Destined

There are just some ventures that are destined to be "winners"
It is about gut feel
It is about intuitive vibes
It is about hitting a chord
It is about reading the market
It is about colors that come together well ...
And in the case of Elbert's Cheesesteak Sandwiches - it is clearly about the taste

I was cavorting along the Rockwell Powerplant food court,
When I noticed a long line
People waiting patiently for their turn
Necks stretched in anticipation
Eyes rolling with excitement

Elbert Cuenca of the highly successful and award-winning Elbert's Steak Room has just opened his new "baby"
Immediately attention catching - with a pinkish neon sign, brushed stainless steel, black/white patterned tiles and tangerine walls,
This new food stall outlet was wafting the smell of brown-grilled premium beef into the air,
And attracting a growing crowd like a pied piper of sorts ...


















The "cheesesteak sandwich" is the quintessential food of the city of Philadelphia in the United States
One hasn't been to Philadelphia if he hasn't had a cheesesteak sandwich
To that extent, the sandwich is known as a "Philadelphia Cheesesteak", a "Philly cheesesteak" or just a "Philly" ...
Well the "Philly" has just invaded the Philly-pines

Elbert prepares thinly sliced (chopped) premium USDA beef
Browns them in a grilling/frying griddle
Spreads them generously on a long roll (hoagie).
Adds a touch of sauteed onions,
A cheese of choice
And voila - ♫ "bibidibobidiboo"♫ ♪ .... a mouthwatering meal is handed to you
Ready to be devoured in lip-smacking, juice-dripping fashion

There is no other way to say this
So let me go straight to the meat of it ...
Elbert's Cheesesteak serves a goooooooooooood "Philly"
Add some crispy french fries
An ice cold cola
With the charming Elbert himself manning the ramparts
And you have the makings of a great sandwich experience ...

Go
Get in line
It is well worth the wait ...








































Elberts Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Powerplant Food Court
Rockwell, Makati

Finally Arrived

Hurry , hurry ....
It's a pre-Valentine promo
Good only until February 14

If you want to celebrate that special day with a "bang"
Then this is the deal you've been waiting for
You should really take advantage of this one
Some smart marketing guru has seen fit to tap into the market of those who need a gun or plan to shoot someone on Valentines Day.
How thoughtful of him ...

I can just see me now
On the day of hearts
Walking towards wifey with "something" hidden behind my back
Her face full of loving anticipation ..
She slithers slowly towards me asking ... "what are you hiding behind your back - honeybunch"
I coyly answer --- "oooooooh - my little passion fruit ... just a little something that I have always wanted to give you"
"You are so sweet naman ..." -she whispers
"Well - you deserve it" - I reply
"Is it something expensive" - she queries
"Hmmmmm - let's just say it'll take your breath away" - I coo
"Really????" - she asks
"Yahhhh - it''ll blow your mind for sure" - I suggest
She jumps up and down with excitement
"Hold still - I don't want to miss ... " - I subconsciously mumble
"Whaaaaat?" - she asks
"Ahhhhh - I mean ... I don't want to miss the moment" - I explain
"Awwwwwwww - you are such a sweeetiepie" - she demures
She tries to pull me into the bedroom
"Patience my little darling - you'll be lying flat on your back soon enough" - I say
She winks
And - I take aim ...

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom
Happy Valentines Day
Till death do us part has finally arrived ....
Truly romantic
It'll be a "blast"

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay naku
The stuff of which dreams are made
If only ...

Midnight Fix

I am a creature of the midnight snack
At the stroke of midnight - something just seems to happen to me
A transformation of sorts
A wanderlust for leftovers
A search for gastric satisfaction
An uncontrollable urge to munch on something
A deep-seated longing for gastronomic satiety

As kids , my brothers ( and sisters), and I would inevitably sneak down into the forbidden kitchenworld
And in the glow of a lone refrigerator bulb, our eyes would scan the horizon for bite-size treasures
As we grew older - we mastered the skill of "heating" remnants of the dinner just passed
Canned goods were a constant joy
Instant noodles were a boon
Pre-cooked was a convenience
And microwaving was a thrill that we looked forward to ...

Years past the childhood that molded us
The habit of midnight forays has remained
Tonight was no different
I write this post still reeling from the satisfaction of having had my small "midnight fix"
Hoping that all of you are similarly happy with the end of your day...

Life Is Like That

At the end of every darkness is a sunrise that beckons to a new tomorrow.

I should have realized this much sooner ...
But it has taken all of 4 months of blogger silence for me to understand a lesson oft repeated through the ages

And so it is
And here I am ...
Happy New Year
Hello world
I am baaaaaaaaack (again)

Last September, I was in the pits
Life seemed absolutely out of control
Spinning towards what felt like an inevitable dead end
Maybe my fears were real
Maybe not
What was real however was the fact that I had lost my joie de vivre
Perhaps I had burned out
Whatever it was - I just had no passion for even life itself
And without passion - what was I to share with the world?
What was there to blog?

And so I went on a journey of self examination
Looking for myself within myself
Connecting with the past to find relevance in the present
Finding a part of me left by the wayside in my charge to the top

I found long lost friends
I connected with new and interesting people
I leaned on the stability of family
And relearned the lesson of Faith

I hope that today marks a continuing momentum
I only know that there are things I want to express ... again
There are words waiting to be said
Stories to be told
Experiences to shared

I thank you all, my cyberfriends - for standing by
For understanding
For being concerned
For waiting

I hope that I am really back
We never really know - life is like that
I - am like that
We can only move on and see

So ... stay tuned
Wine, food, places, life, humor and love
All are on Daguldol's plate
And I am ready to share again ...