chocomusette.com

I want to reiterate, this is really the time of yogurts. We just passed by the area and there was a short line forming so we stopped to try the place out.

You go through the same process, get your own frozen yogurt, choose your choice toppings, weigh it and pay at the cashier.

Janiz: What's with the look?

Kiara: I am a little disappointed.

Janiz: Huh? Why?

Kiara: I still prefer Qoola. So I was right that it was the best yogurt so far.

Janiz: It's really hard to please your taste buds.

Kiara: No mom, it's just I've tasted something better so I have a point of reference. And I must say Qoola has that distinct taste i love.

Tutti Frutti, 4th Floor Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati

My daughter's style has evolved over the years, her styles are more innate these days. No more "mom influence" in fashion, I now keep my opinions to myself.

Janiz: Baby, you'll turn 10 in a few days. Time does fly.

Kiara: *sigh* Can I be 9 forever?

Janiz: As bad and as selfish as it sounds, I want you to be 9 forever too.

Kiara: What should we do mom?

Janiz: Don't worry, I'll make an emergency call to a vampire volunteer.

Kiara: *hmph* Mom! This is a serious matter and should be taken seriously.

Janiz: I am serious baby. If I can, I would, but I'll have to let nature take it's course.

Kiara: Fine, vampire it is!

Janiz: *chuckles* You're a funny bunny! *hugs*

Just outside Greenbelt 5 we tried out a new place to have a taste of Mediterranean cuisine, or just some of it. I for one was not that hungry, my brother and I had shawarma, while my daughter of course had chicken with rice on the sides.

It was almost like a hole in the wall but I noticed that most customers were Persians too. It was probably the confirmation that this was the right place. We were tempted to try other cuisine but I was really full and I just ate since it would have looked rather odd that someone in the table was just watching the others eat.

Kiara: Are you sure you're not going to have rice?

Janiz: Yeah, I'm good with this, anything more would be glutton.

Kiara: You're exaggerating! Maybe you're just in a diet?

Janiz: I have never been on a diet. I just go fasting on Fridays, it's not dieting, it's sacrificing.

Kiara: It's not Friday today so you can binge up.

Janiz: But I'm full, why can't you believe that?

Kiara: You were never full.

Janiz: Stop trying to force feed me, I'm not buying it.

Kiara: *sigh* Fine, don't blame me if you'll go hungry halfway through the night.

That's really how my daughter is. She always try to look out for me. She's a sweetheat.

Persia Grill, Dela Rosa St., Makati

I honestly think that this is the time of yogurts. There are dozens popping up like mushrooms. But this one tops our list, Qoola Yogurt + Fruit, a Canadian company which claims:

"Our genuine fresh frozen yogurt is made from 100% natural ingredients, and packed with live and active cultures. Decadently creamy, irresistably tangy and superbly nutritious, Qoola's fat-free, gluten-free, and certified kosher frozen yogurt will never disappoint."

It was our first time so they were more than glad to give us free samples so we can choose what flavors we want. Basically with Qoola it's "do it yourself".
Get as much yougurt as you please and stuff whatever toppings you could take. Then after they'll weigh it in then you pay it in the cashier.

I knew my daughter was leaping up in bounds when she went through the whole process. She loves doing stuff like these, I just hope she loves eating it more though.

Janiz: What flavor did you choose?

Kiara: Chocolate with rice crispies, fruit loops, vanilla kisses and marshmallows.

Janiz: Wow! So what's your verdict?

Kiara: Mom, this is the best frozen yogurt I've ever tasted!

Janiz: The best ever?

Kiara: The best so far. Qoola is...(makes a hand heart shown in the picture above) LOVE.

Qoola Yogurt + Fruit, Greenbelt 2, Makati

Despite being loaded with school work, we make sure that we spend our weekends together. Sundays are either spent cooking brunch, eating out, watch a movie, or simply a time to hang out in the mall. But this time, we squeezed all those activities in a day.

I took some random shots of Kiara while hanging out in the mall. I can't deny how much she's grown, to me it seems as though she was the same chubby little girl giving out a cute giggle. But it's when she talks that makes a big difference.

My daughter has a fascination and a love for art, though she feels like that love is never reciprocated.

Kiara: I love the artwork on the wall mom.

Janiz: Yeah, it's illusion-ed as though it was torn up.

Kiara: I know, and I like it like that.

Janiz: And you just have to touch it to be certain huh?

Kiara: Yeah, I have to know for sure.

Janiz: I get you.

Kiara: When will art ever love me back?

Janiz: It takes time honey.

Kiara: You know what mom? To us it's art, but to most it's just something posted on the wall.

Janiz: I love how you geek it up like that.

Kiara: *big smile*

Janiz: Too much mental and visual exercise here, time to do something else.

Kiara: How about dessert?

Janiz: Go!

We were good to go but when we saw this facade, it made us want to stop for a while.

We had to ride an elevator to take us down to the lobby and the restaurant. I love the Mediterranean inspired interiors, the white walls made it so relaxing and made us stay a while longer. We decided to try this place out on our next visit, for now we just had to head home.

Estancia, Tagaytay

After lunch, we decided to burn off some of the grease so we headed to Taal Vista to see the view of the lake.

It was a sunny day, not as cool as the usual weather in Tagaytay but we don't mind since it's a little colder than how it is in the city.

Kiara: I want a photo with the lake too, except I want a candid shot.

Janiz: Ok.

Kiara: Hurry up mom, it's too sunny! I can't face the sun's direction for too long.

Janiz: Take the shot Di (referring to my brother, it's a short name for "diyah")

Jerard: Don't rush me if you want good shots!

After a few more shots we headed to the other side where kids hang out and do a "grass slide". My daughter was having so much fun since it's something new to her.

Kiara: Mom join me, it's so much fun than it looks.

Janiz: No thanks, I'll pass.

Kiara: Di? Will you? Please!

Jerard: Ok.

That's what I love about my brother, coz he always gives in to my daughter's request.

Now time to enjoy the breath taking view of Taal. Quiet moments are best done like this.

Taal Vista, Tagaytay

This was a rather surprise trip, we were planning on a different route but the journey brought us back to Tagaytay. The hour drive made us pray for food and we were glad that it brought us to Pamana.

The restaurant was packed since it was a weekend, a number of families were lining up for a table. Clearly, this place was the place to eat at, although we were too hungry to line up, we don't have as much energy to look for a new place to eat. We were seated in outside but we didn't mind since we were all just focused to load up.

To make waiting a little more bearable, Kiara and my brother went around the whole place and took advantage of the cool weather and took pictures while I was left in the table.

While waiting I was reading through the menu which had a story of how the place came about. This was actually owned by Happy Ongpauco, daughter of family restaurateur and owner of Barrio Fiesta.

Pamana

Tagaytay City

I was browsing through my archives of photos and this would probably be the last time when we have Jason with us on a weekend. This was the weekend when we were waiting for Jerad at UA&P. He was there to watch a play and we were impatiently waiting outside doing whatever could to keep our mind off our hunger.

After our eyebrows were clashing due to more than an hour delay on our dinner, we were not dismayed by the big servings in Banapple.

When our food was served, we didn't have the strength to talk, but we had the time to spare for a click or two.

Jason totally refused to face the camera so all my shots of him was in this angle.

Despite the hunger, my daughter was still in a playful mood.

No Food = Low Batt for me.

Banapple

Katipunan Ave., Quezon City

Kiara's sporting a new look. A look that suits who she really is. Geek slash Nerd.

Kiara: Would anyone believe that these are prescription glasses?

Janiz: With the geek and the nerd that you are, you can probably pull it off.

Kiara: Really? *bright smile*

Janiz: What are you thinking? What's going on in that web-like brain of yours?

Kiara: Oh, nothing much. I'm planning to be wearing this look for a while.

Janiz: *phew* I was expecting something more, but I'm fine with that. *wink*