Weekend Story: Birthday Weekend in Baguio City + Meet Up with A Blogger Friend

It was just an impromptu trip but it turned out to be so much fun because, well, I was with the hubby. So, I celebrated my 35th birthday last Friday (October 12th) through a simple family dinner where I had food delivered via @papacarbsph on IG. Sarap ng food nila ha, at mura pa! The prices of their dishes good for 12pax range from PhP699 to PhP1,499 only. I will definitely order from them again!

happy birthday to me 😛

Anyway, the initial plan for the weekend was to go home in Bacoor. I consider myself a homebody, after all. But out of the blue, the hubby suggested on Friday night that we drive up to Baguio early morning the next day to sort of extend my birthday celebration. I was hesitant at first because traveling to Baguio meant our weekend budget had to adjust, but he assured me he would pay for the gas and toll fees. He would also be the one driving and all I needed to do was sit back and relax beside him in the car. Eh madali naman ako kausap, kaya pumayag na rin ako. I just did a quick google search to find a cheap but highly recommended lodging house to stay in. (We didn’t bother to book a hotel para bawas na sa gastos, buti na lang din na-convince ko si hubby na mag-try ng simple at praktikal na accommodation this time, hahaha). I discovered two: Mountainside Lodging House and Baguio Transient Rooms. I messaged them both on FB messenger and tried to book a room.

We hit the road for Manaoag (we dropped by the shrine to hear mass and light some candles) and Baguio at almost 6AM on Saturday. When I checked my FB messenger, I saw that Mountainside Lodging House replied to my messages. Php700 for an overnight stay (room for two persons). I messaged them and reserved it right away. Accommodation problem solved!

at Manaoag Shrine with my partner in life and in faith 😉

foggy road going to Baguio (we used Marcos Highway, BTW, because Kennon Road was closed for repair)

We then arrived in Baguio at around 1PM just in time for lunch. I asked the hubby to take us to Pine Country Steaks and Waffles on Leonard Wood Road. Best decision ever! Our food orders were delish and reasonably-priced! At ang laki pa ng servings, as in!

Pine Country Steaks and Waffles’ porterhouse steak (PhP298)…generous food serving is love!

waffle medley at just PhP128

BBQ pork ribs for PhP238…convinced na ba kayo na malaki talaga food servings nila? 😉

I actually learned about this casual dining resto from a blogger friend. Sometime last year, she posted on IG a photo of a porterhouse steak meal under PhP300 from this resto. I just had to take a mental note of it! And mind you, the price of that steak meal remains the same, PhP298 to be exact. They also have lots of food choices on their menu. Plus, parking spaces are available and the service during our visit was fast and attentive. Panalo talaga ‘to, promise!

happy diners

After checking in to Mountainside Lodging House, which is located on Bokawkan Road (a good 1.2km from the city center but still very accessible), we just left our things in our room and went out to meet up with my blogger friend Mylene of Sayote Kingdom. I messaged her on IG if she would be in Baguio that day and she said yes. We both did not want to pass up the opportunity to meet each other in person so we decided to meet up at SM Baguio. She was with her sister and I was with the hubby. It was a pleasant date and it felt like we were friends for a long time already. We made chika for a few hours until it was time for them to go home.

with Mylene and her sister Ate Judy

From SM Baguio, the hubby and I checked out the night market where I scored two clothes: a denim jacket from H&M for PhP150 and a denim dress from Uniqlo for PhP150 also. Happiness! Medyo mapili ako pagdating sa ukay-ukay. Gusto ko yung medyo kilala ko naman ang brand para alam ko na sulit yung binayad ko. Si hubby naman may konting rich kid mentality, ayaw magsuot ng ukay-ukay, arte much lang diba, hahaha. Peace, my labs!

my ukay finds that are still in tip-top shape!

Session Road

I’m happy to report that our accommodation was fine. Non-aircon room but it was spacious and clean. Common bathroom was clean as well, like the staff would check it every now and then to ensure its cleanliness. There’s also a big balcony at the back with a lovely view of pine trees and houses on the mountains. Did I mention cooking is allowed at Mountainside Lodging House? It’s good for families and barkadas who prefer to spend less on food while in Baguio.

our very basic room at the lodging house (no towels and toiletries included)

balcony with tables and chairs

lovely view from the balcony

On Sunday, the hubby and I just went to the public market to buy pasalubongs. Instead of the usual sweet treats, our two mothers requested walis tambo. As for us, we came there for the longganisa. Last year when I traveled to Baguio for work, I was told by our suking kariton boy of a meat stall there that supplies longganisa (garlic and hamonado flavors) to Baguio Country Club and sells the same by the kilo to their customers at the market. The hubby and I liked them when I first brought them home so we bought a few kilos to be brought to Manila. The longganisas retail at PhP260 per kilo. Unlike the longganisas from the other meat shops dangling above the countertops, they are kept inside the freezer. You won’t see them unless you ask for them, which makes them special to me. If I’m not mistaken, the name of the shop is Lapira Meat Store. When you find yourself in Baguio, look for it and buy longganisa, baka magustuhan nyo rin!

pasalubong buying be like

After our quick run to the market, we had a leisurely lunch at Cafe by the Ruins on Shuntug Road. Boy, was the new look of the resto (that caught fire last year) captivating! It’s even better than the old one.

with my lunch date

view of the lobby from the second floor

And their food remains yummy and healthy.

Cafe by the Ruins’ carabao cheese salad hit the spot…

…and their kinunot was a delight in its own right (they used tuna)!

Patay na patay pa rin ako sa camote bread nila, boom…sira ang diet ko pero okay lang, worth it naman!

Cafe by the Ruins’ addicting camote bread

It rained in Baguio on Saturday but the weather was generally okay on Sunday. The temperature even dropped to as low as 17°C while we were there, brrrrrr! We left Baguio at past 1PM on Sunday and reached Manila at past 5PM. It was another happy, well-spent weekend. Buti pumayag ako mag-Baguio kami ni hubby!

Enjoy the rest of the week, friends! 🙂

May you choose happiness always,