Margaritas in the Morning

Margarita makes us happy, especially when we have it by the beach!

JING SAYS...

By the bushes, on the way to the beach, is a sign that says, "Life is better at the beach." I wholeheartedly agree, especially if you're having margarita by the beach at ten in the morning!

It's been my lifelong dream, much like a bunch of others I suppose, to live by the sea, to fall asleep under the stars and to wake up with the crashing of the waves. Fortunately for Mike and Alma Oida, they are doing just that, living by the beach and running a ten-room vacation destination in Pagudpud, Kapuluan Vista Resort.

Surfers both, they eventually settled in Pagudpud because of the waves.  You can catch quite a few here, and do some fishing on the side to boot!

They grow their own vegetables here: kale, ampalaya, lettuce, string beans, squash, and lemongrass. Some of these veggies you'll find at the Garden Salad, which has a sprinkling of mulberries. The longganisa, they also make, and it's appropriately scrumptious. Of course, the waffle is absolutely adorable because it has two of my favorite things on earth: bacon and a sunny side up.

Because we're in Ilocos, there has to be bagnet,spiced with some vinegar and calamansi. But there are more dishes featuring stuff from their backyard garden, including a simple but tasty pasta with sundried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs as well as a pesto burger with arugula and caramelized onions.

I love that everything's minimalist white, which reminds me of the beach house I went to in Tali. Yes indeed, life is better at the beach!