Los Baños Idol 2012 Auditions.

Ever since I got eliminated from The X Factor Philippines, I've been blessed with a number of opportunities which gave me the chance to showcase my, uhm, singing ability, if you may. Ha ha. I had the chance to perform in The Indie Culture's INDIE OVERDRIVE 2 ("Sure Thing" and "Ulit-ulitan"), several private events, and in the UPLB CAS Freshman Night 2012 ("I'm Going Down" and "Use Somebody"). And recently, like last Saturday recently, I got the chance to perform in Robinsons Town Mall Los Baños when I auditioned for Los Baños Idol, a singing contest which is one of the activities for the upcoming Bañamos Festival.

My stint on The X Factor Philippines fueled my desire to make it as a singer and I knew then that it won't be easy. I also knew then that for me to get "noticed" and get someone interested to "manage" me, I have to get myself out there. More exposure, the better. A number of people actually discouraged me from trying out for LB Idol, for the sole reason that it is not a "big" contest. But every time they tell me off, I'd always say that for me, there are no big or small opportunities; what we make of the opportunities given to us make it big or small. So yeah. I registered a week before the auditions and I was set to perform a ballad for the screening. A few days before the event, a good friend of mine reminded me that I should place my style out there. That I shouldn't conform to the traditional "biritero" singers in singing contests. That's why I changed my piece and chose a song that can showcase my style but still have highlights for my voice. 

I arrived late for the auditions which resulted to me waiting for around four hours before going on stage. No big though, since I enjoyed watching the other aspirants. It's amazing how many talented singers Elbi has! When it was my turn, I didn't feel any jitters at all. One thing's for sure, I think I'm growing more and more comfortable on stage. I sang my piece and got very good reaction from the audience, and a very good comment from one of the judges. They'll be picking 50 singers which they'll put through to the next round. As of the moment, there's still no announcement so I'm still praying that what I did last Saturday is enough for me to get one of the 50 spots. I'll be posting updates over at CHRIS BELISON so y'all better check that page out and like it and share it if it ain't asking too much! :)

For now, I leave you with the video of my performance last Saturday! 

BeliZone's Take On Los Baños.

It feels good that BeliZone's hits passed the 8,000 mark several days before it celebrated its eight month online. I know that's a bit slow but I'm pretty sure I'll get there. Right now, I just really wanna share my life, which happens to be centered in Los Baños. Elbi has always been home and I'm really proud of this town and its citizens, or ElbiZens (UPLB slang) and I've decided to somehow devote a place in this blog to showcase the town's events, go-to places, and even people. Los Baños is not just a place. It is a way of life and it is definitely home.

Chubby Habbi's Soft Opening.

Our good friend Caio opened his new venture today and I'm really glad that I stayed in LB and waited for its soft opening! Finally! Los Baños, please welcome Chubby Habbi's Mediterranean Grill!

Moonleaf Tea Shop's Soft Opening In LB.

Moonleaf Tea Shop's first-ever provincial branch opened its doors to the residents of Los Baños and nearby towns at exactly 11:00AM this morning. This branch is actually one of the three new branches of Moonleaf Tea Shop that simultaneously opened today. 

Moonleaf Tea Shop x Chubby Habbi's OPENS This Friday!

Yes! Four days til the soft opening of both Moonleaf Tea Shop and Chubby Habbi's! Come by their shops this November 11 and enjoy your day with amazing food fare! I'll see you there, okay?

Moonleaf Tea Shop and Chubby Habbi's are both located in the new building just beside Crayon Box, Ruby Street, Umali Subdivision, Los Baños, Laguna.




UPDATE: Here's a map for a better "direction" as to where this building is located!

LB, Meet The Chubby Habbi.

Eight more days til we get to taste the Mediterranean region in a plate! Be sure to drop by the opening of Chubby Habbi's on the eleventh. Yup, mark 'em calendars, 'cause this joint will start serving LB and nearby towns starting November 11, 2011 (Friday). It'll be in the new building right beside Crayon Box in Ruby street, Umali Subdivision, Los Baños, Laguna.

Chubby Habbi's is from the same group which brought us Faustina's. 

Timog Greens & Grill.

Finally, finally had the chance to visit this relatively new dining place here in LB. You wouldn't miss Timog Greens & Grill if you'd use the national road since it's literally located along the road. With a mini-skyscraper for its sign and a very appealing bamboo enclosure, people surely wouldn't miss this promising eat-chill-drink spot.

Since we visited on a Sunday, I wasn't surprised that there'd be a few customers only. I think only four groups of people were there on that day, ours included. Upon entry, customers would be greeted by about twenty nipa huts or bahay kubos. Several tables and chairs were also set up in the main dining area of the place, situated in front of a small stage where acoustic bands perform on a nightly basis. 

There were several bonsais in the area. Big bonsais. Ha ha.




The stage.




L-R: Kuya Joseph, Mommy, Tita Baby and RJ

Timog Greens & Grill got early merits for the ambiance and for the super fast free WiFi. Oh, and for the complimentary roasted peanuts, too! Ha ha. Their menu was that of a typical Filipino seafood and grill restaurant but I can say that the ones we ordered all tasted really well.

Tenderloin Steak (250php)




Ampalaya Con Carne (120php)




Pork BBQ (3 pcs for 90php)




Tanigue Steak (250php)




Sizzling Sisig with Egg (150php)




Buffalo Wings (150php)

All dishes tasted fresh and were very well seasoned. All tasted great but the Tanigue Steak won our hearts because it was really tender and the flavor is really exceptional. The Tenderloin Steak, to our surprise, was cooked medium rare. It was good, too, and the thin layer of raw meat added another dimension to the char-burnt, gravy-drowned cut of beef. The third dish that deserves a sentence or two here in this entry is their Buffalo Wings. I know you'll say that I'm biased since I love chicken, but Timog Greens & Grill's take on Buffalo Wings is definitely one of the best I've tasted here in Laguna. Crispy and yet tender chicken wings drenched in Buffalo sauce. For. The. Win. It was so good I didn't mind if they didn't serve it with Blue Cheese dressing. 

From the photos above, you'd see that the items on their menu are meant for sharing, which somehow explains the sort of steep prices of the dishes. But, you can take my word for it that every peso you'd spend in Timog Greens & Grill will be worth it. I wouldn't mind eating here once a week! Even my mum says so! It's that good!

PROS: Ambiance is good. Free WiFi. Good AND fast service. Awesome food. Value for your money.

CONS: Not much to choose from from the menu. Can be hot/warm, especially during lunch time since it's summer.

FINAL RATING: 4.5 out of 5

Timog Greens & Grill is located in Brgy. Timugan, National Road, Los Baños, Laguna.

For reservations, catering services, and other inquiries, please call 576-6310.

Dampalit Falls On A Black Saturday.

After a good six (or was it seven?) years, I finally was able to go back to Dampalit Falls last Saturday. See, Dampalit Falls, or "Talon" as we've grown accustomed calling it, is literally just a fifteen-minute walk from our house.  I was afraid to go back since I've heard that it has already lost its beauty ever since Typhoon Milenyo, but in all fairness, it still had its charm and the aura of the place is still magnificent. It's good to know that there is some place like this here in Los Baños. We spent a good two hours there and decided to go home. A lot of people still go there, especially since the entrance fee is just 20php per person, though we only payed 10php per person thanks to connections. Ha ha!

I'ma let some of the photos do the talking.

Y'all can view the entire photo set on my Flickr. Click here.

And yes, I encourage everyone to please, please visit Dampalit Falls! Let's go, Los Baños Tourism!

Dampalit Falls is located in Brgy. Lalakay, Los Baños, Laguna. You can reach it by taking the road inside the DPWH compound, or the road from Brgy. Lalakay.