Disclaimer: All views expressed on this blog are my own based on my own experiences and do not represent of any entity with which I have been, are now or will be affiliated.

December 02, 2021
Batangas, Philippines

“I don’t want to repeat my innocence. I want the pleasure of losing it again.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise

I still can’t believe I’m 34 years old. Because of how rapidly life passes, all I really want to do is keep living and discover new things about the world. I don’t remember ever feeling so alive before the age of 31, which is why I still feel so young.. 🙂

Birthdays are meaningful to me because they mark the beginning of another year of existence. Someone else’s birthday has even sparked my interest. As a result, I planned to spend the day bringing the family out to dine at several Batangas cafes and restaurants where we could sit outside and eat. We had a great time accompanying Phoebe and Joey on their first trip!

The Beehive Farm and Kitchen Cafe
Price: Php2450 for 5 pax with 2 dogs
Location: Tambo, Lipa
Price per meal: Php160-Php270
Only Accepting Cash for payments

It was a bright day in an alfresco farm house in Tambo, Lipa. The restaurant was quite cosy, providing fresh honey-infused meals from their own bee farm. I like how it’s budget and pet friendly, with farm to table dishes. I would recommend this place to family and friends who visit Batangas because they will enjoy how relaxing it is – plenty of greenery, which I adore. From the food to the service, everything was excellent. We ordered a garden salad, baby back ribs, fish fillet, tuna teriyaki, grilled pork chop, and fresh lemonade. Everything was tasty, especially the back ribs, which were lean and tender! This gets a 5 out of 5.

In addition to that, my sister Malen surprised me with a present of flowers and cake. I truly appreciate it. I was overcome with emotion! 🙂

Chef Chateau
Purok 4 Brgy. Lodlod Lipa, Batangas
Price: Php190-Php300
Accepts Cash Only

On the route to our third and last destination, Malen suggested that we make a pit stop at this outdoor cafe. Before going out to supper, we decided to pop in for a quick snack and some iced coffee, and we were pleasantly surprised by what we found inside. My alcapone doughnut had a luscious vanilla icing that was thick and creamy, and it was topped with a nutty topping that was crunchy. Every single bite is wonderful; in fact, I think I like it better than the J.Co. Alcapone doughnut. The flavour of espresso is still rather prevalent in my iced macchiato.

The cafe was not only a wonderful place to relax, but also a wonderful place to bring your pet. I also saw my college batchmate, Lyka! How likely is it that after so many years (13 years!) I would run into one of my college batchmates, Lyka, in a cafe? What are the odds of it happening? Because of the atmosphere, I really want to come back here for some afternoon snacks with the people I care about. If you would prefer to dine in a more private setting, there is also a small area on the rooftop where you can have your meal. They open at about 10 in the morning, and in addition to that, they serve breakfast. Five stars is my rating for this.

The Old Grove Farmstead
Purok 5, U. Mojares St.,
Brgy, Lipa, 4217 Batangas
Price: Php 800/dinner
Accepts cash, debit and credit cards

This was by far my favourite part of the trip; it genuinely gave me the impression that I was in another country. It was a utopia in which you could see ducks swimming in a pond while you feed the sheep! It was a beautiful setting, with flowers and a wind chime working together to cleanse the atmosphere of the area. The thought of spending the night here with my loved ones is quite appealing to me because I know they would have a wonderful time here. In addition to that, they have a purple restaurant that is open air, where you can sit and enjoy the soft breeze as you wait for your dinner. I’m wearing a jacket because the temperature in Batangas is trending downward, and I expect it to continue doing so. The atmosphere around here is starting to remind one of Christmas, which is very exciting.

My steak, which was dry and tasteless, was not enjoyable to me, but both my brother Lewdan and his wife, Malen, enjoyed their meals, which consisted of baby back ribs and porkchop. I was disappointed in my steak. The price of Php800 entitles you to a supper of your choosing from their menu, as well as iced tea, dessert, and an appetiser. Because they are regularly used for events, you are required to make a reservation in advance. I’d give this experience a score of four out of five stars because the dinner wasn’t very good, but if it were just about the setting, it would be perfect!

This day has filled me with gratitude and joy, especially because I got to spend it with my brother and the rest of my second family. I used to despise my life, but now that I have so many reasons to like it, I can’t imagine living any other way. When I think back over the past few years, I’ve come to the realisation that if we change the perspective through which we view life, it can be an incredibly lovely and beautiful experience. Opportunities abound in life; therefore, you should never be afraid to try anything brand new. I can hardly wait to have more of these experiences, whether they are joyful or unpleasant:) Cheers to living a long and healthy life!

Love,
Maria, sometimes Niskie