Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza - Amare La Cucina

As my days of "freedom" are finally coming to an end, I asked a week vacation (surprisingly granted request) to the place I consider as my second home - Baguio!

There have been a lot of new establishments that sprung up since I left the city four years ago. (I took my college there) That's why I made a list of the new ones I wanted to check out, together with the old places I used to go to for that trip-down-memory-lane feels.

On my first night, my elder sister took me out to dinner at this new pizza place that has  been featured  frequently on blogs, food reviews and on facebook pages. A pizza place whose method of baking goes back to the old conventional woodfire brick-oven - Amare La Cucina.

When at a new place, we always go for the bestsellers and the Foie Gras with truffle oil was highly recommended. Oh, I also learned that foie gras is French term for liver. This made me hesitant in making the order because it is one of the few foods I don't eat (yep, just a few. it's on the list sitting before spaghetti and after anything exotic like frog, goat and dogs! haha) But my sister was very convincing and so I took a bite. The crust was thin (but not so thin), soft with a little crunch, topped with a combination of flavors that is just extraordinary - just the way I like it! Taking that bite maybe is one of the best food decisions I made in life. Haha

Foie Gras with truffle oil pizza

Aside from the pizza though, they also serve a variety of pasta, salad, skewers, ribs and of course, dessert! For pasta, we tried Fruti di Mare, a mixed seafood pasta which was also perfect!

Speculoos cookie butter gelato

The dessert selection was also a difficult one. It was battle between Nutella pizza topped with creamy vanilla ice cream and a Speculoos cookie butter gelato. Too difficult, but a decision should be made. So after a debate, we came up to a final decision of choosing the latter. Why, you ask? Because we planned on having another round of dessert (chocolate, this time) at another place. Guys, don't judge please. The night was still young. :) The gelato was full of flavor and very creamy, it also has the right amount of sweetness thus you don't easily get tired of it but even want more. 

Amare La Cucina is located inside Albergo Hotel just across Wright Park. This, to me, is the only disappointment when you go visit the place. It's vintage and unique thus I absolutely think it deserves it's own spotlight. We don't always see a pizza place going back to basics, do we? Overall, I say it's a must-visit when in Baguio and a 5 out of 5 for me!

I'll blog about the rest of my vacation on my succeeding posts! Till then. 😊

- aPinchof Carina

Book Review | Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern

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If you're in to a roller coaster ride of emotions then I strongly suggest you to read this one: a novel that would surely pull those strings.

The story revolves around two childhood best friends - Alex and Rosie - whose lives were well planned together - graduate high school, move to Boston, go to college, work, family, have kids etc - but as they say, things usually don't go as planned. Rosie had it all backwards and, this I believe, started their numerous missed opportunities to be together.

So how many missed opportunities should/can one get to true love? How much difficult can one go through before finding THE ONE? How long before ending up with the right person? hmmm.

Well, I know people who are lucky their first and last love is the same person. Some, however, gets it on the second. Then others on the third. Then I realized, despite how many times we fall or get hurt because of LOVE we shouldn't give up on it.

Just like Alex and Rosie...

I find their characters very like-able and easy to love, maybe because it started off when they were five years old which makes me feel like I grew up with them. It's an easy read where common and usual experiences of one's growing up life - from first day of school, first kiss, prom, issues on friendship, love and family - which makes me relate to the characters more. I found myself reminiscing my own memories too.

Among many other things, this book has reminded me that love will come to you at the perfect timing. Love is the happiness of the person you love even though it means letting that person go. Love knows no distance.

Lastly, when you love someone, you tell them. You tell them before it's too late. You tell them despite them not showing reciprocity, because when you love someone you should love them because of what and who they are, and not because you expect something in return.

When you love someone, you tell them.