Boulangerie 22

Fely J's Kitchen (Uptown Mall)

Como

Hosay Crispy Fish Crackers

This is addictive stuff!  I don't recall who gifted us with a pack of Hosay Crispy Fish Crackers but I'm sure glad that they did.  Actual fish skin, crispy fried to perfection!  I can't get enough...

Puradak Chicken

Insular Life Building

I took out an insurance policy with Insular Life when I was younger, so most of the time, when Insular Life is mentioned in a conversation, I think of the actual protection.  I was walking along Ayala Avenue at the onset of the Christmas holidays and I noticed that the renovation work on the Insular Life Building at the corner of Paseo De Roxas was complete. This time, I was thinking of their iconic building, one of the first built in Makati.

This building held plenty of memories for me (the 200-seat theater at the top floor was a favorite for intimate bookings, and Repertory Philippines used this as their home base for several years).  The new skin gives the building a fresh vibrant look, and the BPI branch at the ground floor lends a more upscale aura to the property (the space used to be leased by fast food chains).  The bold logo atop the building gives additional presence.

While I understand that their head office has actually moved to Alabang, this Makati office is still a major retail hub for the company.  I'd venture to say that the building sits on one of the most expensive real estate spots in the country.

Cars 3

Now there's a true heartwarming story.  After going international-racing and spy-wannabe in Cars 2, this third installment of the animation franchise sinks slickly back into the racing saddle.  What do champions do when age catches up?  Loved every moment...