This is Kristine's!: Wanna Go Out with Me?

Last Monday, March 27, I took ze boyfriend out on a date. Yes folks, I formally asked him to go out with me, did the whole dramatic and romantic shebang - you know, what guys normally do to get the girl to agree to go out with him - and he, without batting an eyelash or thinking for at least three seconds, said yes sans any knowledge of where I will be taking him or what we will be doing the entire night... in short, di man lang nagpakipot... gahd, easy to get ka ha, pre! Hehehehe.

We were guided towards the hotel's roof deck where an al fresco dining experience awaited us. Food and beverages were prepared by Bayleaf Hotel's 9 Spoons World Bistro.

I introduced him to this lovely place right beside the walled city of Intramuros. Sky Deck is where you could be swept away by the city lights and the mesmerizing view of Manila after dark - the area that goes out-of-control by day is the same area that can make you fall in love as soon as the sun starts to set.

As much as I would like to take the credit, honestly, the surprise fireworks display was not my doing but God was (and is) so great and generous that he backed me up that night and made the "date" extra special - I could imagine Him grinning while saying "Ako ng bahala sayo, anak. Alam ko namang gusto mo yan, kunyari ka pa". Simon thought it was I who painstakingly organized the fireworks display but really, I couldn't even afford a bundle of baby rockets, for chrissakes.

They served a basket of bread and corn chips

followed by a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup

We had Hainanese Chicken, which according to the reviews I gathered, is an all-time fave

and Callos Manileno, also one of the restaurant's bestsellers.

Obviously, he gave me a passing grade because if he didn't, I would never date him again... EVEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!

Source: http://www.spot.ph/gallery/1652/check-it-out-cioccolata-churros-caf-in-intramuros-manila/article/49409#pid=26740

Again, a full-course meal isn't complete without desserts. Though ze boyfriend failed to capture the moment when I drooled over (not literally, of course, that's gross!) the pastries Cioccolata Churros Cafe offered - you can find it on the ground level of Bayleaf Hotel -, the image of me having a hard time choosing what to take home is still very clear. I took home a box of muffins, croissants, danish bread, choco banana cake and three packs of churros served with Spanish chocolate, which we gladly shared with my boyfriend's sister, my mom and my lola.

We, ladies, always want to feel special and loved that sometimes we unconsciously nag our partners for attention and sweetness but we also have to develop the knack of making our significant others feel loved and special, too. Instead of enjoying a one-way street, we should make room for one more lane. We complain too much that we overlook the fact that we haven't returned not one favor to the guys who probably couldn't sleep at night and eat properly just to devise ways and means to make you... GENUINELY HAPPY.

Do the whole nine yards:

ask him if he wants to go out with you - NICELY, PLEASE

bring him to a lovely, never-heard-of-it place

take pictures - lots of it

enjoy the food - do your homework and research!

enjoy his company - compliment him!

and

YOU, lady, PAY FOR EVERYTHING

Make the man of your dreams fall in love with the girl of his dreams... even more!

Enjoy!

P.S.

In case you want to know how I used the tribal-print wedges I bragged about here,