Dear oh dear. My officemate just got back from his week-long trip from Brazil. Envious me!!! Out of the box of chocolates he shared, I gobbled on the Serenata de Amor by Garoto, which is one of the authentic Brazilian chocolate bonbons. It tasted very similar to the Kinder Bueno (one of my fave knick knacks) but with...

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The travel bug caught me when I was a teenager. I started traveling on my own at 16 and never really looked back thereafter. For the younger generation, there are many ways to teach them the essence of traveling.  One of the ways is through Little Passports, a subscription travel kit for the little ones. I learned about...

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WARNING: This is a no-photo article... I am currently writing this right after I downed a cup of cappuccino with a scoop of vanilla malt, which I normally don't drink, so please bare with some of my incoherent thoughts. After about 6 hours of one-on-one training, I can now officially operate an espresso machine sans the coffee art....

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Going for the gold? For those of my readers who are heading out to Brazil, check out these spots to unwind after you've had your fair share of soccer matches: Academia de Cachaca: translates to the academy of Cachaca, one of Brazil's famous liquor Juice Co.: specializes in different juices and offers delightful lunch meals. This is where I...

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It is the weekend thus time to drink and be merry. Two weekends before my favorite holiday of the year!! If Peru has the Pisco Sour (and of course the addictive coca tea), Brazil has the Caipirinha, the national cocktail, made up mostly of cachaca (or you can also choose to use vodka).  Reminds me of a very...

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Here's to another year of (mis)adventures and dining experiences around the world. Last year gave me memorable insights to the international food culture of Barcelona's bistronomies, Madrid's Cuban cuisine, Peru's coca(ine) tea and Brazil's cachaca drink. While in American turf, I finally landed in Seattle's famous Pike Place Market and chowed down Portland's organic food and Boston's oysters....

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When I received an invitation from Chef Leonor Espinosa to dine at her award-winning, flagship establishment, Leo, in Bogota, I didn't really know what to expect. Even after countless of gastronomic travels, I still didn't understand what Colombian cuisine is all about compared to its neighboring cuisine of Peru, Brazil and Mexico. More so, there is limited information...

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Well well well, wish your grade school taught you this so you understand why the filet mignon is the most sought after meat. I found out during a churrascaria meal in Brazil. They actually give you a pamphlet listing all the parts they serve! BTW, they also had rabbit meat with cheese which was so yummy! ...

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It took me awhile to publish this since my trusty Mac is miles away (i.e. no Photoshop) and I forgot to bring my sd card uploader. Anyhow, I had to make reservation for two bottles of Conrad's mango wine at Tinderbox to ensure I get my hands on the first mango wine of Philippines' mango capital, Cebu. Conrad's...

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I'm a big fan of infographics primarily because I absorb things better when presented in images. This is by far the best infographic I've seen for different cuts of beef. Last time I saw a simple drawing of the cow's parts was a piece of paper at a churrascaria in Iguassu, Brazil. Cuts of Beef infographic by sounas....

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If you can read Portugese (good for you), you can proly guess what this is. But this odd looking 'gadget' seems like a transparent glue at first glance or a glass cleaner. I found it on every single dining table in restos in Brazil though. So I started to investigate... ...

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Did you know that gianduia is a sweet chocolate containing 30% hazelnut paste? It is also commonly known in the form of the bottled nutella. Did you know that gianduia is a sweet chocolate containing 30% hazelnut paste? It is also commonly known in the form of the bottled nutella. ...

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After a grueling climb of the Waynapicchu and seeing an awesome aerial view of one of the 7 wonders of the world, we finally treated ourselves to good food - meaning no more cheap, backpacker meals! A few blocks from Plaza de Armas, we stumbled upon a cute bodega tapas bar, Cicciolina. I chowed down on pasta with...

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