Category Archives: Food

Asian, Canada, Festivals, Filipino, Food, Lethbridge, North America

The Biggest Filipino Fiesta in Southern Alberta Started with a Bang!!!

June 9, 2019 The Travel Pill Leave a comment

June 8, 2019 – The first-ever Filipino Heritage Celebration in Lethbridge started with a bang! The Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge, Alberta’s hardwork definitely paid off! It’s a day filled with fun games, fashion shows of traditional Filipiniana costumes, lots of vendors selling your favourite Filipino food and a good number of goosebumps-inducing song performances.

There are also folk dances performed by our talented dancers led by Regina Jing-Jing Lopez. Standing out is the “Sayaw sa Bangko” (Dance on a Bench) which is definitely not for people with a fear of heights!

Sayaw sa Bangko (Dance on a Bench)

The Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge, Alberta would like to thank our sponsors for this event: Save On Foods, Orange Blossom Food Imports, Tambayan Ni Kabayan, DAD Canada Immigration Consulting Inc, Norwex by Gigie and Analyn, ABM College, Davies GMC Buick, TFC, GMA Pinoy TV, FCM Live, Diaryo Alberta Society and Wacky Shots.

Most of all, we would like to thank everyone for joining the celebration and making this event the biggest Filipino Fiesta in Southern Alberta!!! People from Calgary, Taber, Pincher Creek, Coaldale, and even Montana joined the fun!!! See you again next year!!! You guys are awesome!!!

Coffee, Europe, Food, Madrid, Spain, Starbucks

My Starbucks Name in Spain

June 9, 2017 The Travel Pill Leave a comment

Writing the name of customers on their cups is a fun culture in Starbucks. There is always a feeling of thrill to get your cup of coffee and know what is your Starbucks name for the day. You’ll never know if your barista will get your name right… or your barista will butcher your name… or he/she might decide to just give you a different name totally.

So here goes the story for my Starbucks name in Madrid. I ordered Gerlie a cup coffee because her coffee at the hotel is not yet enough to wake her up. LOL. It was then our turn so I gave Gerlie’s order. The barista asked for my name, and I said, “Vic, V-I-C.” He shrugged his shoulders. I thought, hmm.. did he find my name interesting? He handed me the receipt and I gave it to Gerlie so she could use the washroom.

Washrooms can only be used using the code printed on the receipt. So… you can only use their washroom if you are a buying customer. Which I think is fair.

I waited for Gerlie’s coffee. I know mine should be first because we were the first among the others that are still waiting for their orders. The second barista then called the next coffee. “Caramel macchiato for…” – (silence) – then said a name that is incomprehensible to everyone. It was a long name. Noone reacted or tried to pick up that cup. He then went back to the first barista taking orders and asked him who ordered it. To my surprise, the first barista pointed at me.

How come did the second barista said a long name and my name is just Vic, a single syllable name. I then grabbed the coffee, sat on a stool at the bar table by the window and waited for Gerlie.

While waiting, I checked what was the name on the cup and I just burst into laughter. Here is my Starbucks name in Madrid:

No wonder why the second barista had a difficulty saying that name! V-I-A-I-S-E!!! So unique eh!? hahaha!

I then showed it to Gerlie. Oh my goodness, that was one of our best laughs in Madrid!!! Awesome!!!

Brazilian, Calgary, Canada, Food, Latin, North America

Gaucho Brazilian BBQ: a Meat Lovers Haven in Calgary

Image March 23, 2015 The Travel Pill Leave a comment

March 2015 – We accompanied our friend on her search for her perfect wedding shoes in Calgary. Me knowing that they might take the whole day window shopping and I having nothing to buy on mind, I just told them that I will just walk around downtown and take some pictures.

Kabuki and Sadko - screw inspired art installation in Downtown Calgary — Kabuki and Sadko – screw inspired art installation in Downtown Calgary

"Wonderland" - a 12-meter sculpture in front of The Bow — “Wonderland” – a 12-meter sculpture in front of The Bow

The "Trees" of Stephen Avenue Walk — The “Trees” of Stephen Avenue Walk

The "Trees" and Towers of Calgary — The “Trees” and Towers of Calgary

Hungry from my downtown stroll and their never ending shoe fitting, we headed for our dinner at Gaucho.

Gaucho is a haven for meat lovers in Calgary. It is a rodizio or a steakhouse that serves all-you-can-eat meat and is located at 5920 Macleod Trail SW. Be sure you’re ready and hungry before you go here because there will be lots of food… I mean LOTS!

These cutleries will be in for a battle at Gaucho.

To start, there is a buffet where you can choose from some freshly baked bread, healthy green salads, crispy breaded seafood, rice and more sides.

Then, there goes the show. A double sided cow-shaped card will help you guide the servers whether you want more meat (green side) or you still want to enjoy the meat that you still have (red side).

One after the other, you’ll be offered with huge assortment of meat, all rotisseried perfectly. The amount served will be according to your liking. You can choose from a selection of sausages, top sirloin, rump steak, chicken wings, beef ribs, pork loin, lamb, and “meat sushi” – chicken wrapped in bacon. They also have grilled cheese that melts in your mouth. Awesome!

Definitely, Gaucho will bring out the inner carnivore in you! LOL! The best Brazilian barbecue experience in Calgary!

Enjoy the food and share! =)

Asian, Cambridge, Europe, Food, Japanese, UK

Wagamama: a Japanese-inspired Cuisine in the Heart of Cambridge.

October 21, 2014 The Travel Pill Leave a comment

The moment we arrived in Cambridge, the city where my aunt lives, we asked one another the question: “Are you hungry?”

Well, the obvious answer for that is a big, fat YES!!! After more than 24 hours of travelling from Prince George in British Columbia flying to Calgary, then to Edmonton, then to London and driving all the way to Cambridge… we are hungry!!!

So from their house, we drove down to the city centre. We had a mini tour with my aunt and uncle as tour guides. We’ve passed through some parts of the University of Cambridge and they showed us where we’ll be punting, the English version of the gondola river ride in Venice, which we will be doing the next day.

We then parked at the nearby mall wherein there’s a greater chance of having a parking space as compared to the streets, then walked to the restaurant. We chose Wagamama, a Japanese-inspired restaurant that has branches all over UK. Finally, we’ll be able to eat! =)

Gerlie had Chicken Raisukaree which has stir-fried chicken and vegetables in a curry sauce. And she liked it… because it is a curry dish. LOL

For me, I ordered Chicken + Prawn Cha Han – stir-fried rice with chicken and prawns. This a good one!

My aunt had Teriyaki Salmon Soba – grilled teriyaki salmon, soba noodles and vegetables. The grilled salmon on top looks yummy to me but she said that she can cook the noodles better. hahaha! I’ll grade this dish as OK.