A Not-so-secret Garden

Marcia Adams' little Tuscany hideaway in Tagaytay has always been on our radar but we've never had the chance to visit her garden restaurant until recently.

On our way there, we decided to take a short cut to avoid the traffic (which turned out to be a long cut) and unintentionally passed by the charming San Antonio de Padua church in Silang, Cavite.

For couples who want an intimate wedding near Tagaytay, this church is a good option. The parking area can accommodate 30 vehicles, multiply by 5 people per car or 10 people per van, a guest list of 150 to 300 would still fit. :-)

After visiting the church, off we went to knock on Marcia's door. :-)

A not-so-little garden welcomed us.

The garden wasn't as immense as Sonya's, but still charming, nonetheless.

Rustic tables, chairs, decor...like a little Italian country villa.

Our family ordered different things from the menu so we can sample most of the specialties.

Most of the guests felt that their orders were taking very long and it did seem like the staff was undermanned during our visit. But since we weren't in a hurry or insanely hungry, we were more patient.

I liked the lavender creme brulee.

The place was filled with vases overflowing with flowers. :-)

The place was relaxing, and so many areas were so picture-perfect.

Marcia Adams

J. Rizal Street, Brgy Sikat, Alfonso, Cavite

0917 801-1456 

www.facebook.com/MarciaAdamsResto

European Encounter 2 - Romantic, Romagical, Romagnificent

Sometime in autumn of 2012, my family and I visited the beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral right in the middle of New York City. There, I met a Filipina working for the cathedral who had been to Rome and shared with me how breathtaking it was to see the Vatican buildings and the artifacts in the Vatican museum. I told her that I haven't been to Rome and wished that someday, I could go there. She said that she would pray for me that I would be able to, soon.

Fast forward to February 2013, when my cousin and I went on a trip to Europe and I was finally able to visit Rome.

Most people say that Rome is possibly one of, if not the biggest outdoor museum in the world. So many buildings were kept in their original state, albeit some have been ransacked and vandalized over the years. But walk around or take a tour bus around the city and there's no doubt you will fall in love with Rome immediately.

Such a lovely place to have your wedding, pre-nuptial photos or your honeymoon!

At St. Peter's...

And so, we climbed...

..to see the how high the ceiling was.

...and climbed some more...

...to see how high the roof was. :-)

As you can see, we did a lot of climbing. At the Spanish steps. 

Definitely didn't want to leave before we threw our coins at the Trevi fountain. :-)

Everything was pastry- and pasta-delicious!

We walked around the Piazzas and streets, went into quaint stores and cafes...

Tasting the famous Tartufo..

There's so much more to see but we had so little time! See you again very soon, Rome!