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Craving the best biscotto from Iloilo? Discover Mom Violy’s top pick and where to order it online in the Philippines now.

After coming back from our Iloilo vacation Mom Violy was telling Carmina she had liked the biscotto and would like to know where to purchase it online. Carmina found  Iloilo's Best  Online Shopee Philippines that sells in variety of sets to choose from individual, two sets or three sets for a different price. Carmina had informed Mom Violy might as well get the set rather paying individual since she wanted three pieces paying the price of 429.00 pesos ($7.27) not including shipping and handling. NOT SPONSORED. Check out my channel @ Carmina Lifestyle YouTube  and click on the subscribe button for more videos. Thank you for the support.
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From private practice to public premiere: Carmina’s first YouTube debut changes everything.

Every day, I would join Lyn’s livestream after being active and chatting with others who were also watching. Lyn once advised us to premiere long videos since they count toward public watch hours, just like livestreams. She suggested they be over ten minutes, but to me, that felt too short premieres felt more like livestreams where you entertain viewers for one, two, or even three hours straight. Recently, while on vacation, I decided to try my first premiere since my video was an hour and thirty-six minutes long. At first, I was nervous as a newbie, unsure if it was the right move, but sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to see what might help with YouTube watch hours . Carmina joined her friend's livestream to announce an upcoming premiere on Tuesday, January 13, Philippine time , since many viewers are in different time zones. It’s common during livestreams for the host to make such announcements and pin them so other viewers can turn on notifications and subscr...

See Iloilo’s best landmarks up close this January — history, culture, and photo-perfect moments.

Mom Violy, Tita Edna and Carmina have never been to Iloilo . Tita Edna suggested using her Philippine Airlines mileage to deduct 9,000 miles for a round trip to Iloilo and pay taxes of about 3,000 pesos ($50.85). Mom Violy and Carmina decided to do the same. Two weeks later, we learned Bacolod was recently hit by a typhoon, leaving fewer places to visit, so we changed our plans to stay in Iloilo, paying an additional 2,057 pesos ($34.86) for January 6–9, with Tita Edna leaving one day earlier on January 8, 2026.  Tita Edna told us that she has a friend Beth who can pick us up from the airport. Uniparentally plans had changed since her friend Beth and son could no longer tour us around, we decided to find ways to get around hire someone else. Jerson had picked us from One Madison Place where we had stayed during our vacation with the hours Mom Violy had requested. The first day we went to drive one hour and thirty minutes to reach  Miagao Church . We drove to our next destin...

We stayed at One Madison Place so you don’t have to — here’s the honest review of what went wrong.

Recently, Tito Boni visited Iloilo and suggested Cloud's Staycation Iloilo , which had a promo rate of 1,800 pesos ($30.51) per night for two people, plus 500 pesos ($8.47) for each extra guest. Carmina booked and paid a 50% deposit through the given payment method.  On the day we leave for Manila, we’ll have the location of where we’re staying along with directions. When we arrived at One Madison Place , we discovered it was actually a condo with a rented-out unit. In unit 4U, there was only one bed, and the so-called “second bed” was just an attached extension, not the two proper beds you’d expect. The bathroom was a letdown—the toilet wouldn’t flush, and the seat was detached and wobbly, which was worrying since we had two seniors with us. There were no basic amenities like extra sheets, towels, or toilet paper. After complaining, someone came to fix the toilet, but the seat stayed unstable. The shower head was rusty, making it unpleasant to use, and the balcony door wouldn’t ...

When Mom Violy wanted seafood, one name kept popping up: Breakthrough Restaurant. Would it live up to the hype?

After a road trip and exploring the area, Mom Violy requested some seafood and was given a recommendation to dine at  Breakthrough Restaurant . When we entered the restaurant, we saw it was bustling with customers, and Mom Violy asked for a table by the window to enjoy the beach view . The server informed us that we needed to place our order at the counter and choose the seafood to be weighed, similar to the process at Dampa . Tita Edna was busy snapping photos, while Carmina was filming as Mom Violy placed her order. Breakthrough isn’t air-conditioned, but they provide electric fans at your table for comfort. Mom Violy wanted sinigang and was deciding which kind of fish to have with her soup. Mom Violy requested the crab and shrimp to be cooked in butter and garlic. Mom Violy also ordered adobong pusit (squid). Tita Edna placed her own order, which was kilawin na dilis . Carmina wanted fresh lumpia , but since it wasn’t available, she opted for pinakbet instead. Everything seeme...

Want an authentic taste of Filipino comfort food? Take Tita Edna’s recommendation: Goto King serves belly-warming goodness you can’t miss.

Hunger hits while waiting to board our plane at NAIA , the Ninoy Aquino International Airport . Tita Edna mentioned she wanted to eat at Goto King , but by eleven-thirty in the morning, the line was already very long, except for seniors who had no wait. While I stayed at the gate watching over Mom Violy’s and Tita Edna’s hand-carry items, they lined up for food. Mom Violy bought my meal, and since it was our first time trying their dishes, we were pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was—it quickly became one of our new favorites. There is hardboiled egg underneath the topping one order can fill you up. NOT SPONSORED. Check out my channel @ Carmina Lifestyle YouTube Channel  and click on the subscribe button. Thank you for the support.

A mother’s craving, a friend’s recommendation, and a steaming bowl at Netong’s La Paz Batchoy—discover what makes this Iloilo classic irresistible.

Mom Violy was craving the famous La Paz Batchoy from Iloilo, and Estela suggested trying it at Netong's La Paz Batchoy . After giving us a quick tour, she dropped us off nearby.  Upon entering the restaurant, Mom Violy chose a table away from the air conditioner to avoid getting cold. The server handed us the menu , and when Mom Violy asked about the differences, he explained them to us. Carmina asked for her batchoy without liver and added an order of puto after seeing someone next to us enjoying it. I didn’t see what the big deal was about eating batchoy; it just seemed like ordinary mami soup, except for the different toppings. Being very hungry, I managed to finish my food, and they even offer extra broth if you ask for it, free of charge. NOT SPONSORED. Check out my videos @ Carmina Lifestyle YouTube Channel  and click on the subscribe button for more videos. Thank you for the support.

Short on time but craving quality? Beginning 2026, Burger & Lobster will be your fast, flavorful errand-day fix.

Mom Violy had been craving lobster but was hesitant to try dining at Burger & Lobster. She mentioned the restaurant to a family member, who said the food was delicious but pricey. She told Carmina she wanted to eat there for lunch on Saturday, January 3rd. Since it was the new year, we decided to explore and try something different. Many tables had reservations, but they also accepted walk-ins, just like we did today. Our server handed us the menu. Carmina already knew what she wanted to order: BBQ Beef Ribs for 1,190 pesos ($20.17). Mom Violy and a family member decided to share the Combo One at B&L for 5,290.00 pesos ($89.66), along with garlic rice for 90.00 pesos ($1.53). A family member ordered an Atomic Burger for 695.00 pesos ($11.78) along with a Lobster Mac & Cheese for 990.00 pesos ($16.78). One of the perks of everyone ordering something different is getting to sample each other’s dishes. Everyone left happy and full, with some leftovers to take home. The port...

Mom Violy and Carmina’s dining experience at Dean & DeLuca

  Mom Violy told me she wanted to order the Paella Negra from Dean & Deluca. Carmina suggested we dine in since we’d never really tried their main courses, always just getting takeout with the cream puffs . Mom Violy agreed, and we arrived about thirty minutes before the lunch rush began. The service was very slow, even though we had ordered ahead of time. They mistakenly brought out the Paella Valenciana , despite Mom Violy repeating the order three times to the person who took it. It turned out the cook on duty made the error, even though it was written down clearly. We know Paella Negra takes a long time to prepare, which is why Mom Violy had requested it to be cooked beforehand. She wanted it as her main meal, but because of the mix-up and feeling hungry, she took a piece of Carmina’s Turkey Club Sandwich and asked for the bacon on the side. I didn’t expect the turkey to be just one piece, and the bread was toasted so hard that it removed one layer of the sandwich. Since ...