Thank You 2013

Grateful for...

• still having a job (the only source for travel funds)
• all the vehicles that have stopped to let Mustachio cross the street (every year Mustachio must thank them for letting him live)
• packing on pounds thanks to:
• food tastings (Marshall's Irish Pub, The Suite Room, Chicken Junction, Golden Cowrie)
• openings (Manggahan, Big Flat Bread, Cable Car, Michel's Deli + Cafe, Hukad in Parkmall, Big Daddy)
• treats just because they were feeling generous (Chatime, Choi City). Wow, Mustachio ate a lot this year!
• the owner of Telesfora Beach Cottage in El Nido for feeding 10 travelers at 530 in the morning.
• Trip@Palawan Travel and Tours for letting Mustachio and friends use the van for an hour more than what they had paid for
• Mustachio's long time college pal who fed him breakfast at Missy Bon Bon in Cagayan de Oro and who prodded Mustachio to become a circus performer (without an audience, but who cares)
• Cheng Bandala for answering calls from an unknown number. Mustachio was a stranger who called asking if Ms Bandala's house in Carabao Island was still open for homestays. It wasn't, but she selflessly took the time to find Mustachio another place.
• Rebecca Bandala for welcoming Mustachio to Carabao Island like they were long lost friends
• Carla for feeding Mustachio at The Suite Room, Chicken Junction, Michel's Deli + Cafe, and Big Daddy
• Joyceren of My Tasteful Life for secretly recommending Mustachio to Senpur Trading. He got to drain five glasses of Allmytea!
• Mustachio's long time friend for letting him crash at her place in Bantayan Island
• Agnes and husband, owners of La Isla Grill Siargao Bar and Grill, for expertly driving their van through muddy roads on the way to the awesome swimming holes of Magpupungko
• Max and Juvil, the father and son team, for the patience while Mustachio explored every nook and cranny of Bucas Grande
• meeting these amazing world travelers: Noelfy and Pinay Travel Junkie
• Kaona Grill for not leaving the Palawan cherry tree to die. The tree is now in Kaona Grill's new home in Lahug. Grow, tree, grow!
• Justinne aka Babe for Food for helping Mustachio maintain his pudginess by: 
• letting him taste her addicting brownie cups 
• giving his name to Chatime, Choi City, Golden Cowrie, Manggahan, and Big Flat Bread
• texting him directions to Mingnan Chinese Cuisine 
• inviting him to Mövenpick, Chatime, and Choi City
• nominating him in this year's Best Cebu Blogs (this does not help maintain pudginess but thanks all the same) though Best Cebu Blogs doesn't think he is qualified
• people Mustachio met on the road who came to visit him in Cebu this year:
• Ryo, a Japanese he met in a bus in Cambodia in 2012, took time off from studying in Manila
• SangCheol, a Korean he met in 2010, came for a weekend of boating and eating
• Teo, a Vietnamese whose family welcomed three strangers into their home, spent more than a week hopping from Mustachio's house to another
• granting the lazy hiker's dream. Mustachio only had to hike for 30 minutes to reach Pinatubo's crater lake
• Mustachio's close friend from highschool for always adopting him when he's in Manila and for taking him to the National Art Gallery, the Museum of the Filipino People, and The Mind Museum.
• everyone who answered Mustachio's questions when he was in Legazpi City in Albay (directions, tips, and random questions)
• the kind lady who let Mustachio leave his heavy bag in her stall while he hiked up Kawa-kawa Hill
• Mt Mayon for showing all her beauty
• Ramir for not overcharging for the tricycle ride from Guijalo Port to Paniman Beach
• Rene and Thata for safely taking Mustachio and friends from Sagbayan Peak to EAT Danao to Tubigon Port through sun and rain
• Mustachio's officemate for securing him a bus seat to Davao City from Cateel, Davao Oriental
• the jeepney driver in Davao City for the interesting conversation on the way to Davao Museum
• Brennan of Baktin Corporation for giving Mustachio no choice but to give in to that collab post about Coron
• Torta og Uban Pa for the box of cupcakes (that was unexpected!) just because Mustachio wrote a blogpost about them
• Mustachio's good friend for the treats from Sunday 2PM and Cafe Caw
• Mövenpick for that impressive experiment!
• everyone who helped the Philippines after that terrible typhoon
• the Christmas gift givers who also believe that it's the season to be fatty: Justinne of Babe for Food (brownie cups), Fred of The Exaggerated Zeal (napoleones), Carla of Jeepney Stop Chillin' (s'mores), Zhequia of FTW! Food, Travel and Whatevs (brownies), and Joyceren of My Tasteful Life (cookies and gummies). If you had given it all at the same time, Mustachio could have had a mini dessert buffet :D
• Mustachio's brother for the new phone. Now Mustachio can Instagram and tweet! If only he wasn't too lazy to actually post.
• everyone who has been visiting (and hopefully reading) this blog!

What's in a (Business) Name? Veinticinco

A toast... to new hair!

Spotted along Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

A Box of Brown Goodness

Dear FTW! Food, Travel and Whatevs,

I received a brown paper bag containing a white plastic bag containing a white box (with "Season's Greetings Mustachio" in curly red handwriting) containing twenty pieces of brown goodness. 

Yesterday I ate four of the deliciously not too sweet brownies and today I am still alive. Thank you Zhequia for not poisoning the brownies. I shall remain a pain on your neck on Twitter.

Your friend in hiding,

Mustachio

---o---

Dear Reader na Sweet Lover (reader na hilig ug sweets),

Have a Teaspoon...or a box of brownies! You can order a box of these crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside brownies from Have a Teaspoon (0925 552 2105). Check out what the Teaspoon's baking here.

Your friend in eating,

Mustachio

PS I say the Nutella Crunch sounds good. (I am nuts for Nutella.) I shall try that next time.

Maitre Chocolatier: Heaven and Hell

When my eyes see something tempting, but my pocket sees that something as expensive, my pocket squeezes itself tight to shut out my reckless fingers and I have to walk away with nothing but drool dripping from my mouth. The exact effect of Maitre Chocolatier on me.

When a friend whose big fat sweet tooth draws him to Maitre Chocolatier with me and three more friends as accidental companions, I try and steer him away from the dreaded pocket buster...to no avail. His big fat sweet tooth is waayy fatter and stronger than me.

Big fat sweet tooth drags us straight to Maitre Chocolatier's cake display. Everything looks deliciously similar—all smothered in chocolate. We go for the Chocolate Scones with whipped cream, raspberry jam, and nutella spread; a Nutella mousse cake called Angel's Confection; a Lindt dark chocolate mousse cake called Sweet Ebony; Frey White Chocolate Crepe with fruits; and their bestseller, Golden Euphoria (described as "Ferrero hazelnut crunch cake").

Chocolate scones (left) and Angel's Confection (right)

From left to right: Sweet Ebony, Frey White Chocolate Crepe, Golden Euphoria

Everything is superb (says the very biased chocolate lover—me). But, ahhh, the cakes of Maitre Chocolatier (especially Angel's Confection and Golden Euphoria) are heaven and hell. Heaven to the taste buds. Hell on the wallet.

Maitre Chocolatier
101, Level 1, The Terraces Ayala Cebu,
Cebu Business Park, Cebu City
(032) 238 7116
Daily 11AM to 11PM

With branches in Manila and Davao.


Oh how our stomachs rejoiced while our pockets suffered:
Chocolate Scones Php 150
Angel's Confection Php 176
Sweet Ebony Php 182
Frey White Chocolate Crepe Php 185
Golden Euphoria Php 218

Wear a Mustache!

Who wants a mustache on their wrist?

I'm carefully peeling off my mustache so you could wear it on your wrist!

That's how much I like you!

(Please don't mind the drops of blood.)

Or maybe you prefer this instead of the hairy bloody thing?

In order to own the mustache that ticks (the watch, silly, not a mustache with ticks), you just have to do three things:
1. like and share my facebook page
2. follow me on twitter and say hello
3. and complete this sentence: It is time to _______.

For the third requirement, you may be creative, witty, funny, or boring (maybe not). You may answer with one word, a phrase, a poem, an essay, a novel (not!), or a drawing (I would prefer a drawing hehe). Post your answer as your facebook status (please make sure it's public so I can see it) and don't forget to tag mustachioventures.

I will announce the winner on my facebook page on December 25, 2013 (Merry Christmas!)

Looking forward to your answers!

PS Open to Philippine residents only. Because I cannot afford overseas shipping!

Wisdom from the Road #10

On being mindful

Don't let your bags take a seat.
There are other passengers, you know.

 For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.