My cousin Pau and I were looking for a place to eat while we were at Alabang Town Center when we decided to go no-rice and eat at Stackers Burger Cafe.

The place was very nice and casual, and it wasn’t packed at the time which is also why we decided to eat there.

Their menu consisted of mainly burgers (hence the name Stackers Burger Cafe. LOL) but they also offer other dishes such as pasta, salads, milkshakes and a number of appetizers/sides.

Since there were only two of us, we only ordered a single starter and our respective orders. I ordered a plate of Fried Mozzarella Sticks cause I’ve tried them before and I wanted my cousin to try it. They were just as good as the first time I’ve tried them! Even Pau loved them. I think what made these yummy was the sauce. I don’t remember what it’s called but it tasted very Mexican. Since it was a bit spicy, it gave perfect contrast to the mozza sticks’ salty and cheesy taste. I’d say that this was the star of our meal. 

Fried Mozzarella Sticks with their signature sauce

Pau ordered the Stack Cheese Burger. I don’t know what she thought about it but it seemed like she liked it since she was able to finish all of it! :)

Stack Cheese Burger

Okay so I ordered the bundle which included a pasta dish, soup, and soda. I ordered their clam chowder with carbonara. Both tasted great!

Clam Chowder

I shared my pasta with Pau cause I wasn’t sure if I could finish all of it. Pau had a distinct attraction to the garlic bread. I even gave her my half cause she liked it so much! It was soft and flavorful. I like this kind better than the crunchy and toasted type. As for the pasta, it was great but I’ve also tried this before so it wasn’t much of a shocking experience for me. It tasted good, though.

In summary, we had a lovely dinner that wasn’t too harsh on our pockets. Our bill was less than P500! The place is a go-to for people who are looking for great food on a budget!

Visit them at Unit 1018, Lower Ground Floor, Expansion wing Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Main facade of the building*

International museum day is an event that is celebrated each year usually on the 18th day of May. According to the International Council of Museums, the event “provides the opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them to the challenges that museums face if they are to be — as in the ICOM definition of museums — ‘an institution in the service of society and of its development”. Every year, there is a specific theme for the celebration. This year’s theme was “Museums in A Changing World”.

*I do not own this image

I heard (through Twitter) that the Ayala Museum was celebrating this day by having free admission to the museum and all its galleries. I was excited when I learned about this because I’ve been planning to go and check out an exhibit there since last week. Thrilled, I asked my friend, Mariel, to come with me and enjoy the free day. 

We were given these passes as we entered the museum.

My main goal for going to the museum was seeing the works of Victorio Edades which were exhibited in one of their galleries. However, I’m happy that I got to see so much more! The building had four floors, all of which were open to the public for viewing. Each floor had at least one or three exhibitions.

Front page of the brochure of exhibitions

Ground floor gallery

The ground floor consisted of the lobby and one gallery. I was surprised to see that there were portraits by Fernando Amorsolo on exhibit at the ground floor gallery. Works included in the exhibit were portraits of highly influential people during the 19th century.

Second floor galleries

In the second floor were sixty handcrafted dioramas that document Philippine history from prehistoric times up to the recognition of independence by the United States. The miniature models were wonderfully crafted to show detail of the events that transpired throughout the past years.

There is also a collection of miniature models of sea vessels that were used for maritime trade during the early years. These vessels were seen as contributors to the development of trade in the economy.

Another thing that can be found in the second level is a room where a multimedia presentation about the events leading to the first EDSA people power revolution in 1986.

Third floor galleries

This was my favorite part of our museum visit. Works of great artists Fernando Zobel and Victorio Edades were on exhibit in this floor. I felt overwhelmed to be able to see up close the works that contributed greatly to the modern movement in Philippine art.

Fourth floor

The fourth floor housed the exhibition called Crossroad of Civilizations. It consisted of pre-colonial treasures of the Philippines, 18th to 19th century Philippine costumes and Southeast Asian trade ceramics.

Front page of the exhibit brochure

There was also this small store in the third floor which sold novelty products with themes of Philippine art such as books, mugs, and notebooks. All products were reasonably priced and were mostly about works of great Filipino artists. I got this book called Images of Nation: Vicente Manansala as Social Realist. I was attracted to this book because Vicente Manansala is one of the artists I admire because of his works and his attitude towards his profession. It was actually a pretty good find for only P200!

All in all, I would say that this trip was very relaxing and inspiring. It gave me a time to be away from the present for a while and experience the past. The art works on exhibit were all very beautiful and it showcased the talent of Filipinos, along with the colorful history of the country. It was a very nice thing on the museum’s part that they gave free admission in celebration for today’s event. It gave a lot of people the opportunity to see works that cannot be seen in everyday routines. The museum had a very chill vibe to it, making it a perfect place to de-stress and unwind whether you are alone or with friends. A trip to this place is a very nice way to get in touch with your inner artist and appreciate the beauty that is purely Filipino art.

Visit the Ayala Museum at Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City, Philippines 1224.

Check out their website for museum hours and admission fees.

www.ayalamuseum.org