The Amazing Race 30 Episode 11-12: FINALE

Another 2-hr episode for this season's finale.

Photo: tvline

In leg 11, the final 4 teams raced from Thailand to Hong Kong International Airport. It was a neck-to-neck race between the teams. Since last week was a non-elimination leg, Team Yale needed to their Speed Bump first before continuing the race with the other teams, while the other 3 teams were hoping that Team Yale would give them the time cushion they needed to proceed to the finale.

But no such luck there. Team Yale was very motivated to finish the Speed Bump quickly and the fact that Henry could speak Mandarin gave them an edge from the rest of the team.

Team Yale went to Victoria Peak – Lions Pavilion for their Speed Bump Challenge. Upon arriving there, the other 3 teams had their picture taken overlooking the Hong Kong skyline where they would find their next clue printed on the photograph.

In this challenge, Henry & Evan had to place candles into 40 hung paper lanterns before they could continue racing. It was a breezy task for Team Yale. They finished it quickly which allowed them to catch up with the rest of the teams in the Detour Task.

Detour: Hairy Crab or Grub Grab

In Hairy Crab, teams had to properly wrap and pack 50 live hairy crabs in a basket, while subjected to simulated typhoon conditions, to receive their next clue.

Team BigBrother in their Detour Task
Photo: HollywoodLife

Team Big Brother & Team Extreme were the ones who did this challenge. They had a difficult time finishing this task which was why the other teams were able to zoomed past them

In Grub Grab, one team member had to take 8 restaurant orders in Cantonese, then relay it to their partner in the kitchen, who had to figure out the corresponding dishes, which were labeled phonetically. Once all the patrons were served correctly, they received their next clue.

This may sound difficult since the orders they needed to hear weren't English words. But if they're attentive enough, this task can be done quickly. Team IndyCar and Team Yale did this task which helped them move ahead of the other teams in the other detour.

After finishing the Detour Task, teams proceeded to Central Pier #4 for the Roadblock Challenge. 

In this Roadblock, one team member had to suit up in protective equipment and smash a pile of old electronics with a baseball bat to find two containing half of a clue. Once the clue was complete, they then splattered a gallon of paint over the pile to create a work of "rage art". Meanwhile, the non-participating team member was handcuffed to a briefcase.

Henry of Team Yale and Conor of Team IndyCar did a pretty good job in doing this task. Cody of Team BigBrother as usual did as fast as he could. Kristi of Team Extreme was the only who had a hard time with the Roadblock Challenge. She kept beating the old TV until it worn her out. Good thing she was able to do it after re-reading the clue and proceeded to Lan Kwai Fong for their next task.

After completing the Roadblock, teams had to search the streets of Lan Kwai Fong for three signs depicting things seen in previous legs of the Race, and left them to recall the numbers of the legs where those things were seen (the Washington Square Arch from Leg 1, a fez hat from Leg 3, and a bull from Leg 5). These corresponded to the combination to open the briefcase still handcuffed to the wrist of the team member who did not perform the Roadblock. The correct order of numbers was different for each briefcase. Inside the briefcase was the key to the handcuffs and the location of the Pit Stop.

Team IndyCar
Photo: EW

This was very confusing for the teams because the place is considered to be the center of nightlife in Hong Kong. The symbols that they needed to search in the area were also very random and hard to find. Team Yale were able to find all of it faster than the others while Team BigBrother and Team Extreme were neck to neck. Team IndyCar was having a hard time though.

In the end, the pitstop for this leg was at the Intersection of Johnston Road and Wan Chai Road.

FINISHERS:

1. Henry & Evan (Team Yale)

2. Cody & Jessica (Team BigBrother)

3. Kristi & Jen (Team Extreme)

4. Alex & Conor (Team IndyCar) - ELIMINATED

Too bad Team IndyCar didn't make it to the Final 3. They weren't able to finish their last task. It took them a really long time to find the symbols in the busy street of Hong Kong. It was disappointing because I kind of like them already.

Moving on to Leg 12 - the final leg - Team Yale learned that the race wasn't over. In fact, the race to $1,000,000 was next. So from Hong Kong International Airport, all teams went straight to San Francisco International Airport for the final leg of this season.

Once there, all teams went straight to AT&T Park – "Say Hey Kid" Statue to find their next clue, leaving them to figure out that this was a reference to the statue of former San Francisco Giants player Willie Mays outside AT&T Park.

At AT&T Park, teams had to paddle kayaks around McCovey Cove and find three numbered baseballs corresponding to the digits in the number of career home runs hit by Willie Mays, leaving them to figure out the correct number (which is 660), while Giants mascot Lou Seal threw more balls into the water from the ballpark. Once they had the correct numbers, they would receive their next clue from an umpire.

Team Extreme did the smart thing by asking people about it while Team BigBrother & Team Yale rushed towards the kayak and tried to figure it out from there. Unfortunately, both teams needed to go back to ask the people's help since they couldn't figure out the answer.

After that task, all teams went to their Roadblock Challenge at San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

In this Roadblock Challenge, one team member had to use jumars to pull themselves up 200 feet (61 m) to the top of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge center anchorage. They then had to enter the structure and put on a harness and covered with bright lights before free falling from a plank to receive their next clue.

Evan of Team Yale had a hardest time of doing this task considering that she was up against 2 stronger teams. The challenge was definitely built for Cody of Team BigBrother as he zoomed past the 2 women. Kristi of Team Extreme was closely behind him.

The clue received from the first Roadblock was a rebus that left teams to figure out they had to travel to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company. There, they had to properly make 102 fortune cookies, 51 per team member. Once approved, they received a giant fortune cookie to break open for their next clue.

Team Extreme did fairly well here. Team BigBrother struggled as well as Team Yale.

After that all teams were instructed to go to Alameda (USS Hornet) but before they could do that, they needed to do the final task for this season. Phil warned the teams that they will be facing “the season’s most difficult test of both physical endurance and mental strength.” 

For the final task, teams had to choose a fuselage of a large model airplane on the flight deck, then search the entire aircraft carrier for twelve parts of matching color (two propellers, four wings, four horizontal stabilizers, and two vertical stabilizers) with which to complete the model. Each part had different pictures depicting something encountered on a leg of the race. After finding all twelve parts, the team member who did not perform the Roadblock had to assemble the airplane with the correct combination of six parts (one propeller, two wings, two horizontal stabilizers, and one vertical stabilizer) that would fit correctly on the fuselage and represent all 12 legs without duplication. Once approved, the team member had to push the airplane to their partner, and the team could proceed to the Finish Line at the opposite end of the flight deck.

The trick though was that there were only 6 necessary pieces, and 12 parts they have to find. All of the pieces have at least 2 different symbols on them, representing each of the 12 legs from this season. When the plane is fully assembled, the six correct pieces will display all 12 symbols with no duplicates.

This was a very challenging task. Jessica of Team BigBrother, Jen of Team Extreme and Henry of Team Yale did this final task for their teams. Tensions were rising as each teams tried their best to finish first. Henry of Team Yale were able to complete it first but didn't ask for a check instead he switched it with another symbol. That was pretty hard to take considering that it could have been their chance to move forward. It was neck-to-neck for all teams but in the end only 1 team won the million dollars.

FINAL RANKING:

1. Cody & Jessica (Team BigBrother) - $1,000,000

2. Henry & Evan (Team Yale)

3. Kristi & Jen (Team Extreme)

Team BigBrother winner of The Amazing Race 30
Photo: BuddyTV

AFTERTHOUGHT:

I wasn't expecting for Team IndyCar to be eliminated in Leg 11 considering that they were doing a great job from the beginning of the leg. They didn't pay attention enough to the last task which ultimately led to their elimination. It was disappointing because I like them. To be honest, I didn't at first but then as the race continued week after week, they were pretty much a good team. Team Extreme - I really thought another all-female team will this season. They have what it takes and they were very consistent all throughout. It was tough to see them struggling though. Team Yale - my dark horse - I'm actually rooting for them because I don't think anyone else do or maybe just a few. I don't know why. They may be a bit aloof compared to the other teams but they're tough to beat as well. The odds were against them in Leg 11 but they remained strong all the way to the finish line. If Henry didn't make that mistake, they would have won this season.

As for Team BigBrother, they are probably my least favorite team this season. I like Cody but I'm not really into Jessica. I'm sure she's a great girl but I'm just not feeling her in this race. But of course, they're a very strong team. They made better decisions in the last couple of legs and they did what they have to do to win it. Personally, I think this leg was built for a team like them. A combination of brains and muscles. I know Team Extreme are strong women but Cody's a cyborg. I don't know if Team IndyCar would have made a huge difference if they were part of the final 3, but for sure, it would have been an exciting race to the finish line.

CONGRATS TO TEAM BIGBROTHER FOR WINNING THE AMAZING RACE 30!

Hopefully, this is not the end for this reality show. I do want them to continue. It's one of my favorite reality shows of all time.

Michael Martinez Ends His Stint In Winter Olympics 2018

Photo: Inquirer

Michael Christian Martinez, a Filipino skater bows out in Winter Olympics 2018 preliminaries. He failed to reach the Top 24 in the Men's Figure Skating Competition held in Pyeongchang, South Korea today. This was really disappointing because I wanted to see him skate in the finals but I'm still proud because he did well. Philippines is a tropical country. We don't have winter season here. No snow. So for Michael Martinez to do this kind of sport is really amazing.

The 2-time Olympian fell in 28th place with a low score of 55.56 points even though his performance wasn't a bad one. This event was a short notice for him. He didn't prepare that much considering that he wasn't supposed to be a part of the Winter Olympics 2018. I'm not sure but a skater from another country pulled out before the start of the Winter Olympics. Last January 23, Michael Martinez received a call that he will be taking the open spot meant for someone else. This gave him a short amount of time to practice his routine and learn to do the jumps again. And the funny thing about this is that Michael Martinez is actually planning to retire and focus on body building instead. He didn't practice figure skating for months, I believe. This is the reason why he suddenly bulked up. He weighs around 75 kg before he received the call. He began crash dieting to try reaching his usual skating weight of 66 kg in short amount of time. I'm not sure if he reached that goal because he still looked a bit bulked up while skating in the preliminaries.

Photo: Lionheart TV

He entered the Pyeongchang Games ranked No. 44 in the world.

But still, we're proud of him. Whether he chooses to stay in Figure Skating or change to body building, it's all up to him. Hopefully, we will be able to see him do well in another competition even if it's a different one.

JOB WELL DONE, MICHAEL!

Florida School Shooting That Killed 17 People

I learned about this yesterday. I like to read my news online and I saw a topic about another school shooting that got me curious. This isn't the first time I read something about this that happened in US. Since I don't live there, I don't think I have the right to complain or say something bad about their policy which I know nothing about. All I can say though is that something about this needs changing. Something that would protect the innocent children/teens while they're in their schools. Someone needs to do something about it because this isn't really an isolated case. I've read too many of the same incident in the same country. I have families and friends there. I do want them to be safe at all times. Hopefully someone or a lot of someones will do something about this for once.

The suspect, Nikolas Cruz
Photo: WABC-TV

Based from what I learned so far, the shooter's name is Nikolas Cruz, a 19 year old former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where the tragedy also happened. The authorities said that he pulled out a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle and started shooting students/teachers everywhere. After the shooting, he discarded the rifle, a vest and ammunition in a stairwell then blended in with fleeing students and got away. He was later seen buying a drink at Subway and was arrested as he walked down a residential street.

The victims who died in this tragedy were students and faculty members ages 14-49. They also said that the suspect has a “significant” history of mental illness and possibly autistic or has a learning disability. Apparently, his mother died last year and the Sneads family took him in to live with them. The Sneads said they've seen a sign of depression in him but nothing that showed he was capable of violence. They also said that Cruz purchased the gun legally around February 2017 and that the Sneads Family allowed him to keep the gun but insisted on keeping it in a lockbox.

Currently, Cruz faces 17 counts of premeditated murder - one for each of the people he is accused of killing on Wednesday in a shooting that was captured on cellphone video by terrified students. He is being held without bond at the main Broward County jail, where he has been placed on suicide watch.

I really have no idea what's going to happen with his case but hopefully justice will be served. I feel bad for the families of the 17 people who got killed. It could happen to anyone. It could be a friend or a family member. I have no words for this. This is just too devastating because this isn't exactly the first time it happened. These victims, they deserved to live and enjoy their lives with their families. There were other tragedies similar to this one - months-years ago. Something should have been done then. It could have prevented and saved lives - maybe this recent tragedy could have been avoided. This is long overdue.

To the Florida school shooting victims, may you all rest in peace.

Aaron Feis

Jaime Guttenberg

Martin Duque

Chris Hixon

Scott Beigel

Alaina Petty

Gina Montalto

Nicholas Dworet

Joaquin Oliver

Alyssa Alhadeff

Meadow Pollack

Peter Wang

Carmen Schentrump

Cara Loughran

Alex Schachter

Luke Hoyer

Helena Ramsay

My thoughts and prayers are with their families and all those affected by the shooting that recently happened.  

The Amazing Race 30 - Episode 9-10

Note: I think I messed up the titles of the episodes. I'll have to check it first then I'll change it as soon as I can.

Again, the show lasted for 2 hrs with 2 legs combined.

In the 9th leg of this season, the 5 remaining teams traveled from Harare International Airport to Bahrain International Airport. All teams were in 1 flight but during their layover in Dubai, Team OceanRescue realized that one of their passports was missing. This got them delayed from racing with the other 4 teams who proceeded to Bahrain. Lucas tried to get a new one from the US Embassy but they lost so much time from doing it.

Meanwhile, the 4 teams arrived in Bahrain and immediately traveled to Dhow Shipyard where a couple of tasks were waiting for them. 

In the first task, each team needed to carry and place a total of 300 lbs of timber onto a weighing scale to receive their next clue. All teams tried their best to finish the task as fast as they could but the thing about this task was that the teams lost so much time in navigating the roads. Every wrong turn that the team made while performing the task took 15 more minutes to correct thus making the whole thing difficult and unpredictable.

Team BigBrother doing the first task
Photo: Inquisitr

Next, the teams went to Hussein Mohammad Showaiter Sweets and looked for the asked for the "King of Halwa" which is actually a type of local jelly dessert in the country. Each team member were given a sample to eat before they proceed to their next task. 

Team BigBrother was the last out of the 4 teams to finish this task but they were the first ones to arrive in the next task.

Then all teams went to Delmon Pottery Industry where each team chose a pouch containing 10 various small items to memorize. They then had to search inside hundreds of clay pots around the shop for the matching items and bring a pot back to the starting point, one at a time, to be verified. Once all the matching items were collected, they received a pot to break open containing their next clue. 

And just like Team BigBrother in the other task, Team IndyCar were one of the last teams to leave this task but they were the first one to arrive in the next task.

In their last task, teams went to Bahrain Endurance Village where they had to choose a camel herder, who would show them how to milk a camel. One team member then had to collect enough milk in a measuring cup, while their partner helped keep the camel calm, to fill a glass to receive their next clue.

Once done, all teams went to Al-Hafirah for the pitstop.

FINAL RANKING:

1. Alex & Conor (Team IndyCar) - won $7,500 each.

2. Kristi & Jen (Team Extreme)

3. Henry & Evan (Team Yale)

4. Cody & Jessica (Team BigBrother)

5. Lucas & Brittany (Team OceanRescue) - ELIMINATED

Team OceanRescue
Photo: CBS

Team OceanRescue did try their best though. They were improving each leg but that passport problem made it difficult for them to catch up. Many racers in the past seasons of the show lost their passports while racing and it eventually led to their elimination so this didn't surprise me anymore. They were able to reach Bahrain but all teams were already done for the day and since it wasn't a non-elimination leg, they finally bid goodbye to the race.

So far this leg was very challenging. It didn't have those usual Roadblocks and Detours. This leg contained task after task which was something new in the race and it made things exciting because their ranking keeps changing as they finished one task after another.

Now in the 10th leg of this season, the 4 remaining teams travel from Bahrain to  Chiang Mai, Thailand. The teams were instructed to travel using a cheap transportation called songthaew and direct their driver to Royal Park Ratchaphruek. This made the teams frustrated a bit because it was very difficult to communicate to their drivers while riding the provided transportation.

Once they arrived in the place, all teams had to find elephants with flower wreaths on them, then deliver those wreaths to ladies strolling around the park with umbrellas for their next clue which happens to be their Detour Task.

SEIZE IT or SIZE IT

In Seize It, teams went to Baan Kaew Rice Field and had to catch 20 bullfrogs in a flooded rice paddy to receive their next clue. 

This was an easy task but with children playing around the area, the frogs seemed nowhere to be found in those murky water. Team Extreme tried this task but decided to switch. Team IndyCar tried to search the frogs for a long while until Team BigBrother decided to join. In the end, Team IndyCar found the spot where most frogs were hiding and they caught 20 of them followed by Team BigBrother.

In Size It, teams had to travel to Patara Elephant Farm, where they would calculate the height and weight measurements of an elephant while in the presence of her calf. If the veterinarian deemed their measurements to be correct, they would ride their elephant along a trail and feed it to get their next clue.

Team Extreme doing their Detour Task
Photo: CBS

Team Extreme did well in this challenge and was able to leave the area before Team Yale arrived. Team Yale, who I was expecting to be good in this challenge, had to try a few times before getting the right measurement.

Once all the teams were done with their Detour Task, they all proceeded to Original Khum Khantoke Restaurant for their Roadblock Challenge: Thai Something New.

In this Roadblock, one team member had to consume three cooked scorpions and a bullfrog. For the duration of the task, the non-participating team member would have to stand with live scorpions crawling on them. Once the team member finished eating, they received their next clue.

Conor of Team IndyCar begged his partner Alex to finished eating the challenge so he could remove all the scorpion crawling on him. Same thing happened to Jessica of Team Big Brother who begged her boyfriend Cody to eat faster which the man did. Jen of Team Extreme did well in finishing the scorpions and bullfrog while Kristi endured the scorpions crawling on her. Evan did her best in the challenge while Henry cheered his girlfriend as scorpions crawled up on his torso.

Alex of Team IndyCar trying to eat the scorpions and bullfrog.
Photo: CBS

When they finished the task, they all rushed to Wat Chedi Luang for the Pitstop.

FINAL RANKING:

1. Alex & Conor (Team IndyCar) - won a trip to Curaçao.

2. Cody & Jessica (Team BigBrother)

3. Kristi & Jen (Team Extreme)

4. Henry & Evan (Team Yale) - NON-ELIMINATION

AFTERTHOUGHT:

Anything related to exotic food challenge is exciting. In this leg, the challenge was even better because in the past seasons, the other team members usually just cheered for their partners. But now, while one member is doing the gross roadblock challenge, their partner is also having a difficult time which I think is fair. It annoys me sometimes when a team member had to nag or rush their partner in eating an exotic food like it's the easiest thing to do. It's never easy that's why I like it that they also had to do endure something while their respective partners had to finish the task.

Anyway, I think Team IndyCar, Team Extreme and Team BigBrother are somewhat friends while Team Yale is more like an outcast of the 4. I'm not sure why but maybe because Team Yale is such a young team that they tend be on their own most of the time. They were asked to who they want to be in the final 3. The 3 teams answered the same thing which means they all didn't want Team Yale to push forward. If there's a U-Turn in the next leg then it's pretty obvious who will be their target.

I'm still not warming up with Team BigBrother but I do like Cody's tenacity. Team Extreme is still the team to beat this season but since they're all very competitive and their time difference aren't really that far from each other, there's a huge possibility that anyone can win this. It only takes 1 mistakes from Team Extreme or any other teams to be eliminated. When this season started, I wasn't really into Team IndyCar since my first impression with Conor wasn't good. But they're actually a pretty good team. I also like how Conor showed his true personality in the entire race. He's crazy but in a fun way. 

I have no problem on who will be the Top 3 to race in the finals.I think these 4 teams deserve to be there. Let's just hope that Team Yale can do things faster in the next leg since they have a Speed Bump to finish and let the other 3 "close friends" teams handle U-Turning each other. I think that will be fun.

By the way, the final 2 episodes will be next week. No idea why they're rushing it but hopefully this will not be the end of the show for good. I still want the reality show to continue for a long while. I just hope that they'll be more creative in giving tasks and choose teams that are worthy to watch.

If you want to watch The Amazing Race 30 here in Asia, it's at AXN Channel every Thursday night.

Things To Remember On Valentine's Day

Photo: BBC

In a few days most of us will be celebrating Valentine's Day. I like to spend mine with my family. I know that most people prefer to be with their special someone on that day but it's been a tradition in my family that February 14th should be celebrated with them. One reason for that is because that day is my parent's wedding anniversary. Yup, I can't believe they decided to do their wedding on Valentine's Day. Also, I really don't like to spend my Valentine's with a special someone where a bunch of other couples are celebrating as well. So I usually spend Valentine's Day with a special someone a few days before or a few days after.

Anyway, some of us are probably having problems in planning the perfect Valentine's celebration or surprise. Even buying a gift for a special someone can be quite taxing. But I learned through the years that it shouldn't be that difficult. Sometimes it's us who makes things complicated by planning so many things all at once without thinking whether we can actually pull it off or not.

First off, the gifts. Some of us buy the most common Valentine's gifts they can find. It's the easiest thing to do because a lot of gifts meant for Valentine's Day are often being sold everywhere we go. If your special someone appreciates everything you give him/her then good for you. But I learned not so long ago that a person appreciates it more when you give them a gift that they truly like or if you put a bit more effort in buying/making it. My father once said that he likes it best if he receives something that he truly likes. It makes him feel loved & cherished because knowing what to give him means that I paid attention to the things he said a few months back. 

Photo: Thirty Handmade Days

So my advice is that, whether the gift is for a special someone or your parents, try to recall something that they told you way back about a certain things they like, may it be a book, an accessory, something that they want to have but don't really want to buy for themselves. Or if they're not the type to give you hints about what they want, based your gift ideas on their likes & personality. Is your special someone a food lover? Then cook something or look for the best restaurants you both haven't tried. 

The bottom-line is, anything you buy for them will surely be appreciated, but if you give them a gift that means something to them - you'll be making them feel extra special even more.

Another issue is the budget. Not everyone can afford an expensive gift or a treat to an expensive restaurant on Valentine's Day. If you think you can't afford to spend a lot then don't. A simple home-cooked breakfast/lunch/dinner, even a letter is good enough. Stop stressing yourself about what gifts to buy or where to take your special someone if you can't afford it. Be flexible with your plans. There are other simple ways to make your Valentine's Day memorable.

Then there's the customary way of giving flowers (which is mostly for women). That's fine if your special someone is into flowers. I know some women including myself who aren't into it. I don't mind receiving one but I'd rather want my special someone to buy something we both can share & enjoy like food. I love flowers especially daisies but I don't like it to be picked. I appreciate the field of daisies not the ones tightly wrapped in a bouquet. Of course, some women probably prefer to receive flowers on Valentine's Day so that's really okay. Just know your women. Know what they want. Don't just buy them expensive flowers even if they're not into it. It's a waste of money, to be honest.

Photo: Healthwit

Lastly, WHERE TO GO. This is probably the hardest thing to plan especially if you want to go somewhere to celebrate the day. In my case, my go-to-place here in my country is Tagaytay City. I choose this place because it's the closest & has the perfect ambience for a romantic night (for couples), & at the same time, it can be a quiet place to celebrate with family & friends.

Tagaytay City is just less than 2-hr ride from Manila. If you go there during the day, it has the perfect backdrop of Taal Volcano, an active volcano surrounded by a lake. At night, the weather can be cold compared if you're in the busy streets of Manila. Also, it's not as crowded there so that helps when choosing the best place to eat. In Manila, you probably have to make early reservations for some high-end restaurants while the budget-friendly fast food restaurants are mostly jam-packed during that day. Not the mention, the traffic can be a hassle too.

Photo: Where To Go In Tagaytay

That's the reason why I love celebrating in Tagaytay during Valentine's Day. There are a lot of places to go there that suits every budget you may have. You can eat there, shop, do adventurous stuff, tour some scenic places even do picnics.

With that line, let me suggest places that I've already tried before in Tagaytay. So if you want to check them out, please do so. It may be the perfect place for you, your family or your special someone to celebrate Valentine's Day.

1. Sonya's Garden

- This place is located at Buck Estate. It's a B&B but you can celebrate your Valentine's Day at their restaurant. It can be romantic & it's also a good place for family. The place only serves healthy, organic food. They don't have a menu. They'll serve you whatever they have for that day - from appetizers, main course to dessert - & all are cooked/baked in their restaurant. But they do offer optional dishes (separate prices) if you don't want to try the ones they will serve on your table. You just have to pay a specific price depending on whether you'll be there for their breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Photo: Sonya's Garden

I've been there a couple of times already. It's my family's favorite restaurant in Tagaytay because of the healthy food they served & the ambience. You can also stay there for the night. They give good service & their spa is one of a kind.

Price: 

P560 per person for their breakfast slot around 8-10 am

P683 per person for their lunch/dinner

Reservation is a must. I usually call first before we go there. No dress code.

You can check out their website here: Sonya's Garden.

2. Antonio's Garden

- The thing you need to know about Antonio's Garden in Tagaytay is that they have a lot of restaurants in the area. You might get confused. I did the first time I learned about them. Each restaurant has different style & menu. Antonio's Garden is more into fine dining. If you prefer a romantic or a formal setting then this is your place. The restaurant is beautiful. It is located in Barangay Neogan. It's on the expensive side so if you don't have an issue with your budget then this is definitely a go-to-place for celebrating Valentine's Day.

Photo: Carmi's Caprice

A reservation is a must. From what I know, they serve lunch and dinner every Tuesday to Sunday only. Lunch reservation is around 11:30 am - 1:30 pm while dinner reservation can be made around 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. But their reservation lines are open daily from 9:00am to 6:00pm.

The last time I was there, a proper dress code is encouraged. It's been a while though so there must be some changes. Better call them & check once you make your reservation.

Check out their website: Antonio's Garden

3. Balay Dako/Terraza Bar & Grill

Photo: @yoko_travelbook Phonebooky

- This is also a restaurant under Antonio's as well. It's easy to find because this is just along the main road of Tagaytay. If you don't like the hassle of reserving before going to the restaurant then this is probably the right place for you. You can go here anytime of the day. In my opinion, this has the best view of the Taal Lake (make sure to get the middle table). It's best to go here during the day so you can appreciate the view but at night it's not bad at all. They serve Filipino food. You can have lunch or dinner with your family there or you can try Terraza Bar & Grill which is located above it. They are offering a Valentine's Special Spanish Buffet on February 13-15 for about P1,300+ & there will be an acoustic performance on the 14th. There's also another one on the 16th.

Photo: Balay Dako Website

For more details, check their website - Balay Dako

4. Pamana Restaurant

- This place is near Boutique B&B, just in front of Ayala Serin. They also serve Filipino cuisine. It isn't as expensive as Antonio's or Sonya's but they have a lot of delicious food as well. They also have a great view of Taal Volcano. The only downside that I see is that it can be pretty noisy here depending on where you choose to seat & if there are a lot of people, it can be a bit tight. I've been here 2 years ago on Valentine's Day & I fell in love with the place. We sat outside which can be pretty windy during the day but everything went well. We had a great time.

Photo: No Doors

I didn't make a reservation though. I'm not sure if they accept early reservation but it helps to make one to avoid having to wait outside.

Check their website here: Pamana

There are so many places to go in Tagaytay. These aren't just the only ones. I only recommended those restaurants that I've tried during Valentine's Day. You can always check out other places like Marcia Adams, Bags of Beans or Fire Lake Grill in Tagaytay.

If you prefer a relaxing day with your loved ones then you can visit Nurture Wellness Village. Or maybe a staycation since they have so many unique hotels & B&Bs there. There's always something to do in Tagaytay. You just have to do some research about what you want so you can find the best place to go.

Then again, if you don't mind the hustle & bustle of Manila streets, your options on how to celebrate Valentine's Day will expand. Never mind the traffic or the crowded restaurants/malls/entertainment areas - anywhere is good enough as long as you're with your loved ones, just make sure to plan it as early as now, make reservations if possible then have fun.

ADVANCED HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

KZ Tandingan Wins 1st Place in Singer 2018's Last Week's Episode

KZ Tandingan in Singer 2018

A few days ago, a lot of Filipinos were very happy to learn that our very own KZ Tandingan finished 1st place in Singer 2018 during their last week's episode. I actually didn't know about this show until it was reported that KZ will be joining the series/competition. So I did my research about the show & so far this is what I found out: 

Singer 2018 is a Chinese television series/competition & a re-branded version of "I Am Singer" which is a Chinese version of the Korean reality show with the same title. From what I understand, the show features talented singers from everywhere & they will perform each week in front of 500-member audience. These audience will cast their votes for the top 3 performance that night. The last person in the ranking will be up for elimination.

It is said that the competition is divided into several rounds. A Challenger enters the competition during the Knockouts & have to avoid last place on their first week, in addition to finishing in top four per the usual Challenge round, in order to be declared safe; failing either challenge eliminates the singer immediately. Additionally, the number of Challenge rounds is usually one less than of the number of Knockout rounds.

At the end of the last Knockout round was the "Breakout" round, which featured ousted singers (except withdrawn singers) for a chance to re-enter the competition & take part in the finals.

And last February 9, 2018 at 8:00 pm in Hunan Television,  the second challenger of the season was KZ Tandingan. She finished 1st place & was temporarily declared safe. This means we will have to wait for another week to know if she can stay there to compete longer until the finals.

For those who want to know, KZ Tandingan is a Filipina singer who rose to fame following her win on the first season of The X Factor Philippines in 2012. You can check her out in YouTube to see how talented of a singer she is. She's known for changing a lot of things in an original song making it her own version & putting her own trademark on it. 

She won 1st place in Singer 2018 in last week's episode while Jessie J, KZ's idol, was 2nd. That's something, right? Both women are good & I love them. But it's nice to know that KZ took the 1st place.

Will she be able to make it to the finals? Hopefully. 

Here's a sneak peak of Singer 2018 Episode 5 - KZ's performance:

Singer 2018 airs on Hunan Television every Friday at 8 pm.

The Amazing Race 30 Episode 7-8: The First Rule of Amazing Race Club

This was a 2-hour episode with a major twist.

The 6 teams traveled from Prague Václav Havel Airport to Harare, Zimbabwe then they were instructed to travel again by train to Marondera & search for Imire Rhino & Wildlife Conservatory. Once the teams endured the 20 hours of travel time in total & finally rreached the location, they were instructed to set-up a provided safari tent for them to spend the night.

But that's not all.

Apparently, the next morning, Phil woke them up at 4 am & explained to them that for the remainder of this whole leg they would choose a new partner to switch with, in the same order their tents were approved.

Teams learned about the Partner Swapping for this leg

Team BigBrother chose Team Extreme = Team Ex-Brother

Team OceanRescue chose Team IndyCar = Team OceanCar

Team Yale chose Team Firefighters = Team YaleFighters

After that, the newly formed teams had to paddle a makeshift raft around Imire Lake to spot their Detour clue, which was in a canteen hung on a tree. They needed to get it then return to the shore with it.

Rhino Track or Bush Wack

In Rhino Track, the newly-formed teams had to ride horses with a guide along a marked path through the reserve, along the way spotting and collecting 8 pieces of evidence left behind by poachers in designated locations. Once they collected all eight pieces of evidences, they returned to the starting point to receive a map of the reserve with photographs of the locations. They had to correctly place all eight items on the map matching their respective locations to receive their next clue.

In Bush Wack, the newly-formed teams had to drive an off-road vehicle along a marked course to pick up supplies, including a full canteen of water, at a designated point. The course then continued through two mud bogs, which they had to wade through to determine the best point at which to cross, then attempt to drive the vehicle through the bogs without getting stuck. Once through, they arrived at a ranger station, where they had to dig up an empty canteen and bury the full one they picked up earlier in its place. Once returning to the starting point, they received their next clue.

Conor & Lucas (Team OceanCar) doing their Detour Task

The thing though, each newly-formed team will do either of the 2 detours.

Brittany (Team OceanRescue) & Alex (Team IndyCar) sailed first & chose Rhino Track. They did well as a team. Kristi (Team Extreme) & Jessica (Team BigBrother) had a hard time doing the same detour task. They failed several times until Evan (Team Yale) & Daniel (Team Firefighters) showed up. 

Kristi & Jessica (let me call them - Team Ex-Brother) wanted to work with Evan & Daniel (Team YaleFighters) given that Evan was pretty good with the task. But Team YaleFighters decided not to help which was a good thing because they needed cushion to secure a spot in the ranking. Evan wasn't being sly like what Jessica did in the past few legs. She just didn't want to help.

It also felt good since I really didn't want any team to help Jessica after the sly moves she did in the past legs. It was a strategic move for them but you gotta admit, it felt good when Team YaleFighters didn't help. It was also funny that it bothered Jessica a lot. 

Anyway, that decision paid off for Team YaleFighters because back at the other end of the detour, their other partners were having a hard time. In Bush Wack, Cody & Jen (Team Ex-Brother) were doing quite well compared to their swapped partners in the other detour. Lucas & Conor (Team OceanCar) got stuck for a while in the mud. Same with Henry & Eric (Team YaleFighters).

Cody & Jen (Team Ex-Brother) checked in first but Phil couldn't let them continue the race because the other half - Kristi & Jessica weren't there yet. They were the last team to checked in. So the 1st half of Team Ex-Brother waited for them for quite a while.

Cody & Jen (Team Ex-Brother)

On the other hand, Brittany & Alex (Team OceanCar) finished 2nd while their other partners Lucas & Conor finished 3rd. It gave Team OceanRescue & Team IndyCar a good head-start to continue the race. They left after checking in with Phil, leaving Cody & Jen waiting for their partners to arrive.

Evan & Daniel (Team YaleFighters) arrived next then was followed by Henry & Eric, putting Team Yale & Team Firefighters in the middle of the pack as they continued to the next leg.

All of the teams headed to Khan Fabrics and Haberdashery where the Double U-Turn was once again located. The front-runners raced neck-to-neck to reach the destination. To keep their lead, both teams decided to use their U-Turns.

Team OceanRescue U-Turned Team BigBrother

Team IndyCar U-Turned Team Yale

I found this funny because Brittany finally got her revenge on Jessica's sly moves even if it was just for U-Turning them. That's still something. But I wonder why Team IndyCar didn't U-Turn Team Extreme. I like this team but if I'm a competitor, they're in my U-Turn list esp. when they're in the bottom of the pack. They're the team to beat. You have to eliminate the strongest to be able to get a chance to win this season unless they never really think of these ladies as their competition. Hmm...

After both front-runners U-Turning the 2 teams they chose, they proceeded to their Detour Task.

Handle With Care or Just Get It There

In Handle With Care, teams traveled to Eastgate Mall, where they made their way to the mail center. From there, they received a total of 7 large packages to carry and deliver to various businesses around the mall. After delivering each, they were given outgoing mail to return to the mail center. Once all the deliveries were complete, they received their next clue.

In Just Get It There, teams had to locate Magaba Tyres to pick up one small tire and one large truck tire, then roll them through the market onto the back of a waiting marked truck parked on Cameron Road to receive their next clue.

This was straight-forward task for everyone except for Team IndyCar. Team BigBrother did Handle With Care first while Team Yale did Just Get It There. 

I also find it funny that the other teams helped the U-Turned teams in figuring out the places they needed to be. It was like giving them a chance to catch up with you & steal your spot in the ranking. I mean, if these teams are truly competitive, they wouldn't have to do it. I bet Team BigBrother & Team Yale wouldn't give them the same information if it was the other way around.

After the Detour Task, all teams went straight to Harare Gardens where another task was waiting for them. All teams chose a vocal coach who taught them the pronunciation of the Shona-language lyrics of the Four Brothers song Pasi Pano Pane Zviedzo. They then had to perform the song on stage accompanied by a band, with the correct pronunciation and rhythm, and dance to the beat, to receive their next clue.

Most of them had a hard time accomplishing the task. Team Yale sounded really bad but they were fast enough to memorized the words so they were able to pushed forward. Same with the others except for Team BigBrother. Cody almost had a meltdown but good thing Jessica was able to control the situation.

Once finished all of them rushed to First Street Pedestrian Mall for the Pitstop.

FINAL RANKING:

1. Lucas & Brittany (Team OceanRescue) - won a trip to Saint Lucia

2. Kristi & Jean (Team Extreme)

3. Alex & Conor (Team IndyCar)

4. Henry & Evan (Team Yale)

5. Cody & Jessica (Team BigBrother)

6. Eric & Daniel (Team Firefighters) - ELIMINATED

Team Firefighters - Eliminated

AFTERTHOUGHTS:

This was a very tiring episode for the racers & nail-biting for the viewers. They were neck-to-neck most of the time so it was very difficult to figure out who will be safe & who will be eliminated.

In the first half, I think the "partner swapping" was a good idea. It made the leg interesting because everything became so unpredictable. Imagine Jen & Cody (Team Ex-Brother) arriving first in the mat but waiting for their own partners Kristi & Jessica to arrive only to be passed by the other teams whose partners arrived before theirs. It was worrisome for the Team Ex-Brother. I hope they'll make this a part of the game in future seasons because this will shake things up a bit.

I also didn't get why Team IndyCar didn't U-Turn the strongest team this season. They chose Team Yale. I mean, I did say that Team Yale is the dark horse of this season but Team Extreme is the team to beat. Maybe they're good friends with them but this is a game. I don't think they'll take it seriously. Team OceanRescue did the right choice of U-Turning Team BigBrother. I'm not a fan of this team but they're also a threat.

Then again, the Double U-Turn didn't matter as much because Team Firefighters had the hardest time doing the last task. It pushed them back from the pack even though the 2 teams ahead of them in the ranking did a Double U-Turn. I was actually expecting them to get eliminated out of the 6 teams just based on their past rankings. Team OceanRescue did well the past 3 legs now because they were moving up from the pack. But we'll see how the next leg will go for them. Brittany tend to fall from Jessica's trap & Lucas can be stubborn at times. So far I still think Team Extreme is the team to beat followed closely by Team IndyCar. Team Yale is still my dark horse but Team BigBrother is sneaky so I'm expecting for them to do anything to secure a spot in the Final 3.

If you want to watch The Amazing Race 30 here in Asia, it's at AXN Channel every Thursday night.

Upcoming Movies for 2018

Yesterday I saw the trailer of Deadpool 2 & I'm very excited to see it. Lately, there are a lot of movie trailers I've seen that are very interesting. I don't watch a lot of local shows or international TV series; I prefer movies over that. I'm not that patient enough to follow a series unless I find the story interesting like The Walking Dead. But lately, I'm not feeling it as much as I used to. They're like dragging the story to make it longer & they've killed a lot of the original characters that I liked.

Anyway, let me share to you the trailers of the movie that will be shown this year. These are the movies that I can't wait to see in the cinema. The released dates are all in US so if you're in Asia better check your local cinema about their screening schedules.

Deadpool 2

After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover. 

In Theaters May 18, 2018 (via 20th Century Fox)

Black Panther

After the events of Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returns home to Wakanda. But when two enemies conspire to bring down the kingdom, T’Challa must team up, as the Black Panther, with CIA agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje—Wakanda's all-female special forces—to prevent a world war.

Black Panther premiered in Los Angeles on January 29, 2018, and is set to be released in the United States on February 16, 2018, in IMAX and 3D.  (via Wiki)

Midnight Sun

MIDNIGHT SUN is a romantic tearjerker about 17-year-old Katie Price (Bella Thorne), sheltered at home since childhood with a rare genetic condition, a life-threatening sensitivity to sunlight.  Having only her father Jack (Rob Riggle) for company, Katie's world opens up after dark when she ventures outside to play her guitar.  One night, her dreams come true when she’s noticed and asked out by her longtime crush Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger), whom she’s secretly watched from her bedroom window for years.  As they embark on nightly summer excursions, Katie’s risk to sunlight grows and she’s presented with the gut-wrenching dilemma of whether she can live a normal life with her newfound soul mate. In cinemas on March 23. (via Open Road Films)

Every Day

Every Day opens on February 23, 2018.

A shy teenager falls for someone who transforms into another person every day. Based from a novel of David Levithan.

Director: Michael Sucsy

Writers: Jesse Andrews (adaptation), David Levithan (novel)

Stars: Justice Smith, Maria Bello, Angourie Rice (via Regal Movies)

Ant-Man & The Wasp

Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang tries to balance his home life as a father with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, when Hope van Dyne and Hank Pym present him with a new mission to bring to light secrets from their past, requiring him to team up with van Dyne as the new Wasp.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is scheduled to be released on July 6, 2018, in the United States in IMAX and 3D. (via Wiki)

Avengers Infinity War

Four years after the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the Avengers have been torn apart following the events of Captain America: Civil War. When Thanos arrives on Earth to collect the Infinity Stones for a gauntlet that will allow him to bend reality to his will, the Avengers must join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop him before his onslaught of destruction puts an end to the universe. (via Wiki)

Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet -- the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.

Avengers: Infinity War is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 4, 2018, in IMAX and 3D. The sequel is scheduled to be released on May 3, 2019.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Solo: A Star Wars Story, or simply Solo, is an upcoming American space Western film centered on Han Solo, a character from the Star Wars franchise. 

A space Western, the film is centered on a young Han Solo and his adventures with his Wookiee partner Chewbacca, including their encounter with Lando Calrissian. (via Wiki)

The film is scheduled to be released on May 25, 2018. It will be released in RealD 3D and IMAX 3D.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

It’s been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles. 

When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times.

With all of the wonder, adventure and thrills synonymous with one of the most popular and successful series in cinema history, this all-new motion-picture event sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs—along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before. Welcome to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. (via Universal Pictures)

In Theaters June 22, 2018 

Pacific Rim Uprising

The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in Pacific Rim Uprising. 

John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi)—who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war. As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction. 

Jake is joined by gifted rival pilot Lambert (The Fate of the Furious’ Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (newcomer Cailee Spaeny), as the heroes of the PPDC become the only family he has left. Rising up to become the most powerful defense force to ever walk the earth, they will set course for a spectacular all-new adventure on a towering scale. (via Legendary)

Pacific Rim Uprising – In Theaters, RealD 3D and IMAX March 23

Others movies to watch are: Mortal Engines (no trailer yet), Venom (no trailer yet), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Rampage, Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse etc.