I liked how she made Pandie with Asian features (she got my mole xD) especially the eyes. Pandies are Pandas who love food and she got that with the chocolate strawberry cake (I LOVE STRAWBERRIES AND CAKE), and since I started to like archery, she was also able to add a bow in there. The outfit is an explorer’s outfit and the nice puffy jacket is a nice touch. I have a similar jacket but in blue! hahaha.

By the way, have you seen her incredible art? Maryam’s art caught my eye when I saw someone share her Disney Princesses with an animated look. I’m very picky with anime art because I wanted it to be more than the big eyes and slim face. I wanted it to have character with clean lines and great coloring and I was just captured by the beauty of art and how simple it is. I like Sakimichan as well on Facebook but hers was too digital and 3D. Maryam’s was better.

Check out her other works. I love Mulan, Merida and Ariel the best. Her Aurora, who I think is the most beautiful Disney princess of all based on the traditional 2D art is also wonderful! Well actually, all of them are beautiful. Check out that improved Anna!

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Went to Thanks Nature Cafe Disguised As A Sheep – Seoul

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Pandie Rating

Experience:  👍👍👍👍

Food:  👍👍👍

I’ve noticed one thing that usually happens around animal cafes.

The animals don’t care about you. 

Well most of the time anyway. If they’re dogs, they’ are either lazily sleeping or looking for the next person with food in their pockets or hands or if they’re cats, they are either lazily sleeping or plain ignoring you. You don’t strike a bond with these creatures because they see different people everyday and being a star is exhausting isn’t it? It’s like having to sign autographs 8-5 with few breaks in between. I can just imagine the boredom of these creatures.

But I am an animal lover. I wanted them to love me as well so when I decided to go to Thanks Nature Cafe in Seoul Korea, I wanted the sheep to like me as well. How else could I attract their attention. Hm… by dressing up as a sheep of course! I remembered my mom went to a sheep farm somewhere in Taiwan and she bought me this Sheep hat. It is SUPER CUTE and actually will help keep your face, head and ears warm. You can also put your hands in the long flaps of the hat as well to help you not freeze to death.

So let’s go to Thanks Nature Cafe!


It’s located near Hongik station, on the main road of Hongik-Ro but be careful. You might miss it because it’s located downstairs in the basement with only a small sign to signal its presence. Once you go down, you will immediately smell the scent of wildlife (or sheep poo and sheep smell) and the little cafe right beside it.

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Image from Google Maps

We arrived a bit early around 10:30 am (sorry was too excited!) but the cafe was closed so we kinda roamed around a bit checking out shoes at the nearby New Balance store. Once the clock struck 11, we dashed towards the cafe and got the best seats in the house because we were the only customers there. The interior of the cafe was cute and filled with little sheep paraphernalia.


My Greywind funko pop tried to mingle with them but they oddly didn’t budge. xD


We got caramel macchiato, hot chocolate and green matcha tea. While they weren’t exactly mind blowing drinks (the hot chocolate tasted a bit like swiss miss chocolate but I liked it), their waffles though were in a totally different league. The ice cream blended the crispiness of the waffle and the fresh taste of the fruits. When in Korea, I swear order strawberry everything because these fruits are divine during the winter-spring season. I wish I could eat this everyday. A friend who went there also praised their crème brûlée and cherry blossom white chocolate.

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