It’s surprising that even if I was not able to write frequently last year, there were blog posts that garnered a huge number of views from my readers. I only wrote 14 posts the entire year! (Call me too lazy, or busy?!) It is with gratitude to realize that your audience deem your writings informative or useful for them in a way. It feels rewarding to know my efforts in writing are appreciated and even if I was not keen on monitoring the number of views and likewise maintaining a regular cycle of posting. I’ll be sharing to you the Top Ten Most Viewed Blog Posts in the year 2020 and a short background story of each post. Click the hyperlink in the heading to read each article.
Top 10 – Ippudo Ramen: A Ramen Champion (454 views)
I wrote this the first time I tried Ippudo Ramen in Uptown Mall. As a Ramen lover, I couldn’t let the chance pass of reviewing one of the top Ramen places in the country and it did not disappoint. I’d always commend Ippudo for its excellent quality and taste which can be at par with my favorites Ramen Nagi, Mendokoro Ramenba, and Ramen Yushoken. Might I add, the serving is worth it! It may be pricey for Php 500 a bowl, but treating yourself to a savory bowl of Ramen from time to time won’t hurt, right?
Top 9 – Spanish Sardines Pasta Recipe (458 views)
I wrote this recipe in 2017, when I realized that recipe posts were easier to compose than resto or food reviews. I love cooking pasta and this dish is simple and easy to make using simple ingredients: olive oil, Spanish sardines, lemon, pasta and spinach. I guess many are searching for this easy-to-prepare dish during the lockdown.
Top 8- Reasons Why We Love Marcian Garden Hotel Zamboanga (498 views)
Writing this was special to me because this was the wedding venue of my best friend, Fatma. I love Marcian Garden Hotel’s warm service, nice facilities, and ambiance. It’s known to be one of the best hotels in Zamboanga. Cath and I enjoyed our stay here a lot. I love the hotel’s simple yet classy and elegant outlook.
Top 7- Dampa Marikina: Ain’t Your Lavish Seafood Feast (509 views)
This was one of the first articles I wrote in my blog way back in 2016. I think I was trying to sound impressing here with my choice of words (#cringe). Anyway, I enjoyed this food trip because it’s my first time to eat in a Dampa at a very affordable price. Though the price has not changed, the taste and quality are quite different when we ate there two years ago. My family did not like the environment for they think it’s not well-sanitized.
Top 6- My First Haircut During the Quarantine (537 views)
I never expected this would be a hit. I just shared my experience of getting my first haircut during the pandemic with all that safety protocols and fear of catching the virus outside. It was a personal choice to go to Bench Fix in Highstreet because I wanted to be extra careful. I know that this salon practices proper sanitation measures to ensure the safety of their customers. I also thought this was worth sharing because getting a haircut in the middle of the pandemic (especially during MECQ) was considered a luxury (or a big relief) of some sort.
Top 5- All4U Unlimited Grill and Shabu Shabu in Venice Grand Canal Mall McKinley Hill (681 views)
Since this is just near our office, my officemates and I dined here when it was newly-opened in Venice Mall. We held our team Christmas party here while enjoying Samgyupsal and shabu-shabu. I haven’t returned to this restaurant this pandemic, but I’m pretty sure things have changed as well. This is one of my fave Samgyupsal places as they serve shrimps. Would love to go here again if there’s a chance.
Top 4 – Good Taste Baguio: When Budget Meets Good Taste (717 views)
My trips in Baguio will not be complete without dining at Good Taste. Although there have been several blog posts written about Good Taste, I still wrote mine so I’d remember this restaurant’s charm. The food is good and the servings are too big for the price! I like Good Taste’s way of handling diners. They can accommodate huge groups but still maintain the quick and efficient service. For a practical tourist like me, Good Taste is a destination!
Top 3- Things You Should Know about the Ivatans (People of Batanes) (1,019 views)
My vacation in Batanes in 2018 was a dream come true. Not only did I fell in love with its majestic beauty, I got attached to the kindness of its people, the Ivatans. I was not able to write a travel post about Batanes because I got too lost for words. I’m afraid my descriptions won’t give justice to the place. However, I was able to write about how I admired its locals for their honesty, hard work, and kindness. I’m happy to know that many are reading this article that was written from the heart.
Top 2- Reasons Why I love Cooking (And How Can you Learn it Too) (2,302 views)
I wrote this to share my readers how I started to develop my passion for cooking. It also aims to inspire them that cooking is something they can easily learn and love with the right mindset and motivation. It’s something therapeutic! I shared my tips for beginners (no, I am not a Pro) and I am surprised that this article is one of the most visited posts to date. It’s very timely for those who are trying to find a new hobby this quarantine.
Top 1- Samgyupsal Cravings Satisfied at Mr. Korea Unlimited BBQ Market!Market!(4,700 views)
And we’re down to the Top 1: my Samgyupsal experience at Mr. Korea in Market! Market! My fellow food bloggers in Saan sa Ph were invited to the restaurant’s soft opening. I like the resto’s fresh lay-out and self-service beverage station. The variety of meat selections is something worth trying too. I just had an unfortunate experience when Metrodeal used my photo in their advertisement without my permission and they were not responsive nor apologetic about it. Instead of stressing over it and fighting for my rights, I just let go of it. Anyway, this only proves that even at the height of the pandemic, people are looking for the best places to satisfy their Samgyupsal cravings and Mr. Korea is one of them.
My Takeaways
After finishing this post, it dawned on me that people are still reading my posts even if I became inactive for a long time. Those posts were written years ago, but they still serve the purpose of informing people who might have the same interests as mine. It motivates me to strive harder this 2021 in producing more quality content for my readers. The difference between vlogging and blogging is that these are two different platforms of informing your audience. Vlogging documents the actual, real-time experience in a creative video, while blogging discusses the nitty-gritty details of the subject that you can review anytime. Although I haven’t tried YouTube, I am grateful that my blog content reaches my target audience through informative, lengthy, yet quality write-ups. (claiming it! Haha)
To you who’s been reading my posts until now, thank you!! A simple comment, like, or share means a lot to this blogger. I’ll try my best to write more often this year… by His grace alone.
Diamond in the Rough 