Jozukin & Yoggle

Brought Vicky & the kids to dinner treat at Jozukin along Ortigas Avenue.  With modern interiors and good ambience, we had fun seated right next to the glass window of the kitchen.  Food was fresh and tasted good, with slight accents of fusion styles highlighting the Japanese fare.  A bit on the pricey end though, we averaged P600 per head, but we were full and contented.  After dinner, we walked next door to try the Yoggle yoghurt shop, where your yoghurt serving gets weighed!  Nice and tasty--I know that because Pipay was noisy the whole time, and that would indicated that she enjoyed the dessert! 

Malta & the RH Bill

Malta has finally approved its version of the Divorce law, leaving the Philippines as the only nation in the world that still bans divorce.  Shocked?  Well that's according to the latest news flash.  This is certainly a timely thing in the light of the recent brouhaha brought about by the debates on the Reproductive Health Bill now pending in Congress. Oh my my.... We love to talk about being world-class, but we sometimes stop short--can't we get things done?

MSI Core 2

Was so lucky to catch the Accent warehouse sale at the Philippine Stock Exchange yesterday.  While my Lenovo netbook is pretty handy, I do miss having an optical drive, and yes, speed of the Intel Atom processor doesn't compare at all to Pentium 2 based notebooks.  I was looking at an Acer P2 notebook at only P19k, but when I turned, someone picked it up quick!  That was really fast, I didn't see that coming and that got me so disappointed.  I had to look around for alternatives and I was lucky to find the MSI EX Core 2 notebook--and guess what, it's got a Blue-Ray player--for only P23k!  On the spur of the moment, I charged it--12 months, 0% interest.  To my mind, not bad at all...  Now I've got the fastest notebook in the family--Vicky's Dell, Monique's Toshiba and Bryan's Compaq are merely Pentium 2 notebooks and I've got a Core 2 going! Well, one of these days, I'll get my hands on a Core i7... But for now, yehey! ;-)

Gamo

I got a call from Hahn Manila about the availability of some Gamo airguns that I had been interested in.  I went to their Greenhills store, and yes, they are indeed available!  I was thinking that my fully licensed Hatsan long rifle delivers .22 pellets at slightly over 1,000 fps, and this already puts it in my defense arsenal.  Being heavy, it's not to easy to haul around.  I've been looking at the Gamo caliber .177 short rifle for my collection, with highlighted sights, break-barrel cocking that delivers a regular muzzle speed of just around 550 fps.  Nice for garage plinking!  Lightweight, handy, even the kids can shoot the rifle with relative ease.  Not bad for around P9k, but again, I can hear Vicky's voice in the back of my head... hehehe....  I've got so much junk already!

Toastbox

We had to stroll around the Greenbelt area as we waited for Vicky, who had a get-together with some office-mates at nearby National Sports Grill.  Monique was able to locate a copy of Season 3 of her all-time favorite anime, Kyo Kara Maou and was gleeful at her lucky find.  As we went window shopping, we saw an elegant Dao table, 9 ft x 4 ft x 4 inches at Weft.  Needless to say, it was love at first sight, but Vicky would probably not speak to me if I bought the darn thing on impulse--that would have set us back by P250k... sigh...  Suddenly, to my chagrin, Monique broke a portion of a capiz lantern in the shop, breaking my reverie... whew, it was good that Pam, the shop-owner, was so gracious about the whole thing!  By 10 pm, our energy was already dissipating, and Monique wanted to have coffee.  Having just arrived from Singapore, she chose to have a cold mocha java at Toastbox.  This place serves pulled coffee, Singapore style.  It was such a pleasure watching the ladies pour coffee in long thin waterfalls, and every drop doesn't miss the cup! They also have toasts and kaya, Nasi Goreng & Nasi Lemak.  I was still full, but I promised myself to try the Hainanese chicken next time!

Nanbantei

Yesterday's dinner started off early at 5 pm.  Monique & I strolled around the Greenbelt area, where she looked at the Nokia E7, as an alternative to her Nokia N900.  Despite the 8mp camera promised by the E7, she decided to stick with her 5mp N900 for the time being.  Deciding on a yakitori feast, we moseyed on down to Nanbantei of Tokyo, and decided to order a platter of their best-sellers--21 sticks of delicious pork, chicken and vegetable Japanese BBQ!  Now the great thing about yakitori is that the dish comes with a special miso paste that, when mixed with the BBQ, come out with a unique savory & truly Japanese taste!  Together with some tuna & salmon sashimi, we also had some rice balls as our staple, and the meal was refreshing appetizing.  Hardly able to walk, we spent something like P700 per head.

Glaucoma

My glaucoma is acting up again.  I felt a slight twinge this afternoon on my right eye socket & temple, that was the same feeling the first time I noticed the onset of this debilitating condition in late February this year.  I continue with my nightly eye drops, hoping and praying that this medication stalls the increase of eyeball fluid pressure.  I'll be taking a visual acuity test soon, let's see how it goes...

Uratex Showroom

From Charlie's grill we took a look at the Uratex showroom at the Ronac Art Center one floor above.  Yes, they do have memory foam priced much more reasonably than the other competitors, namely Tempur & Dunlopillow, and I wound up buying two pillows for the house (one memory foam and the other, natural latex).  But the crowning jewel of the showroom is the Technogel mattress, memory foam from Italy lined with a special gel to not only serve as a weight cushion, but also assist in heat reduction (pictured at the right).  So very cool to the skin, and so lovely to caress!  I must say it's a great feeling to put your head on that pillow every night; and Eddie was immediately convinced--bought one right on the spot!  One thing though--priced at almost five digits, the pillow is not for the faint of heart, hehehe...

Charlie's Grind and Grill

Had dinner with cousin Eddie & his two kids Vina and Fay at Charlie's Grind and Grill along Ortigas Avenue.  Specialty of the house--Angus burger.  Cozy ambience, tasty food.   My comment, worth two centavos--portion size of the Angus beef in my cheesesteak sandwich left me slightly bitin (hanging/unfulfilled).  Overall, felt pricey at an average of P500 per head.

Kong at 88!

Kong Kong celebrated his 88th birthday yesterday.  He was born in Dumaguete City, the youngest of 12 siblings.  He grew up in Xiamen, China, came back to the Philippines in the 1930s and subsequently completed his mechanical engineering studies at the premier state university.  He endured two weeks of hell during the battle for the liberation of Manila in World War II.  He's been involved in manufacturing since after the war, primarily automobiles and is considered a worldwide expert on low-volume automobile assembly.  He still drives (albeit a slower pace) and exercises a hour every day to keep in shape.  Yup, that's my dad; he's taught me a lot and still continues to do so, up to this very day.  Two thumbs up!  Yeah!

Romulo Cafe

We celebrated Kong's & Erica's joint birthday with a dinner in Romulo Cafe, located at the corner of Scout Tuazon and Dr. Lazcano Streets in Quezon City.  The place is an old house, refurbished with a modern look, and the walls are lined with memorabilia of--you guessed it--Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, first Secretary General of the United Nations; I believe the restaurant is owned and operated by his grandchildren.  It's one cozy place to enjoy simple, yet tasteful, home-style Filipino cuisine.  We had beef soup, crunchy tilapia, shrimps in coconut milk, shelled kuhol (escargot), gising-gising (Baguio beans in coconut milk), crispy pata (pork leg), and came out the place having a hard time walking!  With P700 per head, expect a feast!

Sinag

I pulled out some old bars of soap this morning and somehow, my thoughts drifted off to that time in the mid-eighties when my sister Erica went into the production and marketing of "Sinag," her homemade laundry soap!  Yes, I remember it distinctly, she used our household laundry tubs for mixing the ingredients, and after a few experimental runs, she was able to get the right texture, decent cleaning power and even a great scent from her creation!  She stacked a lot of these 5-galloon cans of cooking oil in our laundry area, and I would come home to find both Erica & Michaela toiling in the middle of daily production runs, which went on for a few months.  Erica even had a label stamper made in Divisoria, and when the soap started to cake, she would stamp the brand "Sinag" onto the bar.  I don't even know if she was able to make money on all her hard work, and now that I look back, I think gaining experience and having fun was the motivation for all that jazz.... Hahaha!

Crystal Jade

Had a nice dinner with cousin Eddie around the Virra Mall area in Greenhills.  This Singaporean franchise Crystal Jade has been a hot topic during coffee table chit-chats with friends but only today did I have time to visit the place.  The food is an interesting mix of Shanghainese, Singaporean & Teow Chow styles and as such, the Siao Long Pao & peanut noodle soups were two must try items!  Deliciously steamed, the piping-hot meat juices just oozed out of the Siao Long Pao dumpling--what a great experience!  Similarly, the noodles were just right to the bite and the soup was thick and flavorful.  All in all we spent something like P700 per head, but we probably ordered too much (good for 3) and had a lot of take-home leftovers to spare.

Naruto

Am I an overgrown kid or what?  Yes, as you can well see, I'm a Naruto fan.  For me, the story line is interesting, the action is pretty cool and the characters are simply awesome!  It's a regular ritual--I watch the weekly anime video online, and I monitor the boards for the latest manga chapters...  Fantastic stress management!

Nokia N900

I just saw a review of the Nokia N900 in a tech magazine, and when I saw the 9.5 rating, I was so glad that I got this unit for Monique.  The mobile phone of choice amongst her peers is actually the Apple I-Phone, but somehow, having both a QWERTY keyboard and a touchscreen appealed to her and was an exact match for her requirements.  With the Maemo operating system, this unit is quite flexible, fast, and works more like a PC than a phone.  The 5 mp camera is also a plus; whenever we travel and forget to bring a camera, the N900 makes up for our forgetfulness.  I don't think she'll be looking for a new phone for the next couple of years!

Bollywood Time!

Spent the last 3 hours watching the movie "Krrish," enjoying the beauty of former Miss World Priyanka Chopra, featured at your left.  I must admit Monique and I get lots of enjoyment watching Bollywood movies, the last one being "Veer."  With all the oozing romanticism, the fantastic fight-scenes, the melodious songs and the dancing (yes, the famous dancing), we found ourselves transported to a totally different world, and again yes, it was quite fun!  I have always found the Indian female leads to be attractive, and somehow, the dancing makes the female leads so exotic (yes, the famous dancing) and is exactly what sets the Bollywood movies apart!  Yup, I'm relaxed today...  Well, relaxed and famished--just in time for Vicky's Korean beef stew... hmm... also super delightful!

Flavors of Little Baguio

Monique, fresh from an enjoyable visit to Enchanted Kingdom, had to get her school enrollment going today.  But before we set out to brave the heat and the long lines, we took a detour and wound up along Abad Santos road near Wilson St. in San Juan.  Ristras, a Mexican eatery, looked inviting, and we started off with a burrito each--she had pork carnitas, while I had spicy beef.  Quite large, by any standard, their burritos--I understand that each roughly weighs 800 grams!  They even have a "Wall of Fame" in which the fastest eaters of their 2.5 kilo behemoth get their lap times set on the blackboard--the champion having downed the biggie in just 29 minutes!  Talk about sarap!  Next time I think I will try their "Wet" burritos in which the plain burrito gets buried in cheese sauce and kitchen-torched to get a crispy topping!


Being a coffee lover, Monique opted to have a Dark Choco Java at the Bread & Bean Coffee Shop just next door, while I munched on a 6" choco-chip cookie!  Talk about gaining weight!  Spent something like P400 each for lunch today--super busog at that!

UCC Cafe

Had a cordial dinner with a friend at UCC Cafe over at the little island just off the Rockwell Power Plant yesterday.  I chose the place as Vicky had a separate meeting at the nearby Rockwell Club; it was just convenient to meet up in the mall proper after our respective affairs.  With lush surroundings and a quiet atmosphere compared to the nearby diners & the Starbucks coffee shop, the place has been a favorite gathering for informal business meetings and casual get-togethers.  What's always been interesting in UCC for me was that despite being primarily a coffee shop (exotic and well, high priced, beans like Kilimanjaro & other blends are available) the deliberate marriage of Italian and Japanese cuisines has created interesting tastes.  Take the spaghetti soup with shitake mushrooms & nori--its different, and refreshing!  We usually shell out P500-P600 per head.  Good service, constant quality.

Formica

While savoring the dark chocolate ice cream at the Deli, we all took a peek at Kong's latest handiwork, as executed by Andy, the local handyman.  Once I saw it, I knew that Kong's brilliance in furniture restoration will bring a new excitement to Annella's move to San Juan.  In the late 1950s, Kong made a wooden chest of drawers on steel legs for the old house of Gwamy in Carola, which Tita Carmen had been using until her death a few years ago.  Of course, over the years, the piece had already deteriorated just like the Carola house.  Just yesterday, this drawer was fully restored by Kong, in the original white with matching gold trim, and don't forget--new drawer locks!  The stroke of genius is in the use of Formica as cladding.  It looks so clean and so sleek, simply chic; Kong has truly outdone himself and has improve on his own creation, 60 years later!  Surely a great addition to Tony & Annella's new home!

Bagoong Club

Brought Kong & Gwammy out for a Sunday dinner treat to the Bagoong Club along Dr. Lazcano St. in the Tomas Morato area, with the family in tow.  The home-style cooking was reasonably priced, and the chef added certain twists to borrowed fare--dishes like "Pinoy Paella" and "Hay Naku! Chicken" paid tribute to Spanish and Chinese influence on Filipino cooking.  Of course the bagoong (seafood paste) was plentiful and came in various forms (shrimp & fish, sweet, spicy, plain and fermented).  I personally liked the mongo & tinapa soup, the corn with labahita flakes and the laing (spiced taro leaves in coconut milk).  Not bad for an average of P350 - P400 per person, we had so much take-home to spare.  After that, we all converged at the Deli for dark chocolate ice cream; Monique and cousins would stay overnight to get ready for their Enchanted Kingdom excursion.

UFC 129

Watching the much hyped fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley was a big waste of time, some even felt ripped-off.  As a friend said "Shame on Shane, he Mosley ran away!"  So when I tuned into the replay of UFC 129, I felt the tinge of excitement that was sorely lacking last Sunday.  First bout I watched was the victory of Japanese-Brazlian Lyoto Machida (Karate) over legendary Randy Couture (Greco-Roman) via Crane-Style-Karate-Kid front kick in the light heavyweight division.  Now that was lightning fast and Randy didn't see that coming.  Next bout in the featherweight division was a super bloody fight between Brazilian Jose Aldo (Muay Thai) and Canadian Mark Hominick (picture above taken from www.mmamania.com).  Aldo won that night via unanimous decision, but Hominick should be given full honors, fighting (and gaining steam!) despite a tennis-ball sized hematoma swelling on his forehead, which Aldo dished out in the third round.  I could have sworn that if there had been a sixth round, then Hominick would have gained the upper hand.  Third fight was the welterweight title fight in which recent Manila visitor (yes, yes, I admit I gawked like a big fan when saw him have breakfast at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel that time he was in town!) French-Canadian George St. Pierre (Kyokushin Karate) kept his title via unanimous decision over Jake Shields (American Jiu-Jitsu).  GSP won, but received a lot of punishment on his left eye from Shields prompting a 60-day medical suspension from the UFC.  Talk about adrenaline surge, that fight night in front of 55,000 fans in Toronto was really worth watching!  My heart's going tug-a-dug again!  Whew!

Gigantor

Few of you will probably remember Gigantor, the Space-Age Robot, but I assure you once you see his image, his face is something you don't easily forget!  This show was a cartoon staple on the mid-morning time slot in the late 60s (don't quite remember which TV channel), and I would be glued to the screen to eagerly await the next episode.  Gigantor, together with Astro-Boy, were the pre-cursors of Voltes V and Daimos, and we had many good playtime hours imitating this lovable robot.  Quite a catch, this JPEG image I gathered on the net; sure brings back plenty of fun memories!

Eng Bee Tin

Vicky came home with a box of Eng Bee Tin hopia given by an acquaintance.  Simply delicious!  The gift box had the mongo staple, the ube favorite, and buko pandan, a new flavor that I found quite delicious.  Miggs & I also enjoyed the "Combi" variants, namely ube-queso and ube-langka.  Eng Been Tin has been around for ages, and their store in Binondo has become a must-see destination for one to truly enjoy a trip to Chinatown.  With several stores around the Metro, one need not take the trip downtown to get a box.  A good treat for summer, and as Miggs put it, something nice to give to visiting Balikbayans!

Art Imitating Life

Monique's mission at the Rune Factory 2 (Nintendo DS) game has stumped her for the past few weeks.  I understand that one has to press the "A" button at least 35 times in a span of 5 seconds to, get this--win a gastronomic eating challenge!  She can only achieve 26 presses, so she comes to me to ask for help.  I'm amazed at how, in this case, art imitates life... hehehe....  On my first try, I get to 24 presses, and I reach 35 presses on the second try...!  Yes, the feeling of success!  My deal with her--if I can win the prize for her, she has to sleep early, 12 midnight at the latest!  It's summertime and together with the Callars, they've been pushing 2 am on certain dates...  A big no no... This time, I win! ;-)

Stackers Burgers

I have known for some time that Eastwood City is quite a popular night spot, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the place teaming with people this lunchtime.  Monique, Luis, the Callar kids and I had a fast lunch at Stackers Burger Cafe, a hamburger place originating from the land of Oz.  That's right mates, the land where you start up with "breaky" (breakfast) and end up with a mouth watering burger from the "barbie" (BBQ).  With soft buns and juicy patties, I couldn't resist ordering a second burger!  You can make do with P200 per head, but double that if you arrived with a hungry tummy!

Greenhills

It seems that the redevelopment of Greenhills area is creating a lot of excitement; the new master plan promises to bring the area at par with the rest of pocket developments that have come up over the past decade or so (e.g. Eastwood, Rockwell, Fort Bonifacio).  For a long time, Greenhills was the place to see and be seen, but through the early nineties, the incidence of petty crime increased, and the aging facilities plus the lack of parking space turned off a lot of customers.  In response, the Ortigas group came up with both temporary and long-term solutions, which has brought life back into the area.  The Promenade replaced the Cross Roads Arcade, the 4,000 seater Greenhills Theater was repackaged into a couple of smaller theaters and a mini-mall, Virra Mall was renovated and renamed V-Mall, while the Shoppesville Arcade was also redone to sport a clean and well-lit interiors.  Also, new parking buildings were constructed to ease the tight parking situation.  At the moment, the construction of the Viridian residential condominium is going full swing, to introduce a high-rise living component into the complex.


Together with a few friends, we had dinner last night at the Little Asia restaurant at the second floor of the Promenade complex.  While the menu covers the culinary flavors of the Asian continent, Chinese cooking creates the distinct impression on the palate.  We had crispy shrimps, stir-fried abitsuelas in oyster sauce, fried chicken, and spicy fried pork, all of which were prepared in street-food fashion common throughout Asia.  With a couple of beers in tow, we had an enjoyable evening.  Not bad at all, prepare around P300 - P600 per head, depending on how hungry you are.

Oak Room

Today's lunch meeting was a good treat at the Oak Room, the 6th Floor restaurant of the Oakwood Residences along ADB Avenue.  The Oakwood used to be located atop the Glorietta Mall in Makati, but that property was taken over by the Ascott group in 2007.  Its new location in the Ortigas Center is perfect for long-staying guests, mostly from the Asian Development Bank.  The Oak Room is quiet, well-appointed, and has a wide selection of food.  I had mussels in cream for starters (mussels were large and surprisingly tender), mushroom barley soup (thick & rich, the creamy texture came in nice contrast with the "bouncy" sensation of chewing the barley), and lamb chops (nicely grilled, with creamy spinach on the side).  Well recommended for a fast business lunch!  Average food check per head can range from P800 (set menu) to P1,500 which is reasonable for the stylish ambience and the central location of the restaurant.  Cool!

Hizon's

Had a delightful Mother's day dessert--Becca bought this wonderful caramel cake, soft core with sweet and creamy icing.  She told me that the cake came from Hizon's bakeshop, which explained why I had marveled at the taste and texture of the cake.  Hizon's, together with Za's Cafe, has been situated in Ermita for the longest time and has been known to be the gathering waterhole of many politicians and celebrities.  Cakes, breads and pastries are simply delicious and the quality has obviously been maintained through these years.  On the higher end of the scale though, prepare around P1,500 in your wallet if you want to take home some goodies!

The Jesuit In Me

1.    Hawaiian Hula
2.    Anchors Away (Sailor Dance)
3.    Col. George Armstrong Custer
4.    Monster Hill
5.    DWTL
6.    Thrilla In Manila
7.    St. Joseph's Workshop
8.    Top Ledge Beer
9.    Echolac & Samsonite
10.  Metrocom In New Manila
11.  Disco-Very
12.  Speed Reading
13.  Ragged Man
14.  Compressed Sandwiches
15.  Anna's Catering
16.  Beef Curry Empanada
17.  Vendo & P0.10 bottle deposits
18.  Collar Chili
19.  Football Tansan
20.  Marble Tables
21.  SRA
22.  Silence is Golden (but Communication is Diamondian)
23.  Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Balagtas & Ibong Adarna
24.  Tennis Baseball & Kites
25.  Pait ng Pag-ibig
26.  PSAT, SAT & NCEE
27.  II & Bionic Class
28.  Night Swims
29.  T-bird Gemini
30.  Bunong Braso

Days of Our Lives

1.     Lao Chao's Distilled Water
2.     Giant Watermelons & Smashing Window Panes
3.     Sun Moon Lake & Ham Sandwich
4.     Pines Hotel & Baygon
5.     Military Cut-Off Road & SPED
6.     100 Islands--snakeskin & sunburn
7.     LIGUR--La Cucaracha attack
8.     Tiger Balm Gardens
9.     President Hotel
10.   Skayola Santa Claus
11.   Hong Kong MRT manholes
12.   Lego sets & toy trains
13.   Flashlight Christmas
14.   Eugene's Photo Sessions
15.   Sha-i, Butung & Corn-mills
16.   Snowball & Bratinella
17.   Gypsy Witch
18.   Lyric, Wyler & Swatch
19.   Macaroning Sinabaw & Garlic Soup
20.   Contadina & Marvel

Our Old Haunts

1.    Q
2.    Stargazer
3.    Apres
4.    On
7.    Garage
8.    Cellar Bar
9.    Jungle Bar
10.  El Camarote
11.  Playboy Club
12.  Where Else
13.  Valentino's
14.  1571
15.  Coco Banana
16.  Calesa Bar
17.  Siete Pecados
18.  Tib's
19.  Bird's
20.  Ipe's
21.  Top of the Hilton
22.  Top of the Century (Harry's Bar)

Good Old Reliables, Still Alive & Well

1.    Aberdeen Court & Cafe de Chine (Makati Avenue & Quezon Avenue)
2.    Kowloon House (West Avenue)
3.    Bamboo House (Cubao)
4.    Panciteria Lido (Greenhills)
5.    Panciteria Toho (Sucat)
6.    Shantung (West Avenue)
7.    Panciteria San Jacinto (Quezon Avenue)
8.    Milky Way (Rockwell)
9.    Swiss Inn (Makati Avenue)
10.  Little Quiapo (East Avenue)
11.  Good Ah! (Angeles)
12.  Alfredo's (Tomas Morato)
13.  Mario's (Tomas Morato)
14.  Spring Deer (Timog Avenue)
15.  Kimpura (Greenhills)
16.  Alba's (Makati Avenue)
17.  Dulcinea (Tomas Morato)
18.  Tivoli (Manila Mandarin--lettuce hearts!)

Whatever Happened to These Old Favorites?

1.    Madrid
2.    Rice Bowl
3.    Mariquina
4.    Canada Cafe (the best P6.75 steak)
5.    Fork & Spoon (my first taste of fast food)
6.    Josephine's Seafood (Dewey Blvd., not Cavite--I'm not that old)
7.    The Plaza
8.    El's (Johnny Midnight fame)
9.    Tia Maria (yes, the Margaritas)
10.  Chicken Benedict (chicken rumps)
11.  Whistlestop (24/7)
12.  Tamarind Grill (smoked salmon)
13.  Panciteria Antigua
14.  Abelardo's (Philippine Plaza)
15.  L' Hirondelle (Manila Mandarin)
16.  Taza de Oro
17.  Selecta
18.  Pier 7 (Philippine Plaza)
19.  Italian Village & Monk's Inn
20.  Dean St. Cafe
21.  Leila's (Rizal Theater)
22.  La Cibeles
23.  Casa Marcos (the best Gambas)
24.  Miyako (Eat All You Can)
25.  Kublai Khan (Mongolian)
26.  Laurel & Hardy's Burger
27.  Coney Island Ice Cream
28.  Silver Bell Ice Cream
29.  New York Pizza (Unimart)
30.  Joni's Bakeshop
31.  Au Bon Vivant
32.  Carnival Frozen Cream
33.  Choco-Vim

Whatever Happened To These Stores?

1.    Botica Boie
2.    Casman Drug
3.    Assandas
4.    Eloy's
5.    Good Earth Emporium
6.    PECO Bookstore
7.    Alemar's Bookstore
8.    Toylandia
9.    Arcega's
10.  680 Home Appliances
11.  Oceanic
12.  Manila COD

Mother's Day

It's a nerve-wracking Mother's Day as we watch Manny Pacquio fight (and win over) Shane Mosley.  Well, for the customary Mother's feast, Vicky & Becca slave themselves in the kitchen concocting their latest culinary experiments--French Onion Soup topped with Toasted Baguette & Cheese, Potato Au Gratin, Steamed Corn and Beef Lasagna with Garlic Bread on the side!  We finally get to use the long-lost ceramic mandolin (for the Potato Au Gratin), and the kids just love the resulting menu.  It's absolutely amazing how these two moms manage to beat the kitchen heat with these laborious recipes in tow!  I understand that preparations started yesterday afternoon with a trip with Pipay to the nearby bayside S&R membership shopping center.  Complete master-chefs, if you ask me!  In the far corners of the back courtyard, Miggs manages to Bobby-Flay his contribution too, sizzling his Liempo masterpiece atop his charcoal grill, timing his meat overturns when the TVs ads for the Pacquiao-Mosley fight pop up.  And me?  I keep myself busy writing this blog.... masterful stroke of lazy Sunday genius on my part!  Hehehe.....

Don't Put Blood In My Chicken!

Last night's cooking face-off between the boys (okay, Pat had photography class so Luis had to work alone) & the girls went very well.  Organized by my sister Erica to celebrate Mother's Day, the cooking spree was patterned after the Iron-Chef or Master-Chef TV series, and it seems that the team of Deannie, Monique & Nika had the edge over Team Luis this time.  Luis started off the competition with a minor knife nick, prompting Deannie to exclaim "Don't put blood in my chicken!" as Luis rushed to the faucet to bleed his wound.  All went well after that, the girls scored a 10 on Kong's rating scale with their Chicken Pastel with Quail Eggs (I thought the quail eggs gave it a stylish touch).  Luis made Tuna Rigatoni, which was very tasty but, due to the large volume of pasta vis-a-vis the limited sauce, went a little dry.  The Mozzarella Risotto Balls looked great, with a more little herbs and seasoning this dish will surely be a monster hit.  The Bacon-Wrapped Cream Dory on a bed of Asparagus made by Luis looked very appetizing, and was great with the Lemon-Pepper Mayo dip.  Randy & Toots enjoyed the Octopus Sausages Bound with Nori, while everyone enjoyed the finale of Panna Cotta topped with Cherry & Blueberry.  Annella kept on munching on the Tomato-topped Bruschetta even after dessert was served, and while Kong couldn't appreciate the dish, it seemed like Annella would finish the whole tray before midnight!  As a matching back-drop, Yaya Belen made Ginataang Puso ng Saging while Yaya Mary Jane chimed in with her Dinaing na Bangus, prompting us to surrender by 10pm!  Pat, Luis, Kong & Gwammy then formed a Mahjong quorum and had great fun swimming indoors.  Whew, what a day, Monique & I got home almost at midnight!

Mobility Achieved!

Our younger daughter Pipay has Down Syndrome, and her development has been an uphill climb because of two other factors--a very weak thyroid gland (daily dose of thyroid hormones is necessary), and hearing impairment (functioning with only 10% hearing in the left ear, and 50% hearing in the right ear).  Now 9, Pipay still undergoes her weekly rituals--physical, occupational and speech therapy, and we're now seeing this hard work pay off.  With a monobloc chair as her andador, I am amazed at how she is now able to navigate herself around Lola's house.  It sure appears that she is now mobile...!  That's fantastic, dear daughter...!  Now if I can only get her to stop her thumb-sucking and her eye-poking... one battle at a time.... ;-)

Barry Mint

I heard that the Hotdog would be staging a reunion concert at the Dusit Hotel this month.  Brings back a lot of memories!  To those of you who listened to the Manila AM band in the seventies, I'm sure you came across DZBM, lovingly referred to by the jocks to "Barry Mint."  This was the main competitor of DZRJ, the Rock of Manila (still broadcasting after all these years, now on 100.3 FM).  When 92.3 FM called itself with a human name "Joey," it was actually following the tradition set by Barry Mint!  Together with DWKW, these 3 stations were the staples of the 70s and the music format they played brought in a lot of excitement to our generation.  Of course we'd also listen to the stations of the oldies (who can forget Bong Lapira, Eddie Mercado, Art Galindez?) but Barry Mint brought in the music of our generation.  That was really cool!

Skype

Technology never ceases to amaze me.... Went online via Skype this morning so that Vicky & my in-laws could talk to her brothers Royce & Robert in the US.  Imagine clear overseas audio & video communication for just the cost of your monthly internet subscription!  Time was when we had to make a primary "person-to-person" long distance call merely to establish presence of the called party (at no cost) and then follow-up with a "station-to-station" long distance call (which was much cheaper).  Hehe, the strategies we used to save money were quite impressive! Today, communication is very easy, very cheap and even with people across the globe, we can still keep in touch... Nice thing, is it not?

Banchetto Market

Tony & Annella took the clan to the Banchetto food fair along Emerald Avenue at the Ortigas Center last Friday night.  I understand this midnight market has been operating for around a year or so, and has been quite successful in catching the Call Center-BPO crowd just as they get out of the office.  As luck would have it, we arrived at around 11pm and managed to squeeze into the last available parking spaces in Emerald Avenue.  In a span of two hours, we were able to taste the fare of several stalls--baked oysters, sisig, Korean dumplings, Persian shawarma, BBQ, and panna cotta.  We also tried the humungous UNO hamburger which probably weighed half a pound!  It was tender and but was a bit dry; the other hitch was the long wait--our order took around 25 minutes to get done.  Banchetto, which in Italian means "banquet," is an ideal experience to enjoy this summertime, just before the rains set in.  Check it out--you will probably get your stomach full with P250 in your wallet!

KFC Double Down

KFC isnt exactly gourmet fare, but the Double Down offering was simply the talk of the town amongst some friends of mine....so I walked in the nearest KFC branch this lunchtime and found myself ordering exactly that!  To begin with, it's not exactly the sandwich that one would have in mind--instead of two pieces of bread, you have two pieces of Kentucky Fried Chicken strips "sandwiching" a slice of bacon and another slice of cheese...interesting!  It's nice, juicy, tastes like turbo-charged KFC chicken!  The only drawback is that you feel sensory overload from the taste, and wish you had asked for an extra order of rice!  Cheap and fast, gets you full in less than P100...

Gourmet Pizza

The Top Gourmet Pizza list according to yours truly:


1.   Cosa Nostra (Malate)
2.   Casanova (Temple Drive)
3.   C's (Clark Field)
4.   Amoroma (Tagaytay)
5.   Trio (Fort) + Pasto (Greenhills)
6.   La Grotta (Salcedo Village)
7.   La Tavole (Subic Bay)
8.   Bellini's (Marikina Shoe Expo)
9.   Galileo (Mandaluyong)
10.  Uncle Cheffy's (Eastwood)

Army Navy

It was a lazy afternoon stroll around Makati with Monique and the Callars; we continued our quest for Manila's best burger, this time around the Central Business District.  Tried Army Navy Burgers & Burritos at the Solaris Building for merienda, and we were not disappointed.  We learned from the staff that this burger shop was a sister company of the Yellow Cab pizza franchise, and this reinforced our belief that the local restaurateurs never run out of good food ideas! Of good size, juicy and flavorful, Army Navy burgers had soft black-sesame encrusted buns and came nicely wrapped in soft aluminum foil.  This small detail is of note to me--unlike thin wax paper or small plastic pouches, I can eat the burger without getting my hands messy!  Reasonable at P200 per head on the average.

After merienda, we strolled through the underpass system, up to and around the Ayala Triangle Park to have gelato at Caramia.  This ice cream store was initially operated as a learning center by the Don Bosco Brotherhood at the corner of Pasay Road and Pasong Tamo; I recently heard that the franchise is was acquired by the Jolibee group.  Slightly on the sweet side for me, but cool and delicious nevertheless, and quite easy on the pocket at P75 per scoop (if you feel that's a bit on the high side, remember that gelato has less air and more milk, as compared to ice cream).  After clowning around for a few more minutes, daylight was starting to fade and since Kathy forgot to bring her mom's Nikon DSLR, we just had to make do with Monique's 5mp Nokia N900 for our mini-photo shoot.  Fun, fun, fun!

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.


-- Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) as narrated by Les Crane (1971 spoken-word recording)

Omakase

Now here's a nice Japanese restaurant that I was introduced to this lunchtime... It's situated at the ground floor of the Il Terrazo mini mall along Tomas Morato St. right at the corner of Scout Madrinan, QC. The place was packed when Monique & I came in; it was lucky that we only had to wait for around 5 minutes to get seated. I understand the word "Omakase" roughly means "Bahala Ka Na" in Japanese, and this usually refers to trying the best sushi/sashimi that the chef has in stock. In this case though we went ala carte--the soft shell crab was nicely done, the sashimi was very fresh, and the ebi tempura was delightful. Spacious, seating capable to probably 150 pax. Simple interiors, clean and bright. Expect to spend P400 to P800 per head.

Fruitas!

My Top 5 Fruits:
1.  Atis
2.  Lanzones
3.  Chico
4.  Langka
5.  Mangosteen

Pizza Time!

My Top 10 Commercial Pizza Parlors:


1.    Shakey's
2.    Sbarro's
3.    Big Apple
4.    Yellow Cab
5.    Brooklyn
6.    Sicilian Express
7.    Amici
8.    Sandy's
9.    Carlo's
10.  Piadina

Sector Shark Master

I always thought that Sector only had quartz watches.  I have always liked their rugged design features and the reasonable prices of their watches (Japan movements).  It then came as a pleasant surprise to see the Sector Shark Master, an A/T diving watch tested for--note this--1,000 meters!  Yes, that's something like 3,300 feet!  Now I have gone scuba diving to a depth of 10 meters, and it was already eerie... the light starts to fade!  So if a watch can go down to 1,000 meters, that's mind boggling...  The watch comes with a rubber strap, a rotating bezel, sapphire top plus a free dive light!  With a Swiss movement for less than $1,000, this collector's item is definitely a must on my Christmas wish list!

Chicken Bon Chon

Had a fast lunch at Chicken Bon Chon over at Greenbelt today.  I heard about this Korean inspired fast-food joint from some of my friends who raved about the crunchy and tasty chicken style of the place.  They were right--taste-wise the chicken was flavorful.  However, my beef (pardon the pun) about the chicken was the serving size!  Now I was made to believe that my order of chicken wings would have 3 pieces of chicken wings, rice and a glass of iced tea--not bad for P135 fast food package, I thought.  To my chagrin, the order came with 1 chicken wing cut into 3 pieces!  Holy cow (pun intended again)!  Whatever happened to truth in advertising?  Well, friends, Romans and countrymen--thumbs down, i say...

Intramuros

Intramuros has always been a great place to show visiting friends--it's the Philippines in a nutshell. After a hearty dimsum lunch at the Shang Palace in Makati Shangri-la (we probably had a dozen different kinds of dimsum treats), I brought another batch of Chinese guests to Intramuros.  First stop was the San Agustin Church, but because a wedding ceremony was underway, we decided to skip the church tour, proceeding to the Manila Cathedral instead.  Now whenever I enter the walled city, I always marvel at the beauty of the Cathedral's structure, which makes an imposing presence on the skyline.  The interiors are well-preserved, and as such, the ambience seems to create a solemn mystique, making a perfect recharge zone for the spiritually-weary.  Truly one of the structures that define Manila!

Next stop was Fort Santiago which I had not seen since my high school days.  Not bad at all; I believe the Intramuros Administration has kept the place clean and a pleasure to visit.  As you enter, the park leading to the moat has a beautifully kept garden, alive with shrubs and flowers of various colors and hues.  The entrance gate right after the moat has a majestic archway, quite perfect for the calendar poses of couples-to-be!  The interior park has a statue of Jose Rizal, and while we were visiting, I could spot a few groups having photo sessions using the scenery as a background.  At the rear portion of the Fort, you can climb up to the ramparts overlooking the Pasig River, and only the view of Tondo/Binondo made me realize (abruptly) the disparity between the fairy-tale setting of the Fort Santiago park vis-a-vis the Third World reality of the City of Manila.  Well, so much for that...

The tour would not have been complete without merienda cena, which we had at the nearby Ilustrado Restaurant.  Being a hot day, we had the unique speciality of the place--Filipino ice cream, in pandan, ginger and calamansi!

Dinner?  You guessed it--Chinese food.  We went to the Manila Pavilion Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn Manila Pavilion), and tried the food at the Peony Garden restaurant.  Formerly known as Toh Yuen or the Pavilion Court, we had Malaysian style Chinese food, which my guests found to be quite different from what they were used to.

Overall, a great day for me to be a tour guide for visiting friends.  I also was able to appreciate the city a little bit better.  Pinoy na Pinoy!

The Samurai

Talking about Mighty Thor has made me a bit sentimental.  I've been longing to find out whatever happened to the TV series "The Samurai" starring Koichi Ose as Shintaro Akikusa.  I never got to find out if the white ninjas prevailed over the black ninjas... You remember his sidekick, Tombei the Mist?  I still remember one word of advice given by Tombei that "Ninjas are forbidden to worry," and I still think of these words whenever I encounter the stress of daily life.  That was one much enjoyed television series in my time, and I can't help but think of this as the roots of the "Naruto" anime series the kids enjoy today.  Well, not just the kids... I must admit, I am a Naruto fan too....  Now ain't that a revelation...!  ;-)

Mighty Thor!

I first encountered the Mighty Thor comic series of Marvel's Stan Lee via Lawrence Gantray's stop-motion animation series in the mid sixties... yes, such vivid memories of a long gone era, when summer meant slipping off to West Riverside to borrow comic books of my good friend Manny (now the head of a big radio station)!  I would even endure that long (and dizzying) boat ride to Cebu so that I could read the comic stash of my much older cousin Arthur (as in Mighty Thor issue no. 1), and that just goes to show how much of a fan I am... So when the theatrical release date of the much-awaited movie arrived, I made it a point to watch the movie on the very first weekend... and I was not disappointed!  I had the pleasure of dragging my daughter Monique to the showing, and quite surprisingly, she was happy with movie too!  The storyline made me shed a tear, and the special effects were quite impressive.  Monique though, thinks the Iron Man special effects had a much bigger bang...hehe, to each his own i guess...  Kudos to director Kenneth Branagh, the movie looks so real.  I usually watch movies on DVD, but some big-ticket items just deserve to be enjoyed on the big screen!  This is one of those blockbuster extravaganzas...Have fun!

World Economy

With this week's interaction with my Chinese guests came the news that some economic analysts have predicted that the Chinese economy will surpass the US economy in 2016.  Yes, as I have been saying, the English language will be peppered with borrowed Chinese words by 2030.  It's simply a necessity--a language must adapt in order to continue its life term.  As I glance through the news of Prince William's royal wedding, I remember how Britain, as a superpower, was overtaken by the United States, and how China just recently derailed Japan as the world's second largest economy.  I wonder what's up for the Philippines then?  More 168 malls?  My sisters will just love that..... hehehe.....

King Bee

Nelson, my first cousin's eldest son, just arrived from California and has decided to stay in the Philippines for good.  My my...he's grown!  Last time I saw him he was a teen-ager, and now he's pretty much the good-natured adult his father is.  Had lunch with the clan at King Bee's along E. Rodriguez Avenue--yes, you got it right--comfort food!  They have very tasty Hakaw dumplings!  The prawn salad was also a treat, while the Lapu-Lapu steamed in soya sauce was one of the first dishes to be completely wiped out!  Easily accessible, with good parking space, this popular-priced restaurant is a constant crowd-drawer!  Around P400-P600 per head on the average.

The Manila Mandarin

The hotel used to be known as the Manila Mandarin but in keeping with the chain's standardization program, the hotel is now known as the Mandarin Oriental Manila.  Had breakfast at the Mandarin Deli the other day and I realized that this was the perfect place to discuss business matters in a cozy, simple and serene setting, while being only a block away from the hustle and bustle of the CBD.  The spinach quiche was a bit bland for me, but then again, I'm a salty eater... Maybe I should have tried the "Make-Your-Own" Sandwich treat...  I do miss L' Hirondelle, their top-end restaurant 20 years ago and the Clipper Lounge at the mezzanine level which has since been turned into a selling area.  The Brasserie is now known as the Paseo Uno--I dropped in and the buffet spread was quite sumptuous and inviting! I understand they still operate the Tivoli and the Captain's Bar at the lobby area, and have added the Martini's Bar at the Makati Avenue entrance.  Yes, all in all, nice memories....

Cebu City Tour

Happily behaving like tourists, I took my Chinese banker guests around Cebu and I found myself wondering when I last toured Fort San Pedro and Magellan's Cross... yup, that must have been 35 years ago... Had dinner at the Waterfront Hotel's Tin Gow restaurant.  The food is Malaysian-Chinese style and was absolutely good.  Prepare something like P1,000 per head for a royal treat!

Crimson Resort

Took a quick look at the Crimson Spa & Resort in Mactan Island and I knew instantly knew why this newly-opened resort of the Gotianun Family had generated a lot of buzz.  The resort has a tropical feel to it, and is adjacent to a residential subdivision development of the family's Filinvest Group.  Nice and breezy Asian architecture, a welcoming pool-cum-ocean view and well-appointed rooms made me want to bring the family over for a couple of nights stay!  I hope their spa is as good as they say it is, maybe Vicky & Monique can try it out?  Hmmmm......

PAL's new 777

Absolutely jet-set!  Had the opportunity to ride PAL's new B777 on my way to Cebu... I like the stylish contour of the Recaro seats, and the proximity of the reading light.  The control panel has easy to operate buttons and the tray was wider than that of most other planes.  Foam was firm although I had a little difficulty adjusting the headrest.


Also, kudos to the creators of the new in-flight familiarization video of PAL.  I normally don't even bother to watch FAs do the "fasten seat belt" gig, but the new video is quite upbeat and humorous!  Cool!