Dumaguete Trip with the Ghorls

So, last weekend, I finally went on a much-awaited trip to Dumaguete with my ghorls Irene, Lei, and James. You guys, this trip has been two years in the making, no joke. Being the only married one in the squad, I guess my availability was always the key issue. But the stars finally aligned when my hubby had his two-night team-building trip. That was my cue to pack up and head off for some much-needed friend time!

Dumaguete isn’t just any place for me. I spent 4-5 years of my life there for college at SU. I LOVE THAT CITY. It’s where I made some of the best memories, learned some life skills (like how to drink, smoke a cigar, and, well, there was that one time with weed). No regrets, it was fun! It’s also where I met some of my lifelong friends and learned to fend for myself. No parents around, just us figuring life out together.  Oh, and it’s also where I realized that mestizos are hot, but band boys? Definitely hotter. You get the vibe, right? 😁

Anyway, Dumaguete wouldn’t be complete without seeing my dear, dear friend April. She lives there now, and catching up with her was an absolute must. April and I go way back to my early days working at my first BPO job in the mid 2000s. She’s one of the very few people I still meet regularly to chat about life. So, needless to say, I was buzzing with excitement for this trip.

The only downside of this trip? No hubby. But hey, it’s a girl’s weekend, and sometimes you just need that break.

And now, without further ado, here’s a play-by-play of our Dumaguete adventures through photos! Warning: most are food pics! 😝

Bus Ride - I slept the whole time!

Our first stop after checking in was Sans Rival. I had their BLT sandwich, along with a Walnut and Dates cake and a cup of brewed coffee.

Buko Juice in Hayahay is only Php60. 

Boulevard: I threw out the idea of getting tattoos while we’re here, and everyone was on board! 

Dinner and drinks at La Mensa. I loooove this place! It's silent.

La Mensa - Tocino (Starving)

La Mensa - Mango Daiquiris

La Mensa - Irene, April, Me, and Lei! At this point (9pm-10pm), the Tettas are sleepy. Thanks, Lei, for the pic! Also, I loooove my husband's Nate Diaz (I'm a fan!) tee, it's practically mine!

2nd Day - Breakfast at Crispy King. This was super cheap and delish!

Descansa Resto and Cafe (Dauin) - We stayed here until around 2 PM, and it was so peaceful. The beach was amazing, but unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations. The service was slow too. We think the place was just a little too chill, same goes for the staff! :) We didn't mind because we love the place so much!

Descansa Resto and Cafe (Dauin) - I totally forgot to snap a picture of the Pulled Pork Sandwich I had for lunch, probably because it was pretty forgettable. On the bright side, lansones (Thanks, James)!

Here are my new tats! The "groovy" design is totally me - CHAR (got it from Pinterest), and I’ve always wanted something for luck so I finally got a clover tattoo!

Their shop is called Black Rose Tattoo and is located at the Twin Arcade Bldg. The artist's FB page is called BINHI. What’s awesome is that you can share your concept or ideas with him, and he’ll create a custom design based on what you want. If you're interested, you can reach him at +639157924241. Thanks, Lei, for the video!

The Henry Hotel - It’s peaceful, quiet, and surrounded by lots of trees and greenery.

The Henry Hotel - Ha! Irene and I rarely take photos of ourselves, so big thanks to Lei for capturing this moment!

The Henry Hotel - Family dinner! April, Lei, Me, Irene, James, and James' friend, Ed. Sad that our vacay is almost over at this point! Thanks for the pic, Lei!

The Henry Hotel (Popolo Pizzeria- Panino Alla Pollo) - Man.. This thing is HUGE and I love it! I've already eaten the biggest portion when I remembered to take a snap. The hot sauce was the bomb!

After devouring this, I also had Cassava Cake and coffee.

During dinner, we talked about heading to the boulevard to do the famous tempura and balut Dumaguete experience, but we were all so sleepy that we decided to just head back to the hotel instead. It was only around 10 PM. 😄

Final stop before heading back to Cebu: Sans Rival. I was really excited for the Baby Back Ribs, but they were only serving breakfast, so I was a bit disappointed. Ended up ordering the Pancake Breakfast Meal and the Cheesy Lasagna. The pancakes were a little dry, but the lasagna was absolutely delish!

And just like that, our Dumaguete trip has come to an end. It was everything I hoped for, fun, nostalgic, peaceful, and filled with delicious food! The wild “walwal” plans may have been skipped (because, well, we're not as young as we used to be), but honestly, it didn’t matter. Some places and friendships are just timeless, and Dumaguete will always hold a special place in my heart. 💛

Thank you so much to my dear dear (because 1 dear is not enough!) friend April for being with us and for being our compass! I MISS YOU!!!