Life is Short

Destined

2009-02-02T00:30:00.016+08:00

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

2009-01-31T03:40:00.010+08:00

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

2009-01-24T00:15:00.004+08:00

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

2009-01-22T21:56:00.007+08:00

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 ...

REPOST (2006) - To the Batcave

2008-09-27T03:46:00.004+08:00

The best thinking has been done in solitude.
The worst has been done in turmoil.
- Thomas A. Edison -

When I was a kid, Batman was my hero. He was an ordinary man – no superpowers. He was simply strong, agile, innovative and fearless. He was a loyal friend and an idealistic crusader. Whenever he had problems, he would retreat into The Batcave. Here he would in his solitude ... find peace, see things for what they were and find the wisdom to hurdle the obstacles that lay before him. Here he would come to his “eureka” moments ... and find the strength to carry on. The Batcave was his real source of power ...

In my adult life, I have always had a “batcave” .
A place where solitude allows me the space to find my bearings ...
A spot that allows me a meditative cleansing process ...
A location all my own ...
A “sanity corner”.

My “batcave” is a concept of solitude, rather than a specific place.
It has over the years been a shaded portion under a tree, a place by the sea, a section of a library, a favorite table in a coffeeshop, a specific bench in a mall, an al fresco restaurant, a wine cellar, a hotel room, a sofa in my own house, a friends apartment ... and lately, at the foot of my fathers grave. Anywhere that allows my mind to be alone ... to recharge, to pause, to reboot.

Quite often, the best way to see better is to step away. From the distance created by solitude comes the vision that sees through the clouds of life. Mastering the state of being alone without being lonely leads to a self awareness that can give one a sense of perspective in a world that is spinning ever so rapidly around us.

I find in these quiet “alone” moments a peacefulness that allows me a chance to renew myself ... to foster thinking and creativity ... to appreciate nature, people and life itself.

So whenever life starts to overwhelm me ...
I disappear into a state of inner richness that allows me to contemplate on whatever it is that lies ahead .

Do not be afraid of the darkness ... for therein begins the light.
... “to the Batcave ... there’s not a moment to lose” ...

I am reposting this piece while in the shadow of fear and sadness ...
Searching for the rainbow that has eluded me as I stand drenched in the storm of life.
Bear with me ...
This too will pass

-daguldol-

Without the Guilt

2008-09-20T19:15:00.010+08:00

I turned on the television to relax at the end of a long day
It was time for the news...
I have always marveled at how news anchors will always start with "Good Evening ..."
And then will proceed to tell you exactly why it isn't ...

Tonight was no different
War, suffering, misery, poverty
Dirty politics, lies, corruption
Crime, death, theft, blood and gore ...
"And that's the news, Have a great weekend ... "
A great weekend indeed

As if the evening news were not bad enough,
I also received the results of my last medical check-up ...
Elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides
Ayayay ...

15 pounds overweight, no exercise and with fat floating around in my blood pa ...
I really needed to eat healthy
... at least for the weekend :-)

Healthy Kitchen is a newbie in the Serendra neighborhood
I was just passing through having crossed the street from Market Market,
When the smiling server called out - "sir, subukan nyo ho dito - it's healthy"
Huh - did he say that knowing I needed a healthy meal?
How did he know?
I checked my waistline - making sure that I had tucked in my fat properly
Took a deep breath and tried to hold it for as long as I could ...

"Is it vegetarian?" - I asked
My tummy immediately bounced back out with a big boinnnnng
"No sir - it is healthy food ... " he answered
"Eat good, feel good" - he added
Hmmmmmm

I walked in and immediately fell in love with the cozy country look
Mismatched chairs and distressed wood
A black menu writing board
Flowers
Candles
Colorful art on the wall
It felt like home
I was hooked ...

My heavy ass sunk into the soft sofa seat
I started dissecting the menu and ordered cautiously

Bangus Sisig - boneless milkfish, garlic , onions, chili peppers
Chicken Adobo Brown Rice - chicken adobo with apple cider vinegar, lots of garlic, deboned skin off,
into organic brown rice
Father Oops Monsignor James Salad - a combination of two favorites at the Brown Bag resto in Guam - pesto chicken and mango salad - romaine, cucumber and mango slices in berry vinaigrette

The meal was expectedly light and easy
The flavors were interestingly familiar
Tasty and tangy
A good meal without the guilt
I felt healthy already ...

After a cup of tea
I marveled at how much I had actually enjoyed eating healthy
Perhaps it was a start
Perhaps I could actually keep myself away from foie gras, lechon, crispy pata, burgers, spaghetti, rice bowls, ice cream, cake etc.
Perhaps ...
We will see
I will be back next month ...
Maybe

Muscles come and go
Flab lasts
- Billy Vaughn -

Healthy Kitchen
141C, Serendra Mall
Global City, Taguig
+63-2 9006514
FREE WIFI available

Pitbull

2008-09-13T14:21:00.009+08:00

I remember learning in science class that "the speed of light is faster than the speed of sound".
That may explain why,
Sometimes you will encounter someone who may appear very bright until you actually hear them speak.

I shall not go into details,
But yessssss - I had a very bad day at the office.
I had an encounter with a pitbull posing as a an office head
And she did something very irritating
She opened her mouth ...

I gave her the benefit of the doubt,
She was obviously confused as to whether she was in an office or in a marketplace.
I walked away
Took two paracetamols
And spent the rest of the day at my desk soothed by the music flowing out of my iPod
If ever I needed a good after-office dinner ... this was the day

Marciano's is the latest in the chain of restaurants put up with the involvement of entrepreneurial showbiz hunk Marvin Agustin
I was walking slowly with my head bowed in tired and frustrated desolation,
When I noticed this looker of a resto.

Elegant blacks and silvers
With lush patterned curtain dividers
And sparkling chandelier lights
Very New York ...

Attracted by it's voguish appeal
I took a seat and reveled in its casual sophistication
The servers smothered me with flattering attention ...
I scanned the interesting menu
"New Age Italian-American Cuisine"

Puffed Mozzarella Sticks (with smoked pomodoro and prosciutto)
Rudy Giuliani minestrone bean soup
Feels Like Barney's (portobello, crisp greens, prosciutto, gorgonzola, sundried tomato, and grilled foccacia)
Gransvoort seafood truffle pasta

New York indeed ...
Kinda'
The portions were generous
The flavors were very interestingly fused
And the sparkling wine was soothing and relaxing ...

As it should properly be, for a restaurant named after the famed boxer Rocky Marciano - this is a potential knockout
I will be back
With friends, family, associates, officemates ...
(Anyone except the pitbull)

Marciano's
2nd level
Greenbelt 3, Makati
(telephone to follow)

Craaaaaaashed

2008-09-11T01:43:00.004+08:00

My laptop zonked out
My hard disk - craaaaaashed
Right while I was working on a blog post
First a hum, then a clink
A gush of hot air from the vents
Then nothing
Just - darkness on my screen

Panic
I must have pressed control-alt-delete a thousand times
Switched the on-off button a hundred times
Jiggled the plug tens of times
And smashed my head on the keyboard a couple of times

My whole life wiped out in a millisecond
No data
No back-up
No nothing

Without my laptop - I found myself so brain challenged.
Instead of the overly protective security of artificial intelligence,
I was now left with the nakedness of my natural stupidity

I realized how much I really didn't know (anymore)
I felt like I had to call my high school teacher to teach me how to add and spell again ...

I felt so clueless
Depressed
Useless
Incompetent
Incomplete
Impotent

A sad day indeed ...

There was no sympathy at home either
I announced to wifey that my disk had died
With a playful smile she said - "it's been dead for a while now"
I shouted with an irritated tone - "I meant disk with an 's' "
She sighed ..."ohhhhhh"
I could hear some snickering
Then there was silence ...

I brought my old laptop to the computer hospital
And hoped that it might be discharged in good working order

But ...
I found out that "maintenance free" -meant that it couldn't be fixed

So after a week of denial - I sadly came to the realization that I had to buy a new one

Today, I came home proudly bearing my shiny new laptop

12 months to pay at 0% interest

Ouchhhhh

My confidence though - is back
My day has regained it's spark
My virility is restored
Romance is back in my life

So I cuddled up to wifey and whispered - "may I enter your domain?"
"Whats the password ?" - she playfully asks
"Hard disk" - I tease
"Is that with an 's' or without?" - she coos as her hand crawls up my thigh
"Without" - I triumphantly declare
She turns around, looks me in the eye, musses my hair
And just when my goosebumps start to settle - she pushes me away and declares
" Your password is too short. Access is denied ... "

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Cold shower ....

Crash Time

2008-09-08T01:22:00.001+08:00

I am just squeezing in a little blog time on a loaner.
My laptop craaaaaaashed a little more than a week ago - sometime after my last post.

Just trying to juggle my finances to get a new one.
In the meantime - I am out in the cold ...

Will be back in a couple of days.
Thanks.

In a world where we are trying our best
to break down walls and fences,
- why the heck are we so dependent on Gates and Windows ?

Self Help

2008-08-28T22:15:00.013+08:00

The bookstore was nice and cool ...
It was a refreshing sanctuary from the searing humidity outside
In this massive multi-storey literary playground, I would decompress after a hard day at the office.

I started browsing the thousands of books that were there
Wifey started looking around too ...
I could sense her looking for something
Then, with a puzzled look on her face, she turned to me and asked - "do you know where the SELF-HELP books are?"
With a polite smile, I looked her in the eyes and said - "Yes I do ... but, if i told you it would defeat the purpose ..."

The next thing I knew there was a hardbound copy of the "Kite Runner" soaring towards my head
Poison darts were flying from her blood-shot eyes
Fire was shooting out of her nostrils
And steam was rising from the tips of her searing red hot horns ...

Damage control ...
It was time to soothe the savage "beast"
I put my arms around her in a genuinely insincere way and suggested that we drive somewhere to patch things up over a glass of wine and some pasta (one of her favorite early evening "to do" things)

Artina Gallery Cafe is a nice quiet corner of art and cuisine.
Immediately attractive even from the outside, this glass encased gallery cum restaurant is rapidly becoming a destination for those who want the twin satisfaction that can be derived from good food and soulful art

It is literally like sitting in the middle of a small private gallery
A glass of Chardonnay sharpens the senses
The eyes constantly scanning the wall
Looking for stories hidden in each piece of art
Analysing the harmony of color, the depth of brush strokes and the mystery of technique

A warm greeting and a genuine smile from the servers puts us at ease
The comfort of tastefully chosen music calmed our nerves

The menu invitingly starts with:

"Our food is based on classic French cooking techniques, a foundation that allows us to create new flavors while maintaining the integrity of the old. We use the freshest and most flavorful ingredients to offer you an innovative yet traditional dining experience."

I ordered a "linguine with seafood in Spanish saffron and cream sauce" for the aggrieved dragon lady ...
With just the first bite
A smile finally broke through
She nodded her head in satisfied acclamation

More wine ...
She started to loosen up
She started to talk
Our truce had begun
The ice was thawing
My strategy was working ...

As we intimately shared a soft and juicy rum cake for dessert,
I looked into her eyes and said,
- "why don't we go home and get 'cozy' ? "
"OK" - she demures
Pushing my conjugal luck, I whispered - "I will make it up to you ..."
"Greaaaaat" she signals with a wink
And with full intention to humble myself and cook her a romantic "breakfast after" as part of the peace offering,
I expectantly ask - "And how would you like your eggs in the morning?"

"Unfertilized ! ! ! " --- she shouts as she walks away with a proud and vengeful swagger

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Women ........
I will never understand
Who would have known that "till death do us part" would take sooooooo long

Artina Gallery Cafe
Unit 106-107, Ground Floor
A. Venue Mall
Makati
(63-2) 7298983
www.artinasuiteshotel.com

Mwah

2008-08-23T01:49:00.029+08:00

I spent the evening with some balikbayan friends from the United States
Standard Pinoy "pica-pica"
A couple of drinks
A lot to catch up on
And a "show" that left them amazed

Superlatives from everyone at the table...
"Impressive"
"Really fun"
"Unexpected, unbelievable, unforgettable ..."

Club Mwah is a destination nitespot to which I had been several times before with family and friends, and it was great to join my balikbayaners there
It is a cozy but somehow dazzling dance club cum stage theatre, that is home to a talented group of transgenders and crossgenders who have put up a production suggestive of Las Vegas glitz and Broadway lights
Colorful quick-change costume sequences
Mind boggling sets
An array of lights
Dizzying choreography
And impeccable musical transitions...

The revue group is composed of 10 totally "reconstructed" transgenders (yes - even down under)
And another group of partially reconstructed crossgenders
Dressed to the nines and made up for the stage - these ex-men are "prettier, sexier and more graceful" than many of the real women in the audience ...
Really.
Even the women themselves say so ...
There is of course the one exception - the jester of the court - whose appeal is precisely that he is so abhorrently ugly to a point that it becomes funny
All part of a well thought of and wonderfully executed program sequence

The "Bedazzled 6" revue which we caught is one music and dance number after another
Synched to the music of Broadway - the show is a dance interpretation of such faves as Miss Saigon, Chicago, Phantom of the Opera and the likes
Costumes are lavish and dazzling
Sets include a massive golden Thai oriental temple during a Madonna "Vogue" inspired mind-boggler, and a helicopter "landing" on stage during a hilarious Miss Saigon segment

This is not one of those "comedy at your expense" shows
No "put downs" and "make fun of you" spiels
This is a class act
This is an art form
An art form that I feel should be supported and preserved ...

Don't miss out on this Metro Manila secret
A Department of Tourism accredited entertainment club
Dinner, drinks and a taste of international caliber entertainment

A new show starts next week
Be dazzled by "Bedazzled 8 "
As can only be presented by the "Follies de Mwah"

If you have an adventurous streak
And are looking for something different
Want something unforgettable ...
Club Mwah will certainly keep you "gay" ...
Errrrr - I mean - keep you happy

Go na ...
See you there
I will be the guy with a glass of vodka
In a black muscle shirt
And a blonde wig
Baboooosh ...

Club Mwah
3rd Floor,The Venue Tower
652 Boni Ave.
Mandaluyong City
(63-2) 5357943
http://www.clubmwah.com/main.html

Savings

2008-08-22T02:50:00.024+08:00

Friends always catch wifey and me "holding hands" while walking in the mall
They think that it is sooooooo sweet
After all these years, we're still holding hands
They can think what they want
For me ...
It's just that if I let go of her hand--- she will run off and buy something

She has an incomprehensible sense of finance
She is always "saving" money
Just last night, she proudly showed me a new bag
It was originally priced at 10,000 pesos
She got it on sale for just 6,000 pesos
She had "saved" me 4000 pesos

The week before that she had "saved" 3000
And another 5000 the month before
A total of 20,000 pesos "savings" in the last two months ...
At the rate she is "saving" money I should be a millionaire soon
Instead I somehow appear to be close to bankruptcy ...

Haaay naku- I needed a glass of wine
"The new Caffe' Maestro has just opened" she demures ...
I said - "greaaaaaat, let's go"

Caffe' Maestro was a well patronized Italian cafe restaurant
But, it had over the years outlived its initial appeal and attraction
The Manila market is fickle, and new places are always cropping up
Caffe' Maestro needed to be re-invented and re-launched
So they closed - for renovation
For more than just several months they remained closed
I thought maybe they had sold the business - I mean the economy being what it is
They just disappeared from the culinary radar

And just when I thought they were permanently gone
There they were --- newly opened
Revitalized
Re-engineered
Re-invented

We drove up to the brick walled resto
And walked in towards the all too familiar cozy corner where our favorite table used to be
I turned to find the receptionist
Suddenly - wifey broke loose from my grip
She turned the other way straight into shelves and shelves of imported Italian shoes, dresses, blouses, belts, bags etc.

Whaaaaaaaat the?
Yup - Caffe' Maestro is now a caffe' inside a boutique store selling Italian fashion merchandise at discounted prices
Great concept - right?
Well - not if you don't know what you are walking into
I went there to eat
As it turned out - I was to end up "saving" money againnnnnnn

Whoever thought of this fashion cafe concept must have been female
She shops, he eats ...
Convenient
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I waited ...
The warm brick and wood ambiance was somehow soothing
Musical strains of Andrea Bocelli in the background
I fidgeted in my seat
A tasty onion soup,
And a flavorful, al dente "pasta ala vongole" helped to appease me
Wine calmed my nerves ...

After an eternity ...
Wifey finally floated down towards the table to join me
She had this smile on her lips,
A glow on her face
And a loving look in her eyes.
She tenderly stroked my arm
Mussed up my hair
And blew me a kiss ...
In that magical moment I knew ...
It was time ...
It was time to whip out my credit card .
Once again -the lady of the house had "saved" some money for me

Arrrrrrrgggggggggggggh

Caffe' Maestro
(Fashion Caffe' + Percamo Italian Fashion)
1780 Nicanor Garcia St. (formerly Reposo St.)
Makati, Philippines
(632) 8990780
(632) 8997322

Charades

2008-08-20T00:53:00.002+08:00

Remember the game "charades" ?

Okay
Let's play charades
Focus on the picture above
It's a dead giveaway ...

Proper noun
Two syllables
One of my favorite quick getaway destinations
A city of contrasts
Steeped in history and culture
Locked in concrete and steel
A shoppers paradise
A land of charming people

Hawker lined streets
Bustling markets
Grand and swanky malls

Soaring skyscrapers looking down on humble huts
Sail quietly down the river
Zip noisily through the urban jungle
Hidden nooks of meditation and relaxation
A nightlife of endless adventure

And the food ...
Ohhhhh - the food
From some of the best and grandest restaurants
To the seediest cubby holes
Endless stalls of street food
To the most cosmopolitan table settings
The full range of predictable world cuisine
To the most exotic of plates ...

Gosssh - I really need a vacation
A short hop
Even for just a weekend ...

Yes - two syllables
First syllable ...
Sounds like hang
Second syllable
Sounds like "a timepiece on the wall"

Look at the picture...
Got it?
That's greaaaaaaaaat
See you there ....
Yessss
In Bangkok

Free

2008-08-18T11:00:00.010+08:00

I finally made it to Aubergine Restaurant
Friends had been talking about this wonderful fine dining venue at the bustling Fort Bonifacio complex
Superlatives and good things
Highly recommended
But ...
Kinda' expensive

Hey - who said fine dining was cheap?
Right?
I was going to have to save up for this ...

Then ...
"Alakazam"
"Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo"
My dear sister gave me gift certificates for Aubergine
As if she were reading my mind
As if she knew I was "broke"...

And so , on a cool, moonlit Sunday evening
I put on my 5-star look
And jauntily proceeded with my FREE 5-star dinner

For a reputed fine dining leader, Aubergine is surprisingly, badly located above a McDonalds outlet
But that was easily forgiven if not forgotten once I stepped into the restaurant premises
Cosmopolitan and elegant
Yet somehow warm and soft

A glass encased kitchen is a showcase of culinary action ...
The servers greet you with a smile, and patiently wait for you to confuse yourself with the mouthwatering menu

We sipped on glasses of Nottage Hill Sparkling Chardonnay as we weighed our choices
Small talk
Big thoughts
Knowing glances
Then, a smile of anticipation ...

1. Parmesan Spuma (courtesy of the house)
2. Carpaccio of Australia Beef Tenderloin ( with pamesan fondue, truffle oil, assorted herbs, and a salad bouquet)
3. Roasted US Wagyu Beef Tri Tip (with pan fried foie gras, pot wine sauce, glazed vegetable, and pommery mustard mash potato)
4. Roasted French Duck Breast (with orange curacao set on truffled mousseline potato, served with port wine braised vegetable stew and mango tartlet)
5. Melted French Brie de Meaux ( served on grilled watermelon topped with watercress salad tossed in raspberry dressing walnut oil and Chinese truffles)
6. Belgian Chocolate Mousse Dome

The presentation alone was an experience worth a picture
The taste was somehow "correct"
We took it slow and easy
Savoring every moment
To the last drop of sauce
It was a wipe-out ...

I could see the wifey just having a gastronomic orgasm as she slowly nodded her head and savored every juicy bite
Quivering in delight
She had that look in her eyes that I had for the longest time not seen in the bedroom ...
This was the "real" thing ...

Expectedly - I finished my meal before she did
I looked her in the eyes and asked ... "was it good for you?"
She gave me that look , followed by the predictable question -
''... are you finished - alreaaaady ? "

I half expected her to whip out a cigarette and blow a puff of smoke into the air, as a ritual of satisfaction (?)
As I, on the other hand, would characteristically start to doze off ...

This was a truly greaaaaat dinner
Great place
Great food
Great wine
Great service
And .......
It was free

Greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

Aubergine Restaurant and Patisserie
32nd and 5th Building
Fort Bonifacio
Taguig, Philippines
(63-2) 8569888
www.aubergine.ph

Al Fresco

2008-08-17T22:02:00.003+08:00

It was a cool Saturday evening
And Makati Avenue was buzzin'
I met up with some dear friends and had a couple of drinks
In what promises to be the next Makati "hotspot"

A. Venue Mall and Events Hall has been evolving over the past few months
Interesting restaurants and bars have been opening
And the humongous events hall is being increasingly recognized as a preferred concert and event venue

And now ...
On weekends,
The wide sidewalks facing Makati Avenue have been converted into a quaint village-type row of al fresco outlets that will surely be the next "in" destination for nightowls on the prowl for a fun place to be

Facing Makati Avenue on the ground level are Gasthof Restaurant and Grill, Seattle's Best Coffee, Padrino (of the famed " L'Opera and Balducci group), Botong's (a newbie bar resto) and Contempo Restaurant ...
Sidewalk seating allows an al fresco drink and dine experience that promises to be a "barkada's" delight ...

Watch the cars zip by
Watch the girls walk by
Listen to the music
Enjoy the food
Have a drink ... or two, maybe three
Maybe more

Seeya'
If you've got nothing to do this weekend
Drop by the "A"

I will be the guy on the sidewalk
Under the table umbrella
Sipping on a thirst-quenching mojito
Talking to a mucha bonita or two ... maybe three
Just livin' life ...

"Let's c'mon"
Join me ...

Fish Lip

2008-08-15T23:51:00.001+08:00

Flash floods !!!
It was raining house and lot ...

The rumble of thunder
Streaks of lightning
And a sudden downpour ...

Perfect ingredients for Metro Manila floods
And the predictable traffic mess that follows
I was stuckkkkkkkkkk ....

Road rage
Hunger pangs
Fear of submersion
Possible engine stall
And an overloaded bladder ready to burst

I felt like I was in the China Olympic Games
Facing an obstacle course of water and vehicles
Avoiding potholes
Maneuvering my way through the thick Friday payday gridlock
All of us jockeying for position and dominance in a river where once was an asphalt road

Then out of the corner of my eye - I caught sight of an oasis of restaurants
A perfect pit stop
I really needed a break ...

Legend Hongkong Seafood Restaurant has been around for several years
It has always been on the "recommended" list of many of my friends - as far as Chinese restaurants are concerned
Here - finally was my chance to try it out

Relieved that I had found a place to weather out the rain,
I entered a typically large (and noisy) Chinese restaurant ...
There were families eating and slurping their way through some very inviting dishes

"Iced tea please"
Then -hmmmmm
Let me see ...

Fish Lip Soup
Steamed Fish Fillet in Ginger and Onion
Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs
Yang Chow Fried Rice

I always have difficulty spinning out an opinion about Chinese food because I really don't know what the "right" taste should be
I only know that I like it or that I don't
And this ...
I liked
I really liked

The rains abated
The floods slowly subsided
The food in front of me "disappeared"
And I headed home with a new favorite ....
Hmmmmm
As a matter of fact, I might be back next week
Flood or no flood
Join me ...

Legend Hongkong Seafood Restaurant
Boom na Boom Compound
Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex
Manila
Tel:(63-2) 8331188 (63-2) 8333388

It Isn't Permanent

2008-08-14T22:29:00.002+08:00

It's been almost 3 months - hasn't it?
Yup
Close to a quarter

Off the air
Brain dead
Signed off

My cerebral synapses have just not been working
Stunned into inaction
Lulled to sleep

Everything seemed to be alright one day ...
Then I woke up with the price of gas suddenly beyond my reach
Rice was more precious than gold
Canned goods exorbitantly priced
Food costs going up
Electricity costs casting a heavy burden
Transport rates unbelievable

People seemed listless
Shell shocked
Walking like zombies in the middle of department stores
Just staring, not buying ...
I couldn't blame them
Who could afford anything ?

Suddenly - it was survival mode
Penny pinching
Looking for new ways to make ends meet
Finding new opportunities

What has the world come to?
Where has the country gone?

I would stare into my laptop
Try to post something
But nothing would come out
Life itself - though short - was somehow, not in and of itself, inspiring enough to write about

Clearly, I had burned out ...
The pressure of being underpaid and overworked in an environment of rising costs was taking its toll
That TV, radio and printed media were full of murder, rape, corruption, litigation and wars was of no help at all

I needed to be in a bubble
I wanted to keep my interactivity with the world at a minimum
Work, work, work ...
That's all I focused on
Survival mode - remember?

Blogging was a luxury of time (and inspiration)
I just wanted to give it up altogether
Why blog?
Every other joe is doing it
Nothing new
Nothing great

Then last week, I stumbled into the July 23, 2008 post of Anton Diaz at his runaway blog hit Our Awesome Planet.
"Why Blog?" is a post that is an answer to his own question
In his post, Anton lists several of his "why blog" reasons
(I wish you would all read Anton's post. The content is even more inspiring than the list)

1. Our Blog is a love letter to our sons.
2. I'm writing the modern history of the Philippines.
3. To sow good deeds.
4. Ninoy Aquino is a blogger.
5. Inspire 1 Mind, Touch 1 Heart.
6. To have fun.
7. OAP is my personal art space.
8. Build personal brand.
9. I write to globalize the local.
10. To live forever.

The piece is enlightening ...
We blog , not just for ourselves - but for others
For the future
For our children
For immortality

Makes sense
I feel my neurons firing up
The brain cells are stirring
The current is on
I'm baaaaaaaaack ...

Again
I think
Maybe
We'll see ...

Wholesome

2008-05-14T00:54:00.013+08:00

Gasthof Restaurant is on the "must go" list of most everyone who visits the paradise that is Boracay
Right on the beach - in the center of it all,
With a bevy of minimally clad beauties cavorting about.
Taking on a German beer garden feel
With some of the best seafood, sausage and meat grills on the island
Famous for it's lip smackin', mouthwatering baby back ribs.
Gasthof ...

I sat leisurely in my chair
Beer in hand
Peering impatiently at the grill
Waiting as prawns, fish, and clams simmered over hot coal
And of course - the famous baby back ribs ...
I had to have baby back ribs

I could hardly wait
I closed my eyes
I imagined a time long , long ago when I first visited the secret island that was "Bora"
A time when the crowds were not so thick
The beach not so crowded
Hotels were far and in between
Restaurants were exotic and imaginative (including one perched on a treetop)

A time when it was still Borah-kai,
As opposed to Bora-khey
A time when breasts were real
And swim wear covered enough of the body to leave room for imagination

A time when "party" was a noun - not a verb
A time when "cell" was a room at the police station - not a phone
A time when Michael Jackson was "thrilling" - not weird
A time when "clowns" were in the circus -not in government

So long ago ...

The aroma of grilled baby backs now filled the air
I excitedly took a swig of the San Mig in my hand
The waiter walked towards me
With my culinary treasure on his tray
" Enjoy your meal" - he said
The prawns, clams and fish soon followed ...

This was the life
Few moments can match the fulfillment
I took a bite
No disappointment
Tasty, tangy, delicious ...
I was a happy guy

I looked out towards the road
Watched the people walking by
Looked helplessly on as a dilapidated taxicab turned the corner
And slammed directly into a waiting 6-wheeler truck
Creating a monster traffic jam ...

Whaaaaaaaaaaat?
Wait wait wait
Wasn't I in Boracay?

Well ....
Sort of
I was in Gasthof Restaurant and Grill - (of Boracay fame),
And Gasthof has come to Makati
Yup - in the middle of urbantown Makati itself

Gasthof's first branch outside of Boracay
Is making waves
As people trapped in the urban jungle of Makati
Troop to this three level resto
Serving it's original recipe of famous ribs and grills

No sand, no sea , no surf
No bikinis, no thongs
No surfboards, no paraws
Just beer or wine
And good ole' beach food ...

Totally "wholesome" - as opposed to some holes
Imagine na lang ,
It's as good as ...

Drop by
It's deja vu all over again for the 2nd time
Something similiar
Something family
Kinda'

Pwede na din ...

Gasthof Restaurant and Grill
Ground Floor, A. Venue Mall
7829 Makati Avenue
Makati

(63-2) 382-8407

Consistently Delicious

2008-05-11T23:59:00.002+08:00

My mom is a neverending song

in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.
I may sometimes forget the words
but I always remember the tune.
-Gracie Harmon -

Mother's Day
I sat across the table from Mom
Memories floated by
I looked at her and knew how blessed I had been in life
She had always been there
Never questioning
Always giving
Ever caring
Being Mom ...

We were having dinner at Felix - located in the swank Greenbelt 5
This new arrival at the tree-lined "outside" strip of the mall is starting to attract a loyal following
Enter a comfortable casually elegant dining niche
Here Chef Florabel Co ( chef to the stars) whips up a formidable array of wonderful Filipino-Continental fusion cuisine
Never confusing, always interesting, consistently delicious ...

The menu is marked by culinary interpretations of names of places and people that apparently are significant to the imaginative chef

Picture this:

Gen San - devilishly spicy tuna with garden salad
Mactan - grilled prawns with dried scallops, chili cucumber, radish and XO sauce served with brown rice risotto and green asparagus
Gaithersburg - braised short ribs with foie gras served with brown rice
And my most favorite of all ...
Farrah - foie gras fried rice
Not to forget the "must try" dessert -
Julia - a choco mani cake
(heaven for chocnut freaks like me)

Sounds interesting?
Looks interesting?

I recommend it
Truly worth a visit
Go
Have a wonderful dinner

And while you are at it,
Bump into some showbiz personas
(the grapevine says that Ben Chan of the Bench retail empire, as well as the Richard Gomez/Lucy Torres lovebirds are co-owners)

Fine dining
Great wine choices
A canopy of trees
And perhaps a glimpse of your favorite movie star
What better way to spend a special evening ...

(Happy Mother's Day Mom !)

Felix
Greenbelt 5, Legaspi Street
Ayala Center
Makati

(63-2) 729-9062

Suckin' on a Wing

2008-05-10T01:36:00.018+08:00

Finally ...
A post from the disappearing blogger
Miss me?

Sorry - it is just that ...
I have never been so tired in my life
The end of the day finds me brain dead
Physically zonked
Emotionally exhausted

The pressure is so high
The stress is tremendous
The uncertainty is unsettling
The expectations are unbelievable

Who invented "work" ?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I have never needed a break as much as I do now ...

Time to blow off steam
Have a festive time
Feel good
Forget my worries and my cares
Just be ...

Luckily -
HOOTERS is in town
Yes folks -barely a month old
The nearly famous Hooters Restaurant complete with their Hooter Girls welcomes Manila's maddening crowd ...

Hooters is an American restaurant chain started in 1983 and now with about 435 branches worldwide.
It's claim to fame aside from their variation of the usual American menu is the all female "Hooter Girl" service crew
Clearly an attempt to play on the males attraction to scantily clad females, Hooters has nonetheless somehow positioned itself as a "neighborhood family-friendly restaurant"

I walked in with a high school buddy
Talking and laughing about days gone by
Somehow the "good old days" always seems a such a source of comfort ...

We sat at the bar and started browsing the mouthwatering offerings of the menu
Typical americana fare
Buffalo wings, french fries, burgers, nachos, grills etc.
Our eyes were flitting from the menu to the moving "targets" around us who were mostly in orange shorts and white tank tops
A few "bigger" cleavages in black uniforms belonged to imported Caucasian mentors - here in the Philippines to coach their "smaller" Pinay counterparts
Boldly emblazoned on someones formidable chest was the "espirit" of the place - "delightfully tacky yet unrefined"
We started a conversation with some "girls"
Tacky yet unrefined indeed
Talking about nothing in particular - mostly food (or was it about "eating")
Just hooting with the hooters ...

It is a happy, boisterous place
Smiles, laughter and a lot of head-bobbin' , back-slappin' , beer-guzzlin' fun can be had here
Despite the rowdy, sleazy image that may first enter one's mind - it is really a harmless generic American restaurant in the mold of TGIF and the likes
There were families and kids enjoying the place, just as there were cross-eyed males trying to enjoy the "view" as much as the food

Hooters is a fun place
Friendly crew
Good food
Great drinks
A great place to meet with friends

And the "hooter girls" ?
Uhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Lets' just say - for the most part, I would probably need a significant amount of beer
Well -
Okay
I would need a lot of beer
I am shy like that ... (yeah right)

Whatever ...

If you are looking for a new breastaurant?
Hooters Philippines has opened it's doors
Seeya
I will be the cross-eyed, pot-bellied nerd at the bar ...
Suckin' on a chicken wing
And drowning in a beer

Hooters @Manila Bay, Philippines
Building D, Units 1-6
San Miguel By the Bay
Mall of Asia, Pasay

Book Tag

2008-04-27T23:29:00.020+08:00

Long overdue
I owe my cyber-buddy Gizelle @mirage2g a "123" book tag entry.
Gizelle is a super-mom with the cutest kids and a penchant for great cooking. Her blogs are worth a visit because she posts some of the most wonderfully vivid photographs that give a sense of her life in Vienna, Austria.

Sorry for the slow Alzheimeric book tag reaction from me Giz ,
I have just been too laptop, DVD and Ipod intensive that I haven't really been near a good book lately.
I thank you for reminding me of the continued relevance of books.
There is after all, nothing like a paperback to keep me company while sipping coffee at Starbucks
(As opposed to having to talk to "wifey"
the paperback is looking like a mighty good option ...)

For those in the audience - the book tag works like this :

Here are the easy to do tag rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

So - here's my book:

Yes - the book is entitled "Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?"
It is a question and answer book.
One question , one answer
Then - on to the next question

I love books like this because they are entertaining, informative and such easy reads.
Great for stolen reading opportunities such as coffee breaks, afternoon tea, or waiting in line ,
As well as when waiting for someone who is always at least 30 minutes late for anything, knowing full well that that irritates me no end ...
Though that doesn't seem to matter despite the fact that she now legally owns half of everything I own ...
And 100% of everything that she ever bought despite my pleas for rational spending because my ability to pay credit card bills is stretched to the max already ...
And that a closet packed with dresses cannot be by any stretch of imagination so empty as to say "I have nothing to wear ... "
Grrrrrrrrrr
But then I digress ...

Okay
Back to the book tag
Hmmmm - page 123 - 1st 5 sentences
Then post the next three ...

"If you want to read about the first reported case of tone deafness, just go to the 1878 journal Mind and read Grant-Allnes article "Note Deafness". The article describes the case of a thirty-year-old man who took music lessons as a child, but was completely unable to carry a tune or recognize familiar melodies.
Congenital amusia is similar to a learning disability. "

This is part of the answer to the question - "Are some people really tone deaf?"
Unexciting answer
(Shucks - I could have just YouTubed wifey singing - and the answer would have been obvious)

Anyway ...
There are clearly more interesting questions and answers in other pages of the book.
The most interesting I guess is the part that answers the title,
"Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?"
This appears on page 14-16
A lengthy discussion that includes the role of body chemicals like oxytoxin, prolactin, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), and endorphins.
Ho hum
Perhaps boring but interesting to know nonetheless.

Of course if the authors had just taken the time to ask me,
Then I could have given them the simple answer

Q: - Why do men fall asleep after sex"
A: - Because ... there's nothing left to do.

Juan Day at Work

2008-04-25T00:42:00.013+08:00

Okay...
I am back
Whaaaaaat happened?

Well
Work got in the way ...

For the past two weeks
Our office has gone through an international accreditation exercise
American industry auditors interrogated us
We were under the microscope
Tons of paperwork
Lots of legwork
Always on the edge
24/7

Maaaaaan !!!
I was up to my ears in Americans
Non-stop English can be very tiring

Susmarusep
Tanks Gad It Fridays
I needed a good old Filipino shot in the arm

Juan's Bistro is a cozy little "bistro kuno" that proposes to sprinkle Pinoy lutong bahay with a touch of informal elegance
"Komiks" splatter the wall to lock in that batang Pinoy feel
An open fire grilled kitchen kicks in the sense of bistro flair
The menu is a litany of Pinoy favorites

I quenched my thirst with black gulaman and sago
Then (as usual) proceeded into my heart attack diet.
Sizzling sisig plus pork liempo and rice,
Add a dash of monggo with chicharon toppings
And I was all set ...
I felt so Filipino
Such a relief - after a week of captivity by American slave masters

Haaaaaay
This is the life ....

AmeriKana looking at bistro food menu: "uhmm Dagul ..can you please translate this foods for me cause i dont understand them."

Dagul: Sure why not - coconut?
'Kana: what is fried tinulingan?
Dagul: circumcised fish.
'Kana: Chicken Binakol?
Dagul: Pervert CHicken.‘
'Kana: kinalawing kambing
Dagul: Eagled Goat‘
'Kana: nilagang baka?
Dagul: Boiled Maybe?
‘Kana: thanks dagul! Waiter!waiter!
Waiter: yes mam whats your order?‘
'Kana: can i have a hamburger.
Waiter: yes mam? do you want to try our dessert tsokolateng mainit just ten pesos mam.
‘Kana: dagul - what is tsokolateng mainit in english?
Dagul: CHocolate That Want Sex

( toinnnnnnnnnnnngk ... flying menu board)

Juan's Bistro
Unit 146
South Parking Building
Mall of Asia

The Usual Stuff

2008-04-11T23:59:00.003+08:00

I sat down and ordered from the extensive menu
The gracious waitress repeated my order (as they are trained to do),
Then jauntily scampered off towards the kitchen.
I unfolded a newspaper and started scanning the day's news
Corruption, murder, robbery, libel, overpricing, hoarding ...
Hmmm -nothing new
Just the usual stuff ...

Then there it was ,
On page A22

Ouchhhhhhh
Yowwwwwwwwww
I shudder just at the thought of it ...

Yes folks ...
This scorned Pinay culminated her fits of fury with an act that can be said to be on the "cutting" edge
For her - the time had come "to cut - and cut cleanly"

And for the poor man ...
No dose of Viagra will ever be of any help
The deed is done
It will forever be very hard, to be very hard

Let the lesson be learned ...
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned "

There was much to think about ...
How does this lesson apply in my own life?
Where did I keep the scissors?
Does she know?
Should I sleep on my right side?

My thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the waitress
"Sir - your order is here. Enjoy your meal ..."
I stared
My thoughts still stuck on the news article
Suddenly - I wasn't hungry

"Ahhhhh ...
Miss -pabalot na lang"

Pregnant

2008-04-07T23:34:00.016+08:00

Yes people ...
The man is pregnant
And ...
Get this - he is proudly half-Pinoy
Half man, half woman and half Filipino
Three halves equal a "hole"
Ooooooooooooops - a "whole" ...
(Sorry about that)

The world is going mad
Global warming is frying our brains
The unthinkable is now reality
The totally weird is totally real

Omigossshhhhhhhh
Talk about the impossible ...
A pregnant man !
What will they think of next?
A faithful husband ??????
Hahahahaha
(Sorry about that ... )

Anyhoooooo
That really calls for a drink (donchatink?)
And perhaps a good dinner to boot
There is after all a new place in town ...

Contempo
Located along the rejuvenated and blooming Makati Avenue strip,
This casually elegant restaurant positions itself as serving "new Asian cuisine"
The place is in a "dry run" of sorts - but already one can see the makings of an upcoming hotspot
Service is warm and personal
Servers are helpful and knowledgeable

A glass of white wine started us off.
We took our time exploring the menu ...

It was a tough choice -there was much which was of interest.
For our first time sortie, we tried :

1. Squid marinated in sweet and spicy Thai dressing with sesame phyllo and alfalfa
2. Thai surf and turf - chili prawns, sweet pork belly and chicken pandan with Thai fried rice, quail egg and green mango
3. Seared beef tenderloin in rasberry teriyaki sauce, with crusted foie gras and truffled mash potatoes
4. Soy cheesecake with almond cornflake crust, green tea mousse and oolong tea syrup

The dinner went well beyond my expectations
What a pleasant and delicious surprise
The mix of several flavors coming together in one dish was masterfully executed
This was "fusion" cuisine that made sense
I was hooked
I knew I would be back ...

Seeya there
I will be the guy in the corner table with a big belly
No - I won't be pregnant
I really just have a big belly ....
:-)

Contempo
Unit F101
A Venue Mall
7829 Makati Avenue, Makati
(63-2) 757-1042

Bizarre

2008-04-04T18:12:00.003+08:00

If not bizarre then perhaps funny
At the very least intriguing
At most - rather insulting

The president of the island nation of PALAU had just finished an official state visit to the Philippines.
Bilateral agreements were signed.
Lots of goodwill was generated.

Then it was time to go
Whatever it was that happened at the airport -the net result was that the President of the nation of Palau was unable to leave
Apparently - he refused to be "frisked" by representatives of Continental Airlines
He was after all a head of state on an official state visit
Perhaps he was due just a little dignity and respect
After all -I have never heard of the president of the most powerful nation in the world being "body searched" while on any of his visits anywhere
Or maybe even being asked if he was bringing anything in that had to be declared

I guess equality is not so equal in the eyes of the defenders of equality.

Whatever ...
The incident rekindled my interest in Palau.
I had long wanted to explore the possibility of vacationing there ...

Palau - is an ocean lovers destination
Sand and sea
Diving
Snorkeling
Sea sports
Fishing
Dolphin watching
Or just plain chilling out with a thirst-quenching MaiTai in hand, as the sun slowly sets in the horizon ...

Palau is located 500 miles east of the Philippines
Just a short hop away
Pack your bags
Make sure to be "frisked" at the airport
And board the plane for a 2 and 1/2 hour flight to a dream vacation
One day soon ...

Ohhhhhh ...
They also have a "delicacy" that you might be interested in
(We can't forget the food - can we?)
You might want to explore their wonderful "bat soup"
Mmmmmm
Yummmmmmmmy

Lets see ...
A touch of ginger
Some coconut milk
More spices
And ...
A bat

Bon apetit ..
(http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/bat-soup-delicious.html)

Ay yay yay ...
Now - I know why Batman and Robin are always in a hurry to return to the Batcave.

Perhaps We Were Hungry

2008-03-30T03:32:00.017+08:00

Remember Claire de la Fuente ?

"Karen Carpenter of the Philippines"
That was how she was dubbed in the 1970s-80's - what with a voice and singing style that bore a striking resemblance to that of Karen Carpenter - the iconic multi-awarded but ill-fated international singer'.
Claire's own Philippine career peaked, plateaued and faded away
She subsequently put her hard earned money in business - and set up a successful bus line, and a chain of restaurants to boot

But recently - with the advent of youtube and digital recordings, Claire was "rediscovered" by none other than Richard Carpenter , the late Karen Carpenter's brother, and composer of all their chart-breaking hits.
Charmed and amazed by the voice quality similarities, Richard got in touch with Claire and contracted her to re-launch the "Carpenters" sound worldwide.
Richard Carpenter came to Manila and was typically overwhelmed by the welcome and adulation that he received from the star-struck Filipino music lovers.

Claire de la Fuente - "rediscovered" and now an international recording star
Another fairy tale story that focuses on Filipino talent, perseverance, and never-say-die character ...

Good news about the Philippines
Such a rarity these days
That was certainly worth a celebration of sorts

How to celebrate?

There were two ways I could think of ...
One was to ride one of Claire de la Fuente's buses
Or I could go out and EAT in one of the Claire de la Fuente restaurants ...
Such a tough choice ...
A bus ride or food?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Claire de la Fuente Grill and Seafood, at the San Miguel by the Bay is the latest of what is now a chain of " Claire" restaurants
I love this particular location to a large extent because I have learned to love the baywalk ...
It is such a social equalizer
Leave the pretensions of Makati's social structure behind
And just immerse in the crowd as one of the guys
Nobody is anybody
Everybody is somebody ...

I was with my Saturday wild bunch
A conglomeration of family and friends, young and old
Sharing stories
Laughing
Eating
Drinking
Just a Saturday chill-out, let loose, be yourself exercise ...

It was a "paluto" set up - (pick your ingredients and have it cooked)
The wives and girlfriends hied off to the adjacent wet market
And started picking the seafood that was to comprise our feast
Fresh, soft, alive, moving - still smelling of the sea
A seafood buffet in the making ....

The guys stayed at the table contented with San Miguel Beer,
And the bonus of ogling at all the luscious, attractive, delicious, mouthwatering members of the opposite sex parading down the baywalk ...
(We had to be careful though ... oftentimes the opposite sex was really the third sex)

Stories galore
Boisterous laughter
Endless camaraderie
Cementing of bonds
Enjoying the view
Tolerating the sounds of bands and entertainers
People watching
Waiting for the food to be prepared
Grilled, boiled, sauteed, "sinigang", "kilawin" (fresh, raw and mixed with vinegar and onions) ...

When the food came - everyone just jumped in
It was a frenzy of 15 hungry people attacking a seafood feast
Smiling faces
Contented looks
Licking fingers
Drinkin' beer
Arms reaching out
Lips smackin'
Picking from seatmates plates
Sharing portions
A large extended family devouring a delectable selection of food ...

It was a total wipe out
Like a tsunami had swept through the table
The food was THAT good.
Or perhaps ,we were that hungry ...

(see video below)

You should really try this "baywalk" experience.
Spread the word
We will be there quite regularly
We will be the happy bunch singing the songs of "the Carpenters" ...

Claire de la Fuente Grill and Seafood
San Miguel by the Bay
Pasay City

Siguro Mayaman

2008-03-28T23:59:00.008+08:00

I read something in the newspaper this morning ...
Uhmmmm, but I forgot what it was about
Maybe it'll come back to me
What was that?
Hmmmm - I just can't seem to remember
Just can't recall ...

I do recall that I had a wonderful dinner tonight
It was a surprisingly cool and breezy evening
After a predictably burning hot afternoon ...

I was looking for an easy, relaxed place
With a good view of both the outdoors,
And of people passing by ...

Chateau 1771 has found a new home in Greenbelt 5
Loyal patrons of its location at the El Pueblo Center of Pasig/Ortigas area were saddened by its closure
But heyyyy - there is always a life after - right?

Located on the ground floor with a wonderful view of the Greenbelt Park, Chateau 1771 is slowly regaining its loyalists and attracting a new Makati following
Smiling greeters welcome guests into a modernly interpreted "chateau"
High ceilings, cathedral glass panes and walls adorned with paintings (including the colorful Onib Olmedo pieces that were part of the original restaurant)
An open kitchen reveals a beehive of activity as the staff contends with the frequently packed place

We started with some melted Raclette cheese as appetizer
"A bottle of wine please ...."
A low fat and tasty Chicken Marinara pasta aptly prepared the way for the main dish as we bantered and chatted while enjoying the endless parade of interesting people walking by

"Ano ang suot niya ? - Tama ba yun?"
"Huh - sila na ba ngayon?"
"Ang ganda naman masyado nun - 'tamo pag lumakad, kumakalog ang ..."
"Original kaya yung bag nya?"
"Palagay mo na-lipo na yan?"
"Sino kaya gumawa ng ilong nya?"
"Ahhhhh - siya ba yun? "
"Akala ko kung sinong maganda .."

Good food, good wine and chismis ...
Just a typical evening,
Relaxing
Fun
No worries

Then the main dish came.
Potence is the "star' of the house specialties
This is "grilled beef tenderloin hung on metal gallows then flambed with brandy" and served with "3 sauces"
The ritual of basting the tenderloin with "fire" is performed at your table side
It is a ceremonial sight in itself
The aroma of brandied beef is irresistible

And when put to the test of taste?
Juicy
Tender
Delicious

Now,that is gooooooood
"Another bottle of wine pleaaaaaase"
More chismis ...

"O sino naman yun?"
"Huh - talagaaaaaa?"
"Grabe - ang pangit nya hah - mas gwapo pa ako dun e"
"Siguro mayaman ...."

Hahahahahahahahaha

Lookin' for a great evening?
Try Chateau 1771 at Greenbelt 5
I love this place ...

Chateau 1771
Ground Floor @Greenbelt 5
(63-2) 7299760
http://www.chateaugroup.com/

Indulge

2008-03-22T03:59:00.007+08:00

Walking can be tiring
Food is my fuel
And on festive moments like this weekend has been
I indulge (hahahaha - as if i ever don't indulge)

How festive is festive on Manila's streets without street food ?
Eat light
Always on the go

Peace ....

Cautious

2008-03-22T02:12:00.007+08:00

A full moon illuminated the cool evening
Wifey, growing son and yours truly were out in the streets
Enjoying the festive atmosphere

Thick crowds
People shoulder to shoulder
Eye to eye
Side by side

There was a need to be careful
Street smart
Watchful
Cautious

Peace .....

Peace

2008-03-21T16:34:00.013+08:00

Visita Iglesia is a tradition of Holy Thursday that we inherited from more than 300 years of Spanish colonial occupancy.
Pinoys festively troop on this pilgrimage of visiting seven churches (some visit as much as fourteen) - in representation of the seven stations of the Cross.

It is a ritual of devotion for most.
A visit of curiosity for some.
A tradition of habit for many
A sacrifice of sincerity for others.
An opportunity to reflect, for all ...

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son - and whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life
John 3:16

At this time last year, I was in the pits.
Life had not been going well.
I was indeed ready to give up.
I had thoughts of going to sleep and never waking up -and it would have been alright.
I was done in emotionally.
The burden of life itself had become too heavy
I was a total mess
I wanted to "rest"
I just wanted peace and quiet ...

"Angels" in the form of friends and family hovered over me
Being the shoulders on which I could lean
Being the hearts to whose beat I could weep
Being the ears into which I could whisper
Being the arms onto which I could hold

And on a moonlit, warm and lonely night
I found my peace
I found the quiet
I found rest ...

I found it in Him
Completely surrendering my life
Cognizant of my human helplessness
Accepting the grace and mercy of a loving and forgiving God ...

Life is not at its best
I continue to struggle with issues
But I do not feel alone
I feel His presence in this journey through life
I know He is there ...
And I value the life that He has given me

God is indeed good
May you all be touched by God's continuing love.

On this Holy Week
I wish you all ... peace

Wooze

2008-03-19T21:57:00.002+08:00

Whaaaaaaat a day
5 meetings
Everyone wanted a piece of my head
It was the day before Holy Thursday
The last day of the week for a nation looking forward to a long weekend ...

I was very tired
Brain dead
Leaden feet
Empty stomach ...

I just wanted some comfort food
Something familiar
Something to lull me to sleep ...

C2 ...
For those unused to the Filipino penchant for shortcuts and acronyms -that's C2 for Classic Cuisine
Classic because it pretty much serves Filipino dishes that are well known and popular
Cuisine to reflect the flair with which the food is plated or presented
The result?
Filipino food that is good to eat and good to look at.

My favorite?
The food that comforts me?
The reason I chose to eat here tonight?
The reason I take cholesterol busting statins?

Ta dah ...
It's Crispy Kare-Kare
I love this
It is Crispy Pata -with kare-kare sauce
Two of the Pinoy's fave foods put together as one
Fusion
Cholesterol plus cholesterol equals cholesterol
Add a decent dose of white rice for a carbo boost
Take some sweetened gulaman and sago to push it all down
And you are set for a blast off into a health buffs nightmare
But clearly a foodies delight ...

This stuff is goooooooooood
Crunchy crispy "balat" - (almost "chicharonish" in consistency)
Tender "pata" meat - (complete with "taba")
Tasty kare2 sauce - (thick stewed peanut sauce)
With bagoong on the side to boot - (alaaaaaaaaaaat )

Mmmmmmmmmmm ...
Blood rushes to my stomach as the digestive juices go on overdrive
My speech slows down
My eyes start to droop
A sense of wooze prevails

It is time for post digestion slumber
It has been a good way to end a bad day ...
Good night

As the blog says -life is short
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

C2 (Classic Cuisine)
Powerplant Mall
Rockwell Commercial Center
Makati

Be the Referee

2008-03-17T03:49:00.011+08:00

Manny Paquiao the Pacman had won again
The nation was ecstatic
Unified (for once) in rooting for a homeboy ...

We are like that
Coming together to watch our heroes beat the wits out of our common enemies
Beat them to a pulp if need be
We cheer whether the battle be in a boxing ring or in a political arena

Macho macho man
Hoooo haaaaa (muscle flexing)
This a time for meat ...
Time for a good manly cut of beef

Myron's Place in the swank Greenbelt 5 was a friend's recommendation
New
Crisp
Clean
Inviting
And with an outdoor patio area that allows one to dine under the wonderful tree canopy of Greenbelt 5

Our menu choices were pretty straightforward with no real surprises.

"Sisig samosas"
Mesclun Salad with sea scallops and raspberry vinaigrette
Baked oyster sampler (includes baked oyster with foie gras)
Duet of bacon-wrapped Angus steak and grilled prawns
And finally ...
Roast US Angus Rib-Eye Beef
Wine please ...

Friends walked in and out
A few waves , a few smiles
Beso-beso , chismis
Manila is a small town full of people whose national pastime aside from eating, is to talk
It was an evening full of chatter - much of it about the days boxing event

The food itself though was not a "knockout"
More like a split decision
I had expected more
But ...
They are in "soft opening"
I wouldn't count them out just yet
"You can never can tell"
You are just gonna' have to try them yourselves
Be the referee ...

Let me know

Myron's Place
Greenbelt 5
Legaspi Village, Makati
(02) 757-8898

The Message

2008-03-16T15:52:00.002+08:00

I have always been a fan of road signs.
I appreciate the intelligence and the work that goes into designing one that can be universally relevant and understood.

One of my cyber buddies Gizelle has a blog called Vienna Daily Photography.
It is a wonderful photojournal about her life in Vienna.
One of her posts had a picture of a wonderfully useful, relevant and modern signage series that is used in their train system. It is worth visiting just to see the direction that modern day signage is taking.

Wonderful graphics
Colorful
Artistic
Imaginative
Professional

Road signs, facility signs, transportation signs ...
A triumph of graphics and color
A success of communications
A whole message and process of thought embodied in a simple graphic
The challenge to graphic artists to address the universality of their message is formidable

In the Philippines, our need for universal signage is the same as the rest of the world
The challenge is the same - and WE as usual do not disappoint

Pinoy signs
A triumph of necessity and ingenuity
A success of communication equal to that of any other country
Very subtle
Intelligent
Comprehensive
Perhaps different
But effective

Uniquely Pinoy

Get the message ?

Sorry Guys

2008-03-15T08:03:00.019+08:00

Sorry guys ...
I am just totally stuck on Binibining Pilipinas Janina San Miguel
I figure I have watched her video a zillion times
I swear , I have fried my brains just laughing and laughing
I am just totally in love
And with this new music video remix by DJ Modesto to tap my feet and bob my head to
It's gonna be a happy weekend for sure ...

(turn the volume up)

Yes indeed,
I do hope your weekend will be a good one as well .
After all - as you all know ...

"I ken lee - tulibu di bu douchoo"

But then, I guess you have known that all along.

Fish Be With You

2008-03-14T01:57:00.019+08:00

I was in the Luneta area
I had just paid my respects to Jose Rizal - wondering if he was turning over in his grave as he watches the telenobela of current Philippine governance
I was about to head home
When I remembered - heyyyyy, the new oceanarium is in a soft opening

Like the 10 year old kid that I am , I rushed over to the area behind the Luneta Grandstand
There in all its unfinished splendor, is the new Manila Ocean Park
Zipping past the food stalls that would usually hold my attention, I lined up for my 400 pesos entrance fee (yikes !!!)
My eyes scanned the enormous entrance hall while waiting for the ridiculously slow line to move

After an irritatingly long time - I finally got to the ticket counter
With much anticipation - I stumbled in excitedly
I was exuberant about the prospect of (finally) having a world-class oceanarium in the country
There was much to expect - having been to similar facilities in Hongkong, Thailand, Singapore and the United States

The receiving area is a naturally lighted open air walk-through with patches of aquariums and pools to start the journey through the seas
Children milled excitedly around - their eyes scouring their surrounding with glee

Then one walks into the enclosed area - and the fun really begins
Aquarium stations with wonderful exotic fish collections keep everyone buzzing
Cameras clicking everywhere (no flash photography please)
Children asking questions
Adults answering wrongly

Mercifully - there is a sound-over narrator piped in through the sound system - who describes the area and the fishes.
Very helpful
Informative aquarium labels further deepen the learning experience

One area connects seamlessly to the next
Virtual images intermittently flash on the floor or on a 3dimensional circular ceiling decor
The kids run around in excited circles
The adults bump into each other as they lose track of their paths because their eyes are glued to the moving fishes

Then - there's the see-through tunnel
Incredible for those who have never seen anything like it
Ooooooh ahhhhhh
You can almost touch the stingray, the sharks, the fishes
Surround vision - fishes everywhere
Camera phones magically appear - people pivot like human CCTV security cams

"In fairness hah -maganda sya" says one amused fish-struck guy
(I stole a furtive glance at his charming date - and mentally agreed)

I lingered longer
With a smile
In awe - not so much because of the fish themselves - but because the Pinoy was being given a chance to finally experience an international level facility, and to benefit from a world-class level of educational entertainment
I was being happy for everyone who was happy
How I wish that many would walk away not only with memories of a wonderful afternoon with the fishes,
But also with an appreciation of nature,
A reverence for the sea and the creatures in them,
An understanding of the interlinking of man to environment
And an acceptance of the wisdom and power of a loving and almighty God.

I was loving the moment
I was loving the sea
I was loving the fishes
Such lovable fishes ...
It was that kind of a moment

I floated through the door exiting the area
Followed the guards directions
Climbed the stairs to the "next" area
And walked straight into ....
.... (guess what?) ...
A seafood restaurant

Ngekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Hahahaha
Ready to eat some "lovable" fish (?)

Fish be with you

Mindgames

2008-03-13T23:28:00.011+08:00

Peking Duck is one of my favorites dishes.
Considered as one of the Chinese national foods, this popular duck preparation dates back to the Yuan dynasty and has preserved its role as one of the most popular dishes to come out of Chinese cuisine.
Thin, crispy skin with just a modicum of duck meat sliced ceremoniously in front of you
Dipped or sprinkled with hoisin sauce
Spring onions added
Wrapped in Chinese pancake

The duck is a specially bred anas platyrhynchos domestica
A mallard raised in the free range for 45 days
Then force fed 4x a day for the next 20 days.

"Peking" is to duck as perhaps "Wagyu" is to beef

Roasted in a brick oven till golden brown
Juicy
Slightly sweet, slightly tart
Mouthwatering
Unforgettable

Goshhhhhhhh
I would love to have some right now
THE PROBLEM IS - I DON'T PRESENTLY HAVE THE MONEY !
Being the "delicacy" that it is, Peking Duck can be quite EXPENSIVE .

So ...
I guess,
I will just have to settle,
For,
"Peking Fried Chicken"

Huh ?
Yes my dear - Peking Fried Chicken
Some bright entrepreneur has decided to fry chicken
Spice it similarly to Peking Duck
And provide hoisin sauce for dipping

The result?
A great chicken dish that plays Peking Duck mindgames with your taste buds

Served out of a small roadside kiosk near the Shell Station in Fort Bonifacio,
This fried chicken is garnering a cultish following
Get in line for "takeout"
Or "wait" for your turn at one of the 4 tables with monobloc chairs that front the kiosk

Close your eyes
Pretend you are in Beijing's royal court
Clap your hands twice
And be served the the duck that is "peke" (fake)
Why "peke"?
Because it's chicken ...
Peking Fried Chicken -ang "pekeng"duck

Masarap ...
I kid you not
You should try this

.

Peking Fried Chicken
32nd Street
Fort Bonifacio (across the Mercedes Benz dealership)
GlobalCity, Taguig

A Case in Study

2008-03-12T02:53:00.008+08:00

Someone once noted that the quality of English spoken in the Philippines is deteriorating.
This video of a beautiful young lady who won the recent 2008 Binibining Pilipinas World title clearly qualifies as a case in study.

Bear in mind - she eventually won the title, and if only for that she is a testament to the aggressive resilience, and to the "never-say-die", "give it all you've got" drive of the Filipino. I kinda' admire her but in an incredulous kind of way ...

At the very least, I wouldn't mind having dinner and a couple of drinks with her :-)

Hmmmmmm
Where would I bring her?
Somewhere interesting
Somewhere where we could talk
Somewhere new

Umu in Japanese means "born to nature"
It is also the name of the new Japanese restaurant of the renovated Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati

Greeters very politely welcome guests into an eye-catching sushi bar area
Warm and inviting, it is distinctively marked by rope-clad columns and a lighted alabaster (or maybe onyx) bar
Here -one can savor the obligatory sashimis and sushis,
Even as one lights the fire of the evening with a shot of sake or any of the cocktails that can be prepared by the well stocked bar

Or perhaps - we could settle into the area of a similarly lighted teppanyaki grill area where our personal teppan chef would dazzle us with the showmanship of his food preparation techniques.
Or maybe we could close the doors behind us, in a peaceful, serene tatami room.
(It's just that I don't trust myself with such a beautiful lady in a closed room)
As a further choice, there is an outdoor veranda that seamlessly merges into a garden area.

A wonderful neo-Japanese ambiance
Music to chill by
Food to enjoy
Wine to prime the splendor of the evening yet to unfold
Attentive servers in the service mold of geishas
And the festiveness of interactive chefs and bartenders ...

This is the place to be
To eat, drink, be merry ...
And to converse - with the girl of my dreams

Uhhh
Uhhhmmm
Hahahahaha
Actually - the imfortance persons to my life
C'mon , cut her some slacks
Give her da benefit of the 'daw"
Just burn the bridge when you get there
It was just an idea that crossed at the back of my mind
If worse comes to shove - just take things first at a time
Slow by slow
When it rains it's four
After all, I am not a boy anymore - I am a man anymore.

Kampai ...

Wet Rag

2008-03-10T22:46:00.021+08:00

PMS ...
It is that time of the month
Wifey has "estrogen issues"

It's like a rite of passage for me every 30 days
A gauntlet
An obstacle course
I become her emotional punching bag
A venting mechanism for pent-up pressure
I am a moving target skillfully dodging flying books, cups, saucer and cabinets
Everything is my fault (including global warming),
I am just incidentally in the room -much like wallpaper or furniture
It is colder than Siberia in the bedroom
And warmer than hell at the dinner table
A monster lurks ...

Shhhhhhhhhhhh
Ohhhhhh no
She is here
She's coming this way
She knows
Hide me
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Helpppppppppppp

Maaaaaaan - I need a drink
I need to hide and lick my wounds
Where ?

Hidden in the shadows of P. Burgos St. in Makati
A block away from the red lighted honky tonk habitues of some of my skirted friends
Is -believe it or not - a traditional English-style pub
A nice, cozy corner of sanity on a street better known for its carnal insanity

As if an anti-thesis to the red-light row down the street, The Woodman's Head is bathed in green light
Inside is a happy pub area complete with Brits enjoying themselves in their proprietary watering hole.
Brewed beer or "ale" is available
(though I eventually gravitated to my staple- San Mig Light)
Pub grub -bangers and mash, fish and chips, kidney pie, Cornish pastries and much more ...

A sausage platter got me going
But when I saw their "special" - Irish stew - written on the menu board
I knew I just had to try their version of this Irish comfort food
Lamb, potatos, onions, parsley and carrots in a soupish mix (I had expected it to be a little thicker or "stew"ish)
It had cabbage (more often seen in the Norwegian interpretation)
But -it was pipin' hot and tasty

Tasty enough to serve as a soothing balm to my seething and wounded pride
Good enough to make me forget the hormonal war zone at home ...

Methinks I might be hiding here regularly
Look for me
I will be the wet rag drowning in ale
Singing drunken songs with the other chaps
Havin' a jolly good time.

Ta ta for now
Cheerio ....

The Woodman's Head - Fine Ales and Pub Food
5045 P. Burgos St.
Makati
(63-2) 8979097

Kind of Lucky

2008-03-06T23:31:00.027+08:00

I have gained about 15 pounds in the last year and a half

That's a lot for a scrawny little kid like me
I have no exercise
I huff and I puff when I climb the stairs
My shirt buttons are poppin' with every breath I take
My belt has run out of holes
I dread a photo op
My wardrobe has required a size upgrade ...

It can be very depressing
I don't feel good about myself
Despite it all - I try to keep my chin up ...
... (both of them)

Perhaps I have been eating too much ?

Hahaha ...
Perhaps
I will think about it

In the meantime - there is the newly opened Barcino in Fort Bonifacio
Barcino has had a strong following for tapas and wine in its Pasig location
Strong word of mouth , a wine warehouse ambiance, and some of the best tapas in town have resulted in almost a cultish following for this hidden treasure

Those of us from Makati and southward have long been looking forward to its second location closer to us ...

Now - a reality

Located in a new building development in the sprawling Fort Bonifacio area, Barcino retains its cozy, warm and intimate feel

Wine bottles and faux barrels

Little dining nooks

A small neighborhood tavern feel

And the characteristically great tapas

This is a corner in the concrete jungle that I could definitely gravitate to for that after office chill particularly on Fridays at five-thirsty ...

A bottle of Spanish wine - is gleefully and easily consumed to start me off
Tapas Gourmet platter - a mix of jamon serrano, various chorizos and manchego cheese
Tapita sobresada de Mallorca
Tortilla Espanola
Angulas al ajillo
And mucho much more to choose from
"Absolutamente deliciosa"

It is a great way to start that weekend fiesta
Watch the cavorting senoritas
Zonk my way into a restful siesta
Or if I get really really lucky (as in hitting the lotto kind of lucky) -
I might even end up stirring the "sleeping cow" and engaging her in a passionate conjugal bullfight.

"Ole"

Barcino - Spanish Wine Cellar and Tapas Bar
Rizal Drive
Forbeswood Heights
Fort Bonifacio Global City
(63-2) 4685942

A Slow Walk

2008-03-02T03:10:00.007+08:00

Haaaaaay naku

Still at the baywalk

I had just finished a marathon dinner

Taking a portion of everything that landed on our table

Stuffing it down like there was no tomorrow

A fiesta ...

As Erap once said - I was already "fed up "
My stomach started to swell like a pregnant tadpole

Pressure building up

Tympanitic - like a drum

I really needed to "walk" it all off

Luckily -San Miguel by the Bay is indeed a long walking strip

I started a slow walk

Passing gas covertly

Successfully concealing the fluttering sound amidst the noisy din of the crowd

Blending its olfactory character with the sweet salty aroma of the ocean

Controlled explosions - once the private domain of demolitions experts, was a talent that my colon had mastered over the years :-)

I was looking for a cup of anything hot ...
Scanning the landscape for something not quite so common as Starbucks or its clones that are at every corner

Perhaps tea ?

President Tea House has a long history of satisfying food trekkers in the Binondo area.
It has more recently ventured out of its Chinatown confines, and has set up branches to allow a greater part of the Metro Manila populace to experience its legendary Cantonese cuisine and dim sum offering.

This new branch at the baywalk was garbed in modern interior design
Clean lines , bright lights
As with all restos in the row, it had an outdoor area lining the bay promenade where I parked my now deflated body

Their menu is extensive and mouth-watering
Typically Chinese
Dim sum, Peking duck, roasted spareribs, century egg, fish lip with shredded meat soup, hot sour soup, crispy fried chicken, crystal prawn balls, steamed prawns with garlic, ma-po tofu, lumpia, sweet sour pork, king dao spare ribs, pata tim, lemon chicken, pancit canton, yang cheow rice etc.
The usual stuff
Mouthwatering just to think about ...

But I had come for just a cup of anything hot
Remember?

So - I was really attracted by their "special"
Prominently posted on their door
This was after all a Chinese restaurant
Of course
Stupid me
Why didn't I think of that before
What was I thinking?
Duh ...

Hah ?
Spanish Chocolate ??
In a Chinese Tea House ???
Yes - apparently in this Chinese tea house - their special is ...
Spanish Chocolate
Comprende ????

So, what is so special about this particular Spanish chocolate ?
Aside from the fact that it is a special in a Chinese Tea house ?
Uhmmmm
Well ...
They crack an egg - and mix the egg yolk and whites with the chocolate !!!!!!!

An egg
In hot Spanish chocolate
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

It tastes chocolatey
But has a curdled and gritty feel to it as it trickles down the throat
You have to try it to make your own judgement

Hot chocolate plus egg

Omigoshhhhhhhhhh
Now I need to take another slow walk ...

After

2008-03-01T01:41:00.015+08:00

San Miguel by the Bay is my flavor of the month
I first posted about it in the early part of this week when I went there with my mother whom I "date" as often as I can
And then I was there again tonight -with my officemates
(All of whom were hungry and excited to tell their individual stories about today's big anti-government rally)

We arrived at the "baywalk" in time to catch a fireworks show - a regular weekend treat for the area
I have seen fireworks so many times and in various parts of the world
But somehow, it still brings out the kid in me
And I catch myself still blabbering with "ooooohs" and "aaaaaaaahs"

Then it was time for eating
Time for picking out seafood from the "wet market"
And having it cooked at one of the "paluto" outlets
Crabs, shrimps,fish ...
Hot-chili sauced, steamed and grilled
Plus an occasional "sisig" and "nilagang karne" - (agaaaaaaaain !!!)

I jumped into it
Eating with my hands
And lickin'my fingers
It was gooooooooooooood

So good -that I forgot to take my usual "food photo shots"
All I have for you is an "after" shot

76 Rocks

2008-02-29T15:02:00.016+08:00

Gosssssssshhhhhhh
Manila is brewing
Rallies,demonstrations, police, placards, slogans, effigies, marches, soldiers, politicians, soundbites, TV networks ...
It's a circus out there

To calm my nerves,
I always run to my favorite relatives
At their home which we fondly call 76

76 is a safehouse
A convening point for this side of the family
A place where all ages and all generations come together
From "lolos" to "apos" and all the in betweens
Female, male and whatever ...
Boyfriends, girlfriends, best friends, special friends, "friends only" , "friends na lang"
Visitors, neighbors, stray puppies
Happy, sad and the very "gay"
Where the bonds of our family strengthen to their maximum potential

It's a place where we all run ...
To eat
To rest
To "chill"
To party
To talk
To find solace
To find company
To bond
To just be ...

Where we are all family
No matter what

It is a sanctuary ...

Here -one drowns in laughter, love and food
It is an open house for breakfast, lunch, meriendas and dinner
Tapa (the specialty of the house) - on 24 hour call
Couches ready to flop into
Widescreen TV, Nintendo and Magic Sing on the ready
Instant parties in the offing
Chismis sessions in real time
And a loving couple to welcome and host us all unconditionally ...at anytime

It is home ...

Wala lang
Just rambling
About a special place
And special people who make it all possible

Philip and Booboop (see video)
Because of you
76 rocks
And so do our lives ...

Thank you so much for everything.

Don't send a lame eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Forget Politics

2008-02-27T00:05:00.005+08:00

I can't take much more of this
I just want to close my ears ...
I just want to disappear into the horizon
There is just so much ... too much - political noise in this country
It is so tiring
The viciousness with which we conduct our politics is debilitating

If only because most of us just want to get on with our lives,
That in itself should be a rallying point
A call for the politics of non-politics
Haaaaay naku
Nakakapagod
Bwisit

I needed a moment of solace
Just staring out into the sky
Revel in the sunset
Dream of peace and quiet
I needed a walk by the bay ...

San Miguel By The Bay is a boardwalk stretch located behind the SM Mall of Asia
Now lined with new, structured and organized food outlets - it is the new "baywalk" of Manila.

Food outlets line both sides of a central park area marked by a wonderful fountain with a synchronized dancing water/lights effect
Well known outlets like Pier One, Padi's Point, Harbour View, and Presidents Tea House mix it up with smaller operations better known as the Seafood market or "dampa" group of "paluto" ihaw-ihaws.
The "baywalk" is secured and kept safe by highly visible roving security guards
The architecture is uniform and controlled
Maintenance crews and streetsweep teams keep the area clean
Music bands and street entertainers liven up the strip on weekends

San Miguel by the Bay is a wonderful evolution of the Roxas Blvd "baywalk" that was closed and shutdown by the Manila mayor sometime last year to the dismay of many.
It is clean, safe, organized, well lighted and festive
As more and more concessionaires start to open up in the area, it appears to be headed towards being the preferred "by the bay" destination of Metro Manila

A cool night with a full moon
In the company of friends
Steamed shrimps, nilagang bulalo, sinigang na baboy, sisig, inihaw na plapla
And a San Mig light
This is the life ....

Forget politics

Once Again

2008-02-25T23:23:00.004+08:00

February 22-25, 1986
People Power
The EDSA Revolution
Warm prayerful bodies pitted against the cold steel of weaponry
Doing the seemingly impossible
The power of right overcoming the "evil" of that time

Among the unsung heroes of that historical saga was a beautiful lady who dared to offer flowers of peace to a soldier who was in turn seated on his helmet in a moment of bewilderment not knowing what to do with the situation ...
The embodiment of a peaceful process of reconciliation in the midst of catalytic change

The iconic picture of that moment has a place of honor in our family
The lady is my sister-in-law
An ordinary person who did what she could in the very simple way that she did
In the process - she became part of history
Immortalized in a black and white photo that made the news desks of the world ...

February 22-25, 2008
Once again the nation calls
It's like deja vu repeating itself all over again once more
The nation calls for ordinary people to do simple things
To be counted
To matter
To be heard
To be there
To be part of history ...

Start picking some flowers
And join the growing crowds
Seeya -
I will be the fat guy with a camera and a laptop,
Seated on the sidewalk - nibbling on a ham"burjer" ....

The Hottest Place

2008-02-24T23:45:00.006+08:00

One of the favorite quotes of the late President John F. Kennedy, as inspired by the infamous Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) - was :

"The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality".

Taking that lead,
And in the context of what is currently happening in the country,
I propose that -
Those who sit on the fence and take no position about the ongoing national dynamic are destined to spend eternity with the "evil" ,
Living through a Hell that is of one's own making,
For "evil triumphs when good men do nothing"

These are times for meditation
Contemplation
Consideration
Deliberation
Reflection
Decision

On whatever side of the fence one may find himself,
What is important is that we realize that we cannot be mere spectators in the drama that is our own destiny
Opinions must be taken and defended
Positions must be established and reinforced
That is the essence of a working democracy
That we can agree to disagree
And in the end -the power of one cumulatively becomes the power of all, as the truth unveils itself

Much to think about ...
A good meal, a glass of wine and a warm cup of coffee in one of the Metro's "hottest" places might help

In the midst of the sprawling modernization of the Greenbelt 5 area of Makati - the developers have thoughtfully left an area where they have preserved generations old high top trees, and lush verdant foliage
Sort of an anti-thesis to the scourge of steel and concrete that surrounds it

There lies Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar
A relaxed and casually elegant fine dining venue
Fronting the gardens surrounding the Greenbelt Park chapel.

Barely 2 months in operation, Zuni is fast becoming a word-of-mouth favorite
And why not?
Mediterranean continental cuisine
Friendly and attentive service
A fine wine list
And a vibrant setting that allows one to just "chill" ...

The menu is extensive - including tapas, salads, appetizers, soup, seafood, fowl, prime meats - all appearing to be a delight and a challenge to the palate

As is my habit, I started by benchmarking their Beef Carpaccio @345pesos
My first smile of the evening broke through ...
Then we proceeded with:
- Spaghetti with Steak and Vegetables
in olive-oil garlic sauce @350pesos
- Grilled Tiger Prawns and Scallops in cognac
in cognac-martini sauce served with brown rice risotto and asparagus @775pesos
- Grilled Steak in Adobo Jus
US top sirloin in roasted garlic-soy sauce on a bed of aubergine salad served with steamed rice @ 550pesos
- Roasted Beef Tenderloin Rossini
New Zealand beef tenderloin topped with foie gras, in truffle jus @945pesos

This was a dinner that was worth the moderately pricey tag
Flavorful
Satisfying
Relaxing

It was a wonderful evening among friends of different persuasions
Democracy at work over a sumptuous dinner
There was much of our national direction to ponder on
There was politics to discuss
There was truth to determine
There were sides to take

My gaze focused on the trees
My soul lifted by the spiritual strains coming from the chapel just a prayer away
A cool February breeze in the air
A glass of wine in my hand
And a slice of Chocolate Decadence cake beckoning ...

Let us see what tomorrow brings.

Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar
Greenbelt 5
Legaspi Village, Makati
Tel: (63-2) 4673931 (63-2) 7570361

Is It Hot ?

2008-02-22T23:15:00.012+08:00

Sometime last year, I enthusiastically posted about discovering America's famous Nathan's hotdogs in a food kiosk in Glorietta.
Sadly, the kiosk appears to have been one of those that was affected by the Glorietta blast of October 2007 ...
My hot dog destination was gone :-(

Where now, could I relieve my hot dog cravings?
Unexpectedly - just a couple of weeks ago, I received a comment on the post:

" Hi! My brother owns the stands that serves the Nathan's Famous hotdogs...The name of the establishment is "Htdog on Sticks". You can see them at most SM Malls, Robinsons Malls, even schools all over the country. They also have a dine in outlet at the SM Mall of Asia called Big City that serves a variety of imported hotdogs including johnsonville. You might want to try it out. Thanks! " - (anonymous)

So off I was on a hunt ...
SM Mall of Asia was it's usual busy Friday weekend self
There was much to see and do
But I was focused on finding my hot dog haven

Big City is a not so big nook of about 6 tables
It is located somewhere on the ground floor of the humongous Mall of Asia
From outside it's colorful design is an eye-catcher
I walked in with much anticipation

Good news, bad news.

The bad news first ...
Nathan's hot dogs were not available
According to the friendly server, they had had no deliveries for several months
Ohhhhh no ...
Sad
Shucks !

The good news is -
Johnsonville Sausages were available
Johnsonville is one of America's better distributed sausage/dog lines
Available in outlets and groceries - it is also a fave among sports stadium crowds who devour hot dogs by the tens of thousands during baseball, football, hockey, and basketball games
Johnsonvilles are combination pork and beef (or veal) sausage
(Pork hotdogs instead of beef)
Also known as "brats" for bratwurst,
They are a food type recognized to be German in origin
Crisp crunchy skins are their trademark
Flavor is their draw

Just like Nathan's -
Johnsonville hosts an annual World Bratwurst Eating Contest that is a media event of sorts.
In 2006, the renown speed eater Takeru Kobayashi set a record by eating 56 "brats" in 10minutes

Great ...
My initial disappointment at the unavailability of Nathan's hot dogs faded away
I excitedly ordered a "Johnsonville" bratwurst instead ( @115pesos )
"With relish pleaaaaaaaase ... "
Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I was a happy guy
Even happier to find out that Big City sells six packs of the Bratwurst. as well as Polish Sausage and Hot Links (hot and spicy with real jalapeno) for those like me who might want to enjoy some self-cooked "Johnsons" at home

I arrived home late (as usual)
Everyone was asleep
I quietly tip-toed into the kitchen and started frying a Hot Link "dog"
The delicious aroma filled the air
Suddenly - like a ghost that floated in from nowhere, the lady of the house was standing behind me
She slowly eyed what I was doing
She took a whiff and asked - "Can I eat your hot dog?"
Huh? (Freudian moment)
With a lump in my groin and a smile on my lips,
I shot back - "Gladly...you can eat my hot dog ... anytime"
"Is it hot?"- she queried
With a knowing wink of my eye I immediately replied ..."very"

Wooooooooohooooooooooo
(lights out)

Adventurism

2008-02-16T19:15:00.009+08:00

The sleeping giant is stirring
The silent are humming
The drums are beating
The lifeless are marching
Ever so slowly ...

A nation divided
Trying to find itself

That puts me in a nationalistic mood
Nationalistic and as usual - hungry ...
Where oh where oh where do I eat?

In the new and blossoming Greenbelt 5 mall lies a themed, little nook - Restaurante Pia y Damaso
Hmmmm ....
Memories of Jose Rizal
Inspired by the Noli Me Tangere characters Pia Alba and Padre Damaso - illicit parents of the iconic Maria Clara.
Just right for my nationalistic hunger pangs

From the outside, the restaurante beckons strongly
A wonderful contrast of beiges and black,
Ink drawing patterns are design magnets for the eyes
A chandelier, silver candelabras, and tidy paper table linings are touches of warmth and charm.
The name in itself immediately arouses curiousity,
A peek at its menu confirms the culinary trip that one is in for ...

Seated comfortably in this small, charming, cozy nook,
Attended to by enthusiastic and helpful servers,
We started by quenching our thirst with - "Tubig ni Maria Clara" - cucumber juice and ginger syrup in citrus water
Water never tasted sooooooo good
All my nation-building frustrations were easily washed away by this soothing concoction

The food is at best described perhaps as Pinoy fusion but is (according to Our Awesome Planet) referred to by owner Bambi Sy-Gobio as "comido antigo"

Starters for us were:
Ostrich chorizo skewer @150pesos
Filo tarts with pork asado and apple relish @220pesos

We shared an interesting black olive, cerveza negra and tuyo pasta @275 pesos
We then marched on to smoked tapang usa, roasted vegetable scramble (salted deer meat from Nueva Ecija, green mango,pickles, pepper omelette, & garlic rice) @420 pesos.
We rallied around a seared prawns with basa fish and crisp kamote on Davao tablea cacao, sherry, and orange juice with cilantro @520 pesos

The menu speaks for itself ...
This is a place for culinary adventurism
A subversive take on establishment recipes
One will find familiar tastes executed in unfamiliar ways
One walks out of the restaurante either with a sense of satisfaction or a sense of puzzlement over what just went down.
However else it may hit you - Restaurante Pia y Damaso is such an interesting concept that one can hardly resist its draw ...

P.S.
We ate so much that there was no room for dessert - dessert being one of the strengths of this place since the owner (Bambi Sy-Gobio) is the same force behind Kooky and Luscious, a long time Metro Manila favorite dessert station.

Dessert alone deserves a separate post.
I plan to go back specifically for that.

See you there
I will be the Frayle Damaso in the corner makin' a move on a kooky and very luscious Pia.

Restaurante Pia y Damaso
2nd floor, Greenbelt 5
Ayala Commercial Center, Makati
(63-2) 729-5511

Hot Spot

2008-02-15T22:35:00.004+08:00

The country has again been in the grip of its politics
But ..
Okay okay
Enough politics
Enough national angst
Back to just living this life that grows ever so much shorter as each day passes

I really now just want to eat a good meal
The events of the past few days had fixed my mind on anything "chinese"
So I was hunting for good Chinese food

Greenhills (in the Metro Manila city of San Juan)- is regarded by many as the upscale Chinese enclave of Metro Manila.
Here for sure would be a Chinese resto worth the drive through the crawling traffic surrounding the area

So drive through traffic we did ...
Tucked away in what used to be a "Country Waffles" flagship store, we found a newly opened Chinese resto destined for "get in line" patronage

Even from afar - CHOI GARDEN, with a ground floor bathed in red light, is immediately attractive
Eye catching interiors gives one a sense of China moderne
(It is divided into a 1st floor with more casual dining
And a 2nd floor with fine Chinese dining ... )

When you see wall to wall Chinese patrons with a waiting list to boot - it's got to be good

Choi Garden was still on dry run - so small service miscues were forgivable
The 1st floor is "hot pot" territory, though a reasonable dimsum and ala-carte menu is available.
Bathed in red light -the meat, shrimp, pork, scallop and wonton slices looked delicious enough to be eaten right there and then
But there was "dipping" in broth and steamboat stewing to do ... a Chinese fondue of sorts
Ask for the XO dipping sauce - and you are set

The flavorful broth base and the fun of cooking your own meal makes hot potting a wonderful eating style
You cook it - you eat it
(So I guess -if it doesn't taste good , then it is your own fault)
Hmmmmm -is that how it works?

Whatever ...
I had fun
I imagined the face of my favorite politician
Attached the image to a strip of beef
And then slowly dipped and stewed it in the boiling hot broth
Fun fun fun ....

Seriously,
Choi Garden is off to a great start
Great place
Good food
Pricey - but within a "payday" budget
I predict it'll be the next "hot pot hot spot " ...
Seeya

Choi Garden
#12 Annapolis St., corner Purdue St.
Greenhills, San Juan City

tel.- (63-2) 7276042

(P.S. -I will post about Choi Garden's more expensive 2nd floor seafood and sharks fin, fine Chinese dining area at a future date - uhmmmm - that is, when I save enough money to eat there)

Technical Stuff

2008-02-12T03:19:00.000+08:00

Sometime in January,
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded the aviation industry of the Philippines to Category 2 - a category that put us in the same bracket as Bangladesh, Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Apparently an FAA audit found Philipine air safety practices, procedures and regulations as being non-compliant with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The Philippines of course vehemently objected, citing among other things the competence of our air safety officials.

Okay ...
I can empathize with that
I myself felt that that the downgrade was unfair
I even flew on a Philippine air carrier that very same week
One wants to be supportive ...
Right?

But then ...
In the first week of February - after a freak accident where a Cessna light plane crash landed in a grassy field beside one of Manila's malls - the Chief of our Air Transportation Investigation Board, after initiating his investigation, was quoted as follows:

“We will tear down the engine to see what caused the crash.
But based on our initial findings, the pilot said the engine conked out,”

Hahahaha ...
Wowwwwwwwwwww
That's the chief talking ....
Really technical stuff
International standard for sure
Hmmmmm - I don't know now - maybe the FAA was right.

Helppppppppppppppppppppppp

Hai-yahhhhhhh

2008-02-10T14:37:00.000+08:00

Manila's Filipino-Chinese community is in an uproar over the insensitivity (or is it just plain arrogance?) of a government official in uttering remarks that were considered denigrating to Chinese in the Philippines. With the uncouthness of an uneducated barbarian, he successfully angered a community that considers itself as historically part of Filipino lineage ... a community that has contributed so much to the evolution of Philippine economy.

To consider his remarks as anything other than "racist" would in my opinion be at the very least, patronizing ...
More correctly, it would be - being blind to the emerging "untouchable" arrogance that some believe political power has conferred upon them ...

This - after not so long ago - when a ranting venemous senator of the land accused the same community as having "invented corruption" ...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ...
(These two "servants of the people" deserve a couple of Shaolin chops to the neck .... hai-yahhhhhhhh)

All this is part of an ongoing national tele"nobela" complete with an unbelievable plot of power, money, greed, corruption, crime, adventure, and comedy - a tele-series of sorts that has the nation glued to television sets, radios and broadsheets
The Philippines is indeed an interesting place to be in these days ...

What are we to do?
What can the lowly hordes of us who are simply ordinary citizens do?

We could complain but our national history has shown that we might be threatened with technicalities of the very law that we thought was in place to protect us...;
We could ask our elected "representatives" - the voices of the people, those we voted into place to protect us, to actually protect us ... but they appear to be pre-occupied with "pursuing " other things";
We could run to the media - even as they legalese themselves out of jail , survive assasination attempts, or hurdle the libel cases that are strewn across their paths to the truth - but we would only be heard for as long as the story sells;
We could congregate and shout to the high heavens, enumerate our frustrations with life, or voice our desire for change - but we would have to be ready to face the consequences of being thought of as committing rebellion or some similar subversion.

Or we could simply be Gandhi ...
"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Change from within
And wait ...
Wait till the slow momentum of the inevitable defines the history of tomorrow.

The nation is as usual ... divided.
So what else is new?

Peyups

2008-02-01T02:29:00.000+08:00

U.P. beloved
My alma mater dear

Ohhhhhh -the memories of university life
Riding the "IKOT" jeep
Going the other way on the "TOKI"
How much more proof do you need that this was the center of the "inteligensia"

Walking around in slippers
When slippers were still "tsinelas"
Worn by force of circumstance
Not quite like today's "flip-flops"
Which are worn by force of fashion ...

Learning the building blocks that would form the basis of my future
Long before "futures" could be traded
Facing the many realities of life
Long before "reality" was a television show
Being reckless and carefree
Long before "CAREFREE" was a means to "stay fresh and confident"...

Yes - peyups
Cradle of activism
Incubator of national pride
Fighting for causes
Marching for principle

Boisterous laughter
Infinite adventure
Passionate romance
Memories meant to last
The Kodak moments of my life ...

Hmmmmmm ....
So -wat da heck got me into this nostalgic mood?

Well ...
Today I walked into a "Rodic's Diner" - in Makati !!!
What a pleasant surprise ...

Rodic's was and is a landmark in the U.P Diliman campus
A canteen-type fave hang-out where we used to have the bestest "tapsilog" in the world ( or was that all that we could afford with our meager allowance)

Every Diliman "peyups" grad has been to Rodic's - right?
After all, it has been around forever (actually - since 1949)

Well - it is surprisingly now also in Makati
Typically activist as the 'peyup"er is - Rodic's brings its humble plastic table and monobloc chair set-up, to this urban steel and concrete block of commerce right smack in the middle of the country's financal center

I walked into an "inihaw na smoke" ambiance,
With a Larry Alcala inspired cartoon on the wall.
The two lady servers were familiarly as informal as they would be in some off-road campus corner.
An open kitchen revealed the organized mess that is the center of this "cantina of my past".

The tapsilog?
Just as I remember it.
Deliciously shredded , maybe even macerated
Served with an oil-bathed egg on a crumbling mound of rice
Not the prettiest of sights ...
But add a splash of vinegar, take a hearty bite - and you will savor the oh so familiar taste of university meat

If you are a U.P. cheap food junkie
Who finds himself (or herself) in the rat race of the urban jungle in Makati,
Take a break
Loosen the tie
Have a "tapsilog" at Rodic's - and be transported to the good old days

Ohhhh ...
Forget the cashier or the server,
Just "PAY (as you order) TO THE COUNTER"
Yes - you heard me -pay to the counter

( hahaha -I told you - the center of "inteligensia" )

Rodic's Diner
Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village
Makati

Call 75-928-75 for delivery

Discovering

2008-01-23T23:57:00.000+08:00

It has often been said - "When in Rome , do as the Romans do"

But when in Singapore - eat chicken rice ...
Chicken rice is considered a "national dish"
It is prevalent in almost all food stalls, hawker sites and food courts
It has found a revered place in the menu of the prestigious Singapore Airlines
And is identified as part of the nations ethnic foods in international expositions and trade shows.
Singapore is chicken-rice crazy

Also known as "Hainanese Chicken Rice" because of its origins in Hainan, China - this Singaporean staple is served unassumingly with various dips that include chili, ginger, soy sauce or oyster sauce.
Eaten very informally , it is the centerpiece of a typical Singaporean meal.

So in keeping with doing as the Singaporeans do -
We (a wild bunch of rowdy, hungry friends and family), headed towards what the locals themselves consider to be one of the best.
Boon Tong Kee is a chicken rice chain with origins in Singapore's Chinatown during the late 1970's.
It has since grown into one of the most respected and more popular chicken rice destinations with outlets scattered in strategic locations in the city

The chicken dish itself is not much to look at
But it is really deliciously tasty
Smooth, juicy chicken with a sweetish tinge
Soft, springy, tender
Served with slightly sticky,broth flavored rice
With hot hot hot chili sauce or a tamer soy sauce/ginger dip.

Eat with a passion over the noise level of constantly conversing Singaporeans,
This place is usually packed to the point of sidewalk overflow.
Discovering a city at its best,
I love it

When in the city of the merlion
Forget the upscale touristy restos for a day
Be one of the locals
Make a beeline for Boon Tong Kee
Immerse yourself in the joys of chicken rice
It is chicken "for the soul" ....

Boon Tong Kee
425 River Valley Road
Singapore
Tel. - 6736 3213

Powerful It Was

2008-01-21T20:11:00.000+08:00

It was not the best time to fly on a Philippine airline.
The newspapers were screaming about how the US FAA had downgraded the Philippine aviation industry to "Category 2" - in the company of Bangladesh, Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Whaaaaaaaaaat?

For someone like me, who has always been inherently afraid of flying - it was to be a leap of great faith to take this "optional" trip - at this time.
It would take something powerful to get me to go ...

And powerful it was .
The son of my sister-in-law was marrying the girl with whom he had had an "on and off " relationship of many years.
He was the ringbearer in my own wedding once upon a long time ago.
His wedding was to be held in Singapore.
I was to be one among the "godparents"

Already?
Gosh - where has all the time gone?
There was so much I wanted to say ...
But time, fleeting rapidly as it does - had overtaken me

I watched this "little boy" grow from a playful impish waif cavorting in the buff as ocean waves lapped under his feet
Watched as his toddler eyes popped at the sight of Christmas goodies
Ran to his side when his growing but frail little body burned with fever
Smiled in amusement as he scaled the ladder of education despite a lazy academic demeanor
Laughed knowingly as his adolescent episodes of hormonal rush revealed themselves
Stood back - amazed as he intuitively learned how to dismantle and assemble automobiles
Admired the development of a quiet but effective business manner
Appreciated his uncanny ability to command the loyalty of people around him
Suffered quietly as his heart broke
Flushed with excitement as it mended

Silently supporting his initiatives for independence
While insinuating a sidebar of wisdom
Allowing him the benefit of my years of experience
Without encumbering him with the weight of intervention or supervision

Loving him from a distance
As I do all my nephews and nieces
As I do all who I have had the honor to be "godfather" to
As I do all of my "family" ...

I have become perhaps Sicilian in that sense
For I have painfully learned in my own life
That when the chips are down
And walls are crumbling around you
True refuge is to be found ... only in family
In those who have loved you simply because you are

I watched as the couple gazed into each others eyes
With knowing smiles on their faces
Hands in each others hand
Hearts in each others heart
A tear welled in my eye ..

I watched the "little boy" slowly waltz away
Slowly float away
Slowly fade away
Into a life of his own ...

They turned to each other
The strains of a wonderful choir in the air
The glint of sunshine reflected in their loving gazes
His parents looked on quietly- wanting to hold on, but knowing it was time to let go
A lump formed in my throat
The tear in my eye slowly trickled down my cheek ...

I thank them for allowing me the privilege of standing as "ninong".
It is a trust I take seriously.
As they leave behind the struggle of getting what they want - to face the challenge of wanting what they got
I resolve to be there for them ...
To be their refuge
To be their confidante
To be their adviser
To be their friend
To be family ...

I do it with all sincerity
Willingly
Happily
Lovingly

In the spirit of the song that was the center of their vows ...
I do it ...
"never with sadness,
always with gladness
I do... "

Good luck mga anak
Dito lang ako kung kailangan nyo ako
God Bless you both always

Ninong Dagul

I Will Never Know

2008-01-17T02:38:00.000+08:00

I was in the Greenbelt area of Makati
Killing time
Doing some "scientific" research
People watching
Well ...
Ok, ok - it was more of female watching

But it was science ....
Harmless
Studying anatomy
Appreciating gaits and sways
Analysing hip to waist ratios
Calculating mathematical relationships between chest size and smile frequency
Memorizing leg contours
Focusing on geometric pelvic angles
Assigning margins of error to the refractory effect of soft textile hugging undulating curves

Just basic scientific work
Not the kind of work that excites me ...

But it did make me hungry
Suddenly - I was thinking about luscious, mouthwatering oysters
I have no idea at all why
But I just was ...

Luckily- Greenbelt is home to Mr. Rockefeller
Another showcase of Chef Melissa Sison (whose successes include Salumeria and MYLK),
Mr. Rockefeller is an upgraded version of the more mainstream Oyster Boy chain (with whom Chef Melissa is apparently "partnered")

This quaint but somehow sophisticated resto is an oyster-lovers destination.
Surrounded by bleached and distressed wood, paired with oyster shell decor - one is immediately calmed into the mood of easy, casual, relaxed dining

I started with their star appetizer, Five Layer Nachos - corn kernel nachos with a wonderful multi-ingredient salsa based dip
"A glass of wine please ..."

Their oyster menu is formidable
Fresh, grilled, steamed ...
Oysters Rockefeller, Oysters Tempura, Oysters Pesto
French Onion Oyster, Oysters Pizza Ole, Oysters Quatrro Formaggio
Oyster Ceviche, Oyster di Parma, Oysters Aioli
Oyster Bleu, Swiss Miss (Gruyere) Oysters and more
"Another glass of wine pleaaaaaase"

I chose Oysters topped with a mango salsa and caviar
And paired this with a yummy Mrs. Rockefeller's Pasta a la Oglio ("sauted in garlic, capers and black olives")
Mmmmmmmmmm
"Can you just leave the bottle of wine here pleaaaaaaaaaase ..."

I took it all in
Slow and easy
Savoring every flavor
Remembering every joyous bite
As the juices moistened my hungry lips ...

Afterwards, as I was leaving the resto - the very amiable co-owner "Yong" reminded me that both the oysters and the caviar I had just had were considered aphrodisiacs.
Hahaha - why did he feel that he had to remind me of that?

Could it be because my eyes popped out and my jaw dropped everytime the curvaceous lady server poured my wine?
Or was it the way my head bobbed as a top-heavy female floated by my table?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I guess I will never know ............

All I know is that I clearly enjoyed the meal
Light, tasty and interesting
Portions - just right
In a cozy, romantically lit place

Try it
Bring a date
Don't waste the oysters

Mr. Rockefeller
2/F Greenbelt 3
Ayala Center, Makati
Tel - (63-2) 757-4802

Little Boys

2008-01-12T00:34:00.000+08:00

Remember the Vendo machine?
Drop a coin, press a button and out comes your choice of a soda, chocolate bar, sandwich or whatever
... (and if it didn't, just kick the damn machine in the hope that it might)

Well - that wonderful self-serve for the masses concept has come to the high end world of wine, in a very high tech and much more reliable way ...
Yes my dear - wine vending machines !!!
The pioneer of the concept in Manila, is a high end resto/bistro that has been put up at the Fort's Bonifacio High Street

Aptly named CAV to reflect its focus on wines - this new place is currently in "training mode" ... really a soft opening of sorts
At the helm is Chef Marcus Gfeller - fondly remembered for starting the fine-dining scramble in Metro Manila a decade ago by his involvement in Grassis and then in Soleil - both highly successful fine dining ventures

This time , he has partnered to put up a wine bar-restaurant with the characteristically sophisticated and contemporary food offering in a wonderfully designed dining destination, that is expected of him.

The food is gourmet delicious and I will post about it at some other time.
Presently, I bring attention to CAV's added value, novelty, or niche, which is in its offering the ability to wine-taste through automated vending.

How does it work?
Well - you would be issued a VIP "card" with an embedded chip
The chip would be programmed to reflect your prepaid or predetermined credit limit
Then you would go to the machine
Insert your card
Press the corresponding tasting portion, half serving or full serving buttons for a choice of bottled-displayed wine
And voila, out comes your wine portion straight into a wine glass that you would be holding in the proper place
Your card would then be debited the proper amount
All automatically
Simple and really "kewl" ...

Wine lovers will love this "toy" which allows one to sample several varieties in different portions without necessarily being tied down to having to buy one bottle. The machine keeps the wines at perfect temperature, and sucks out the oxygen (to avoid oxidation which spoils the wine in open bottles ), and replaces it with an inert gas for preservative purposes.

It also encourages wine education - as one would have to learn a little about wines to make better choices. It does not of course replace the wine list for those who may want to order wine traditionally or to explore CAVs on-site walk-in wine room.

But boys will be boys ... and this wine-vending gizmo is one of the best toys to get that little boy hiding in a big boys body, out to the bar ... to taste wine, to educate themselves and of course to impress the ladies

This is as sophisticatedly cultured, a jungleman like me can get.
Tarzan have VIP card - me pick wine
Jane impressed ??

I'll drink to that

CAV
@Bonifacio High Street
Taguig,Metro Manila

Juicy

2008-01-10T03:05:00.000+08:00

My insomnia continues ...
I had hoped that the New Year would find me having solved this sleepless dilemma
But noooooooo - 2 a.m - still awake
And hungry

I was reading a book that said that the nocturnal hunt for food by the insomniac is a search for satisfaction that would signal the end of the day
Huh ?
I thought that was ... sex
But then again, I look over to my side ... see my wife ... asleep like a zombie in a B movie
(she goes to sleep in one position and wakes up in the same spot, same position - an immovable, petrified statue) ...
And I realize that I would really rather have the food

So where did tonights search bring me?
To the corner of Makati Avenue and Jupiter St.
There lies a new 24 hour spot ...
MANG INASAL - "home of real pinoy style barbeque"
One in a chain of franchise locations , this is where I have lately gotten that late night, fast, affordable gastronomic kick that I look for

According to the foodvine, Mang Inasal (the resto) started in Iloilo and is now up to "42 branches nationwide and growing".
"Inasal" is generally thought of as an Ilonggo food specialty.
It is visually marked by a mouthwatering reddish tint (apparently due to the use of achuete or anatto seeds somewhere in the recipe) ...
And the characteristic charcoal "blackening"
Plus a smell that attracts like a Pied Piper and presages a pulutan type of jumping into the fray

This is a fun dish.
Choose your chicken part -pecho (chicken breast), paa (drumstick), atay (liver), iwi (chicken bottom), and baticulun (gizzard)
It is served with chicken-oil flavored rice wrapped in banana leaf
Challenge your taste buds with patis, suka or toyo (with or without kalamansi)
Very unpretentious
Just purely pinoy food that is eaten with the informality and camaraderie that is the stuff of pinoy barkada eating
Yummmmmmmmmm

Just right - for those late night enders
In a location that makes for interesting people-watching (being that it is a stones throw away from Makati's redlight strip)
Juicy chicken ...
And juicy "chicks" ....
Saraaaaaaaaaap

Mang Inasal
cor. Makati Avenue and Jupiter St.
City of Makati
www.manginasal.com

Happeeeee New Year

2008-01-07T22:19:00.000+08:00

Checking in folks ....

I took a Christmas break ...
Actually I ate, I partied and then I slept
Yup -slept for most of the Christmas break
I slept so much that I got sick as soon as the New Year hit
Flu season -I guess
Fever, cough, colds and the body aches of an old man
What a way to start the year

Anyhoooooooooo
It was a fun New Years eve despite ...
Ate dinner at one of my fave places
Had an arroz caldo "media noche" ...
Playfully dodged firework debris as the skies lit up
Then drove to my sister-in-laws house for a party that lasted till the morning

My 1st profound thought of the year came from the manufacturers of the party poppers that we used as part of the evenings celebrations
"Party poppers" are cylindrical hand held devices that spray multi-colored confetti into the air when you turn the knob at the bottom of the cylinder
It is a wonderfully playful party effect
Imagine confetti - popping or spraying from a cylinder ....

Popping or spraying from a cylinder ...
Uhmmmmm - if I had a Freudian mind - I would say that that is almost pornographic
But we are better than that - right?
More educated
Not so intellectually lewd
Right?

Well -the manufacturers of the party popper played safe
They put a warning as part of the instructions - just in case your mind and thoughts might meander down the green green path of pleasure
Ladies - pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase - be careful

"DO NOT FIT THE SPRAYER PRIVATELY"
Hahahahaha - happeeeeeee new year
Wooohoooooooooooooooooooooo

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2007-12-25T00:30:00.000+08:00

Christmas 2007
Just arrived from a midnight candlelight service
Remembering the One Light in our lives
Christmas carols sung by a melodic choir
The cool evening breeze somehow warming our hearts
Melting into the arms of loved ones
Thankful for the mercy and the grace that has seen us through another year...

May the spirit of of the season be with you all as well.
MERRY CHRISTMAS

Moment of Peace

2007-12-22T19:04:00.000+08:00

It's Saturday evening.
2 days before Christmas.
Metro Manila is in the midst of the chaos of endless parties and last minute shopping.
Before we lose ourselves in the frenzy of tiangges, bazaars, lechon, leche flan, traffic gridlock, haggling, malls, brand names, bibingka, puto bumbong, fireworks, caroling, San Migs, blarin'music, ferris wheels, carnivals, christmas lights and the like ...
Allow me pass this prayer by you ...

A Christmas Prayer
by Robert Louis Stevenson

Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.

Amen

Find a moment of peace
And remember that it is all about Jesus Christ.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Hot Stuff

2007-12-15T04:13:00.001+08:00

I had a couple more than I could handle,
Needed to slow down
Recover my senses
I was saying much too much
Revealing too many things ...

I was with friends
At the end of a very long day
Just hanging out
Just talking about anything under the sun
(or perhaps it was under the moon)

I was in BRAVA (again...) - my watering hole of the moment
Classy little place
Lounge music in the background
High tables and high chairs on the ground floor
Romantic seating for twos and fours at the mezzanine

Sumptuous "cichetto" -( small snacks )
Spicy octupus
Tasty gamberi
Juicy tenderloin strips
Or choose from their "pizzeria" fare

Drown in bellinis, martinis, cosmopolitans, mojitos, caipirinhas - all flavored with self made naturally flavored alcoholic "infusion" bases.

Thinking tough?
There is the new Absolut LEVEL high end vodka
Or your pick of the smoothest single malts available
Chug-a-lug

And then to cap the evening (you've gotta' try this) - order a "Flaming Lamborghini"
It starts with Grenadine+Blue Curacao+Bailey's+Gallano in a stemmed cocktail glass on the table ,
Then the bartender sifts some Sambuca in another glass and ignites it to form a blue flame
He then pours the blue flame down in a vertical stream towards the bottom glass
When the flaming Sambuca mixes with the Grenadine et al - you are asked to suck the mix up with a straw
Bottoms up ...
Down the hatch ...
Whewwwwwww

Thaaaaaaat is hot stuff
A flaming mix of flavors with an alcoholic kick
It's a knockout
If only for this- you really have to try the place out

Good food
Good wine
Good music ....
Now all I need is a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad girl

BRAVA @ Serendra Piazza
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

Vegetable

2007-12-12T23:19:00.000+08:00

Sidney is a sometime visitor to my blog.
He runs a photoblog - My Sari Sari Store

Sidney's blog is a wonderful photographic commentary on different aspects of Philippine culture, Philippine life, and Filipino people.

His excellently composed photos tell a story at all times.

And more often than not -they will stimulate thought, concern or interest in the aspects of human nature that are so creatively displayed through his photographs

I highly recommend that you add his blog to your regular netsurfing habits

Sidney follows my Daguldol food trips, and occasionally he comments on them with genuine interest despite the fact that he is transitioning himself into a self-confessed vegetarian, while I am and always will be a true, blue carnivore ...

Reciprocally, I have decided to look into the vegetarian diet if only to understand it better.

What is "vegetarian" all about ?

Wiki says that - "Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that excludes all animal flesh, including poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, and slaughter by-products."

It is essentially a plant-based diet ...

Ohhhhhhhh my gulay

No steak?

No hamburger?

No tocino and longganisa ?

No corned beef?

No SPAM?

Not even bangus and tuyo?

Anak ng kamatis namaaaaaaaan

People may choose to be vegetarians because of moral, cultural, ethical, religious, environmental, social, political, economic, aesthetic, taste or perhaps most often for health reasons.

It is both a statement and a lifestyle.

Whatever it is - it clearly takes a lot of will power.

Society is increasingly recognizing, respecting and accommodating such a choice.

In Metro Manila, many restos now carry "healthy menus" - some even straightforwardly labeling them as "Vegan Choices"

There is no better way to learn than to try.

So off I was to CHIMARA Neo-Vegan Cafe

This veggie nook has apparently been around for a couple of years

It is experiencing increasing patronage particularly from new vegetarians, and even, from non-vegetarians who simply enjoy the taste of their food anyway

CHIMARA is coined from the Greek word "chimera" meaning "an impossible dream"

They propose that each of us dreams to lead a healthy life but do not take the initiative to live it.

They point to a Mahatma Gandhi gem of a quote - " We must be the change we wish to see in the world"

And CHIMARA walks the walk not only by serving purely vegetarian dishes but also by using recyclable and reusable products, as well as avoiding MSG, genetically -modified products and artificial additives.

They even contribute a part of their proceeds to a charitable foundation that provides education to less fortunate children.

Wow ...

But the food - what about the food?

I tried their Meatless Taco Salad - crisp lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, mango, topped with soy beans, corn, cottage cheese and mock beef sprinkled with your choice of dressing of which they recommended mango vinaigrette.

Guess what ?

I actually liked it

I took my time slowly savoring what I knew was the healthiest meal that I had had in a very long time.
The "mock" beef was a beef look-alike which I understand is soy-based.

It was light and curiously tasty.

Not bad at all ...

(the Chimara menu can be reviewed at their website)

For at least those few minutes at the cafe - I felt really healthy

I guess its true - the journey to good health starts in our mind
I went home with a "take-out" of popcorn "popped" in olive oil

So there

Sidney -you may be on to something

I might still end up being a surprise "veggie" convert someday

Uhhhhhhmmmmmmmm

It's just that I keep remembering what my mother used to say to me - "Remember my son - you are what you eat"

And so - I don't really eat vegetables BECAUSE - I don't ever want to be a "vegetable" ...

:-)

CHIMARA Neo-Vegan Cafe

4F, Greenbelt 3

Ayala Center, Makati

(63-2) 7575652

http://www.tatersgroup.com/chimara.htm