Trial Class at Cambridge Binondo

One fine afternoon last March, I visited my friend at her office tagging along my toddler just to have a short play time with her toddler. Then just before we part our ways, I thought of dropping by Cambridge since it's just within their building. We went together to check out the place and inquire for the rates as well. The complete name of the school is Cambridge Child Development Centre, a Singapore International Preschool. 

March 26. Two toddlers playing at the 'outdoor' playground of Cambridge.

Upon entering the class area, the toddlers ran loose towards the outdoor playground while the mommies were attended by Teacher Kevin to discuss their curriculum and fees. I personally felt excited while he was showing to us a photo album of students in action and how they conduct their class. Their approach is Project-Based Ecological Model or PBEM for short. I wasn't able to observe this during the 3-day trial class but you can research more about it here.

So we went there March 26 and because the summer class will be starting soon, April 6 right after the Holy Week, we weren't allowed to schedule a trial class already. The next available schedule was on May 4 which means our April will be vacant. Anyway, we were told to bring a pair of slippers, toothbrush and toothpaste and a set of clothes. 

Fast forward to our first day of trial. We came in 15 minutes late despite that it's a 10-minute walk from our place. I'm actually the one excited since it's my first time as a mom to bring my child to a school. It's quite challenging to wake a toddler up, rush her to eat breakfast, change clothes and prepare her baon. Upon arriving at the center, everybody was busy since the sessions have already started. Baby A was assigned at the toddler class, separated from my friend's toddler. 

The whole time I accompanied my toddler inside and observed the surrounding, from the students, teachers, materials, lessons, teaching method and of course Baby A's reaction and performance.

May 4, 2015. Day 1 of the trial class.

Circle Time 

The first thing that I noticed was the class is just a handful. They started the class with action songs to engage the small kids and to warm them up. The teacher assigned to her class is Teacher Nicole, or T. Nicole for short. She was one of the Chinese teachers so they were conversed and taught with both English and Chinese songs and lessons.

Their syllabus

SimpleLine Binondo + Giveaway

Have you read my post on Binondo's Hidden Finest? This post is an expounded version of one of the food establishments in my list, SimpleLine Binondo. If it weren't for that challenge, I might not be able to discover this tea house.

 

One of the things that I love about SimpleLine is that their drinks are priced way lower than other famous tea place. To be honest, I'm not a milk tea fanatic and I seldom order drinks when I dine outside. I'd rather spend the few bucks for food. Because of that, I don't have the credibility to compare in terms of their taste, flavors offered and service. I just drink just for the sake of trying out on what is being crazed about. The few times that I would order is maybe if there's a meet-up or I just want to reward myself. Do you find me weird? I'm just being practical. Haha! :)  

 

Anyway, when I tried their drink for the first time, it was simply refreshing especially because I was tired and thirsty coming from a long walk. It made me easily full as well that's why it's not advisable to drink before meal time. The best time to drink is during a hot weather, or you just want a boost of energy or get back to your alertness or simply as a dessert alternative.

 

So if you happen to be in Binondo area, drop by SimpleLine Tytana and enjoy a cup of milk tea while strolling around. The place is very accessible as it is just few steps away from Binondo Church, or from Ongpin if ever you will visit Eng Bee Tin for the giant mooncake or do your food tripping.

 

Just to give you a short background about SimpleLine Tytana branch. First of all they are a franchised store. They started operation last Dec. 2011. SimpleLine is a local brand owned by a Taiwanese and a local Chinese couple who envisioned bringing Taiwan's tea-drinking lifestyle to the Philippines because of its health benefits. Their goal is to provide quality and healthy drinks at affordable prices. They don't use artificial ingredients. They try to provide the best customer service through quick service and consistency.

 

To help you decide on what to order, below is a list of their Best Sellers.

Milk Tea:
1. Caramel Tapioca Black Milk Tea
2. Winter Melon Oolong Milk Tea
3. Caramel Coffee Konjac Oolong Milk Tea
4. Coconut Jelly Oolong Milk Tea
5. Herbal Jelly Green Milk Tea

Fruit Flavored Tea:
1. Blueberry Black/Green Tea
2. Honey Lemon Black/Green Tea
3. Lychee Black/Green Tea
4. Yogurt Black/Green Tea
5. Passion Fruit Black/Green Tea

Menu on the wall.

 

 

Additional signages by the counter: Add-ons and Sweetness Level.

I was actually confused with so many versions of their menu or I'm just not used to ordering milk tea. But below is a more structured and easy-to-understand list of their menu where it is categorized by the kind of tea and also the add-ons are separated. Do remember to choose your sweetness level.



More structured and easy-to-understand SimpleLine Menu.

SimpleLine staffs and counter. The place is neat and clean.

 

I would like to thank friend A, the owner of this franchised store, for allowing me to have complimentary drinks to further appreciate their line of milk tea. They gave me not just one cup but three so I called friend K to help me with the taste test. I took them home so my hubby could also taste them. I even poured a little for my helpers to have a taste. Of course, share my blessing. :)

 

The three drinks were as follows:

1. Caremel Black Milk Tea with Herbal Jelly + Coconut Jelly + Aloe Vera medium size (costs P70)

2. Winter Melon Oolong Milk Tea with Coffee Konjac + Red Beans medium size (costs P90)

3. Melon Black Milk Tea large size (costs P70)

 

Those add-ons where just my preference because I wanted to try all of them as I never had the chance to try them from other tea places because of the additional fee. The usual add-on is the Tapioca (black sago) so I didn't include it anymore.

 

The Verdict:

In terms of the add-ons, I preferred the Herbal Jelly better because it tastes like grass jelly pudding.

In terms of the overall drink, I preferred the Melon Black Milk Tea even without any add-ons because I just love melon drinks. It's fruity and smells sweet. It satisfied my sweet tooth. :)

 

My friend K preferred the first drink because it's not that sweet and she said maybe because of the unusual combination of add-ons. She is a milk tea lover so she had tried majority of the tea places.

 

If you are a coffee-lover, I suggest you add Coffee Konjac. The second drink had a strong taste of coffee that's why it's not my type. My hubby and the helpers loved it because they are coffee-drinkers.

 

In the end, my only comment is that different people have a different taste preference. And also the add-ons can affect the overall taste and smell of the tea. So follow your taste buds and mood of the day. Brand doesn't matter as long as you know that the ingredients and preparation is of quality. :)



Try their newest flavor: Melon Black Milk Tea. So yummy sweet!

 

100% freshly brewed tea leaves from Taiwan. Health benefits of Tea.

SimpleLine tables and chairs for sit-down customers. Can accommodate around 15 pax.




SimpleLine Tytana branch in Binondo

They offer free delivery service around Binondo for orders of 5 cups and more.

Here's a map to SimpleLine Tytana. It's located in the heart of Chinatown. It's very near to Lucky Chinatown Mall.

I left a note on their message board: "The Binondo Mommy was here."

I know you have been waiting for the giveaway part. Friend A is very generous to give away three (3) P100 SimpleLine gift certificates and I have decided to share it to three (3) lucky winners. The mechanics is very simple. You just need to follow the Rafflecopter widget below by reading and clicking.

This contest will run for a short period of one week, from Sept. 8 to Sept. 14, 2013 so you can still visit Binondo just before Moon Cake Day. Just a reminder that the gift certificates can be claimed and redeemed only at SimpleLine Tytana Binondo branch. I will announce the winners within the day of September 15, 2013. Good luck and have fun!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Updated 09-15-13 6pm: Congratulations to my SimpleLine Giveaway Winners! Kindly message me at The Binondo Mommy's fan page and comments section below to confirm that you have read this. I will pick another winner if you won't be able to reply within 24 hours. Thank you for joining everyone! :)

SIMPLELINE TYTANA BINONDO
611 V. Tytana St., Plaza Lorenzo, Binondo, Manila
Contact number: 0923-6134235 or 354-5272
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimplelineTytana
Twitter: https://twitter.com/simpleline_bdo
Instagram: http://instagram.com/simpleline_bdo#

Mommy Sally

P.S. Happy Birthday Mama Mary! Happy 9th Monthsary to my Baby A! :)

Happy Mooncake Festival!

Last Wednesday marks the end of the Ghost Month for 2013 which means starting Thursday, people already resumed with their normal activities. Ghost month is the 7th lunar month in the traditional Chinese calendar. It is believed to be an inauspicious month when all important or major activities are suspended and this includes but not limited to wedding preparations, house constructions, etc. That is also the reason why business is at its lowest especially restaurants because no big parties were being held for the whole month. The ghost month this year started Aug. 7 until Sept. 4, 2013. I actually love the month of August because aside from having many holidays, it's my birth month! But sadly, so many bad news transpired: there was the Cebu ship incident, the Typhoon Maring, and the Million People March. I won't tackle them any further as I'm not really into current events. Anyway, I just noticed that all of those happened during the ghost month. 

But don't worry, 8th lunar month or the season of mooncake is here. I love it because aside from eating mooncakes, it also comes with the tradition of playing of dice games. And because this month is considered as auspicious month, it's also the best time to hold weddings and birthday parties. My September is full of parties, three weddings and one birthday party to be exact. Yipee I'm so excited!

And speaking of mooncake, have you seen the biggest mooncake in the Philippines? The size is 75 inches circumference, 24 inches diameter and 3 inches thick. It's real and 100% edible. It is currently housed inside Eng Bee Tin Ongpin branch just beside Binondo Church. They are famous for their hopia, available in various flavors. Aside from hopia, they also sell other Chinese delicacies, sweets, breads and pastries.

Just a side note on their other product lines. My friend highly recommended me to try their Custard Hopia (P48) because it's soft and somewhat melts in your mouth just like leche flan. It's different from regular Hopia because Custard Hopia needs to be refrigerated. I have also tried their Mochipia because I got curious with the coined word for Mochi and Hopia. I loved it because I can feel the chewy mochi inside the hopia. Then I also bought their Almond Cake (P9.00) and Coconut Cake (P13.00) as these two reminds me of my dad who used to buy them for us when we were still small. Please refer to the photos below.





Eng Bee Tin delicacies. Biggest Mooncake was there since Aug. 23 and will sit there until Sept. 30, 2013.

Anyway, I'm inviting you to visit Eng Bee Tin Ongpin and have your photo taken with the biggest mooncake and get to take home a small mooncake (just like in the photo above) for Free after liking their Facebook Page! Follow them also on Twitter @iloveengbeetin for updates and promos. You might want to participate in their ongoing promo Mooncake Photo Craze. #giantmooncake

Did you know that the owner of Eng Bee Tin is also a fire fighter? His name is Mr. Gerry Chua. He even made a coffee shop for the firemen, named Café Mezzanine. It's just a few steps from Eng Bee Tin Ongpin. The place is quiet, peaceful, a wifi zone, and a feel-good hang-out place because when you order, you also help the fire volunteers.
 





At Café Mezzanine. Photo op with Mr. Gerry Chua, the owner of all things purple in Binondo, also known as Mr. Ube.

They also give out a complimentary DVD on Fire Safety Tips and CPR Tips to remind the household on what to do in times of emergencies. The DVD also includes their history and other video clips related to their company. They also offer text messaging services known as TXT FIRE where you can receive UBE News for free when you register on the number (see the lowest portion of my photo collage) above. You can also easily report a fire through that number.

Aside from Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli and Café Mezzanine, they also own Chuan Kee and Mr. Ube Rice and Noodle House, all located along the famous Ongpin Street. So if you love all things ube, come and visit them here in Binondo!

Happy Mooncake or Mid-Autumn Festival! September 19 is the actual Moon Cake Day! See you around!

Mommy Sally

Binondo's Hidden Finest

I have actually posted this write-up on my Facebook Note last August 9 as my entry to The Purple Doll's Samsung #GalaxyMega Challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't win {heart broken because my phone is still low-tech} or else I will be the luckiest mommy in this blogosphere! Haha! My consolation is that my entry was among the 20 shortlisted out of the 117 entries. But nevertheless, I would still love to share it with you and give you a quick tour to Binondo. So here it goes.

Project 700/7: Binondo's Hidden Finest

 

Background: I am a resident of Binondo for the past 1.5 years but I haven't had the chance to really explore on its surroundings because of my full time job situated by the east of Quezon City. Then when I got pregnant last year, I just stayed home most of the time. Until now that I became a work-at-home mom that I was able to have the time to roam around.

In order to fully appreciate the place where I belong to, I have decided to do a food trip adventure with a little twist. I know this has been blogged by different foodies a number of times already but I also want to have my own version of it.

Mission: In a span of seven days, I challenged myself to try out seven restos or a place to fill in my tummy with a budget of only P700 or at maximum P100 per food stop. Plus, they should be a hole-in-a-wall. This project was done last July 29 until August 6, 2013 from 6-7pm after my work-at-home duty, excluding the Saturday and Sunday because it's family day.

Hole-in-the-Wall # 1
Name of Resto: Quick Snack
Location: Carvajal Street, Binondo
Photo Entry:

Caption: I ordered Fried Lumpia for P45 and Guinumis (sago gulaman) for P60. Total of P105. Whoops, I went over by P5 which I would have to deduct from my next stop's budget. The place is hidden in the middle of a narrow street connecting Quintin Paredes and Yuchengco Streets.

Hole-in-the-Wall # 2
Name of Resto: Cafe Mezzanine
Location: Ongpin Street, Binondo
Photo Entry:

Caption: I ordered Kiampong for P50 and Iced Banana for also P50. The Mezza Blend (coffee) was served for free because I said I will promote their resto. You won't feel guilty dining here because all their revenues will be donated to fireman volunteers. It's a volunteer fireman's coffee shop. The cafe is located on the second floor of a chinese eatery named Chuan Kee where the stairway entrance is along Yuchengco Street corner of Ongpin Street.

Hole-in-the-Wall # 3
Name of Resto: New Po Heng Lumpia House
Location: Quintin Paredes Street, Binondo
Photo Entry:

Caption: As the name implies, their specialty here is Fresh Lumpia which costs only P50. It's fresh, hot and thick!I never liked eating fresh lumpia before but this changed everything. For maximum enjoyment, savour this as soon as it is served hot. This eatery is the hardest to find as it's hidden inside an old pink building. It's along Quintin Paredes Street and just across Carvajal Street. Look for a narrow pathway in between two buildings and you will see from the outside their red lighted signage from afar. Literally a hole-in-the-wall!

Hole-in-the-Wall # 4
Name of Resto: Dong Bei Dumpling
Location: Yuchengco Street, Binondo
Photo Entry:

Caption: Also as the name implies, dumpling is their specialty here. I ordered Kuchay (chives) Dumplings which costs P80 for a serving of 10pcs. It tasted good to think that I hated eating anything with veggies. Preparing the kuchay dumplings just right next to our table also caught my attention. The place is located at the far end of Yuchengco Street, connecting to the end of Tytana Street, and hidden behind Binondo Chinese Parish.

Hole-in-the-Wall # 5
Name of Resto: Simple Line
Location: Tytana Street, Binondo
Photo Entry:

Caption: I ordered Caramel Tapioca Black Milk Tea medium size for only P55 as it is their best seller. I am really not a fan of milk tea because I don't want to spend that much for a drink when I'm okay with just plain water. But I tried it anyway since it's way more affordable than other milk tea house. Later did I learned that the owner of that branch was one of my schoolmates. This tea house is located just beside Mandarin Mansion building entrance, along Tytana Street, two small streets away from Binondo Church.

Hole-in-the-Wall # 6
Name of Resto: Crepe de Chine
Location: Juan Luna Street, Binondo
Photo Entry:

Caption: I chose to try this place because for me it's another hole-in-the-wall of Binondo but doesn't serve typical Chinese dishes. What's good about it is that all the items in their menu are below P200. I ordered Tuna Luau for P98 which not only fits my budget but also heavy in my tummy. It can pass as a romantic dining place because of the dim lights and swing chairs that made up their cozy ambiance. This place is located at the basement of World Trade Exchange Building along Juan Luna Street, almost nearing the corner of Dasmarinas Street.

Hole-in-the-Wall # 7
Name of Resto: Sincerity Resto
Location: Yuchengco Street, Binondo
Photo Entry:

 

Caption: This place is famous for its signature Sincerity Fried Chicken but for a change, I tried their other best seller Sincerity Chami for only P90. I also didn't like eating lomi before but this one is an exception because it has lots of shrimp that contributed to its rich tasting. This eatery is right beside Veco Paper Corporation, along Yuchengco Street, a place famous for sourcing of wholesale office and school supplies.

Conclusion:
With that, my total expenses for this 7-day food trip challenge surprisingly only amounted to P578 (105+100+50+80+55+98+90) with an extra money of P122 from a budget of P700. As you can notice, every food stop I went to are inter-connected where you can easily hop from one place to another because the streets in Binondo are small. Believe it or not, some of them were my first time and a new discovery.

After this food trip adventure, I came to appreciate and love Binondo's old buildings and Chinese all-time favorites even more. And the greatest take home I had is to never underestimate the outside appearance of a place because you would never know its secret unless you try it. So come on, let's discover Binondo's hidden finest now!

Who said tight budgeted mommies can't enjoy a food trip? Think again.

And lastly, mission accomplished. The Binondo Mommy signing off.

Binondo Footwear Sale

Since the time I had my own family and now a baby, my budget was split into three: for household use, for baby and lastly for myself. I love to go shopping and I love to splurge but I always hold back thinking twice on a particular item's worth and its lasting value. I usually wait for a sale and hunt for a good find. But rarely do I see a sale that is branded here in Binondo or I was just not aware of it.

Yesterday when I heard from my sister-in-law that there's a Warehouse Sale nearby, I hurriedly asked for the details. It's the Warehouse Sale of Cushe Footwear, Hush Puppies and Sebago. I didn't know the two other brands. I only know that Hush Puppies footwear are soft, durable and pricey. But since it's just a 10-minute walk from our place, I decided to drop by and check out the prices.

Here are the poster details which I grabbed from their Facebook fan page. It started last July 15 Monday until today July 21 Sunday. It's a week-long sale and I was only able to drop by Saturday. I would assume the good finds have been sold out already. And by the way, there's a P50 entrance fee but since I got a coupon from my SIL, I was able to go in for free. If not, I won't bother to drop by if I don't have much interest on the items or brands on sale.

Here's a map going to the sale location. The address is at State Center Building, Juan Luna Street, Binondo, Manila. It's just a walking distance from the Binondo Church and near World Trade Exchange if you are familiar with it.

I spent 1.5 hours inside from 4:30 to 6:00pm looking and searching for a good buy. At a first glance, I almost gave up because all I can see were dirty and broken sizes footwear. The place was hot and almost no ventilation that's why I went out feeling so sticky. I browsed more intently and started picking out some footwear styles that would suit me but as expected in a sale, either you get a broken size or get the display pair. You need luck and persistence to grab a good find.

The sale is mostly footwear but they also have shirts, socks and pillows.

After taking a few rounds, finally I was able to get a footwear of my size and style. So far the discounted price is acceptable or buyable knowing that it's a good brand. Let me give you a closer look at the total bill and savings.

1. Cushe Women's Manuka Fearless flip flop in Light Rose color
    Original Price is P1,390.00 and I only got it at P300 a pair.
2. Hush Puppies Sincerity White Leather Women's Body Shoe
    Original Price is P2,999.75 and I got it for P600.
3. Hush Puppies Resort Toe Post White Leather
    Original Price is P1,899.75 and I got it for P700.

Savings of almost 70%. Although this may still look pricey for some but I'm thinking of its durability and long term usage. Nowadays, a regular footwear would normally range at this price already, so for me these were a good buy. Yehey, I feel so proud of my hunting skills.

Look at what's inside my paper bag. It's Baby A! She can fit inside.

My Saturday solo shopping didn't end here. After this, I still went to a nearby supermarket to buy some groceries for the family. To those not familiar with Binondo, I'm excited to show you yet another good place with a good find. Up next!

Mommy Sally

Welcoming Binondo Mommy!

Hello to everyone!

I would like to welcome myself, The Binondo Mommy, to this blogging world. At long last, I have finally put this goal, which is to create my own personal blog, into reality. I'm so excited about it. I haven't been able to start this due to my hectic schedule being a working mom.

I have decided to start it on this day because it's the 6th monthsary of my baby. Baby A is growing fast and I want to document every milestone and memories I will be having as a new mom. I am preparing for when the time comes that my baby would ask me about the past, I can easily recall and let her read my life's story. At the same time, I also want to share some of my experiences to my family, friends and future friends with the hope of helping them in one way or another. And most of all, I want to improve my communication skills and be more expressive, to be able to start a conversation with people, and to be more in tune with what is happening in my surroundings.

And before I end my debut post, let me explain why I chose The Binondo Mommy as my blog name. Most obvious reason is that I am an inhabitant of Binondo. And when you hear of Binondo, first thing that comes to your mind is that people there have chinky eyes. And when you know of someone chinky eyed, your first impression is that they are thrifty.

With this, I wish The Binondo Mommy readers to have a pleasant journey with their life. May God shower this blog with many blessings, surprises and success.

Thank you for your time! :)

Here's a picture of me taken last year's Chinese New Year beside Binondo Church. Jan. 23, 2012.

Mommy Sally