Jane Go and Rica de Jesus are women I highly admire not just for their stature as popular long-running bloggers and multi-tasking talented women but for the beautiful persons they are and the good they stand for.

Jane is an Earth Momma figure, so generous, caring, loving, encouraging who loves on people yet so enjoyably authentic, she expresses herself in adorably funny ways. Rica is so humble, generous, caring and real; she doesn’t act like a spoiled princess even if she could very well be one.

Outings with them have so blessed this amateur incidental blogger, it’s a balm for the heart. And when I asked them their Tips for Bloggers, they were open to share!

So here’s an upfront bonus for you who want to blog:

PART I: BLOGGER TIPS

JANE GO’S BLOGGER TIPS

1) Write from the heart. Write what makes you happy…not because the topic is trending or you think it will be popular. Like you, you write about God and it may or may not be popular to most but you do it because it makes YOU happy. Me, writing about my family makes ME happy. I blog not for the stats but for us to look back on and reminisce.

2) When a blogger is invited to an event, a press release folder (with CD containing pictures and data) is usually provided. If I don’t bother to take my own pictures but just copy/ paste everything from the press kit, readers might as well just go to the Facebook page of the restaurant for identical information. Readers go to a blog for the personal experience and I feel like I cheat the hosting place if I don’t at least make an effort to share my personal observation.

3) No pressure to write (like deadline or because you’re getting paid to write). For me that’s not blogging, that’s commercial writing (magazine, newspaper) LOL

4) If there is something I don’t like, I try not to say anything negative but instead focus on the positive.  I blog not to get paid or get freebies.

For me, blogging is sharing my personal experience and not meant as a make-or-break for business establishments in exchange for something. -Jane Go

5)  Because I don’t want to say anything negative, I am choosy with invites.  I only go if I think it’s something I would enjoy and only if it’s a couple thing (I can take Jeff with me so it’s an instant date).

6) My mission as a blogger when I’m at a restaurant? To eat and have fun hahaha. I think that’s the best and most honest answer. No hidden agenda. LOL

RICA DE JESUS’S BLOGGER TIPS:

Every restaurant or place or person has something good or nice to share. Even maybe if the food was not that great overall, you will, for sure, find something good in the experience. So I focus on that. As Ron and Chris also told me – they give people a chance just like how people gave us a chance. People can judge all they want – my only rule is to just do good. Especially with regards to new businesses and new chefs – we need to support them and give them a chance. We all know how hard it is to start a business or how hard it is to sell something. In the end, it might not succeed but you gave them a chance. Each of us have our own personal taste – what’s masarap for me may not be masarap for you. So it’s all a matter of taste. People should not judge. – anyway tuloy ang kain haha!!! – Rica de Jesus

Part II: FOOD BLOGGER LIFE

Yesterday, I felt like I was on Sesame Street as our gatherer/ Big Bird, Jane “TalesfromtheHeart” Go brought together a lively, lovely, fun group of people together for a lunch at The Cafe, Hyatt City of Dreams. It was a peek at the food blogger life. Sharing that with you 🙂

The  sleek, elegant interior design details with flowing lines are welcoming and encourage you to explore further in and beyond…

The buffet stations look inviting. The menu theme changes to provide variety.  There is also a daily featured Special of the Day.  On this visit, it was the Wagyu Steam Ship… a gorgeous, humongous perfectly roasted piece of U.S. Wagyu beef.

“If a diner requests for something not at the buffet, it can be done a la minute by the chefs as long as the ingredients are available! – Jose “Ouie” Badelles

Awesome service!

There are separate stations for salad, cheese, charcuterie, Japanese sushi, Asian, Italian… with chefs on hand to prepare requested food.  T

The animated pineapple grill roused my appetite as it turned…

The ingredients are fresh, the food freshly prepared, delicious. I especially liked the flavorful, non-greasy made-to-order “Pasta Carbonara ‘authentic style'” (the keywords to get this pasta) and the perfectly balanced tomato pesto cheese tart:

We met the dynamic team behind The Cafe:  Director of Food & Beverage and Culinary Operations , Chef Chad Ogden; along with Francis David (Hyatt Director of Sales and Marketing), and Jose “Ouie” Badelles (Marketing Communications Manger).

Chef Chad Ogden from Marin County, California has lived and worked in Japan, Australia and other countries but here in Manila, he wants to highlight and promote Filipino food! (I love people who promote Filipino food especially if they’re not Filipino!) He also has some exciting things planned for the hotel’s fare in the upcoming months!  Something to look forward to!

The Filipino food spread has the tasty homemade flavor using carefully selected fresh ingredients executed in a refined way.

 The Café makes their own Spanish Tuyo, Achara, Salted Egg, and a very nicely done not-too-salty Bagoong!

I was happy with the homemade made-from-scratch taste of the desserts. My favorites were the tiramisu, moist carrot cake with cream cheese icing, chocolate mousse with a crispy surprise inside, the taro soft-serve ice cream, and mango sago. I got seconds!

Crepe your way made by this pretty chef on demand! 🙂

We all had fun and enjoyed our time at The Cafe.

The group that #JaneTheGatherer fondly named “Foodies for the Soul” :

The blessed grasshopper, yours truly (Photo Credit: Jane Go):

Thanking the Lord for people He’s placed around and in front of me who are blessings with their friendship and who share opportunities to learn and sweeten life.

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To make reservations at The Café, Hyatt City of Dreams, please click HERE.

For more information on latests promotions, please click HERE.

Until August 31, BDO cardholders can avail of great discounts for The Café’s Buffet!