The White Hat and Bettina open in CdeO’s Centrio mall

If you know me personally, you’d know that I’m quite the health nut, and one of my greatest frustrations when going out is finding a snack that would pass my standards when it comes to being both healthy and delicious.  Furthermore, I have 3 kids and a wife, all who won’t mind the bad stuff unless I give them a better alternative (and, truth be told, I have my own lapses as well).

Well, last Sunday saw the opening of a rare find, indeed: a place that I actually can recommend to those who have similar viewpoints as I do; a place where I can take my family and feel good that they’re snacking on wholesome food.

That place is Cagayan de Oro’s first branch of The White Hat, a frozen yogurt place, located on the first floor of the new Ayala Centrio mall.  

If you’re thinking, “Another frozen yogurt place, big deal!” then allow me to correct you.

That’s why it’s so good!

Most places of this type use the cheap powdered stuff, which lowers cost but makes poor quality yogurt.  The White Hat uses only real dairy.  Yup, real milk turned into real yogurt….and that makes all the difference.

All you need to do is taste it.  It is creamier, yummier, and healthier.  Real dairy, from real Philippine cows, makes for a really good yogurt experience!   Why is real yogurt so good for you?  Well, all the nutritious food and supplements you ingest mean nothing if you don’t have a healthy stomach to digest it with.  Your stomach needs beneficial bacteria, and real yogurt has lots of it.  You can also check out this article on the many health benefits of yogurt.


So, White Hat Yogurt = good, wholesome eating.  Add some fruits and nuts, and you’re set for a guilt-free, delicious snack!  I personally add three toppings to my yogurt: kiwi and strawberry, which are considered among the healthiest fruits out there; and walnuts, which are good plant-based sources of Omega-3.  My kids also like this combo, especially my middle child, Mesoo, who considers kiwi her favorite fruit.

I was privileged to have attended The White Hat’s blessing and opening at Ayala Centrio mall this past Sunday, November 25, 2012.  While I am already a long time yogurt fan, two more things about The White Hat intrigued me greatly.  They are:

• Sourdough waffles!  Most other places use the cheap waffle mix, but not The White Hat.  They use real sourdough, baby!!  And I LOVVVVE sourdough.
• Yogurt cake!  I must admit, I raised my eyebrows when I heard this.  Yogurt cake, really?  But, hey, I’m in!  If it’ll make it on time, I’d like to get one for my eldest daughter’s 13th birthday.

(11/30/2012 UPDATE:  I’m proud to announce that the sourdough waffles are already available!  See you there, cuz I’m so gonna be checking that out!)

Note that these two gems are not yet available as of now, but be sure to check back regularly, as they will be available for your joyful consumption real soon!

The White Hat yogurt — my friends and I sure had a good day!

Oh, by the way, if you’re a beautiful, sophisticated lady (or a dude who would like to get a gift for his beautiful, sophisticated lady), you should check out another place while you’re in Centrio.

The same afternoon The White Hat opened, I was also privileged to witness the opening of Bettina boutique.  (Wanna know something cool?  The opening day also marks 21 years of making Cagayanon women look darn good!  Amazing, no?  Two decades of style!)

The boutique held a fashion show to celebrate, showcasing attractive models wearing even more attractive clothing.  I took a few snapshots of the event as well, and here they are:

Bettina is one of my wife’s favorite places to shop, and she wasted no time doing so by claiming the black dress on the storefront’s mannequin as soon as it was available for sale.  I bet she made the store’s first purchase.  Go wifey!

So, mall-goers at Centrio have two reasons to get excited as of late: healthy snacking in The White Hat and great shopping in Bettina boutique.  Please do visit; I sure will (C’mon sourdough waffles, come to papa!).

(This blog site, Lessons Of A Dad is mostly about parenting, marriage, and other topics aimed to develop the reader’s mind, body, and soul.  I’d consider it an honor if you’d follow or subscribe to this site.  You can also go to my Facebook page here, and I’m also on Twitter at @lessonsofadad)