In Heaven There Is No Beer

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

- Benjamin Franklin -

There is a drunkards' ditty that goes ... "in heaven there is no beer , that's why we drink it here..."

Maybe ...
But apparently in paradise, there is beer ... or should I say in Beers Paradise.

Beers Paradise is located in the newly cemented Polaris St. in Makati. It can be easily spotted as it has a colorful signboard on what is a one-way street. Ones' curiousity is immediately aroused by the signage tagline - "100 kinds of beers".

As we entered, we were greeted by very friendly waitresses who also became our sources of answers as we started querying them about the beers - many of which we were unfamiliar with. In truth, at this time Beers Paradise has even more than 100 beer brands - including Satan, Lucifer and Judas. The owner is a Belgian who thought of introducing Begian beers to the Filipino beer-drinker. Apparently, Belgium has the most numerous locally brewed beers in the world. All counted, there are more than 1000 types of beers in that small country. The bartender playfully related that "bawa't barangay dun gumagawa ng sariling beer" - to which I playfully responded - "buti pa dun, buong barangay nakikinabang... dito barangay captain lang ang kumikita".

Ever the consumate beerhog ... I couldn't do without "pulutan". The menu is fitting of a restaurant more than a tavern ... appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pates, pastas, entrees, specialities, desserts. Ever conscious of my doctors' advise to eat more seafood and less fat, I chose to benchmark their Lechon Kawali (crunchy), Spicy Squid (very spicy)and Gambas (not great). I took a mental note of the fact that every Wednesday, they have mussels available.

Beers are assigned specific glass or mug styles, so that what you experience are not only different beers but also different glasses. Be prepared to spend a bit as the beer prices are averaged at about 150-250pesos per bottle depending on the brand. After a couple of different beers, I topped my evening with a bottle of Desperados (a beer-tequila) at a pricey 346pesos a bottle.

If you are adventurous enough to spend a few more bucks than usual for your beer - then this paradise is for you.

Beers Paradise Tavern and Restaurant
#36 Polaris St. cor. Durban St.
Bo. Poblacion, Makati
Tel. - 895-9272

Uhhhmmmmuuuahhhhhhhhhhh

"At ds momnt 3.7 milyon peeps r sleeping, 2.3 milyon r foling n lv, 4.1 milyon r eatng bt onli 1 cutie n d hol world s readng ds msg.

Naks! Nkngiti nyan"

Yikes .... ur so baduuuy nman.

But then again, that is the stuff that Philippine textmania is made of. And mania it is ...

The Philippines has been dubbed the "Text Capital of the World" for generating the most number of text messages per day in the world. Our volume in the Philippines represents up to 15% of worldwide SMS (short message service) or text messages sent daily. In the estimation of various surveys, there are about 28-30million cellphones in use in the country today. This generates between 150million to 200million text messages PER DAY.

The Filipino has somehow re-invented and morphed this business tool into a social institution. In the process, we have developed not only a unique brand of humor, but a specific text language with matching (mis)spelling that threatens the already depleted levels of English proficiency that remain in our badly run public school system.

It continues to amaze me how people at the same table for example text each other instead of talk to each other ... they're one seat apart - for heavens sake. One day I expect a priest to text the marriage vows to a couple kneeling in front of him, and blesses them as he awaits the texted response of ... "ys pder, i du :-) " after which the man will send "mwah" to the girl who in turn will text back ".. uhhhmmmmmuuuahhhhhhhhhhh" They will then be man and wife ...

A while back while walking along the peaceful and serene white sands of Boracay, I encountered a lovely lady lying on the beach in front of the Boracay Regency Beach Resort - obviously sunbathing, in the solitude of sun and surf - surrounded by the sounds of nature, away from the urban jungle ... but totally unable to dissociate from the addiction of text ...

Unbelievable .... Addiction? Mania? Sociologic evolution?

Well - If you can't break them ... join them na lang

Plz znd dz 2 20 pipol nd u wl exprienz a mirakl ....

Intsik: Bili na kyo panty... kpag suot nyo to di kyo mabubuntis

Babae: bigyan mo ako ng 3 nyan

(3 months later, galit c babae)

Babae: Bakit ako nabuntis ????

Intstik: Baka hinubad mo :-)

Boracay Regency Beach Resort

Station 2 - Tel. No. (63) (36) 288-6111

Babush

During my last trip to Bangkok, I watched a show at the famed Calypso Cabaret Theater, rated the best in Thailand . All performers were transexual men known as "katoey" . These "ladyboys" were even prettier than many women I had seen - complete with curvy hips, prominent cleft chins, bouncing breasts, Caucasian noses, highlighted hair, flawless skin, etc. The transexual transformation is a miracle of modern day surgery and an aberration of modern day society.

The current world "gay" demographic is estimated at a high of 11%. Based on an estimated world population of 6.6BILLION ... that means that there could conceivably be 660MILLION gays out there. They are here to stay ... live with it.

Many of my better friends are gay. They are fun. They make very dear friends... but very dangerous enemies. They are a melting pot of talent, fashion, innovation, and wisdom. In the Philippines, they speak an amusingly challenging "swardspeak" - a language derived from "englog" - a form of communication that challenges the limits of imagination .

I cannot help but agreeing ... that if only our president GMA and that wily fella' referred to as Garci had just spoken in "swardspeak" during that infamous telephone conversation... maybe the country would now have less conflict and division.

GMA: Hallooo Gracia!
Garci: Yes mother! Nachukchak ko na po yung mga chuva ek-ek!
GMA: Bonggacious! Eh yung mga tienes-tienes –.carry na ba?
Garci: Winnie Santos mama! Wiz na worry! Eclavou na ever!
GMA: Ang tarush! Babush!

Calypso Cabaret
at the Asia Hotel, Bangkok
296 Phayathai Rd., Bangkok 10400

I'll Drink to That

Even when in other countries , I continue to be fascinated by names. During a recent trip to Frankfurt, Germany - I was taking a leisurely stroll in the touristy pedestrian zone known as Zeil. There, I found a cafe by day, bar-lounge by night, that immediately made me homesick because it led me to thinking about the Philippines and some of its more prominent politicians ...

The food? Well ... I was really hungry. Besides, give me a vodka on the rocks, and everything to me is good. Just for price comparison - an order of spaghetti bolognese is 6,20Euros (about 400pesos), a gambas al ajilo is 7,50Euros (about 500pesos), a Heineken beer is 3.00Euros (about 198pesos), a vodka on the rocks is 6,00Euros (about 390pesos).

A toast to Philippine politics ... yup, I'll drink to that.

If you are in the area, its worth a visit.
Gagos Bar Lounge
112-114/Eb.7 , Franfurt, Germany

Fat Chance

I was in Makati Medical Center last week. I joined a friend as his doctor lectured him on the merits of keeping his cholesterol levels under control. As in anything in life, so with cholesterol - you need more of the "good" (cholesterol) and less of the "bad" (cholesterol). Yearly monitoring of cholesterol levels, exercise, no smoking and a compliant diet would be a good investment in one's future health. My friend and I nodded our heads in enlightened acceptance of this well meaning advice.

We left the medical center with the resolve to determine our own future by exercising healthy options.

Two blocks down the road, as we were about to make a right turn onto Pasong Tamo towards Buendia... at the Centerpoint Bldg. we ran into this sign - "Aling Lucing - Pampangas Sisig Queen".

Whoaaaaaaaa - I had tasted Aling Lucings famed sisig a few years back at its famed Angeles City "crossing at the riles" location. I had since used it as a benchmark for comparing various sisigs in Meto Manila. My juices started to flow ...

Aling Lucings trademark sisig was started in the mid 1970s by "sisig queen" Lucita Cunanan. A unique blend of chopped pigs cheek, liver, onions, vinegar and calamansi - it quickly found its place in urban folklore. Its famed taste spread by word-of-mouth and captured the gastric patronage of many who would make the trip to Angeles from Manila specifically for this "food for the gods", not to mention the multitudes who would make the stopover on the way to or returning from the north. A testimonial to its staying power despite many would-be sisig champions, Aling Lucing was recently judged winner in the 2005 Angeles Sisig Festival.

So... there we were - in a predicament. Health or sisig?
Would the will power and discipline of two educated adult men overcome the temptations of Aling Lucing????



Fat chance ........
I started with sisig served with hot dog and rice, while my healthbuff buddy had sisig with barbeque... both at 69pesos. Then we shared a sisig with fried chicken at 79pesos. Being health conscious we of course both ordered diet cola (Pepsi products only)...

The doc had just told us to invest in our health.
Instead we invested 250pesos in Aling Lucing.
Life is about taking risks. Only time will tell ....

(Aling Lucing delivers for a minimum of 250pesos - call 844-4437)

Yummmmmmm

Wifey: O ... nasaan ka nanaman?
Kawawang ako: Ahhhhh ... ehhhhh nag-oobeertym lang dear
Wifey: Blogggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Oh goshhhh ... nabagsakan nanaman ako ng telepono. Grrrrrrrr ... the tragedy of this is that I was not telling a lie ... well - not really ... uhmmmmm, not technically speaking.

I was having a couple of beers, with super "pulutan" and a very pedestrian conversation about how tall (or small) president GMA really was. Among inebriated friends, this was important because her "center of gravity" might explain why she is so hard to topple over .... Where was I? Where else ... but in a place called OBeerTime.

Located in Makati, at the corner of de la Rosa and Pasong Tamo, this nook of a carinderia cum bar-grill house is packed after office hours everyday. Landmarked by a BurgerMachine kiosk, and escaping ihaw-scented smoke, OBeerTime is kinda' like a mini-"dampa" - two tables lined with fresh (?) fish and meat. Take your pick and have them grill it to soft and chewy perfection.

The choices are focused but extensive including plapla, samaral, tuna belly and panga, plato, talakitok, bisugo ... pork/beef BBQ, baboy dila, tenga ng baboy and others. You are given a generic "sawsawan" of vinegar-toyo-calamansi-sibuyas-sili. Yummmmmmmmm ...

The crowd is a mix of TAS (tsinelas and sando), and office types in 168Mall barongs. Fish is anywhere between 100pesos to 170pesos per whole fish. Beer is 23pesos. Chairs are strictly monobloc. Ambiance is definitely zero. Air-conditioning is non-existent. Waitresses are pretty by about the 4th bottle of beer...

Its fun. Mag-obeertime tayo.
Try it ... if you dare

Mission Impossible

CNN was ablaze the other day with news that Viacom/Universal Studios had cut ties with its long time superstar Tom Cruise. That saddened me coz I am a fan of such favs as The Samurai, Mission Impossible, Minority Report, Collateral, A Few Good Men, Top Gun, Far and Away, The Firm and others.

The nostalgia led wierd me on a meandering thought path to a time not so long ago when one of my secret hang-out places was a grill cum beer guzzling station with some of the best inihaw food offerings known to a cheapskate, fun-loving male like me. It was located off to the side of Pasong Tamo near the Mitsubishi Cars Showroom. It had closed down about two years ago.

I was in the area, so I decided to just whiz by to take a memory filled look. Lo and behold ... the signage was still there. I even had a short but animated talk with the "bantay" who was looking after the now vacant lot. I miss that place .... how I wish it would do a sequel and re-open. But I guess that's a mission impossible ...

HERE'S A PICTURE I TOOK ...

Mezze

Greenbelt 2 is alive despite the competition from newly developing food and nightlife hubs in the metro. On a weekend the place still teems with beautiful glitzy people mingling with the more pedestrian (and more down to earth) office types looking for a way to forget the weekday stresses. In the midst of it all, in between Nuvo and Pepato is my consistent favorite place - Mezze Restaurant and Bar.

In the Mediterranean rim region, the word mezze conjures up the concept of "small plate" dining. When they invite you to "mezze" - it is an invitation to feast over various food preparations in small portions meant to be shared and tasted among friends - as the regions wines are used to both enhance and complete the dining experience. It is not a far cry from the Filipino concept of "patikim" or "eto... tikman mo" - sabay tagay ng wine. Food is used as a social lubricant to spice up a culinary table event. Good food, good wine, good service, good conversation ... ahhhhhhh, this is the life ..

Try their crochetas, gambas al pesto and other gambas variants, salpicado, signature paella, their own flat bread version of pizzas, to die for shrimp cocktail, oysters and a dynamic list of entrees. The food is what I have come to refer to as deliciously "eatable" - simple, well presented, a tendency to play with fusion concepts but retaining the original taste expectation ... just unpretentiously eatable ... and occasionally unforgetable. The wine selection is small but adequate. Price points are fair for the area, particularly if you eat in groups.

Mezze is a chameleon of a place. It is elegantly set for lunch and dinner. Then it slowly and seamlessly morphs into a bar and dj music hotspot as its full wall projections and its huge LED bar backlights start to animate the place with the rhythm of its themed music selections. From here on in... its kick off your shoes and drink till you think you are handsome or sexy.

Call 7288896 - ask for Joel, Ayen or Erwin.
Go ... have fun ... you deserve it

Bloggggggg

Before I go overboard with my newfound joy in blogging, allow me to give credit where credit is due. A couple of months ago I did not even really understand the difference between a blog and a website. But then, in the course of some research I was trying to conduct through the internet, I stumbled into some very interesting personal cyber-diaries, newsletters or journals... blogs. Two in particular became my inspiration for immersing myself into the universe of foodie blogs. Please visit these wonderful people (anton diaz and wysgal) at Our Awesome Planet and Rants and Raves ...

P.S.
Prior to all of this ... I thought "blog" was the sound I would hear on my cellphone everytime I would call my wife at 1 a.m and say that I was still in the office doing overtime ...

"hello - ahhh nasa opis lang dear .... obertym e "
"Overtime ??? Eh ... karaoke ang naririnig ko..."
"ahhhh ... may bagong equipment kasi , tinetesting lang ..."
"Blogggggggggggggggggggggg"

24

I am an insomniac. I find all sorts of excuses to stay awake. I am convinced that there is more work to finish, more stuff to arrange ... more information to be gained from the TV ... more surfing and blogging to do. Whatever ... I don't sleep at the right time. And so at about 2am to 3am, I get hungry ... and I hunt. First in my drawer - baka my kendi or crackers . Then in my son's room - baka may cake na bigay ng girlfriend pero di naman nya kinain. Maybe in the kitchen ... pero magmmicrowave pa ako tapos magiging parang tikoy yung pagkain. Then as a last resort (which is the choice I enjoy the most), I jump into my car and speed off to the nearest eating place that is open "24 hours" . Usually this is that new "KitaKits" place near Makati Medical Center. So that's where I headed to ....

"Bosing Guard ... kakain lang ako"
"Sarado ho kami ... yan o , may sign STORE CLOSED"
" Oo nga bosing , pero katabi naman nya yung sign na 24hours - paano kayo magiging sarado e 24hours nga kayo dapat.
" E security guard lang ho ako dito"
" O sige paki-tanong mo dun sa boss kung 24hours kayo..."
"Sir, 24hours nga daw ho"
" E di puede na akong umorder ..."
"Sir hindi po... "
" E bakit ??? "
"Sarado ho kami .... " (ngekkkkkk)

Banger with your Haute Dog

"Pare ko, let's go to BANGERS" ... said my pot-bellied, bald-headed buddy. With eyes rolling and tongue hanging out, I excitedly jumped into the backseat of his brand new government car (complete with "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" and red plates) ... thinking we would be going to Ermita, P.Burgos, or some similar red light nightspot (where red plate cars are often seen).

Instead we rode in my 10 year old clunker and proceeded to the ritzy PowerPlant mall at Rockwell in Makati. At the ground floor is a wonderful food court complete with faux tropical trees and an airy, well lit ambience. There we found Bangers - World Haute Dogs. Its a counter type of operation compared to the bigger full store operations that surrounded it. There was a line of people ... so that was encouraging. It serves all kinds of Hot Dogs. Great stuff for fast food junkies like us ... The menu is innovative and proposes to represent different parts of the world through hot dog concoctions... a veritable haute couture of hot dogs. I stared at the menu board and started to hurdle the cerebral challenge of deciding which one to order.

Among the choices:
Classic Dog
German Dog (from Germany)
Chili Dog (uhmmm from Chili ?)
StrogaDog (with beef stroganoff)
Asian Dog
Kaldereta Dog
Cacciatore Dog
Pizza Dog
Kari Dog (Japanese flavored)
FourCheese Dog
Caesar Salad Dog

Gosh ... choices,choices,choices.
Trying to be funny , I asked ... "wala bang purefoods?".
Ang sagot ... "wala po , por chez miron ... " ( huh???)
So much for that .....

I finally settled on the German Dog. I had just been to Germany and wanted to benchmark. You can order just the sandwich for 85pesos or order a meal (sandwich, salad, french fries and iced tea) for 130pesos.

The German Dog was greaaaat ... mustard , sauerkraut and all. Crunchy and tasty. My buddy Kojak ordered a Kaldereta Dog which he devoured instantly. Everyone around us seemed to be enjoying their orders ... and we could hear them trying to identify the taste of their particular hot dogs. I wanted to order more but after seeing the contents of my wallet, I decided that I was on a diet ... for the sake of my health.

If you like eating hot dogs .... (uhhhmmmmmmmmm), this is the place for you.
See you there ... I'll be the guy with a hot dog sitting at the end table.

Brod Pit

Urban legends abound in Manila about business establishments with innovative and funny names. And yeah, once in a while my eye catches one as I whiz by in my car. But when the time for exchanging stories over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee comes ... it's always he said she said. Incredibly funny ... but wer's da beef? Nobody really knows. I even visited some streets where such legends are supposed to be located ... but no luck. So lately I have been taking pictures (for proof) ... and eating too. Not to forget drinking till I think I am handsome or sexy...

First find is way up in Baguio. Owned by the Garcia family, this wonderful pitstop after a long drive from Manila is a source of everything unhealthy ... just the kind of food we need on a vacation. Bulalo, sinigang na pig, adobong anything, grilled all, crispy pata na baka, crispy pata na manok, isdang malutong, pina-upo, binaligtad, sinampa sa pader, hiniga sa sahig ... everything is so goood. Or maybe I was just really hungry , having chosen not to eat breakfast before embarking on the supposed to be 4 hour trip that really was closer to 7. The cool Baguio weather also kicks up you metabolism and encourages you to even eat more . Try their Grilled anything ... fish, meat, poultry etc. Top it with a beer. Shout at the top of your lungs and dance like there is no tomorrow. In some countries they might call that the call of the wild. Here they call it " nasiraan na ng ulo, nilamig ang utak, nahipan ng hangin ... mana sa magulang ... hawig sa kaibigan". Whatever it is, it is a filling up with the Brod Pit spirit of informality, good food, good times ... Their main branch is at the corner of General Luna Road and Brent St. There's a smaller one inside that dinosaur of an architectural monstrosity called SM Baguio. There is also supposed to be another one that I haven't seen at Fort Bonifacio in Manila.

Now all I gotta do is buy my athletic stuff at Richards Gear and have my hair cut at Sylvesters Salon ... before I go tom-cruisin' down the highway. See ya....

Big and small

I live in the Philippines.
It is a small country with a small economy.
It is led by a small president.

But big things happen here.
Places, food, events, people, thoughts ...

Heated emotions , humorous moments
Poverty, wealth
Traditional, wierd
Old, new
Good, bad
Big and small

Join me on a journey of these islands I call home.
Places I call paradise
Friends I call family
Thoughts I call insight
People I call my own
Food I call delectable
Moments I call priceless

This could be your cup of tea.
Stay ....
Read on.
Enjoy.

Among Other Things

"You did whaaat?" queried my incredulous wife.
"Uhmmmmm... I started a blog" said I

"Why?"
"Because..."
"When?"
"Just now..."
"Are you crazy?
"No ..."
"You ARE crazy"
"Maybe... "

"It's about life... about anything. Just a way to share with the world ..."
"And what is this blog called???"
" Life is Short ..."
"Yes it is .... among other things !!!" - (slowly staring at what I thought was her favorite part of my body)

Life is Short

My father passed away last month. I was devastated. There was so much more that I wanted to do with him, to say, to show, to share. I thought that life would be longer than it was. I mean yes, he was sick and elderly ... with a terminal illness at that. But wait ... not yet, not today, not nowwww ! Too late ... life is short.

So here I am... with a new respect for the temporary nature of life. A life where there is so much to do, to say, to see, to think ... to share . And what better way to share in this age of cyber-everything than to blog. This site will contain anything about anything. Nothing in particular. Just life. Now. Before it ends.