CieLJ Weekend: Theme Park Edition

LJ recently celebrated his 30th, and instead of having a party we packed our bags and decided to head back to Singapore and tour some parks! We are getting old, so we didn't fill our schedule to the brim like the last time, but I'll be posting suggested side trips as well just in case you guys are interested. 

Day 1: Chill, Zoo, Chill 

Well that was the plan, but then it became... got lost... Singapore Zoo.. aaand we got lost again, LOL! 

We left Manila at around 5am. Fearing that he won't get to drop-by Duty Free when we get back, he went ahead and started his shopping even before we got on-board. 

I came home late from the office the night before and had to finish packing so I got zero sleep. I spent the 4 hour flight snoozing while LJ tries to keep me from rolling to the floor. 

We checked in at Value Hotel Thomson near the corner of Thomson Rd and Ballister. It's quite a long walk from the MRT and I wouldn't recommend this for tourists, especially if you have kids, unless you plan to take the taxi everywhere or you know how to take the bus since the bus stops are nearer. You can read my full review and the room photos here.

Tip: If you are planning to explore the city on your own, you could get the tourist pass card or a regular ez-link card. It's easier than having the need to prepare change. We have ours from two years ago, and just added credits once we got to Changi.  

On our first day, we got acquainted with the bus system and we failed miserably. After a couple of attempts we got to the Singapore Zoo, finally! 

CieLJ Tradition: MYOH 2013

...aaaand we're back! I had to take a little break from blogging to get my swing back at work and keep the household in working condition ...heck! who am I kidding, I've been out talaga because of Candy Crush! LOL! anywaaaay, so we are back now, I promise to make the post more regular again, and I still owe the ratings for our wedding suppliers, we'll post those soon. 

CieLJ Cravings: Vanilla Cupcake Bakery

Passing by this cute and newly opened Vanilla Cupcake Bakery you will easily fall in love with the decor. The drapes, the Daphne chairs, the cozy sofas and of course the line-up of cupcakes to be served on a cute white saucer along with a wooden fork. You can almost hear the place screaming "Instagram me!"

Alas, the pleasant experience for the eyes, becomes a stressful game for the mind. Despite the long display of yummy treats at the Vanilla Cupcake Bakery in Glorietta -- wrongly labeled cupcakes if I may add, there's no one to assist you on what you are supposed to do. Apparently the cashier is on the side, you are expected to tell her your order, pay and step aside. There's no clear menu aside from the cupcakes, I was so unsure on what I can order, I can't see any coffee list and the girl didn't up-sell any drinks so I assumed there was none. 

What's next? 

You'll have to wait for your name to be called, a good 5 minutes if you are lucky. We were unlucky, they totally forgot our order! 

CieLJ Cravings: Quiznos

I went through a sandwich phase, and I craved for subs almost every other day to the extent that I meet up with LJ at Glorietta late at night to get my Subway fix since their store is open until 1am. 

I was excited when Quiznos opened a branch along Bonifacio High Street, as this means I can get subs without going to Makati anymore. 

Duty Free Love

I was deprived of the Duty Free experience when I was younger, LOL. Apparently LJ shared the same sentiment despite being a son of an OFW himself. So when we got back from HK last December, we agreed that we will go to Duty Free! Ma-cancel na lahat ng appointments namin wag lang the Duty Free trip! 

We'll be coming from Laguna, but I was too lazy to drive. So we decided to take the jeep. It was a long and dusty ride, but we made it, and it wasn't so bad… 

In case you'll be taking the jeep as well, here's how we did it: 

Ride the jeep to Sucat,

Transfer to another jeep bound for Baclaran. 

The jeep will pass right in front of the Duty Free Fiesta mall, just tell the driver so they can be on the look-out for you too. 

Get off the jeep and skip to the front door! Yey!