I was cajoled enough by the big man to give away one of our secrets to having a "healthy" relationship, other than maintaining an open line of communication as your love guru would tell you, dining together is one sure way to keep your love al dente. I guess that has been the same secret kept by the amiable owners of Bellini's, an authentic Italian ristorante in the middle of busy Cubao. In this watering hole of artists, food connoisseurs, families and couples, everything is made fresh daily which sets it apart from other Italian eateries. They make their own pasta and pizza dough and it has been rumored that they offer 365 different pasta sauces, a different sauce everyday for the whole year. Me, I have yet to master the different pasta listed on their menu: ravioli, farfalle, tortiliogni, fusilli, etc. Good thing there's a description below for those Dory-moments. Their thin crust pizza is well-loved by patrons who are at war against carbs found in those American style pizza of Pizza Hut, with more than a dozen toppings to choose from. For desert, their heavenly panna cotta and tiramisu are the best-sellers. For us, it's always a different experience every time we go there and we've maintained a faithful vigil to Bellini's for five years. It's a homey, warm place to enjoy a sumptuous piece of Italy without leaving a dent in your pocket (nice pitch). Plus, the mysterious singer never fails to amuse me.

If you're curious of how Roberto Bellini, an ex-paparazzi of celebs and royals, runs a place with a mural of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you can ask him at the Marikina Shoe Expo, his place is open until 11 pm.

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As promised to Iris Gonzales, one of the owners of Datelines, a new Bohemian book shop located inside the Shoe Expo near Bellini's, I am inviting friends and bloghoppers to visit their place with a selection of rare, non-mainstream books and other cool stuff.

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Move that lazy ass and also pay a visit to Vintage Pop, the place to be for those looking for antiques, collectibles and memorabilia.