Chocolate review: Chocolove Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate

Here's our first post on chocolate this month. This is also somewhat delayed in that we consumed/enjoyed this bar last March and I can only try to recall how this one tasted to the best of my memory. :)

Chocolove Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate - the packaging design is with bright colors

Nutrition and other information on the chocolate

Description of the chocolate, and something I wasn't able to see until now - that there was supposed to be a love poem in the wrapper! This one's long gone so no need to try to find it in the trash. :)

It's not stated here what % is the minimum cacao content for this dark chocolate but that info is stated in front to be 55%.

This was a smooth dark chocolate and the orange peels made it more enjoyable. The peels were not the candied variety so they were crunchy but instead were chewable. I got this chocolate last year from a convenience store in Enschede, The Netherlands near the hotel where I was staying. Instead of being eaten there, I decided to take it home with me among other chocolates I bought at local stores.

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Hillocks Coffee Shop and Restaurant, Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija

We were traveling home from Baler and had just completed the literally long and winding Pantabangan-Baler Road. We were already very hungry and decided to look for a restaurant in the town of Pantabangan.  We didn't know of any and were preparing to explore when we found a lead via Trip Advisor. This was how we came to learn about Hillocks Coffee Shop and Restaurant, which was along the national highway and positioned just a few hundred meters after the town proper.

Sign along the highway - the restaurant was a bit inconspicuous for people traveling long distance and not really looking for a stop at Pantabangan.

Interiors include some vintage items and not so vintage ones like the stereo system that had a retro design

View of one of the tables and the balcony. I like the vintage lamps at the restaurant.

A view of the garden from the porch, and another vintage lamp

View of the restaurant porch and entry from the garden

Entrance arch with my daughter posing with the flowers.

My wife and daughter posing in the garden

Rather uncommon flowers we saw at the garden

There are more tables at the balcony. These were made of hardwood.

Hillocks has an excellent menu. Unfortunately, not everything was available as we arrived way after the typical lunch hours.

Can you spot the pigs? There were three 'free range' pigs roaming around the garden.

A view of the garden from the restaurant porch.

They have a fireplace at the restaurant and it looked like it was a functional one complete with accessories.

View of the restaurant from the driveway - there's a small convenience store at the lower level as well as clean toilets for customers or travelers.

Steps leading to the restaurant's entrance at the second level. The second level was actually at the same level as the garden and much of the land on the property.

We think Hillocks provides an excellent stopover for people traveling between Metro Manila and Baler. It is particularly strategic before or after traversing the Pantabangan-Baler Road, which takes perhaps a couple of hours give and take the driver and vehicle your are using for the trip. The food is good and so is the service. Prices are very reasonable, too, so its highly recommended and we're sure to stop over and have a meal the next time we are in the area.

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Vintage Gruen Precision watch with Cal. 510 RSS movement

I acquired another Gruen Precision from the 1950s. The previous owner indicated it to be from around 1955 so this is about 64 years old. It is in very good shape with what appears to be reapplied lumes. This is my 3rd Gruen Precision watch and can easily be part of my rotation.

Simple watch dial with no day or date features

Side view showing the crown

The other side view

Case back showing the watch to be waterproof, shock resistant, anti-magnetic

Gruen caliber 510RSS movement running at 18,000 bph over what was originally 42h when fully wound.

Here's a wrist shot of the vintage watch

The watch runs a bit fast, gaining more than a couple of minutes per day. I haven't had the chance to have it serviced recently but it is in pretty good condition and should be no trouble to repair/adjust.

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