the thursday group

Last Hurrah

2008-09-13T18:50:00.018+08:00

To Tehlin,

who made life in HK funny because of her stories
who made lunches and dinners happen because she was thoughtful enough to plan them
who opened her home to the ladies and the PSC later on for drinking, gaming and gossip sessions
who, with her listening ear and sage advice, became a confidante of most of the ladies

You will be missed A WHOLE LOT. Much more than most of us would care to let on. Much more than we do right now.

I've always believed that lifelong friends are made when you're in high school, and the married years see acquaintances come and go. Well, Tehlin, the Thursday Group has proven me wrong.

Here's to you, Chris, Sam, Isabel and your future kids. May you find lasting happiness and comfort in your new home.

The Thursday Group needs new blood!

9 months and blah blah days since the last entry

2008-02-04T15:17:00.000+08:00

It's been almost a year since the last entry. But who cares? We all have our own personal blogs, we've been busy looking for work, starting businesses, traveling and having babies. Yet through it all we've managed to celebrate birthdays, Christmas, baby showers, baptisms and cheer each other up during depressing times. We've managed to dance the night away in LKF, get drunk, meet for lunch, merienda and dinner. I'll let the pictures say what we all know to be true: The Thursday group is still going strong.

Then There Were 8

2007-04-17T22:50:00.000+08:00

Since this topic relates to the Thursday Group, I thought I should finally enter a legitimate piece on this blog.

On Monday we had a what may be the last get together at Jeremie's place. She's leaving for NY next month and unlike Ragamuffin Girl and me, we're not sure if they're going to change their minds after they get there and come back after a few months. We gave Shanghai 6 months, surrendered and came back. It took Ragamuffin Girl 4 months in Canada before they came back too. We're hoping Jeremie might be gone for 3 months only and then come back, since the pattern seems to be a decreasing number of months away for the Thursday ladies who have left.

Then a few months from now, Maryheart will be leaving for California! She's leaving in a few weeks to look for a place to stay and a school for her kids. With the way she operates, we know once she decides to leave, it'll be a definite thing. Why does she have to be so efficient!?

It's going to be alot quieter without the 2 of them in Hong Kong. Ever since Shyguy started working, we rarely get to see her anymore. Midicrux published a book recently, so she's been busy for what seems like months now. Mayapapaya, although she was working from home up to a few weeks ago was technically "free", was difficult to coax out of her working attire which was her pajamas. But now that she's out of her pajamas, she started flying off to Manila due to her new business. Ragamuffin Girl we don't get to see as much anymore either since she started work teaching cooking classes. Pam had been busy creating wonderfully baked breads. Now in addition to being the go-to gal when it comes to photography and techie questions, we'll have to add great bread baker too. Mae on the other hand had been busy traveling. And I had been a lazy-ass getting out of the house since I had Nachos. But although its sad that we don't get to see each other as much anymore, its even better knowing we've all evolved in some way and have moved on and kept busy.

The Thursday group has been my life line since I moved to Hong Kong. To this day I am grateful to Abi who introduced me to the initial group 4 years ago. And I am thankful that somehow the combination of all our personalities gelled and we have maintained this group to this day.

We are going to miss Jeremie and Maryheart dearly. There will be no way for us to fill the hole when they leave. Hopefully we'll all still do our best to stay in touch and visit as much as possible. Hong Kong is mostly a stop over for most of us, and when the time comes for the rest of us to move on as well, I'm sure we'll all still call ourselves the original Thursday group.

Hey ladies when that day comes, we better start having Thursday group lunches in different countries. Although we won't be able to meet every week anymore, we better at least meet every year! How cool would that be?

blog revisited

2007-02-10T21:04:00.000+08:00

I miss this!

someone post, please?

My first week as her mother

2006-08-25T15:06:00.000+08:00

I had no milk. My daughter had gone on full breast-feeding for six days, and yet I had no milk. That Friday evening, I spent the whole night up and about, playing her music ("Enjoy the Silence", Tori Amos' version) and a few lullabies so she could go to sleep. She looked pale, shrivelled, and upset.

I held her upon my breast for as long as I could until she fell asleep while feeding.

But I had no milk. After two hours, she woke up, and I was denied any possibility of getting a good night's sleep.

In the morning, a frantic father and an anxious, helpless mother rushed their hungry child to a clinic, fed her promptly, and decided that breast-feeding was not the best recourse for their eldest daughter.

Thus the stories began: the birth of an instinctively protective mother who, to this day, holds her daughter close to her bosom even as the little one trots away independently as the years pace; and, the three-year recovery of a tired yet grateful heart.

maternally speaking

2006-08-18T22:00:00.000+08:00

ang hirap maging nanay.

It's a hearbreaking, heart-bursting job. Sometimes you are so proud of your little one your heart almost literally bursts with happiness, gigil, and you want to squeeze him, hug him, love him until the end of time.

And yet, there are those moments when you can't stand who he is, what he does, and are afraid of who he will become. And you can't feel this way. You are not God, you can't mould him, control him. You are a mother. A paragon of virtue, patience, understanding, commitment, loyalty.

When I feel like being a M.M. (monster mom: one who screams and throws a fit much worse than her toddler; this part of me I pacified by sending my little one to school for half a day, everyday, when he was just shy of three), I reminisce. I look back on the 3 weeks my boy spent in the NICU, tubes and all, hanging on for dear life. His chest would heave from his crying fits, his pitiful cries brought about by extreme hunger. At one point his chest caved in and the paedia suspected he had congenital heart disease. I cried every single day from the day I left my hospital bed until the day I brought him home. I visited him everyday for 30 (three-zero short minutes) and all I could do was offer a finger and bawl my eyes out. I felt my world was ending there and then. I have to reminisce to keep things in perspective. To remind my M.M. self that petty things, trivial arguments, age-appropriate tantrums and the like are best dealt with an open mind anda heart full of empathy.

Mothering can be so laborious. For some, it even proves fatal and dangerous (especially if you're off your rocker to begin with). Oftentimes I find myself writing about my motherly frustrations, wanting to vent on a computer's pages, and in the next instant I am horrified at my words and proceed to delete them. Perhaps in deleting them electronically I secretly hope they disappear emotionally as well. This time I'm not deleting a word. I want to be able to look back and say that I was an honest mother. Not perfect, rarely patient, frequently unkind, unreasonably sarcastic, only human, but very much in love with my little boy. Motherhood for me is living out all the maxims about imperfect love, tough love, in its purest, most solid form.

His father's son

2006-07-26T13:51:00.000+08:00

Last weekend we entered Marathon Sports and Joaquin tried on some Crocs - those rubbery, colorful beach clogs full of holes that look adorable on kids but horrible on adults (note: The Manolo hates it and thinks it's one of the ugliest shoes ever invented).

After trying on 2 different sizes, he suddenly removed the ones on his feet, tossed them aside and bellowed for his leather sandals. I thought he hated the things and our shopping trip was over. But no, he gets one of his sandals and places a croc beside it, end to end (or underside to underside) and declares to all: "Look, they are not the same size!"

What astounds me is that this is something his dada does all the time when he buys shoes (and Joaquin rarely accompanies us on these shopping trips so how did he remember? Or is it his own habit, a charming part of his personality?). Hubby is so conscious if his shoes look too big or small on his frame. So he never fails to compare the ones he is about to buy with the ones he is wearing. Joaquin did just that, and was bothered about the slight size difference. In any case, I convinced him they fit perfectly so he joyfully quipped: "All right, let's buy them then!".

It amazes me, the words/sentences/phrases that come out of my son's mouth. Comical at best, it can get scary at times: "What is sex, mama?" --from my three year old!

Hmmm, I wonder if Derrick was as insatiably curious and cheeky when he was younger. Probably.

Yoo-hoo!

2006-06-13T14:05:00.000+08:00

Where is everybody?

Sadly, the Thursday group blogsite is no more.

Unless someone out there wants to resurrect it?

Keep the thoughts coming!

The wit! The sarcasm! The side comments! The comtemplative discourses! The ponderings

and wishlists and what-nots! The nonsensical psychobabble!

Are we in mourning for Elliot and Chris? Let's compose ourselves, say our last goodbyes to the
fallen idols... move on, ladies, and talk about other reality shows, like Project Runway, which I
love! (Discovery Travel and Living, Thursdays at 10pm).

Am I bored? You betcha I'm bored. Been applying to multifarious jobs all morning. My cv is
sick -- with multiple personality syndrome. I can be a cook, resto manager, educator, classroom
assistant, secretary, sales assistant and whoever else I want to be (except a banker, engineer or IT consultant, because that would be taking it too far. I can stretch my imagination a little, but I'm not a con artist). I can imagine how horrified the recipient of my cv would be if he/she saw all my other cv's.

"How can she be a cook and secretary at the same time?"

"How come in this cv she sounds so accomplished yet in this other one she doesn't even seem like a university graduate?"

Ay, the travails of a desperate housewife. Is there any part-time job out there that pays well and has great working hours plus a bonus that will finance my present gourmand and future shopaholic ways?

Histrionem Interruptus

2006-05-14T17:19:00.000+08:00

I'm having a high right now. Everything went so well with Emotional Baggage:

a. All evening shows were sold out by opening night
b. ACT managed to drag a full-house audience into the theatre on a Saturday afternoon;
c. The last two performances were perfect, from Play 1 - "Along for the Ride" to Play 6 - "Born to be Blue"

As ACT's pinch-hitting assistant producer, only-when-no-one-else-is-available publicist and cast member, I could not be any happier than I am now.

And then there's the occasional situation in which emotions are charged and the naive performer begins to think it's the real thing. Then, again, even seasoned actors get carried away by such emotional highs -- think Brad and Angelina, or Julia Roberts when she ditched Kiefer Sutherland a few days before their wedding. I find it quite appalling sometimes how good actors fail to respect themselves and their work by being the sorriest, sorriest courtesy-flirting blokes on the planet. Schade.

This is why I disappear from the theatre circuit as soon as "the room goes dark," so to speak, to welcome my return to real life from the world of the imaginary.

So this year's acting quota has been filled. On to the next. . .

. . .which, by the way, is managing the trouble caused by our parish priest when he "fired" my vocal ensemble from the 6 pm mass without consulting the DB Catholic Committee.

And when someone has been wronged--in this case my choirmate, even men of the cloth are not spared my ire.

My turn to get mushy...

2006-05-10T23:03:00.000+08:00

So here I am typing at the airport lounge, my first night away from my little girl, with a gaping hole in my heart. Deep inside, I know that she's going to be ok. Yaya is there and so is my brother-in-law. I'm just going to miss her so much. I don't know how many times I kissed her and hugged her today. When she saw that I was dressed to go out, she said "bye" and "see you tommorow". I've told her over the past several days that we were going on a trip and wasn't joining us and she seems to understand but I know she doesn't understand how long we'll be gone. I know I have to be strong and I'm sure that I'll enjoy our vacation but I wish I didn't have to leave her behind. I know the ladies of The Thursday group will look after her and I am eternally grateful to have friends like you that I can count on. Give her a kiss for me everytime you see her. I'll see you all when I get back.

Idolatry

2006-05-01T22:54:00.000+08:00

When your openly gay male friend freely admits that he wants to "peel away that yellow drape wrapped around" a woman, the heretofore unitiated straight men sit up and take notice.

Grumpus spend the better part of one evening searching online for the rest of that video and found some really well done screencaps of her chest-to-nether region, and a photo montage played out to the John Mayer classic "Yeh bahdy'z a wahnderlaaaaand." I'd post the links here but the videos have disappeared in the intervening 4 days.

My own love goes exclusively and obsessively to the little guy with the huge voice who sings his li'l heart out every week. Ya had me from "I've".

A rare senti post

2006-05-01T22:50:00.000+08:00

In the very distant past, somewhere in my youth or childhood, I took my obsessions seriously. This was before the creation of the interweb, so when I was seriously jonesing for information and other articles of fandom, I would scour bargain bins for used magazines, hunt through the dustier sections of bookstore shelves and, on occasion, correspond with like-minded individuals.

This is how I got my bootleg copy of The Black Album exactly when it was first "released" and then "recalled," found the lyrics to the Star Trek theme and, well, amassed a mountain of LOTR-related paraphernalia. (Yes, this list does indicate the extent of my geekhood). Somewhere in my reading of the back pages of Rolling Stone, I picked up on a few other albums, including this gem that became one of my favorite albums of the next 5 or so years.

I wore thin my vinyl copy, and then forgot about it. It's probably in storage in a soggy bodega in Manila right now. A month or so ago, in a fit of nostalgia I went ahead and bought the CD from Amazon. When it arrived, I popped it into the CD player and, with the first melancholy guitar notes and david 1's plaintive "Miss Cristina drives a 944," just like that, I was 15 again. Before college, grad school, first love, heartbreak, Grumpus; before New York, Hong Kong, that F in Math 18, my driver's license, the Peter Jackson trilogy; before my first cigarette, my first beer, my first job, my first surgery. I hadn't grown into my adult height and weight, hadn't come out of braces, had never talked to a boy without blushing, hadn't yet learned to understand my parents.

The air was ripe with incipient adulthood. It seemed that everything was possible and yet nothing was within reach. Do you ever feel anything as intensely as you do when you're 15? I hadn't been anywhere or done anything, and yet I thought I understood the heartache, failure and desperation that david + david sang about. As the CD played, all the emotion flooded back, and that same peculiar mix of expectation and naive world-weariness hit me like a ton of bricks.

In the intervening years, the abstract has become concrete, generalities have become specifics, limitations have been revealed. I've been places and done things and learned how to laugh at myself. But the oddest thing is that I don't feel like I've grown up or changed into a different person. I feel like the person I was when I was 15 is still there, fully real, and living somewhere in the back of my head.

Kita-kits sa Mcdo...NOT/ TheNuggets Challenge

2006-04-26T14:35:00.000+08:00

McDonald's fans, be warned. I'm not going to sound like a paid advertisement and extoll the virtues of a place that reeks of grease and is a major cause of obesity in the States. Not that I have anything against unhealthy food (I like the fat from pork bbq, the one at the end of the stick, all dripping and charred ymmmm), I just don't like McDonald's, period.

I like cheap food and fastfood-- Mang Jimmy's, Rufo's, isaw and squidball at the Kalayaan Hall in UP, pork bbq from the Beach House, KFC, Tapa King, Shakey's, Smokey's, Wendy's Mushroom Burger Melt, dai pai dongs, Chicken Inasal, SR Thai in Katipunan (more rice and sauce than anything), Chee Kei, a dimsum place near the market (HKD8-16 per order), and many many more come to mind. But something about McDo turns me off. Whenever I'm near one, the overwhelming smell of grease makes my head ache and stomach churn. I used to like their cheeseburger and quarter pounder (hmmm, come to think of it, I still like the quarter pounder), but I balk at having to eat their sundae, Big Mac, ice cream cone, chicken nuggets, apple pie, McSpaghetti, fries, salads (with wilted lettuce and weird-tasting dressings) and their latest horrific creation, the crispy rice sandwich!

Maybe I am a food snob when it comes to certain things, like burgers, ice cream and pasta. I like my burgers juicy, chargrilled, in a freshly-baked bun with crisp lettuce, huge tomatoes, caramelized onion, melting cheese (any cheese will do) and dill pickles. It doesn't have to be Wagyu beef, topped with foie gras or truffles or some such expensive ingredient. Carl's Jr. wasn't bad at all, but it seems the Pinoys didn't rally behind this chain as branch after branch has closed its doors the past few years. I like my ice cream creamy and chunky, and tasting of whatever flavor it's supposed to be. Hence, my favorites are Haagen Dazs Belgian Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake, Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Chunk and Arce Dairy's Pistachio. For bolognese pasta, nothing beats GREAT Cafe for the portion, taste and price. Unfortunately, it's now closed. In Manila, if we didn't have a CIBO budget, we would head off to the nearest Dulcinea for their baked spaghetti (only P99 the last time I ordered it) and churros con chocolate. Hmmm, I can almost taste the thick, rich, dark brown mass of chocolate coating curved pieces of crisp fried sweet churros.

It's obvious how much I enjoy food. Cheap, expensive, gourmet, canteen-ish; most food, that is. A few years ago my tastebuds just de-acquired, if there's such a word, its taste for McDo creations. My avoidance of tha place hasn't affected Derrick in the least, though. On his first month at work he was challenged by energetic and creative co-workers to wolf down 50 pieces of this fried organism mixed with spices and extenders (chicken nuggets to the masses). He gladly accepted, nuggets were his favorite, after all; and it meant a free lunch, the dubious honor of being the Nuggets King, and maybe cold hard cash if he could swallow the 50th piece without choking or barfing. He stopped at 36. His stomach was protesting the torture and he swore he wouldn't touch a single nugget for the next 6 months. He lost the title, the cash and the glory, but he's still known in some circles as "the guy who ate 36 nuggets for lunch". After 2 weeks he was pulling me towards a McDo for his bi-weekly nugget fix. Some habits die hard.

We've struck a deal then. I don't nag him about his nugget obsession, as long as he doesn't force me to eat a McDo soft serve cone. Fair enough.

welcome to the world of wireless

2006-04-26T14:22:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Shy and her computer expert hubby Jay, I am now officially blogging from the comfort of my bed, instead of trying to fit my wide butt onto a tiny toddler chair that's supposed to take only half my weight. And all I had to do was feed them kaldereta, fried fish fillet with garlic mayo and roast chicken. Not a very fair trade on their part, seeing as they know how to cook as well, whereas the computer and I have never been buddy-buddy and never will be. Still, I am grateful, and so am declaring myself a bona-fide member of the wireless community. Welcome to myself! Goodbye, phone jack that twists everytime I try to bring the computer a few feet away from the table. Goodbye, wires that tangle up. Goodbye, webcam that can't beam any part of our living or dining room to curious friends overseas.

It feels good to type away without my knees hitting my elbows every so often. This is FANTASTIC!

On Bliss and wedding videos

2006-04-25T20:47:00.000+08:00

I went to Sense of Touch at Arbuthnot Road for a 90 minute hot stone massage. It was pure bliss.

On my wishlist:
a personal masseuse and a spa room in my house (massages everyday, facials, waxing, foot spas)
a personal chef (seriously, I would love it if someone cooked for me)
a camera (with lessons on food styling and food photography)

Have you heard of Jason Magbanua ?

I love his wedding videos. Love them, love them, love them.

First day of school! First day of school!

2006-04-25T14:17:00.000+08:00

Today was my baby's first of school at the Highgate House. She did so well and I'm so proud of her. I think it was more traumatic for me than for my little girl. I was outside pacing back and forth for close to 2 hours waiting for the teacher to come get me.

We started with outdoor play for 45 minutes... putting on their Wellington boots, playing in the sand, feeding the rabbits, pretending to sweep the floors and just having good fun. Then it was time to go inside to wash up and start their class. The teacher asked me to hide to see if my little girl would go with the other kids and she did. They baked some bread, did storytime and sang songs. I don't know what else they did, I was just getting little snippets here and there from her teachers and the helpers had to pick up their charges before class was dismissed. They all said that she was doing really well for a first timer.

She didn't look for me until 2 minutes before class was over. WAAAH!!! She's growing up so fast. Now she's looking forward to her next class on Thursday. I never thought it would be harder for me to let go. I am so proud but heartbroken at the same time... sniff, sniff!

Queer Eye

2006-04-10T23:53:00.000+08:00

My hubby, the prince of queer (I would never dare call him King, that honor belongs to either Poch or Mickey, or both) has just gleefully announced plans to improve my sad wardrobe (see Skeletons in My Closet) by creating coordinates for sporty dawn, lan kwai dawn, sunday brunch dawn, churchgoing dawn, etc... you get the picture. He relishes the makeover from drab and dowdy to fashionista. I don't think I'm up to it. Unless he's there to plan my head-to-toe ensemble each and every time I step out, I would probably shimmy into my lazy clothes and disappoint the fashion beast in him.

The prince also bought mind-bogglingly bizaare Puma blue suede shoes, something I would never ever even think of trying on. As usual, they look good on him.

He has sexier legs than I do, with less hair. If he were a trannie (Bryanboy's fave word), stilettos would be his trademark. Too bad for me, I lost the shapely legs and tiny ankle lottery and ended up with hairy elephantine lower limbs and chunky ankles (thanks to my father's side).

It's ok though. The sturdy legs are useful when I'm on a balancing act, trying to replace busted light bulbs or mending loose cupboard screws; carrying my boy while traipsing around Central; or lifting seriously heavy pots and pans, its contents brimming and burning hot.

I wonder, when will my prince come home to the wonderful sight of a dolled-up princess?
Knowing me, maybe never.

I'm one lucky frog he loves me the way I am, lack of make-up and trendy clothes, elephant legs, glasses, unkempt hair and all. And I love him just the way he is, a queer eye for a straight gal.

Husbands are Underrated

2006-04-10T20:02:00.000+08:00

It happens to a lot. When the family starts expanding, the husbands become second, third or last priority. I see it a lot. Some of my closest friends and relatives reserve the sweetest of smiles and affections for their children but give the most perfunctory of nods and curt answers to their so-called life partners. People tell me it's normal but if that's the case then I'd rather be wonderfully abnormal. I married Jay because he's the best thing that's happened to me. He's the first person I look for whenever I have something good or bad to share and the person whose opinion I value the most. He's my best friend and I can't imagine my life without him now.

I don't understand why there has to be a trade-off between motherhood and being a wife/lover/best friend. If this is normal then these women shouldn't marry for love. They should marry because they want to procreate. Balance?! Easy to say, impossible to do! Nevermind if the marriage is barely working, at least they have kids -- and everything that they eat, live, do and achieve for is only for the kids! But is this really good for them? Growing up, I was fortunate to have been given a good education and material wealth but whenever I witnessed fights between my parents, the thought of them splitting up was totally the end of my world. It was unimaginable. Reflecting on this, I realize now that when my friends are being "normal" they are doing as much damage to their kids as to their marriage. Children are so smart. They see and hear everything, and they learn from example. Luckily, I learned early on that I should never take my life partner for granted because he can easily be taken away from me anytime -- by acts of God or simply by another crafty female!

In all my life, I have only heard of one personal story -- just ONE -- about parents being totally devoted to one another. So devoted that they eventually admitted to their daughters (only when they were old enough to understand) that yes, the love they feel for one another surpasses the love they have for their children!! Shocking!!! And how did their daughters react? With tears of pride and joy! This personal story was told to me by a former roommate of mine. Gemma told me that "papa and mama would hold hands in bed every single night even when they were well into their 70s". They are in their 80s now and I am sure that things have not changed one bit. I am praying very hard that Jay and I can beat their record! :)

I end this blog with an article I first came to know about through a feature on Oprah. http://www.ayeletwaldman.com/truly.html This woman wrote that while she loved her children, she was not "in love" with them. Rather she reserves this very special honor for husband. Naturally, this sent shockwaves across the audience and women were condemning the writer, Ayelet Waldman, for being a bad mother. But I saw it differently. I saw her as woman who has achieved what others have worked for all their lives: a well-balanced family life. Her children were not her whole life, and her husband was the reason she bore their children and not the other way around. Sadly, these very same women who condemned her later on admitted that their marriages were crumbling because they have placed their and their husbands' needs last since their children always came first. And not surprisingly, the people who supported Ayelet were the children of these women who were not "in love" with them -- because they witnessed first-hand how their parents' happy marriage brought so many blessings into their lives. Simply put, the "spillover" from this strong, mutual love benefited everyone! I am no genius but don't you think that the greatest gift a parent can give to their kids is a marriage that works? So in case you haven't told your hubbies today how much you love them and how much they turn you on -- what are you waiting for?! :)

Skeletons in my closet

2006-04-07T19:21:00.000+08:00

I am the proud owner of 5 panties even my lola wouldn't wear.

It guarantees me a good night's sleep when I don't feel like playing adult games in bed.

It elicits an "ewww, don't you have anything sexier?" comment from hubby.

Two of them are ancient scraps of cloth with loose garters but no holes, thank god.

The other three are gigantic, black, post-maternity waist whittlers that flattens my bulge but hides all my curves.

I would never wear them outdoors (except maybe when I'm to lazy to change for the neighborhood grocery).

Most of my pajamas are at least 5 years old. They don't match, are not silky, and unlike my panties, they possess holes in places that rarely see the light of day.

My favorite pambahay is a blue tie-dyed number from Boracay, the side slit of which is higher than cheongsams of receptionists at dubious nightclubs. I think it's ready to disintegrate.

There. Now you know. My secret wardrobe is secret no more.

Soul Food

2006-03-24T10:21:00.000+08:00

http://tly.blogspot.com/2006/03/soul-food.html

Idol "Phee"-ver!

2006-03-23T00:23:00.000+08:00

I've got the "Phee"-ver! Katharine really blew me away. I got goose bumps when she started singing. And she's B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!

Three-day Menu

2006-03-20T17:04:00.000+08:00

Monday, March 20

Lunch
Derrick: Beef Steak Rice
Sauteed Mixed Mushrooms and Beansprouts
Joaquin: Beef Nilaga
Dieter Dawn: Mixed Greens with Grilled Capsicum, Marinated Artichokes, Honey Tomatoes
Dinner
Grilled Whole Chicken Smothered with Garlic, Crusted with Rosemary-Pepper-Paprika, Marinated in Chorizo de Bilbao Oil on a Bed of Portobello Mushroom and Chorizo
New Potatoes and Asparagus Gratin

Tuesday, March 21

Lunch
Pan-fried Roulade of Chicken Galantina Stuffing, Mushroom Gravy
Dinner
Mixed Vegetables and Sweet Potato Lumpia
Shrimp Gambas

Wednesday, March 22

Lunch
Smorgasbord of Leftovers
Dinner
Inihaw na Baboy, Talong at Kamatis
Garlic-Parsley Infused Mussels in Wine Broth (trying to copy Pam's Quarterdeck dinner)

*will also be posted at http://ffrenzy.blogspot.com

Profound Matters

2006-03-20T16:14:00.000+08:00

1. Have you ever asked "what's for dinner?" while lunch was being served?
2. Have you ever wondered what to order at a restaurant because everything on the menu looked yummy, interesting and affordable?
3.Have you ever asked "when do we eat again?", an hour after a prodigious meal?

Questions you will always get from me, addressed to most often Derrick or my dad, and sometimes new acquaintances:

When do we eat? (This after I had just tucked in the last piece of cake)
Can I order an appetizer, soup and salad? (No, not to share, Derrick)
Can I order a main dish and dessert? (After finishing off the appetizer, soup and salad)
Can we come back here to taste the other items you forebade me to order? (due to the fact that we've ordered enough for an army , and there's just the 2 of us).
Can I pass by Great? City Super? Santis? Rustan's? I just want to look at some stuff. I won't buy anything, I promise.
Why do you always question how much I order? I can finish everything. (Doggy bags please)
Why are you so kuripot when it comes to food? We only live once. I don't want to die without having a good meal. (After the bill comes and they complain I've ordered too much)

Questions/Comments/Reprimands I always get:

Haven't you ordered enough? We can always come back.
I thought you were on a diet?!
Oh no, not a supermarket again! 5 minutes is always an hour, and not spending means a grocery bill of at least 300 (HKD or its equivalent).
Are you sure you can finish that? We'll have to take it home again!
Everyone's looking at our groaning table. There's only two of us and 7 dishes!
What do you mean "where do we eat tonight?" After that meal, we probably won't!

Examples:

Cebu, 1999 - A friend and I entered a seafood resto at 1:30, famished. We ordered 1 whole grilled talakitok (good for 4), grilled squid, 1/4 kilo lechon cebu, rice, sauteed kangkong, and leche flan. We finished at 3pm, appeased.
Cebu 1999- Same friend. Same takaw-tingin and patay-gutom attitude. In a Japanese resto at a mall we ordered prawn tempura, miso soup, beef teppanyaki, chicken teriyaki, rice and udon. The table of 5 businessmen beside us were chortling.
Singapore 2002 - Derrick was busy with business, I was 7 months preggy with a license to wolf down anything edible. Thinking I only had one whole day to satisfy my cravings and curiosity, I ate Hainanese Chicken Rice for lunch at a roadside stall. After an hour I spied an oyster cake vendor so I promptly sat down and enjoyed my 10" oyster omelet, washed down with a fresh fruit shake. Setting off by foot to explore the Arabian and Indian Villages, by 4 pm I was aching to lie down in the comfy hotel bed. But I hadn't eaten anything Indian yet so I had a biryani complete with side dishes (eggplant and other mushy stuff) and a small serving of chicken curry. After that gastronomically exhaustng day Derrick and his mates decided on dinner at Newton Circus. So it was po phia time, chicken and beef satay, chili crab, laksa and noodles.
The cab driver who took me to Jurong Bird Park and The Japanese Gardens cautioned me against eating too much spicy food because I was pregnant. His warning went unheeded. I probably gained a good 5 lbs that day, and 5 more after the trip. And no, Joaquin wasn't 9 or 10 lbs when he greeted the world, so all that weight just made my existing salbabida even more noticeable.
Everyday of every year: I just HAVE to taste anything that comes my way, whether it's a teeny-weeny food sample in a supermarket; a streetside stall emitting smoke from sizzling grease offering HK10 tummy-fillers; a new bakery with the same old, same old displays of BBQ pork and tuna and corn bun; a hastily-opened pack of biscuits when I pay a surprise visit to a friend.

I live to eat. Food, in all its reincarnations, is an obsession. What to eat, what to order, how to cook, where to eat, when to eat, these are profound questions, to be taken seriously, especially when asked by this food junkie.

I Surrender

2006-03-20T13:42:00.000+08:00

http://tly.blogspot.com/2006/03/i-surrender.html

Restaurant Blues

2006-03-05T09:00:00.000+08:00

I normally don't like dissing restos, mostly because I know what it feels like to run one, with all the mental, physical and emotional strain involved. I've kept all of the articles written about, and to, Lokal (especially Doreen F's life-changing one, and a high-on-praise placemat left by a dear customer). On low days, when customer complaints were what I ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and my normally unflappable self felt like breaking down, I would go home, flip open my Lokal scrapbook, and be filled with warmth and "kilig" when I saw those words of approval from satiated patrons. Lokal was a seminal experience; I used to be Ms. Complain because I felt everyone in the foodservice and hospitality industry had an obligation to give excellent, perfect service. Three years in UPHRA can teach one to be very exacting. When I managed Lokal, and subsequently Oliver's main kitchens and my own catering biz, I became less stringent; consciously looking for the positive in many a restaurant and even writing letters to the manager whenever I felt an employee was unexpectedly warm and efficient. I am very forgiving, and will always give a less-than-sublime repast, made worse by mediocre surroundings, lackadaisical staff and astronomical prices, another chance.

But some sins are unforgivable.

Like charging HK20 for warm TAP water. Like dealing with surly waitresses who act as if they own the place and can't be bothered with customers because they're busy cleaning and throwing a tantrum. Like paying HK35 for a can of Diet Coke when the food prices are not reasonable to begin with. Like having to use a stinky, filthy toilet and sit on chairs that have seen better days and walk on sticky floors when it's so very obvious the place is raking it in, caters to mostly EXPATS and can afford to upgrade even just a little bit. Ambience is one thing, but ambience as a direct result of neglect is another. Like having to wait 45 minutes for a forgettable meal at an upscale, 5-star rated resto in a chi-chi mall, without any apology from the manager, or free dessert or even a token discount.

I'm not "the" expert on food. I love to cook and eat and try new things and all I want is value for my money. Translated, this means that if I have to pay top dollar, then the food must be terrific. If the place lacks atmosphere and the staff don't know the meaning of customer service, but the food is glorious, that's perfectly fine. If the food is average but the prices are reasonable and the staff makes you feel like a VIP, that's value as well. It's a rare place, after all, that can give first-rate food matched by superior service and charge fair prices. I think all of us who enjoy eating out, and eating well, can commiserate with me.

Ms. Complain came to the fore last week, and here's why.

The diamond-studded tap water I read about. I will never patronize that place.

The waitress was a Pinay at Al's Diner. From what I could see and hear, she was pissed off at her co-workers for not cleaning up the night before. We entered the place, which was reeking of bleach, and found her up to her elbows scrubbing the bar. No greeting, no smile. Fine. We sat on one of their rusty metal chairs (we really hate the slashed upholstery) while gingerly trying to find semi-clean inches of floor space for our shoes. We ordered Derrick's fave, the beef nachos. It wasn't the best, but yummy enough, and priced very well. I ordered the supposedly fantastic fried chicken (not) with the smelly (malansa, I swear) gravy and KFC style (overboiled mess) corn on the cob. Sweet corn should retain a bit of crunch! I know burgers are their specialty, and I did enjoy the burger I ate my very first time there, so much so I didn't notice how dirty the place was (I can eat at dirty Chinese noodle shops anytime, simply because the food is exceptional!). However, Archie B's can make decent burger for half the price. I'm not saying they taste the same, but Al's burger isn't sensational enough to merit a HKD120 price tag. Their chili was anything but hot. I could live with some of the unjustifiably overpriced items, but the can of Coke for HKD35 was way too much! Especially since Derrick had to pick it up from the bar himself after an interminable wait.

The regrettable meal we had to wait 45 minutes for was at Harlan's. We ordered several appetizers, and at first I thought mine was the only bland-tasting one, but I tried all the others and let me say they all tasted alike. I ordered the roasted scallops (overdone). After they had cleared the starter plates we had to literally wait almost an hour for our main course. Luckily the conversation, and constant refills of wine, carried us through those excruitiating minutes when our stomachs grumbled like crazy. Our food finally arrived and they didn't even look appetizing. Someone in the kitchen was in a big hurry to plate the food, so presentation was compromised. None of the plates resembled a "to be revered and not to be eaten" work of art. My seabass was fresh and flaky but the sauce was dull. The only dish I allowed myself to be excited about was the lemon pudding. Tart and smooth, not too sweet, accompanied by a light and creamy lemon sorbet and an interesting almond tuille. Eaten together they tingled the taste buds, and the sensation was very pleasant indeed. Good thing too, that sensation, because afterwards I stuffed Ms. Complain back in the closet. I really would rather write about a superb meal than an inferior one, but there's no denying some places take their fame for granted.

Now that Ms. Complain is gone, let me just add a postscript: Cafe Siam is one place that gives value for money. I can't get enough of the catfish salad with green mango julienne and lime dressing.

Why I am Divorcing the Philippines

2006-02-24T16:31:00.000+08:00

Today's latest and pathetic coup attempt to oust GMA is the last nail on the coffin. It has tipped the scales on my personal love-hate relationship with the Philippines. I am divorcing the Philippines. Frankly, I will be happy if I never ever had to go back. There's nothing left for me there anymore. My family and friends can always come over to Hong Kong -- a place where just about everything works. Christmas and New Year's can always be spent on safari and in gorgeous Cape Town in the summer -- a HUGE dream of mine. Like us, most of our friends have been citizens of the world for the last several years, so if not for our parents, Jay and I simply have no reason to go back.

While I still carry a Philippine passport I no longer respect what it stands for. We are run by selfish, short sighted, and inconsiderate people who have no real love for the country. The negative economic implications are enormous -- I am sure our ratings will go down, the peso will depreciate (just as it was going great at 51.99 to 1), real estate prices will plummet, and worse, the poor will fare no better and will probably be worse off. 12% of our country's GDP is from remittances from OFWs -- a sad fact; there aren't enough good jobs out there for our own people. Labor, our biggest export -- not exactly great for the country's image. Visas are asked of us whenever we travel outside of the Asean region as retribution for those who have overstayed their welcome in their host countries. And, to add insult to injury, we've been added onto the terrorist watchlist! In the past, it took anytime from 1 day to 1 week to apply for a Shengen visa to Europe, now it takes 3 whole weeks!

Why does everything have to lead to coup attempts, force and violence? Why can't we be civilized about this? Why can't we just accept and work with the present goverment? Why can't we learn from our past? Why can't we learn to think beyond our selfish needs and instead work towards what's good for the country as whole? Why can't we look and adapt from the model governments of Hong Kong and Singapore? These places have experienced mass emigration, economic ruin, turmoil and violence before way back in the 50's and 60's and yet, they were able to overcome all these.

So many questions, and no answers. I give up. I quit the Philippines.

Mixed Feelings

2006-02-20T16:15:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday I was one day delayed.

I am never delayed.

So I panicked. I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready for this.

But if it comes to that, I want a little girl.

Denial- This is impossible! Derrick "Well, Joaquin came as a complete surprise too, you know"

Oh shit (booming in my head over and over)

Selfish thoughts. The flat is too small, I'm not my ideal weight yet, I have job prospects, Journeys to make, Countries to explore, Things to do.

Went out and bought a pregnancy test. Was going crazy waiting for that telltale spot and cramps that always preceded it. Could'nt wait another day, or two.

Scolded Joaquin as he jumped on my belly! There might be a tiny being in there!

The test turned out negative.

I was crushed. Heartbroken. Derrick "I thought you said you weren't ready? Should'nt you be relieved?"
Me "I'm a woman. We are contradictory beings. We are impulsive, and worriers, and maternal and on and on I went"

For all my selfish thoughts, anxieties and feelings of unpreparedness, deep down, in a place I didn't want to explore or acknowledge, there was yearning pala. Sigh.

Thoughts on fish, arts and crafts, and love

2006-02-14T19:06:00.000+08:00

February 14 is becoming more and more of a non-event in the Aquino household as each year passes. Tonight Derrick has an office thing (or is it fling?) so I'm "celebrating" with my son and Yaya Beth.

Joaquin brought home a huge red card for me today, decorated with paper hearts arranged like petals of a flower, with a tiny, grainy picture of him right smack in the middle. Inside is a cut-out of a joyful bear hugging a heart, and a red crayon, held in Joaquin's tiny fists like a prisoner, obviously ran amuck. I know I should be touched, but it was undoubtedtly the handiwork of a teacher's assistant. I can't wait for the time Joaquin becomes nimble-fingered and gets his creative juices gushing; I wonder what poignant display of affection he will bowl me over with.

Tonight I concocted a grilled sole fish platter, using an unusual combination of chopped pistachios and mustard for the crust; cayenne pepper, salt and freshly ground pepper for the fish; and sundried tomatoes, grape tomatoes and diced mangoes blended with olive oil for the salsa.

I was afraid it would turn out sporting a bizarre and sickly yellowish-green crust, while tasting too peppery for its own good.

Luck must have been with me. It looked appetizing enough, and the salsa tempered the spiciness. Served atop grilled red peppers and squash marinated in herbed balsamic vinegar, and accompanied by a cream of tomato seafood soup, it was a simple dinner that I thoroughly enjoyed, all by my lonesome.

Note 1- I weeded out all the sundried tomatoes from the relish because they tasted out of place. Next time, diced kiwis will figure in this recipe.

Note 2- A dash of lemon or lime, which I didn't have, could've elevated this dish to divine status.

After dinner, I watched Love Actually for the nth time on Star Movies. My favorite story? Colin Firth and his witty, sharp-tongued Portugese cleaning lady. Bumbling and funny, moving and realistic, all at the same time.

"My favorite part of the day is driving you home."

"My saddest part of the day is leaving you".

"You learned English?"..."Yes."

"Why?"..."Just in cases."

Not your usual hot secretary flirts with stolid, secretly repressed boss, adolescent vows undying love for the campus sweetheart, guy feels unrequited love for his best friend's wife, powerful man falls for a most unexpected commoner, office girl nurses a not-so-secret crush on her macho colleague.

Kitchen Sorcery (have within reach, will definitely cook)

2006-02-13T17:50:00.000+08:00

My top 30 ingredients in no particular order - excluding the obvious meat, seafood, veggies, salt, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, patis, oil, butter, egg, flour and pang-gisa trio of tomatoes, onions and garlic

1. wholegrain mustard: adds zing to everything from salad dressings, savory crusts, marinades, sandwiches...
2. hoisin sauce: for an instant Chinese meal, just stir-fry with chicken or pork; use as sauce for diced leftover roast duck wrapped in lettuce leaves; brush on grilled chicken wings
3. shallots: great for wine-based sauces for steaks and grilled items, fry 'em until aromatic and sprinkle on traditional Chinese soups
4. pesto sauce: pasta, dressings...marinades...you name it, pesto makes it remarkably distinct
5. sun-dried tomatoes: fantastic in salads, chili con carne, pasta and sundried tomato oil
6. cottage cheese/feta/mozzarella/fontina/bleu cheese: vegetable gratin, bruschetta, dips galore, with fruits and honey, salad garnish, pinaputok na kesong puti, sublime appetizers (think crostini with roasted garlic, adobo flakes and feta), paired with an excellent bottle of wine
7. peanut butter: licked from a spoon, coating a banana, on bread with a sprinkling of sugar, Oriental dressings, kare-kare, desserts
8. tuna in brine: a dieter's dream! Nicoise salad, tunamelt sandwich, pasta, quesadilla filling , pizza topping
9. red wine/white wine: lends a deep flavor when reduced for sauces, perfect for marinating, flambeing seafood
10. fresh black mushroom: the buttery taste and sensual texture is perfect for salads, mushroom sauces, Chinese cooking and Derrick's favorite- mushroom tempura!
11. Chinese cooking wine: Unbeatable for Chinese stir-fry and braised dishes, steamed fish
12. Balsamic vinegar: I cannot get enough of this. I use it for dressings, as a marinade, and make balsamic reduction for drizzling over foie gras, grilled fish, salad
13. lemon: want zing? zest? flavors to come alive? use lemon
14. extra-virgin olive oil: no explanations needed
15. Fresh Basil: salads, bruschetta, piadina, panini
16. tempura flour/breadcrumbs/panko/cornstarch: for the crispiest, crunchiest deep-fried dishes
17. Lea and Perrins/Knorr seasoning: salpicao, roast chicken, beef steak taste exceptionally marvellous with these enhancers
18. Chicken powder: better than salt; use it to flavor sauces, pasta boiling water, as a spice rub, marinade (lots of msg though)
19. Chicken stock, beef stock, fish stock: made from the real thing, i.e. chicken, veal, fish bones. With these on hand, sauces and soups are done in a snap!
20. Capsicum: grilled, stuffed and baked, sauteed, crunchy sweet goodness in three luscious colors
21. Butternut Squash: good for practically anything, best for Cream of Apple Butternut Squash Soup
22. Bagoong Balayan: pinakbet, monggo, Pinoy Caesar dressing, grilled eggplant, boiled okra, dinegdeng, veggies in coconut milk, all the Ilocano dishes Derrick grew up eating
23. Sesame Oil: a drop here and there makes a big difference , divine aroma
24. Italian trio of capers, olives and anchovies: varying degrees of saltiness captured in each piece, slice, sliver
25. Mexican spices like cumin and chili powder: Derrick has to have tacos, chili con carne, fajitas and nachos with the works at least once a month
26. Chocolate: food for the gods, of the gods
27. Paprika: color, flavor and aroma packed in small bottle, this is my "secret" ingredient for a lot of my recipes
28. Indian spices like coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric: Derrick is in his "in-love-with-Indian-food-can-eat-it-everyday" phase, especially chicken makhani, which, fortunately, was the bestseller at Hotel Le Soleil, so i try to recreate it as best as I can (Jashan is tops if you're too lazy to make this)
29. Yogurt or Sour Cream: like paprika, a "secret" ingredient, also the star of my favorite tsatziki ( I can eat Greek food everyday), cucumber raita, Hungarian goulash
30. Rum: crepes, chicken wings, drinking while cooking, pineapple glazed with rum syrup, bananas with rum, roast fruits, rum butter cake (can you imagine a more delectable, sinful dessert?)

Slurp

2006-02-06T15:20:00.000+08:00

Yes, the noisy, sucking sound we all make when

-we shove food (usually Chinese, i.e. congee, noodles with soup, stir-fry noodles) down our mouths using a chopstick or Chinese spoon
-we chomp noisily "chomp-slurp-burp-ahhhh" as we try to assuage our hunger karpintero-style (patay-gutom in other words)
-we drink thick liquids (think milkshakes, slurpee, Zagu) from a too-small straw

Every sunday my mom makes congee "poor family style". No fancy pork with thousand-year egg, certainly no fish fillet or cubes of congealed blood. What she prepares consists of plain lugaw (as in rice cooked in plentiful water, not broth), sometimes flavored with camote cubes, pickled cucumber (with a sour, sharp crunch), pork floss (not the unappealing stringy ones), and garlic-sauteed pork with black beans (the one in the small yellow can, Narcissus or Gulong brand) which my father would eat with some poached tofu. A fancier version would mean additional fried lapu-lapu in tausi sauce OR ground pork and pickled turnip omelette OR century egg with soya sauce.

My father the storyteller would regale us with tales about poor families in China partaking of this meal everyday. The homely porridge was tasteless but piping hot and filling, perfect for the cold Northern weather. Whatever rootcrop they had was boiled and eaten along with it. Better times called for fish or pork. Whether he was spinning a darn good yarn as part of our breakfast entertainment, recounting the pitiful story of his ancestors, or reminding us that feasting on gourmet food is a privilege we should be grateful for, our sunday poor man's lugaw took on a different dimension. It became not only plain old breakfast, but my father's ultimate comfort meal; a way to cleanse our bodies and rid us of the oily, unhealthy grub we've had all week; a time to converse and listen; a shared hiSTORY, if you will; and a chilhood memory.

Papa always slurped his lugaw, using chopsticks with the bowl brought up to his chin and slightly tilted towards his mouth. Though at first I thought it rude, I now slurp my own lugaw (which I make here in HK whenever I'm homesick) maybe even louder than he does.

Speaking of slurping, when we were billeted in Shama Causeway Bay last October, Joaquin and I would frequent a noodle shop just down the street. Shy mentioned that this place is known for its noodle and wonton. Chee Kei is always full, and the line snaking past the corner of Russell Street is a testament to its popularity. There are only about 10 tables inside, and oftentimes Joaquin and I had to share ours with slurping strangers. Their shrimp wonton noodle soup is a delightful concoction of heady broth, thin wonton wrappers folded around large, fresh shimps, and firm, al dente thin egg noodles (even better than that old HK insitution, Mak's noodles). The pork wonton, beef brisket and beef tendon choices are similarly satisfying . Once I tried a dry noodle topped with spicy pork (a specialty), served with broth on the side. As always, the noodles were firm and plentiful, the generous slivers of pork were tender and mixed with a spicy sauce that was piquant and full of hot, sweetish flavor. I wanted to lick the sauce off the plate, but the slurping strangers were eyeing me with suspicion. Each table had a condiment tray with the ubiquitous soya sauce, Chinese black vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, and, to my surprise and delight, a small bowl of pinkish-white pickled ginger (very thinly-sliced and crunchy). Our visits there (and the fresh wonton I would take home and fry for Derrick) were undoutedbly the highlight of our otherwise boring CWB stay. The only dish I didn't care for was the briny, bitter, slimy raw clams (they were so tiny and indistinguishable) that was served with the equally unappetizing fried fishballs. I think they undercooked the fishballs that time.

Our bill always rang up to HKD60-120. Not bad. The five minute walk to the place was part of its appeal, aside from the better-than-ok chow and light-on-the-pocket prices. Once I tried frying fish (Joaquin's all-time fave) in Shama and the "hidden and silent" fire alarm necessitated a frantic phone call from the manager, who rushed up to our place, opened all the windows, cautioned me about frying, and very politely and discreetly tried to "fish" (no pun intended heehee) for more info (What was I cooking? Did I burn anything? Was the stove too hot? Did I know how to adjust the knob?). It drove me crazy. And this is what made us leave the smoky confines of our room to check out Chee Kei.

Back in Canada I couldn't fry fish too. The alarm went off more than once, in its unique shrill, ear-splitting manner, and as my Tito, mother-in-law and Derrick tried in vain to fan the alarm and disconnect it, I had to deal with my semi-fried fish, oil splatter and disappointed son. No noodle shop 5 minutes away to soothe our nerves and my son's grumbly tummy. All we had were good ol' Mickey D's, Church's Chicken, Wendy's, Applybee's Ribs, Me and Ed's Pizza Place, Panago Pizza (really scrumptious, if only I could afford the franchise), Arby's, KFC... we had to make do with burgers and fries (not on my list of favorite foods to eat when in a bad mood, or any mood, for that matter, unless it's gourmet burger and crispy onion strings/rings).

Panago Pizza, now that is one Canadian resto I truly miss. Anchovies, shrimps, sun-dried tomatoes, 5-cheese, all the wonderful pizza toppings you can't find at your local Pizza Hut. The Real Canadian Superstore Deli also makes a mean take-home pizza. Thin-crust, smothered with pepperoni, blanketed with mozzarella, 8 slices of genuine pizza goodness for all of CAD 6.00 (HKD 40). None of the frozen boxes in Great or Wellcome can beat that. Come to think of it, not even the HKD45 personal pizza in O cafe or Wildfire comes close.

Speaking of Pizza (and Pasta), we tried Casa Nostra on Caine Road last Sunday. Out of curiosity, out of pity (it wasn't a SOHO staple, but looked quaint enough), out of hunger, and a hankering for Italian. Should've known we were in for a big disappointment when I read the lunch specials (fish frittata, or fish omelette the waitress had the temerity to announce, thereby rendering it mediocre; pepperoni pasta; rib-eye with fried egg, EGG???!!!!). Had carbonara (again, the specialty. i love ordering specialties. if they suck, then rest assured everything else on the menu will, too), which, while not fantastic, was better than average. A good-sized portion of fettucine was tossed with traditional egg, butter and bacon sauce. Very rich. Bolognese (CIBO rules!, need i say more?). Scampi with lemon sauce (faint, faint lemon taste, overcooked smallish shrimp). Noodles were al dente, which is a plus, but everything needed a dash of salt, pepper and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese to make them close to palatable. Never again.

Back to my humble lugaw and wonton noodles. slurp, slurp!

Why EVE was born

2006-02-04T12:34:00.000+08:00

EVE is the acronym for the Epiphany Vocal Ensemble, a group of DB residents who happened to attend the choir-less 6 pm mass on Saturday evenings--on a not-so-regular basis. Think "thinking Catholic" Lilith Fair types. We were quite happy going to church whenever we felt like, until:

. . . Member A needed an outlet for the following: (1) her anger and resentment towards people who lump all Filipino women into the "low-life" box, because Master Yoda says (hahaha), Fear is the path of the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering; and (2) an inexplicable creative surge.

. . . Member B wanted something to do besides work. An understatement.

. . . Member C wanted to be part of a group that harmonises, both musically and, erm, in other ways, too.

. . . Member D's 9-month-old daughter was recently hospitalised.

. . . Member L needed an activity to remind her about her ailing mother, and that she needs to pray.

. . . Member R has survived Stage 3 cancer.

. . . and Member V needed something else to do in Discovery Bay on weekends besides sleep.

For one hour on Saturdays, we find peace. :)

"When the universe opens up and presents...a gift, I grab it.
...Cast me gently into morning, for the night has been unkind."

- Sarah McLachlan, intro of and selected lyrics from "Answer," Afterglow Live CD/DVD

A Tale of Disappointment

2006-01-28T18:29:00.000+08:00

With my newfound freedom, owing to the fact that my little one is busy and distracted in school, I gamely set off one morning to rediscover the little nooks and crannies that dot the Mid-Levels escalator, my preferred destination when the exploratory bug hits me.

While walking jauntily down Stanley Street, I spied a dark, quaint-looking tea house peeping hesitantly from a hefty building overhead. To the unseeing eye, it looked like any entrance to the myriad shops, eateries and buildings that lined that section of road. But amongst the filthy, bustling Chinese fastfood places, camera shops and tired-looking lobbies, and to the trained eye of a perpetally hungry foodie searching voraciously for new, exciting gastronomical finds, the antiquated tea house stood alone, incongrous in its lighting and design.

As I stood by the entrance, taking in the high ceiling fans with their constant whir and the old Chinese ladies merrily calling out the contents of the trays hanging from their necks, it felt nowhere near 2006 Hong Kong. No trolleys here bursting with endless dimsum delights, no brightly-lit aquarium with crustaceans and fish packed like sardines, no background music, and, it seemed to me, no... English menu?! HELP! I approached the counter by the door with trepidation. How could I partake of the culinary magic this strange place had to offer? Thank goodness they had English menus, for a while there I thought I would have to barge into Maya's place and threaten her with my ballpen, just so I could have someone translate for famished me.

Satisfied that I could order what I really wanted (and not have to point at inaccurate pictures and devour an array of "surprises"), I set about surveying the menu. Strangely enough, there were no prices, but how could this little place be expensive? It was clean, it was charming, but elegant it was not. It was also called Luk Yu Tea House, and in one of my magazines I remember a food critic state that the food was "authentic, unpretentious, generous and inexpensive", and there were spitoons all over (which the old-timers actually used). Was it my hunger-induced state, or were the spitoons hiding from me? Needless to say, I was semi-relieved that I could enjoy my meal sans the spitoons (and the spit).

Ravenous and expectant, I dug into my sticky rice with Chinese sausage and dried shrimps, BBQ pork bun and spare ribs in black bean sauce. Waiting for good reviews? Don't.

Hereafter my tale will be spiked with bitterness and disappointment.

I have tasted much better sticky rice from a roadside vendor in Wan Chai. The one before me was a tiny, tasteless portion with a few slices of sausage and a couple of dried shrimps. The ribs, though tender, sadly came from an undernourished hog. More bones than meat. And I had to spoon the remnants of sauce as I searched for the black bean flavor. The bun, oh the poor bun, which is my favorite HK snack, was papery, dry and the filling smelled all herb-y and medicinal. Not very attractive to the taste buds. I finished what I could, bearing in mind the millions suffering from famine, all the while cursing my fate, the food critic, the bubbly, portly waiter, and the poor lonely pork bun that I was forced to take home. My only consolation was the knowledge that the whole ghastly meal would probably cost only HKD 80. I was willing to lose 80. Imagine my horror when the bill arrived, and to my utter chagrin saw that my breakfast of three minute portions of inedible mush I would'nt feed my worst enemy, cost a whopping HKD 140!!!!!! I felt cheated, stupid, angry with myself and the world in general. How could my exciting day have ended like this? :(

I hurried home, vowing never to enter that tea house again, never to believe that liar of a food critic, never to have breakfast alone... until I remembered that the tea house the magazine so magnanimously praised was called Lin Heung and located not in Stanley St, but in Wellington St.
Ooops, there go my vows, because when Joaquin goes back to school I will most assuredly have breakfast alone at a small, charming, quaint tea house along the escalator, and I'll enter the right one this time.

Here's to more culinary adventures in the HK underbelly (to paraphrase Anthony Bourdain)!

P.S. I would love some company on these little foodtrips. If any of you is awake at 8:30am, give me a call. We can experience gastronomic highs and lows together.

Drama ba?

2006-01-17T18:42:00.000+08:00

a lost, hungry-looking kid with sad, sad eyes stared out from the windows of the big blue bus.
a lost, teary-eyed woman on the sidewalk stared back and with a limp wave, said goodbye to the boy.

after three hours they are reunited, hugs and kisses abound.
after seven hours she is screaming; he is on the warpath. junk and whatnot are strewn all over.

after one week he gamely waits for the big blue bus a half hour early.
she relishes her 3 1/2 hours of pure freedom.

the story of our lives:
Joaquin's first day in school he missed breakfast and missed me. I missed him too.
Joaquin's second week in school he wakes up too early, demands breakfast, and insists on waiting for the 8:30 bus at 8:00. We end up dog-watching along Conduit. There are two miniature doggies with equally tiny but oh-so-cute sneakers I am smitten with, but that's another story.
I go back to bed and continue my sexy dream about Johnny Depp.
We still miss each other, but wer'e both grown-ups now.

The most wonderful time of the year

2005-12-17T18:49:00.000+08:00

Christmastime is when Mickey and I switch personalities. As December draws near, his eyes begin lighting up, his lips unfurl and begin curling upwards, and his cadences acquire a strange, almost musical lilt. A week into his birth month, he is positively radiating good cheer: Christmas CDs come off the shelves and into the CD player, Christmas TV adverts get hearty applause, and there's humming and help from him as I trim the tree. He is impossible to annoy in December: "I love Christmas!" he sings. "Let's buy lots and lots of presents for everybody!"

"By "we" of course, you mean me," I snarl back. While my husband has metamorphosed into Mr. Sunshine, I've turned into a toal stresscase. And that's the nub of this personality switch: he delegates, and I agonize. There seems to never be enough: time, money or thoughtfulness to buy your near and dear precisely the right present. I am constantly reminded of this as I trudge through shopping malls, troll scores of shopping websites, make lists and check them twice, etc. I keep waiting for that time when I transform into the masterful perfect-gift giver all my years of shopping have prepared me for. Instead I see my presents magically change from the wonderful, unique -- but well-priced -- thing it was in the store into a cheap looking, mass-produced, made in China tchotchke.

Then there is the added stress of schlepping the stuff back home. For the past 5 years, my Christmas ritual has been to load up my suitcase with one change of clothes and 50 pounds worth of presents and other pabilin. What can't fit into the suitcase is creatively repackaged into a hand-carryable package that's dragged around the airport and forced into the overhead bins. This year I wised up and mailed 10kg of gifts home. But I was still left with a bunch of fragile and unwieldy items I didn't dare check in.

So there I was early yesterday afternoon, all checked-in at the Airport Express station, lugging my oversized shopping bag full of crap, looking for a place to get a decent sandwich since I wasn't particularly looking forward to Cathay's ham and cheese drek, and groaning at the lunch lines, pharmacy lines and crowds and crowds of people. To top it off I was sweating like a piglet from the exertion and too many layers of clothing. Merry Christmas indeed. Merry fucking Christmas.

The Humor In It All

2005-12-09T16:01:00.000+08:00

Its been a week and a half since my brother and his wife, and my parents all left HK. Life has almost returned to normal and I have almost caught up on my sleep. Sam has just about been reprogrammed in terms of his sleep habits and I have reverted back to my laziness in terms of eating. I still need to finish my 49 loads of laundry and clean up the whole apartment before The Thursday Group comes over for lunch next week. I miss my mommy again!

This was the first time I have lived under one roof with my parents, my brother and Sabrina as a husband and wife unit, and Chris and I as a husband and wife unit. Talk about the past, present and future stages of marriage under one roof. We had drama, suspence and comedy all in one short week. Too bad my older brother couldn't make it, or there would have been sci-fi as well.

It was interesting watching my brother and Sabrina operate as a married couple. I still can't believe Min's married. Its hard to do so when he still addresses me as "puwet" and dishes out "I don't know" to most everything you ask him. Good thing there's Sabrina now, coz its become "I don't know, ask Sabrina". Min admits he's going to turn into my dad. He has no clue to what's going on at home, he just does the dishes.

My parents on the other hand have evolved through the years. My mom told me since my dad retired, things aren't quite the same. Other than the fact that she's had to do less of the dish washing, she's also had to give up abit more reign of the house. Wait till Min hears about that! But since they were staying with us, my dad channeled most of his energy blending vegetables and making phonecalls about phantom business opportunities. My mom on the other hand reveled in feeding us, me and Sam especially and stuffing vitamins down my throat. Chris dodged most of the bullets by getting to work early and marathon training at night.

But as we all know, what happens when you stick 6 adults and a baby into a 940 sq. ft. apartment for 7 days? Cabin fever! I have to be honest, it was tough finding the humor in it all at first. Its always the drama that lingers on, that pulls at your heart and sits in your mind. Our family life is no longer what I fondly remembered. We have really grown up and my parents have aged. Points of views have toughened and no hope changing those of my dad! And one more thing, that Chinese way of "arguing" or bringing your thought across. You raise your voice! I may not make much sense, but maybe if I raise my voice, people will accept my point of view. Oh, and a bunch of I don't know's thrown into the confusion to liven things up. Thank goodness Sabrina knew the drill and just closed her eyes and napped.

But through it all, I'm happy to say we've all learned and gained alot from this trip. My family may not realize it, but I know someday when they think back, I'm sure some lightbulbs will go off. Mine came earlier not only because I wanted to write something about it, but because I wanted to find the humor in it all.

The Yang and The Restless

2005-11-20T15:04:00.000+08:00

"I have an announcement to make." Chris says as he approaches me in the livingroom. I'm wondering what vital information he's got for me this time. Napaka formal naman ang approach niya.

"I think whatever your dad's blending is done now." Chris tells me with a half-smile as the sound of the blender roars on in the background. I've been listening to that blender roar every morning since my parents arrived. I hear it so often I no longer notice it.

My parents have their morning ritual. My dad washes the carrots, apple and celery then slices them into bits, places them in the blender with a bottle of Yakult and blends the sh*t out of it. My mom on the other hand makes their oatmeal with soymilk. For some reason my dad likes to blend their juice to the point where it goes warm. This morning he actually over did it and my blender gave out its last sputter roar and went to blender heaven. Sadly for Chris we've got a larger blender sitting in the cupboard ready for my dad again tomorrow morning. Wait till he hears the big daddy blender in the morning. Hmm... maybe that's why he's been going to work so early everyday for the past 2 weeks.

A few days ago, my parents told us they were thinking about investing in a fastfood chain in Shanghai. They said a good friend of theirs was approached by some Chinese businessman from the States. He took the McDonald's concept and started a fastfood restaurant in a city on the outskirts of Shanghai. Its doing so well, that he is hoping to franchise it out. My parents went with their friend to that restaurant and were impressed, so they're currently looking into investing. Our conversation about it basically went like this:

Pa and Ma: "Yes, his chain of restaurants is doing so well. He has made back his initial investment within one year. That is why he would like to start selling his franchise and start one in Shanghai."

Chris and I: "So the restaurant you looked at is his first one?"

Pa and Ma: "Yes."

Chris and I: "If that is his first restaurant, then how is it a chain?"

Pa and Ma: "..."

You can just imagine the line of questioning Chris gave after that revelation. And how does my dad reply? Well, just imagine a 5 year old with his arms cross saying, "Basta, I know it'll work." Oh well, there goes more money down the poo shooter as Chris would say.

My brother and his wife Sabrina will be arriving tomorrow evening. I wonder how Chris is going to handle that. I was abit worried how we were all going to handle the cramped accomodations, but now I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm sure there's going to be rough moments, but all in all we're going to have lot's of fun and I'm sure I'll have more to write about after they leave. Stay tuned!

Top 12 Reasons Why I am a Pseudo Catholic

2005-10-15T17:24:00.000+08:00

1. I am Pr0-Choice (a woman has every right to her own body)
2. I don't go to Confession (I confess my sins to God directly, anywhere, anytime)
3. I don't pray the Rosary (I find it meaningless and boring)
4. I believe in Divorce (esp. if your spouse beats you, cheats on you, gambles, and does drugs)
5. I believe in Marriage between Homosexuals (after all, you marry a person, not a sex)
6. I am not Religous but Spiritual (rituals are meaningless if you don't treat others humanely)
7. I am appalled at so many of the Vatican's riches and its non-action during the extermination of the millions of Jews in WW2 (as well as the unaccounted coffers; excessively elaborate churches and cushy lifestyles of many of our parish priests in the Philippines)
8. I don't believe that Procreation is a necessity for a Marriage to be validated in the eyes of God (and that sex is also meant to be enjoyed between husband and wife, and not merely used as a means for procreation)
9. I believe that couples should Live Together first before tying the knot (and to have as many meaningful -- not promiscuous -- relationships as possible so one can choose the best person to marry)
10. I believe that Birth Control is a necessity in this day and age of overpopulation esp. in the poorest sectors of society; STD's and AIDS (and, let's face it, people are going to have sex and there's nothing anyone can do about it)
11. I believe in Euthanasia (did you watch Million Dollar Movie? 'Nuff said. If not, on a personal note, if I -- knock-on-wood -- were to become severely paralyzed or a vegetable; and a huge financial and emotional burden on my family, it would be truly cruel to deprive of me of the ultimate relief from my suffering and loss of dignity.
12. I don't believe in doing good just so I can go to Heaven. I believe in doing good so I can help people.

**Maybe I should re-entitle it "Top 12 Reasons Why I am a Thinking Catholic". I started following my own brand of Catholicism during my college years when people and events(i.e. the real world outside my "convent school") shaped my understanding of how my religion should play an effective role in my life. It's been a subject of several debates between family, friends and even with myself! But, it has worked wonders since I still count myself part of the flock vs. totally severing my ties with the Church due to my disgust with its outdated rules. But I really think that the Church will have to change some of its policies in order to keep up with the times. If it doesn't it will just be viewed as a judgemental, rigid, and unforgiving institution and not as a place where people can seek solace, feel love and acceptance, or simply be a part of God's family.

I don't get it

2005-10-14T12:26:00.000+08:00

Maybe he was hot as Legolas, but did Orlando Bloom really deserve to be the biggest breakout star out of Lord of the Rings? I mean jeez, strip him of his long blond wig and elvish elan and you're left with a scrawny, scruffy man-boy who wilts onscreen and projects nothing so much as bewilderment, helplesness and vacuity. No cocksure swaggering charm here; even his voice is wispy. When Menelaus roared, "You left me for this???" to Helen, you have to agree.

Legolas gets the A-list directors and big-budget movies. In the meantime, King Aragorn gets this dud, the divine Boromir is back to playing bad guys in crappy movies, Frodo is playing creeps and psychopaths, and the honorable, heart-breaking Samwise Gamgee is 4th-billed as Drew Barrymore's lisping body-builder younger brother in an amnesia comedy. Ok so it was a funny movie and he was great in it, but still...

When you think "big movie star," you think in terms of box office figures: which name is attached to the biggest box office numbers, which actor draws them in? You might think Tom Hanks (average US gross $99.8m), Tom Cruise ($101.5m), Jim Carrey ($106m), Will Smith ($120.2m). But Misters Hanks, Cruise, Carrey and Smith only rank numbers 16, 15, 14 and 10 respectively in the list of actors' average movie grosses. Orlando Bloom is a lofty number 4 ($217.1m), trailing only the three Harry Potter kids who, you know, are never again going to be in anything nearly as big as the Potter movies -- except maybe Emma Watson who is just gorgeous and kicks ass onscreen.

Now these numbers are not to be read literally: just because an actor is in a big hit, doesn't mean he's the reason people go see it. To wit, check out the numbers on this craptasia. The director's pissed off but methinks his pissed-offedness is misdirected. Orlando Bloom shoots arrows while bantering playfully with a dwarf, mister, he's a secondary character who provides comic relief. He doesn't lead an army of crusaders into the promised land. If you didn't see that while shooting the movie, you deserve what you get.

I think that Orlando will get his comeuppance really soon. Maybe as soon as this weekend when this movie tanks. And tanking alongside him will be his female counterpart, the pretty and spiritless Ms Knightly who, for crying out loud, does not have the weight -- emotional or physical -- to play a rich spoiled brat lesbian model turned bounty hunter. Her, I don't get either.

Aaaaaah!

2005-10-14T12:24:00.000+08:00

Again??? Have you no pity, Apple? What's next?

Love Can Move... Roaches!

2005-10-03T23:49:00.000+08:00

Pam shared her story about Katrina throwing up and how she caught her spew. What a mother would do when their child is not feeling well. It made me wonder what I would do. I found out tonight what I'm capable of.

I was checking up on Sam awhile ago in his crib and to my horror, saw a ROACH crawl past his head inside the crib!!! I couldn't squish it right there, so in my panic, I actually scooped it up with my hand! YUCK!!! I has horrified and grossed out feeling it squirming in my hand. I quickly grabbed the closest thing, which was a perfectly new diaper and wrapped the sucker in there and squished it! I still can't believe I did that! What love can do I tell ya!

I HATE roaches! Die roaches die!!!

Housewife for hire

2005-09-08T20:01:00.000+08:00

As daily lives go, mine is pretty cushy. Yes, I still cringe when I fill in "housewife" for "occupation" on airport immigration forms -- after all I do have 18 years of schooling behind me, and I'm not talking vocational or liberal arts degrees here but good old fashioned "you may hate Accounting but you will get a job after graduation" business degrees -- but there's no denying the fact that while my husband trudges off, reluctantly, to work every morning and draws a paycheck twice a month, I have no such constraints on my daily schedule and yet have marital drawing rights on his income.

This subject is rife with comedic and dramatic possibilities, but let's save such talk for another post.

Let's focus on the work-home issue. Having legitimate access to pots of money while unemployed is a desirable situation -- not just for the female gender for whom, on the surface, the situation is a throwback to a less enlightened age -- but for males as well. Grumpus, who admits that he fell in love with me for my earning potential, and says I was his early retirement plan (thankfully true love materialized when the job market dried up), envies my recent read-two-books-a-week, hit-the-gym-everyday schedule. And does the term "guy-tai" sound familiar, anyone?

There are many reasons for my continued unemployment. Sometimes I try to convince myself that I'm part of a larger sociological trend, like the kind described here, where women "return to their traditional roles as protectors of families, morals...", never mind that there are no children to raise and that the two adults in this family came together with fully formed and presumably compatible moral codes. Surely all stuff I do, like balancing the accounts, choosing investments and socking money away for (his) retirement, buying groceries, making maintenance phone calls, keeping family ties tight across the miles, keeping home homey -- ok I'll admit that I outsource the actual housekeeping -- has some social value?

Yes it does! AND apparently, economic value as well! Thanks to this fellow who, heh, outsourced his family life to India for $1500 a month, the work that goes into keeping hearth and home now has a price. Let's see if I can do everything that his India team did: answering emails - check; making calls - check; ordering groceries, buying movie tickets - check, check; paying bills, buying gifts, calling parents for weekly chat - check, check, check; making up with spouse after fight - check!

Wow! Do I spot an employment opportunity here? Ladies? My mind is exploding with possibilities of other "services" we can offer online!

Welcome Back Again Friends

2005-09-08T01:10:00.000+08:00

I recently got back from a whirlwind trip to Manila. Its been almost a year since I was last there and this time, I went there as a "single" woman. It was the first time I went on a trip on my own since Sam was born.

I was filled with excitement and apprehention when I arrived in Manila. I was excited because I had not seen my friends in a long time. And this time, I intended to really do some catching up since I won't be distracted with Sam. Which led to my apprehention, since I didn't know whether I still fitted into my friends' lives back in Manila.

Throughout my life, I've gained and lost a ton of friendships. Each time I think this would be the keeper, something happens and they or I move on. At the back of my head, I keep thinking when the next loss will happen and how am I going to deal with it this time. Although I was not consciously thinking of this issue at the time, I'm sure its partly where my apprehention lay when I met up with my friends during this trip. As always, I noted whether we were all still on the same wave length, whether we had anything in common, whether they still found me funny, whether the conversation will flow smoothly, etc. I couldn't help being overly conscious about the whole "catching up" thing. But by the end of my trip, I realized I was worried about nothing. I actually felt relieved that things felt even better than when I had first left Manila.

I then received a text from a friend back in HK. She needed someone to talk to about some friends she was loosing hold of. After having a good chat with her since I got back, it made me realize a few things about friendships and how conditional it all seems.

It suddenly occured to me that the reason why I felt better about my friends in Manila was because we had all suddenly reached the same points in our lives. When I first left Manila to come to HK, most if not all of my friends had drifted away. They were physically there, but the connection I had had with them back in our college days were no longer there. During my wedding, it was not the fun filled evening I had dreamed it would be. Everyone had different priorities, and I certainly was not one of them. After Hong Kong, I almost fully expected to see all of them dissappear into the horizon. I was ready to take out my tissue box again and wipe away a few more tears and move on.

So when I met up with them this time, the conversations flowed and the connection seemed to have reached for that super glue. I now realize friendships are such controvertial relationships. Are we friends because we have a bond? Or are we friends because we took the time to become friends? Or are we friends because we just so happen to be there at the same time? And do we remain friends simply because we had already taken the time to be as such? Or do we remain friends because I simply enjoy your company?

At least with this trip I've figured out why I'm friends to those I've reconnected to back home. We reconnected because I've finally caught up with them. I wish there was more reason I could give, but simply knowing why I'm friends to these people has made me accept what had happened in the past and hopefully what may happen in the future. I just wish I could figure it out as well for all the other friendships I had lost.

Who's your Rock Star?

2005-08-20T11:13:00.000+08:00

Who's your Rock Star? The reality show in which the "over-the-hill" rock band INXS (Tehlin's Chris says) auditions its new lead singer is getting more exciting by the week. The following performers remain:

a. Jordis - an uber-talented dreadlocked Tongan-American whose competitive side is beginning to show. So far, Jordis has never been voted into the dreaded "Bottom Three". Her rendition of "The Man Who Sold the World" seems to have solidified her claim to becoming INXS' new lead vocalist.

b. Suzie - Her risky arrangement of REM's "Losing My Religion" has paid off, and now, the menacing Ms. McNeil has risen to the occasion. Does she have the energy or the willpower to go that extra mile and see her dream through? Will JD offer her more helpful "advice"? Let's wait and see.

c. Ty - His performance as Britney Spears in the Las Vegas cast of Queen's musical WE WILL ROCK YOU is powerful and energetic. But you've seen him shed a few tears of frustration over INXS' comments about his singing: his vibrato, in particular. Will the Soul Man steal the show?

d. J.D. - This is the cocky but indubitably gifted musical genius, who was once a busker somewhere--New York City? He seems to be getting on his housemates' nerves--as divulged by one member at a press junket--but his originality shines through. Does JD really need to be humble and "humbled" to win this competition? Will INXS like him in the end? Abangan ang susunod na kabanata. Oh, and JD, cut the "tortured artist" nonsense. Chill, JD, chill.

e. Deanna - She croons like Melissa Etheridge and rasps like Janis Joplin. Her presence is electrifying onstage, but she isn't a crowd pleaser. Through what means shall Deanna find that "oomph" to convince INXS that she's the one?

f. Marty - This real estate appraiser from Chicago looks like a clean version of Kurt Cobain and a reincarnation of the great Ziggy Stardust: DAVID BOWIE. Look into the labyrinth of his eyes, and you'll hear lines from "This is Not America" sung to the guitar riffs of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." He's the perfect blend of grungy edge and punk-rock class. But he needs to pull off Britney Spears' "Baby, One More Time" this week. Will he stay in character?

g. Jessica - She has a few mugshots that make her look like a whiny Lisa Loeb. She says she's written six songs. She seems to frequent the "bottom three" a lot, which prompts some viewers to ask, "Who's she sleeping with?" But seriously, she sings INXS quite well--better than the others, in fact. Well, she's gone now.

h. MiG - He won the lead role for Queen's musical WE WILL ROCK YOU, London cast. Before that, MiG essayed other principal musical roles in Sydney, before moving to the UK for WWRY. MiG is sexy. MiG sends chills. . . while the mercury rises in the room. MiG is Pinoy. But he needs to expand his range. Does he have enough time?So, who's it gonna be? Visit Rock Star's MSN website or the INXS website for more information. And don't forget to vote! :-)

Other websites to get updates include:

Rickey.org
VH1
CBS
Reality Blurred

Ceasar, Thoreau, Cosby and Yamaguchi

2005-07-12T21:36:00.000+08:00

You guys remember the movie The Cutting Edge? Its a movie about ice skating starring Moira Kelly. I remember when I watched it back in 1992, I was saying how pretty she looked and that she can't be much older than I was. Fast forward 10+ years later and she now plays the mother of a teenage boy in the TV series One Tree Hill. I don't watch that series, but when I realized what her role was on that show, it hit me just how old I am already.

Yup, it hit me, because after I turned 30, I stopped counting. Proof to my statement: A few months ago, Chris asked me in front of a few people how old I was just to be funny. I looked at him and drew a blank. I didn't pause to come up with a good come back, because seriously, I didn't know!

So today I turned 33. I know that, because I had to count the years just to be sure. Last night after it struck midnight and Chris wished me a happy birthday, the first thing that crossed my mind was: Crap, I'm 33 already. Better have another kid so I'll have enough time to squeeze the 3rd one in by the time I'm 35! End of thought... Crap.

I just hope that someday, even if I don't end up a historic politician like Ceasar, an accomplished writer like Thoreau, an acclaimed artist like Cosby or an olympic gold winner like Yamaguchi, which by the way, were all born on July 12, I will at least have accomplished something I knew was the reason for my being.

So happy birthday to me. I look forward to growing older with grace, with more wisdom, ample sex appeal and not too much sagging. Haha!

Mirror ball

2005-06-19T01:43:00.000+08:00

The Philippine Association of Hong Kong organises the annual Independence Day Ball for the HK Pinoy community. Okay, I've heard stuff about people not wanting to involve themselves in community affairs, or hobnob with "such" people, and all that. Chances are, those people haven't been to the ball.

This year, Ben and I finally decided to satisfy a 3 1/2 year curiosity: we attended the ball at the Conrad Hotel (which is one of the few hotels in Hong Kong that can mass-produce a full-course meal and have every entree done decently; another one which comes to mind is the Mandarin Oriental). Never mind if Randy Santiago strutted his way onstage with his machismo jokes; never mind if Teresa Carpio's in-your-face-family-orientated renditions of "Sing" and "We are the World" bordered on kitsch; never mind if the hosts didn't bother to create suspense around the raffle draw. We enjoyed the atmosphere: a myriad of smiles and introductions filled the night--such is the general flow of conversation at gatherings like these, anyway.

Pleasantries are to be expected; pleasantries are as things should be at such occasions. Members of the diplomatic corps were in attendance, specifically from the RP, the UK and the US; so were some Philippine politicians and members of the Philippine business community in Hong Kong. It was like attending high school prom and one's debut all over again. It was like jumping into an Edith Wharton novel and living the "lie" of old New York in the 19th century. The best part, I think, was being in the company of friends, old and new.

The whole affair brought back memories: Ben's mother was one of the founding members of the PAHK; little did we know that we were carrying out a tradition. Both Ben and I found it interesting to discover that the Philippines is one of three communities in Hong Kong which hold annual balls. The other two countries are the US and the UK. Trust my mother-in-law, with her "third culture" childhood, to come up with a formula combining both the Pinoy variety show and the evening gala quite well.

The night ended with much revelry and dancing, in quintessential plakado Pinoy cover-band style.

It also reminded me of the parties my grandmother used to throw at our old place sans gowns and barong Tagalog at Sct. Rallos. Those parties all seem a blur now: Christmas, her birthday, my grandfather's birthday, christenings, welcoming balikbayan relatives, debuts and graduations all seem to coalesce into a single planet of childhood memories--the olden days of dressing up, being at one's best behaviour, entertaining guests and having a great excuse to have a sip of alcohol and to stay up late.

Those memories come alive on nights like this. One can only be thankful for the invitation.

Damn fine movie

2005-06-17T00:55:00.000+08:00

Scary talaga!

2005-06-15T12:39:00.000+08:00

Was going to inject a note of seriousness to our online kwento-area, but Dawn beat me to it. Best of luck to the Aquino family -- you'll always be in our hearts and in our thoughts, especially when we have a hankering for gourmet home-cooked food!

Sister-in-law and her hubby were visiting last weekend, and the husband and I got the lowdown on the circus that is current Philippine politics. We all know the general story and most of the refrains are familiar: Coup rumors? Yeah, been there done that, watched the 1989 3-week coup from my backyard. Corrupt government officials? Oooh what a shocker! And I thought they only ever wanted to serve the country. Election rigging? Darn, and I thought everyone in office won fair and square. The president, through mismanagement, ineptness and pure political whore-dom squandering economic gains, national potential and the future of the country? Shrug.

Now: the jueteng scandal laid bare and traced up to the yes-I-was-kicked-out-of-two-law-schools, and I-was-the-resident-subdivision-drug-pusher First Son, and Nuts-how-come-these-corruption-stories-have-dogged-me-since-my-wife-first-entered-public-life First Gentleman,

and

The President on tape telling a Comelec official to make sure she beats the runner-up by at least a million votes. And the Palace's completely bungled cover-up.

and

The two stories breaking just a couple of weeks apart?

Ooh, that's pretty juicy.

Who's behind all this? How did they get it on tape? Is that the CIA again? What's going to happen next? Speculate and prognosticate to your heart's content. Read the transcripts and download the tapes at the very, yes very, excellent PCIJ blog, and if you're in the mood for serious journalism, check out their main website.

Yes, that we can read and wring our hands from the safety of our overseas homes ...

Scary!

2005-06-14T09:39:00.000+08:00

Everyone seems to be busy nowadays and I noticed our blogsite has been neglected so here's my two cent's worth.

Today is THE DAY. Our relaxing time off is officially over. Tomorrow, we will make looking for a job our full-time job. New life, new friends, new place.

SCARY, man!!!!

Your encouraging and thoughtful words are something I will always remember and cherish, especially when things don't go our way.

To exciting, uncertain times and good friends, cheers!

What I've Been Busy Doing in the States So Far...

2005-05-26T13:21:00.000+08:00

Sheesh man, I can't believe they let Carrie win after her horrendous performance on Idol last night. I sure feel like my 30cents was flushed down the toilet. Gee, I sure hope it was 30cents lang or my parents will have a fit when they see their phonebill. Hahaha!

After checking out a few sites last night, it was all for Bo. I was almost certain he was going to win. But oh well, the producers I'm sure put their big foot in the whole thing and did some magic to make sure Carrie wins instead. Its like the last season of the Amazing Race all over again. Come on, would a pilot actually allow passengers on after they have already shut the airplane door and removed the walkway?

I'm just pikon. But thank god Scott didn't win in the end.

So anyways, other than watching shows like Idol and Contender, I've been trying to get over my jetlag and getting even thinner chasing Sam around a house 5 times bigger then our apartment in HK. If there ever was a use for those child safety gates, this is the place!

Sam was ok on our flight to the US. It was mostly bed time, so he was asleep most of the time. It was just torture having to hold him the whole time because he was too long for the bassinet. Kawawa din siya because you can tell he wasn't comfortable laying on me the whole time. And depending on how things go on our return flight to HK, I am certainly going to write a complaint letter to Cathay Pacific in regards to their service when it comes to infant/toddlers on their flights. This was the third flight since April and each flight has made me more upset that they charge for a lapseat. Why the heck do we have to pay that extra money when it seems as if they don't acknowledge the exsistence of your baby on your lap throughout the flight? Kawawa whomever will be my flight attendant on our flight back if this continues. (evil grin all over my face)

My brother's wedding will be this Saturday. Definitely going to share pics din when I get back. They won't be as nice as Shy's pics, but Sam's cuteness will compensate. Hehe!

I Voted!

2005-05-25T13:31:00.000+08:00

I feel like such a part of the American Dream! Today I made a personal historic move and voted on American Idol!!! Hahaha! I voted for Bo because I thought he was really good. Carrie unfortunately sucked.

I'm so proud of myself that I thought this deserved a spot on our Blog. God bless America!

Aha moment on Mother's Day

2005-05-09T10:41:00.000+08:00

We spent a really quiet and relaxing Mother's Day at home yesterday. It was my first Mother's Day as a mom so Chris offered to change all of Sam's diapers. That was really touching because I know how grossed out he is when it comes to diapers. Especially the poo ones. And as an added treat, Sam delivered 2 good poo diapers yesterday. Chris also told me not to cook any meals and that he will do the dishes piled up in the sink.

But as the morning progressed, the dishes weren't being done. Although I had complete confidence Chris would have it done by the end of the day, I wasn't comfortable with the sight of the dishes festering in the sink. It suddenly brought me back to my college days. I remember my grandmother bugging me about doing the dishes everytime they came over for a visit, which annoyed the heck out of me. I felt that as long as the dishes gets done eventually, I don't have to do it the very moment she "reminds" me to do so. Since I was such a busy college girl, the dishes would be left in the sink for at least 2 or more days, until it would magically get washed and put away. Instead of being pleased that my grandmother had done all the work for me, I would get annoyed and upset that she had done it again.

But yesterday, I suddenly figured it out. We took Sam out to the playground to play and I got really thirsty. Because we had just gotten there, I didn't want to cut the fun short and go back for a drink of water. So after our trip to the playground then a quick run to the grocery store, I eagerly headed into our kitchen for a nice tall glass of water. While I was enjoying my drink, my eyes wondered to the left and saw the pile of dirty dishes in the sink. It was an "aha" moment for me. I suddenly realized my grandmother's urge to get the dishes done and mine, is like wanting a glass of water when you're thirsty. When that urge kicks in, you need to fullfill it right away, it can't wait. And when it doesn't get done, its like a bug, gnawing at you. Such a simple concept, and it took me this long to figure it out. If my grandmother were still alive today, I would have picked up the phone and apologized for not quenching her thirst all those years.

So now that I'm the mom, with the pile of dishes in the sink, I find myself with the thirst for getting the dishes done. In the end, I ended up doing the dishes yesterday and just asked Chris to entertain Sam instead. I was completely happy to do it and took nothing against Chris. I felt quenched and happy. And that second poo of the day Sam delivered evened the score anyway.

the case of the disappearing wednesdays

2005-04-27T13:12:00.000+08:00

If you've ever caught yourself at 1:30 on a wednesday afternoon, unwashed and still in your sleeping clothes waiting for the laundry cycle to end, you'll certainly appreciate the good chuckle that comes from lighter-side-of online news.

Now that the weather's gotten warmer, chances are you've taken your sandals out of the closet. Maybe you've gotten the pedicure. And maybe you've also got the band-aids. In an earlier life, wearing tsinelas actually meant saving your feet from the cruelties of closed shoes. Now that they've been rechristened "flip-flops" and come with heels, leather straps, and various other attachments that cut into winter-tenderized skin, they also leave ugly welts and cuts. On my feet, at least. So you can imagine my delight when I read this article that describes how band-aids are in fact an indispensable spring accessory.

Moving on, it's time to free-associate. Shaolin monk:kung fu, ascetic, China, Hong Kong movies, orange robes, bald. How about Lower Broadway, designer clothes, hip-hop, alcohol? Not what first comes to mind, eh? But when the Dalai Lama, media-savvy, gains celebrity status, who's to say there isn't room for a drunken monk?

And here's a late addition to this roundup. In case you found yourself wondering about the true inclinations of our new pope, wonder no more.

That's it for now. Time to retire to my couch spend the rest of Wednesday watching my Shenzhen DVDs. Zai jian! Mingtian jian!

What 7 jeans hath wrought

2005-04-21T16:57:00.000+08:00

I was in grad school in NYC when 7 Jeans hit the streets. One look and I felt that my lifelong prayers had been answered. You know, those along the lines of "If I find the perfect pair of jeans (white t-shirt/ shade of red lipstick/ little black dress) I'll be happy." Heretofore reasonably satisfied with my $20 low-rise bootcut Gap jeans, I went manic when I saw those pert, perfectly clad New York asses, and couldn't sleep until I'd dug deep into my student's pockets and got myself my own pair. A hundred and ten dollars at Barney's (yeah, but free alteration!), just below the tax line. While I justified the purchase to myself a hundred different ways, I knew I'd crossed some line and that I'd never be happy with Gap jeans again.

As it turns out, that darned brand started some sort of revolution. Now people are harking back to the good old days when jeans cost "just" a hundred dollars. Check out the extremes that denim has reached.

Things to do in Makati on a Saturday morning

2005-04-20T14:41:00.000+08:00

the thursday group

Last Saturday, Poch insisted on bringing me to the Ayala Museum. I didn't feel like being cooped up in a stuffy museum but went with him anyway. Was I glad I changed my mind. It was surprising good! Next time you're in Manila, its a place to check out. Entrance fee is P150 for residents and P75 for seniors and children plus P100/person if you want a guide.

The first floor had paintings that the museum borrowed from the Singapore Museum... from a 1902 painting of Jose Rizal to more recent paintings by Filipino artists.

The second floor was the best part for me... It housed the dioramas from a few thousand years BC up until the end of the Japanese occupation. Plus a video board of the EDSA revolution. Did you know that the British actually occupied the Philippines towards the end of the 1800s? Another fact I didn't realize... Our national heroes weren't tall... Aguinaldo, Rizal, Bonifacio... they were all shorter than me.

The third floor housed the works of Fernando Zobel, Fernando Amorsolo and Juan Luna. I highly enjoyed the works of Amorsolo and Luna.

The fourth floor housed religious artifacts. I didn't get to explore this area as Poch said that it was a little boring. Maybe, next time, I'll get a chance to explore it on my own.

Anyway, check out www.ayalamuseum.org

By the way, if you find yourself in Makati on a Saturday morning, check out the park/parking lot in front of One Salcedo Place. It turns into a small market selling organic food and other Filipino delicacies from all over the country. Its sponsored by the Bel Air Village Association and is open every Saturday until 2pm.

Quote of the Day

2005-04-14T21:20:00.000+08:00

Shy's house, 4:15 pm.

Derrick: Joaquin, come and watch American Idol with daddy.
--

Reading Rickey's blog though, I realized that we're on the sane side of the Idol fan spectrum. Check out what his readers have to say about yesterday's results show.

The Martyr Syndrome

2005-04-12T12:26:00.000+08:00

I am sure you've all heard or have met someone who has gone through a similar situation: Girl and boy marry and have kids. Husband turns out to be a hopeless philanderer but wife turns a blind eye to all his daliances. He finally leaves wife for another (younger, trophy) woman. Along the way he gets diagnosed with terminal cancer. Trophy mistress leaves him for another man because he can no longer afford her and she can't bear to take care of a sick, old man. He goes back home with his tail between his legs. Wife forgives all and welcomes him back with open arms like the Prodigal Husband he is. She uses up all her remaining resources to nurse him and is only the one with him at his deathbed. Not all of their kids can forgive nor forget what he's done to their family but most of them show up at the funeral anyway which incidentally, the trophy mistress doesn't even attend.

Is there something wrong with this picture???

This exact situation actually happened to a close family friend of mine. I was aghast at how my Tita Vicky supported her husband even after enduring years of emotional abuse; abandonment and deceit! LOVE (Or is it partly Catholic GUILT? After all, in the eyes of the Church they were still married to each other and maybe she felt that she had to uphold the "in sickness and in health, til death do us part" bit), actually won over everything and in the end, decided to forgive and forget all. A teeny, tiny part of me admires her for her big heart, but a huge part just cringes at the thought! How can she take him back???? Either I am the most un-Christian person I know or maybe I just refuse to be a martyr in this day and age of the independent woman. After all, I have my pride, you know! I understand that pride should never get in the way of any relationship but I believe that women should have a high sense of self-worth in order make quality decisions especially in life's major milestones -- like marriage. I believe that if a woman has such low self-worth, she'll end up with someone who will never be good enough, who will never treat her well -- exactly like the picture she paints of herself. Case in point, I have two friends who have such a low self-concept of themselves that they don't mind if their husbands sleep with prostitutes at stag parties or have flings during their marriage. They argue that men are born to be cheaters and it's up to us women to tolerate this since you can never change their nature. What a crock of sh&t! They have actually tricked themselves into thinking that they don't deserve men who will treat the covenant of marriage as sacred or (even for non-religious people) treat them and the marriage with respect! And, ladies, the worst is yet to come...if their kids see that their mothers constantaly tolerate their fathers' stupidity, daughters will end up disrespecting both parents or worse, end up with philanderers like their dads; and sons will use this as a license to perpetuate this ugliness in their own marriages!

I am so certain that so many people out there will disagree with me and my brand of "tough love" but Jay knows for sure that he can never expect tea and sympathy from me if he ever gets out of line! It literally took years for me to choose someone worthy of marrying but I have absolutely no qualms about going back to being single again if need be. It certainly won't be the end of my world.

Stephen Chow slays 'em stateside

2005-04-11T21:41:00.000+08:00

So they finally dragged the movie over to the States. Here's what they're saying. Cool.

baked ribs recipe

2005-04-09T14:03:00.000+08:00

marinate thinly sliced beef ribs (like inihaw na baboy slices, but longer) for 5-6 hours or overnight in chicken powder, salt, pepper and herbs. it didn't taste particularly herb-y to me, but i would put parsley and rosemary and maybe add a little red wine (this is my version already). bake really quick since the wine and marination should make it quite tender already.

Macau in 12 hours

2005-04-07T10:28:00.000+08:00

yesterday derrick and i decided to visit macau, a place so pathetically close to HK it always bothered me why we never went before.

8:30- boarded the Turbojet. as usual when travelling with derrick, everything is photofinish! we arrived a mere 7 minutes before boarding. good thing the lines at immigration were short and quick.

9:45- got a map from the tourist center and asked where we could eat a traditional Portugese/Macanese breakfast. told to hop on bus no. 3 to the main plaza, look for McDo (i almost had an attack! McDo for breakfast in a foreign country? what the hell were these tourist officers high on?), turn at an alleyway beside it and have breakfast at any of the coffee shops lining the street. (ah! that's more like it, now they're behaving like true harbingers of culture).

arrived at the plaza and took photos of the fountain and neo-classical colorful buildings, like any self-respecting tourist. found McDo (derrick had the gall to suggest we eat there!) and discovered a small coffeshop manned by Pinoys. ate chorizo bread (more bread than chorizo, but the chorizo was good), smoked ham and cheese on brazilian bread (the smoked ham was delicious, the rest ordinary) and a Macau-style bibingka (tastes like egg-tart, looks and feels like a smallish bibingka-yummy!). had galao (traditional coffe and milk).

visited St. Dominic's Church for some quiet prayer time. the museum of sacred arts on the top floors is very interesting.

walked to the ruins (of course!). took more photos of the steps, ruins and fortress with derrick hamming it up. loved the Museum of Macau. i think i took more pictures there than anywhere. museums and dioramas are my thing. the beautifully resored traditional Chinese sala of old and portugese dining room were exquisitely detailed. i took a picture of derrick offering a drink to one of the chinese statues sitting on a bench (who rudely ignored him). some caucasians commented happily that we were being so silly (better silly than bo-ring!).

bought some repro figurines and a carved wooden panel to bring to canada. so very cheap compared to HK!

we asked the museum guy for a good Portugese eatery. we had reservations at Fernando's but he said it used to be good 10 years ago. so we asked him to tell us where the locals ate. he recommended a lorcha and dom galo. we wanted to see the sights in barra so we opted for a lorcha.

ordered bacalhau fritters (thought it would be salty but it was yummy); clams with coriander, garlic and tomatoes (we loved the sauce and used the warm bread to finish it off); african chicken (to me it tasted like a cross between mild curry and afritada); and baked beef ribs (derrick was in heaven with this one! thankfully the staff were all Pinoy, so i got the recipe).

we paid a mere HKD 310.00 for this feast, which included drinks and the Portugese dessert serradura (milk and cream pudding with crumbled biscuits on the menu, rich and thick vanilla ice cream/sylvanas to my taste buds. nice, but too sweet).

visited the a-mah temple and moorish barracks--nothing special. got lost in the streets of Barra looking for the Penha Church. asked for directions from locals who scratched their heads and smiled and pointed every which way. after minutes of bickering we found the church. outside is a tourist trap of a table selling religious wares for sky-high prices! while waiting for a taxi to take us to the macau tower which we could see in the distance, a man offered to take us there in his mazda for HKD25! we didn't want to be fodder for robbers and the like so we opted to walk down. it was quite a walk but we saw really unique and spacious homes on the steep way downhill (much like the Peak). we found ourselves on the promenade by the lake and decided to walk all the way to the Tower, which was a bad idea because once we got there, we didn't want to shell out HKD70 each to get scared shitless!

more cultural and artsy stuff beckoned at the Museaum of Art. while derrick sunned himself in the open lobby, i drooled over the visual masterpieces on display.

more photo ops at the golden statue (i forget the name) by the promenade (reminded us of Roxas Blvd), then we were off to Sands to try our luck with the slot machines (no such luck!) and partake of the Las Vegas 888 Buffet. too many choices, most of them mass-produced and commercial tasting. i only enjoyed the oysters, prawn, lamb and dessert. the rest? substandard fare for such a hyped-up place. we should have tried Litoral but Sands was nearer the ferry and as usual, we arrived 11 minutes before boarding and had to run all the way to the gangplank.

that's our macau rush-rush trip for you. the weather was cool, the sun shone intermittently, we had a good lunch and took a hundred pictures to prove that we've been there and done that.

There's a God!

2005-04-01T21:46:00.001+08:00

I wanted to post this during Holy Week since its bagay, but I didn't want to offend anyone so I'm posting it now na lang.

Ok, I admit it. I'm not the most religious person. I can almost see the ICA nuns shake their heads in dissappointment at my statement. I wanted to be a nun pa naman when I was in gradeschool. Many of my friends today would be surprised to know this, but I used to attend mass at the Magallanes Church with Jo religiously. I even brought that into my college life when I entered St. Mary's college in California. How it all stopped, I really can't tell you. But as unreligious as I may be, I still believe there's a God.

After I graduated from college, I started going out with this Vietnamese-French guy. What he lacked in intelligence (and boy do I admit it today he sure lacked intelligence) he made it up by being a really considerate, respectful, charming and good looking guy. Until that point in my life he was the most serious boyfriend I had. I even stood up for him during an argument with my dad. My dad was shocked that I was dating an electrician with no college degree! Ah-ya! And how did this guy repay me? Well, he cheated on me by sleeping with a mutual friend of ours when I went to Manila for vacation... during the holidays!

So yadayadayada we broke up, boo hoo hoo, I was devastated, my pride crushed, I returned every single item he ever gave me... damn! Why did I do that? I even returned this $500 pair of diamond earrings he gave me! So anyways, the break up was a standard pikon female reaction story. I even cut up every single picture we took together and barged into his house while he was away. You should have seen the look of bewilderment and confusion on his mom's face when she opened the door (yes, he was living at home, again, what was I thinking??) and let me in. I walked straight into his room, fixed his bed pa so I could emphasize the pile of torn pictures on his bed, took everything that was mine and from its secret location, took out the gun he was hiding and gave it to his dad. (yes, he owned a gun, another what was I thinking moment) I went home feeling contented but still fuming from what he did.

I spoke to a guy friend of mine a few days later, "You Oaghta Know" by Alanis Morissette blasting in the background and seething with anger told him how I wanted revenge on my ex. I told him how I wanted to destroy something that meant alot to him, like his Nissan Pathfinder which he was still making payments for. I told my friend I'd hire someone to destroy it while its parked somewhere away from his house. Siyempre I still had the decency to make sure anything like that would be done away from his home since he had little brothers living there. How considerate of me. I lavished in the thought and felt so much better after venting such evil thoughts with my friend. After that I recovered and went on with my life.

A few weeks later I decided to quit my job and move back to Manila to be with my parents. I was finishing my last few days at the office when suddenly I get a call from my guy friend.

"Hey (Bandit), remember you said you wanted to hire some people to destroy _____'s car? Well, I found those people and they have come down from Oakland and are awaiting your instructions." Guy Friend thoughtfully informed me with an air of achievement.

"WHAT??? What the $!@%? are you talking about??? I was only venting you idiot! Have you lost your mind? There's no way I'd be crazy enough to actually hire someone to destroy someone's car?!?! What the hell!!! What do I do now?!" As I calmly replied.

"Oh..." Long pause. "Well, since they've come down from Oakland already we need to pay them some money to tell them to go back or they're not gonna be happy."

Well, now I know you have to spend around $100 to kindly request a few goons to go back to where they came from after a false alarm. I'm not sure what the going rate is now though.

So with a hole in my pocket, I was still able to scrape up enough money to tour the US a few weeks later. I came home a month or 2 later and received a few phone calls from my former colleagues. They said my ex had been desperately looking for me and had called them a few times to ask how I could be reached. Thinking it might be a desperate attempt to get me back, I ignored the news and never called him back.

One day I receive a call from him.

"Hi (Bandit), heard you went on a trip. Hope you had fun. I called to ask you about something." My ex politely said.

"What is it?" I impatiently replied.

"Well, please don't get mad, but I wanted to ask you. You see, a few weeks ago my car was broken into. They smashed all the windows, damaged the insides and took everything. I just wanted to know if you had anything to do with it.

At that moment I had a grin from ear to ear. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. If you could picture it, it was as if the skies had opened, bright sunlight poured down onto me as I looked up into the heavens, raised my hands and said: "There's a God!"

"Gee, I'm really sorry that happend to you. And I am so flattered you thought I had the guts to do something like that. But sorry, it wasn't me." I calmly replied.

"Oh, ok then. Bye." My ex said as he hung up the phone.

I sat there in complete awe. Never did I expect something like this would happen. It was as if I were in a movie or a romance novel gone wrong. Yeah you have vengefull thoughts, but I would never actually wish it on anyone. I called Guy Friend immediately and told him what happend. He assured me he had nothing to do with it and that he honestly sent the mob squad home. Gosh, what goes around really does come around.

So there you go, that's how it was reaffirmed to me that there is a higher power up there. There is a God!

Footnote: But on a more serious note, I don't mean any disrespect to the devout Catholics and other reliogions out there. I simply believe there's a higher power out there. What I want to teach my children in the future is to respect all religions. That no matter what your beliefs are they are there to teach us to do good. Whether my story proved to me that there's a God or that it was Karma, it made me realize we aren't here to simply be. We are all here together and its what we do and how it affects others that will matter in the end.

home-cooked meals

2005-04-01T20:11:00.000+08:00

grocery shopping at Great is my one true indulgence, and today i bought 2 rib-eye steaks, foie-gras, baby asparagus, oyster mushroom, cream, cut melons, paper-thin san daniele ham (so expensive!), tomatoes and an apple.

for dinner i served: pan-fried foie-gras on a bed of poached apples and balsamico with toasted whole wheat bread, followed by broiled rib-eye (marinated in red wine, rosemary and crushed black pepper) with creamed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, blanched asparagus and a red wine shallot sauce.

tomorrow for a snack i'll eat the san daniele with the melons.

i realized both meals, for two, costs a mere HKD375! had i been tamad and we decided to go to SOHO, we would've spent more than double.

so my indulgent Great shopping turned out to be tipid, after all.

restos make so much money, no?

but then, we had dinner in a brightly-lit dining area with Lion King on the TV and the dining table resembling a home office. sometimes ambience does count.

what did you eat this week? anything interesting or new?

foodtrip

2005-03-29T18:55:00.000+08:00

our departure date is looming near, and each passing day brings me closer to maple syrup and canadian bacon, and farther away from LKF, Soho, Food Forum, XTC on Ice, Worldwide House for my Pinoy bagoong-tuyo-patis-saba-calamansi fix, and my favorite Thursday lunch-dessert-coffee dates with stimulating company.

to stave off the loneliness and ease the boredom, hubby and i treat our tummies while hurting our wallet.

wasabi-sabi in times square:
-small portions, so a bit too pricey for my liking.
-interesting TITbits though (yes, it's spelled that way on the menu, made derrick's bastos atenean brain go into overdrive).
-had marinated baby squid in sweet soy. it was RAW. tiny, wriggly things swimming in a dark sauce. marty and derrick valiantly tried 2 each and proclaimed it good -- liars! i found it squishy, sweet, similar to oysters but less briny. i liked it.
-sashimi salad was refreshingly different
-i liked the teapot seafood soup with its concentrated and aromatic broth
-the men enjoyed the eel fried rice, but is was average for me
-the fried salmon bones had a yummy dipping sauce
-grilled sirloin wrapped around smoked eggplant looked better than it tasted. it wasn't spectacular, just ok

harlan's
-abstinence friday so no burger boohoohoo
-lobster bisque is a must! share it though, it's way too rich
-better go to Baci's for pizza, though it's much smaler than Harlan's
-eggplant parmigiano was delightfully cheesy

le tire bouchon
-pan-fried foie gras swimming in raspberry cream sauce was dizzyingly divine, according to derrick the foie-gras addict. i prefer it pan-fried, served with balsamic reduction and poached fruit or mango
-duck breast with provencal olive sauce was fork-tender, medium-rare just like i ordered, but bitin!
-tournedos rossini was succulent and flavorful, but bitin. the port wine sauce was too sweet.
-don't order the chocolate souffle. tasted like it was made of cheap cocoa powder
-the stupid mangy little poachers ran after the future king (this, and the next, is from my makulit, bored rapscallion husband who loves quoting from Disney movies and just grabbed the laptop to type this gibberish)
-out there Emperor Zurg has built a secret weapon that can annihilate the entire universe

moon koon dimsum
-chopped squid fried rice with shrimp paste was yummy
-dimsum was ok

Hutong

2005-03-27T08:57:00.000+08:00

Looks like Water Margin (with a view)... tastes like Water Margin! If you're on an expense account...a definite YES! If not...stick to Water Margin!!!

28th floor, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 3428 8342

I Want My Mommy

2005-03-22T16:36:00.000+08:00

I just said my good-byes to my parents as they left to go back to the States. I have also put Sam down for his afternoon nap. And Chris is in Guangzhou on business and won't be back until tomorrow. I haven't felt this alone in awhile. I want my mommy =(

I was just telling my mom last night how different life is compared to back when we were all living in Manila. Life was so routine. And like all the child care books say, kids crave routine. Ours was wake up at 6am, get ready for school, get to school and count the hours till its dismissal, get picked up, go home, watch TV, study, have dinner with the family, more TV, get ready for bed and in bed by 10pm. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I still feel as if I were back in that house in Magallanes Village, on Trinidad St. I still remember exactly how the furniture was placed, what I had in my closet and my doll house in my night stand table. I still remember the brightness of our light fixture, hanging on top of our heads as we sat at our round dinner table. I remember my assigned seat was between my brother and my mom on my right. The kitchen was to my back. I miss those family dinners. No matter what happened that day, no matter how crap or how great the day was, we could always count on having dinner all together, all five of us. Although we weren't a particularly chatty family, it was nice having the presence of the whole family. We would listen to my mom do most of that talking while my dad read his newspaper and my older brother concentrate on his food and TV.

But when did it all end? Ours ended the day my older brother left for college in the US. My mom says that's just a part of growing up. Its inevitable that we all move out and on. But wouldn't it be nice if there was someway we could say, wait! I want back! I want to sit at that dinner table again with my whole family. I want to sleep on that super hard bed again. And I want to be able to say Maaaa! And my mom will peer through the door and say "What is it?". Where can I get such a contraption? I've got HK$20 left in my pocket.

I always get nostalgic and sappy after a visit with my parents. I guess I'm still a child at heart or just a total wimp. But it's just nice to not be a grown-up once in awhile. Hey, our hubbies are overgrown kids that still like to play with expensive toys, so why can't us ladies still be daddy's girls and want our mommy?

I'll get to see my parents again in 2 months. I better get my fill of them while I'm there before I have to revert back to being a grown up indefinitely.

By the way, Sam has finally started saying mama this week. He'll soon figure out mama means "I want my mommy".

Transients

2005-03-19T14:14:00.000+08:00

I would think of Hong Kong as a large port wherein lots of ships dock and the ships would symbolize us, transient people. Since this country is one of the progressive cities in the world, especially in Asia, most of the ships dock here for business, trading, transit, shopping, eating, etc...

Like ships, we dock and stay here indefinitely. Some with a fixed schedule, some for the time being, some for good and some whenever. Within this period of stopover or settlement, we meet ships (people) who become our friends and become a part of our lives. We share stories & experiences, hang-out together and learn from each other. We take a day at a time until it becomes weeks, months and then, years trying to fulfill whatever our purposes for residing here. Until that day of the unknown where one or few of the ships that we have come to know has to sail and dock to a new port.

My ship has docked in this port for almost four years now, and I have watched, hugged and missed those who have to set their sails and go. But for all those who are still here and for those who are going soon, I would like to wave my hands, "Bon Voyage" and have a happy journey to life. Thanks for being part of our lives.

eyestrain

2005-03-15T16:27:00.000+08:00

movie mania, man! i spent the weekend damaging my much-abused eyesight by cramming Raising Helen, SuperSize Me, Finding Neverland, Million Dollar Baby and Sideways into 3 short days (imagine watching a movie, then pausing to watch Shrek 2, then trying to finish the original movie, only to be subjected to peter pan and junge book... you get the picture).

oscar fever -- every year i get afflicted and try to catch as many of the nominated films as i can.

loved clint eastwood in million dollar baby. was he nominated? hillary swank was superb, as always. flick was kinda too dramatic for my taste. i prefer mystic river. now that was subdued acting, highly-charged script, flowing scenes. as much as i treasure my Tolkiens, i still think mystic should've won.

couldn't concentrate on finding neverland. if j.m. barrie looked that good, hell, he should be forgiven his eccentricities! johnny depp was so gorgeous the set, kate winslet, heck, the whole story was background. pale, insignificant background. that jaw, those intense eyes... a married woman should not be allowed within a few hundred meters of this guy! leo looks like a wuss compared to johnny.

now sideways. ahhh. the best of the best. for me, anyway. reminded me of my beverage management class in college when, for an exam, we'd be asked to sip and smell several bottles of alcoholic stuff and identify them. boy, did we get drunk after! tequila+whiskey+brandy+vodka+rum+wine+beer do not mix.
i like wine, but honestly, can't smell and taste beyond the woodsy, citrus, floral notes. they sure as hell don't exude an "asparagus" flavor for me. no career as a sommelier, then.
and with a friend as absurd as Jack, who needs enemies?
and Miles, loser that he is, was so lovable and endearing and wine-smart and heartsick (why was Paul Giamatti forgotten when the best actor nominations were handed out?) he carried the whole show, swept the boredom away; his treatise on pinoit noir was fanatical, sensual, impassioned, and struck a chord! emotionally, this film rocks! if it were wine, i'd savour a whole bottle and get drunk-delirious-demented. it's just so damn real.
and the 2 short naked sex scenes, it wasn't arousing or sexy, but the profanity of it!
and the scenery, the vineyards a shining endless green in the sun.
and the thought of a roadtrip involving food, wine, sex, conversation... fantastic!

My week long birthday gift!

2005-03-14T17:48:00.000+08:00

I wrote a whole blog but due to some technical difficulties, didn't get posted. Took me almost a day to write it with distractions from Katrina and Poch and it got lost... anyway, let me try to reconstruct my drama entry...

As many of you know, my parents surprised me on my birthday by coming over and spending the week here with their favorite daughter (or maybe its favorite apo?). I was feeling a little down about turning 32 (yep, I'm off the calendar now), thinking what have I done in my life. I love being a wife and mom but sometimes I wonder if I died today, would I be proud of what I have accomplished in life? Or am I the servant, in a parable Jesus told, entrusted with a bag of money by my master and just buried it instead of investing and making it grow? What have I done with the skills/potential gifted to me by God? Aside from becoming a good wife and mom, I can't really think of anything significant. The sad thing is I still don't know what to do... is this what a mid-life crisis feels like?

Anyway, my parent's visit took my mind off these musings and for 1 week I felt great! Every afternoon, I'd go out with my mom (North Point for food shopping and the market, Mongkok for bargain shopping and Central and Causeway Bay for everything else) while papa stayed home and bonded with Katrina. Papa still hasn't fully recovered from his accident and can't walk for long distances yet. Seeing Katrina with my parents was wonderful. You could see how much she loves them. It took her around an hour to get used to them then it was all kisses, hugs, smiles and laughter. I already miss them and I'm sure Katrina is wondering where they are too. It was a great gift!

Here are some of pics of my parents with their favorite apo.

seona dancing, anyone?

2005-03-12T01:59:00.000+08:00

much whooping in our computer room tonight. rushed over to see what was the matter and saw mickey reading one of his daily blogs. this time he was literally in it in the "email of the day" section.

you might find a pop culture reference funny in a political blog. heck, i sure did. check out the march 11 entry on andrew sullivan's blog.

Miso Cod Recipe

2005-03-10T19:15:00.000+08:00

Upon Maya's suggestion, I've decided to post the Miso Cod recipe on our blog. As you can see, it's ridiculously easy to make -- perfect for the tai tai lites like me who seem to be always in a hurry!

Broiled Cod in Miso Sauce

Makes 4 servings

6 tb white miso
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake
4 6 oz black cod or sea bass fillets

Start marinating the fish with first 4 ingredients (mixed well) for at least two hours before broiling. I usually marinate it overnight. You can also easily find the Japanese ingredients either at Great or Citysuper.

Remove fish from marinade and broil until opaque in center or about 8 mins.

Buen Provecho!

a quick roundup of nothing in particular

2005-03-10T18:48:00.000+08:00

so we had a great lunch today! thanks to the girls for your delishooooos concoctions: mida's hors d'oeurves (did i spell that right?), tehlin's sausage-vegetarian combo risotto which i just had for dinner, may's pansit which i polished off after everyone left, shy's nobu miso cod -- pronounced "authentic" by sayuri, an authentic japanese, dawn's ultra-sinful choco-chip-mousse, half of which is still in my fridge and which i'm having for desert, pam's jen and berry's, i mean ben and jerry's pints, half of which are still in my freezer and which i'm also having for desert.

sam the crazy baby provided ample entertaiment. the living room is back in order, but i think i'm keeping his smudges on my mirror and the chewed-up economists. they're kinda cute.

since we were on the topic of "american idol", thought i'd link you to rickey's blog. here's idol mania taken to the extreme. warning though, may have spoilers.

and here's a really interesting article about a 96-year old still-practicing doctor. he gave up doing actual surgery only 5 years ago, but still works from 7:30 to 6 everyday. that excludes the 2 hours of writing he does in the morning before driving to work, and the 2 hours he does in the evening. credits this work ethos for his longevity. hmmmmm.

and if you have the time to futz around other blogs, check out bnoopy, started by one of the guys who founded excite.com, sold it, and is now working on his second start-up. despite the techno-geek background, this is a really down-to-earth retelling of his story liberally sprinkled with inspirational missives. check out the second most recent post, "start-ups and the stockdale paradox." good story.

and finally, they're making another one of my childhood favorite books into a movie!!! this page links to several trailers to the hitchhikers' guide to the galaxy movie which is coming out in april. check out the internet-only version right here which is the best trailer i've ever seen. seriously. but then i like kung fu movies, so take that recommendation accordingly.

Baby Vocabulary

2005-03-07T12:24:00.000+08:00

1. Remote Control Car - this refers to when Sam takes the TV remote control, holds it in one hand and pushes it along the floor like a race car. Kulang na lang yung "vroom! vroom!" sound.

2. Power Nap - this is when crawling at the speed of Roadrunner down the hallway, Sam suddenly lies flat on the floor with arms and legs sprawled out as if Cayote went splat on the ground and lies there for a minute or so, "resting", before zooming off again.

3. Floor Mat - in relation to word number 2, this refers to how our whole apartment floor has turned into Sam's mat to take power naps on as he pleases.

4. Water Mark - these are markings on the floor caused by excessive drool puddles left by Sam and left to dry.

5. Paper Trail - with a mouth full of chewed paper or cardboard, a trail of paper mache is dribbled on the floor while Sam plays with his "remote control car". A "paper trail" usually becomes a very difficult "water mark" to clean up.

6. Dried fruits and vegetables - in relation to words number 4 and 5, fruits and vegetables are often found in a dried format at various areas of the house. Dried fruits and vegetables can appear inside shoes, stuck amongst the channel buttons of the remote control car, plastered on the windows and even on your cheek after a long day at home.

An introvert's haven, or "Alice crawls into a hole"

2005-03-06T23:12:00.000+08:00

Up the almost obscure Peel Street, at #57, is a little brown "hole in the wall" called Chocolux. I remember walking downhill from Staunton Street after a short coffee break with a friend named Valerie. Instead of heading toward the escalators, I decided to take a detour. There was a stairway which led to a terrace of burnt incense. The road was steep, and quite apparently, my sneakers did not have enough traction to prevent myself from slipping.

This little discomfort was soon forgotten, when I saw a lit candle from behind this wispy bronze curtain onthe left side of the road. I was curious to know what the "privacy-shmivacy" was all about, so I threw the curtain open and Lo!

The smell of tsokolate-e! Too bad it wasn't a Spanish cafe, otherwise I would have ordered churros.

But this little brown haven is perfect for listless afternoons. If you have nothing much to do this spring, and you're dying to finish a book or two (or maybe more), head downhill--or up-hill, depending where you're at--to this discreet little choco-shop for a macaroon, or a savoury jamon serrano crepe, or a novelty of a drink, but not so new to us "tsokolate-e" drinkers: the "Chocohaud".

Another introvert's haven, but with a slightly annoying selection for muzak, is at the IFC: Le Gouter Bernardaud. Highlights at this place are the multi-coloured macaroons, tartines (order the afternoon tea sampler) and rose petal tea.

Olive

2005-03-06T22:24:00.000+08:00

Where: Olive at 32 Elgin St, Soho 2521 1608 (Mon - Sun: 12pm - 3pm; 6pm - 11pm)
When: March 6, 2005 7:45pm
Who: Jay and Shy Sala
What: Olive's Mezza (mixed platter of appetizers, my favorite among all was the Fatima's fingers); Bistayees (Moroccan-style Pigeon Pie cooked in sweet spices and almonds - excellent!); Warm Ginger cake ala mode topped with Toffeed Mangoes drizzled with Orange Blossom Caramel (yum, yum, yum!)
Well?: A definite must-try!!

*Saw most of the waitstaff and the manager at Soho Spice working their night shift at Olive. Both restaurants, including Archie B's (my favorite deli), El Taco Loco (Jay's favorite Mexican joint); Bombay Dreams plus Cuisine Courier are owned by the same group, Dining Concepts.

eat2eat

2005-03-03T22:58:00.000+08:00

Ladies, someone beat us to it!!!

Check this out:

Hong Kong's pseudo-Zagat guide (eat2eat.com)

Harlan's (and The Women's Foundation)

2005-03-03T21:32:00.000+08:00

Harlan Goldstein, former chef at the members-only Aberdeen Marina Club, has had the public enjoy his culinary creations at his eponymous eatery since late last year. Friends have raved about his Chef's table (pricey but worth every cent), his extensive and impressive wine list, and his delicious burgers. After attending a photo exhibit and launch of a mutual friend's non-profit organization, The Women's Foundation, early tonight, Jay, Harold and I found ourselves at Harlan's ordering a steak sandwich (Jay); and two burgers (me - medium rare; Harold - medium well). All 3 dishes came with fries on the side. Harold ordered a glass of D'Arenberg Grenache, which, according to him, is a very rare find since not many restaurants stock this particular vintage. The total damage was about HKD 660 -- not cheap! Service was very good but the food took so long (around 25 mins) since it was a full house tonight. In fact, there were no more seats available at the restaurant but we were lucky to have been seated at the secluded bar area on the right side of the entrance. We actually prefered this because we had two big sofas and two tables to ourselves in a very private and cozy corner. When our food arrived, I slathered my burger with a liberal amount of wasabi mayo and piled on the tomatoes, onions, lettuce and two crispy strips of bacon between the two hamburger buns. It was pure heaven!!! Arguably the best burger in the whole of Hong Kong -- better than Al's Diner's gourmet burgers! Perfect consistency -- juicy but not overly so; wonderfuly tender with flavors bursting on every corresponding taste bud; and the size was enough to satisfy the hunger (not too small that one felt cheated and not too big that one felt sick by the time the last three bites are left). When Jay had some of mine, he promptly abandoned his steak sandwich (mediocre, according to him) and he kept on repeating "Ohhhh my gaaaad, this is sooooo good! Ohhhh my gaaaad, this is sooooo good!" as he polished off most of my burger. I told him to keep it down since people might think that were doing something indecent inside our private (and very dark) booth! We'll definitely try the Chef's table, maybe for our anniversary dinner. Imagine, if a simple burger is that good...what other culinary treasures Harlan is hiding in his kitchen?!

Harlan's is on the 2nd Floor of the IFC Mall. 2805 0566. Open at 1130am - 1030pm from Mondays to Sundays and public holidays.

For those who are interested, The Women's Foundation is currently looking for volunteers and interns.

Random Thoughts

2005-03-03T21:26:00.000+08:00

I'm just sitting here in front of my computer tonight with itchy fingers, so I thought I'd type down a few thoughts.

Have any of you ever tried sitting for a long period of time on the floor? I now have new respect and appreciation for our sofa. Chris and I miss it. Not to mention our bed. It's amazing how your life can seem so disfunctional without furniture. We are currently sleeping in Sam's playpen. Well, not actually in it, but we use it to border off the area in which we are sleeping on. Since it doubles as our bed and Sam's play area, our livingroom is our bedroom as well. It gives a whole new perspective in what we do in specific areas of our apartment. Chris and I were saying to each other last night how wonderful it would be the day our mattress arrives and we get to sleep on a real bed again. People usually drool over good food, Chris and I drool over the thought of a bed. We are so pathetic.

We also miss our rice cooker. Although Chris is Australian, he can't go for very long without white rice and "ulam". I totally miss it. It also means its harder to keep to a low food budget. It really is cheap when you cook up some stir fry every night. And now that Chris has finished his marathon, I don't have to think healthy, low fat and hi carbs anymore. At least that makes it easier for me to come up with dinner. Just tonight I came up with a chicken avocado salad. I mixed chunks of cooked chicken, avocado, raw onion, celery and raisins together. And as a binder, nothing but good ol artery blocking mayo. Yum!

Another thing I miss or am looking forward to is getting a chair to go with our computer desk. I am currently sitting on my jewellery making tool kit with a few pillows stacked on top of it. Before I came up with the ingenious plan of using pillows, my ass was killing me! If I could bend around like a dog, I wouldn't be surprised to see bruises on my butt cheeks from sitting on the floor, sitting on my tool kit and sleeping so close to the floor. Sniff, I miss soft things.

But one thing I realize I miss the most, in the larger picture of my life, is having meals cooked for me. Ever since I moved to HK, I have had to cook and cook and cook. I'm proud to say I have currently reached a point where recipes in books or the internet don't fully satisfy me and I often create my own or change them as I see fit. But oh, to have the pleasure of a meal waiting for me when lunch or dinner comes around is almost orgasmic. Ok, not orgasmic, but sad to say getting close to it. Chris has finally agreed to consider rehiring my maid Fe from Manila and getting her here to HK around year end. When I think of her being here, the first thing that comes to mind is not the clean toilet and sink I'll see, or the clean floors and dishes everyday, but the meals that will finally be waiting for me! I suddenly picture Chris at the finish line, waving his finger in victory, while Sam and I await his arrival. Replace this with me running to the finish line, except it's all the meals that are waiting for me, cheering me on while I run to them with open arms and a huge grin, ready to eat!

So here I am, still in front of my computer. Chris isn't home yet. He's out for dinner. It's his law firm's company spring dinner, whatever that is. For me it means he's out somewhere in Central, in a nice restaurant, enjoying overpriced food and over flowing wine which the company will pay for. Damn him. At least that means less food expense for the night.

But thank god for Thursday lunches with the girls! With it I am just tethering on the edge of self-pity. Without it, I would have fallen into the dark reaches of sheer boredom! And what have I done during these episodes of sheer boredom? Well, maybe I'll share that next time I sit my sore ass down to write again.

Not only men have Hernia

2005-02-28T13:45:00.000+08:00

Contrary to what most people think, Hernia, the organ or fatty tissue, which protrudes through a weak point or tear in the muscles or tissues surrounding it, can happen to anyone regardless of age or sex. Yes, I'm a 26 year old woman and I had hernia. For some people, it can be genetic and have it when they are still babies, some much older and some from an accident or injury. Unfortunately, mine is hereditary so no matter how careful I was, a mere cough can trigger it.

This is how it all started... I was brushing my teeth one day when I sensed a little pain in my groin area while leaning on the sink. I felt a small lump on my right groin area and it hurts when I touched it. It scared the hell out of me thinking, it might be an enlarged vein, cyst or what??? I was clueless 'til I remembered what happened to my sister years ago. She had Hernia from playing volleyball during high school and there's a possibility, I might have it too.

The first thing I did the next day was to visit my Gynecologist for an ultra sound and over- all check up. It was the usual procedure to lie down for a pap smear and when I did, the lump on my right groin mysteriously disappeared. Back then, I was beginning to think that I was imagining all these symptoms especially, when the doctor gave me a clean bill of health, gynecologically speaking. I began to describe the bulge I found on my groin area and its symptoms. The doctor diagnosed me with Inguinal Hernia and referred me to a general surgeon for a second opinion. Apparently, I had the Reducible type of Hernia wherein my tissues and intestines went in when I lied down and out when I stood up. Once again, the lump did not appear when I visited the surgeon eventhough, I tried jogging and even bouncing around before seeing him that day. It was frustrating, thinking of ways to make the bulge appear! Luckily, he found a thickness on my right groin area after making me cough several times in the clinic. Finally, I had an appointment with my doctor for a right and left traditional hernia surgery or herniorrhaphy to lessen its recurrence.

Now, I'm sitting here in front of my PC, trying not to mind the persistent pain, after a week from surgery. Having wounds of 2 inches each on my left and right groin, It's like I had a Cesarean operation minus the baby. Ouch, it's still PAINFUL!!!

Lumiere

2005-02-27T22:29:00.000+08:00

Just tried out this new resto called Lumiere. Nice harbor views; huge place, perfect for corporate functions but not intimate enough for a date. Great for group dates though. The food (a blend of Sichuanese and South American -- yes, I know it sounds weird) was surprisingly very good! Just make sure to specify the number of "chillies" (1 to 3) so they'll know how spicy (or not) you'd want your Sichuanese dishes to be. We didn't order any South American dishes since we were in the mood for Chinese. For the mains -- the crab claw was the best; followed by the mutton; then the kung pao chicken and lastly, the ma po tofu. We only ordered one appetizer which was the crispy eel. Excellent. We specified "2 chillies" for each dish and man, it was BURNING!!! Especially the ma po to fu!! Definitely not for the faint-hearted. Can't imagine what "3 chillies" will feel like.

What's nice about this resto is that the waiters will serve you sugar cubes (both brown and white) and a glass of cooling Sichuanese herb juice to help numb your tongue during the middle of your dinner. Service was also very prompt and pleasant. The only thing we didn't appreciate was that they only served San Pellegrino and Evian in -- get this -- small bottles!!! No big bottles for sharing and absolutely no tap water can be served so in that sense, it was a rip off. (They're very smart knowing that people will be ordering tons of water after burning their tongues off their food!) Speaking of which, I feel that the food was reasonably priced as each dish set us back about HKD 150. And when I say reasonable, I mean by HK standards -- which is quite high. At least this time I didn't feel I was wasting my money on overpriced but mediocre cuisine (and you and I know that there are just too many of these places in HK). If you want to order a bottle of wine to go with your meal, their Dr. Loosen Riesling '03 (Spatlese) is an excellent choice -- its high sugar content will help offset the spicy dishes.

There is a Cantonese restaurant adjacent to Lumiere called Cuisine Cuisine. It was fully booked. In contrast, Lumiere was only about 40% occupied but more people started coming when we left at 9:30 pm.

Lumiere and Cuisine Cuisine are located on the 3rd Floor of the IFC Mall, adjacent to Pure Fitness. Tel no. 23 933 933 Websites: www.lumiere.hk and www.cuisinecuisine.hk

The Happy Woman's Guide to a Two-Day Silent Retreat

2005-02-26T23:50:00.000+08:00

Whenever someone asks me why I've been looking glum over the past few weeks, I would immediately respond with one of the usual lines: "Too many things going on." What could that response possibly mean? I would, perhaps, be as honest as I could be by telling the whole truth, but most people--especially those whom one would bump into at the Mid-level escalators, or at Park 'N' Shop--really DON'T want to know. I know of one busy person whose customary greeting goes, "Hi! Good!" because he automatically presumes that an acquaintance would say--and at lightning speed--"Hello! How are You?" So when, during one gloomy morning, I merely mustered a "Hello," he laughed at himself for having said "Good!" straightaway, without my asking the question.

These greetings happen in seconds. Before you know it, the person you've been talking to for a short time has passed you by, and has forgotten about having this exchange because it happens every day, the same exchange with different people.

So much for Eeyore's little introduction there.

There comes a period in a woman's life when, indeed, too many things are going on. She forgets appointments set in advance, which--because they've already been set--need no confirmation nor email. She misplaces her date-book. She forgets to make deadlines, especially self-imposed ones. She begins to lose her balance.

One day, she resolves to quit. Oh, not that she was going to relieve herself of all her responsibilities altogether. It's not like that at all. All she needed were two days away from everything and everybody. Just two days to heal her weakened body and her wearied soul.

So she spent some time here and had an exceptionally great time here. Now, she's thoroughly recharged.

The following books helped her during her silent retreat:

a. The Rule of St. Benedict for Beginners: Spirituality for Daily Life - an introduction to monastic life, as experienced by the Benedictine monks
b. The Little Book of Hours - a guide to allotting time for God and one's spiritual nourishment during specific times of the day
c. Music of Silence: A Sacred Journey Through the Hours of the Day - the order of the hours and their symbolism
d. A Retreat with St. Therese of Lisieux - a one-week retreat consisting of passages from the writings of Therese Martin and self-examination exercises.

Happy is the woman who can pace herself accordingly in this frenzied paradise called Hong Kong!

--------------------------
A postscript: I decided to go on a retreat quite suddenly. It happened the evening I bought The Beatles' Let it Be. . . Naked and listened to it. It's funny how one can find wisdom through the most unexpected sources, like a rock song. Three cheers for serendipity!

The true way goes over a rope which is not stretched at any great height but just above the ground. It seems more designed to make men stumble than to be walked upon. - Franz Kafka

First South African film to win the Golden Bear for best film at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival

2005-02-25T10:44:00.000+08:00

Khayelitsha "New Town" -- the black African township Jay and I had the priviledge to visit in Cape Town -- is the setting of the South African movie "U-Carmen eKhayelitsha" (Carmen in Khayelitsha). This movie just won the Golden Bear for best film at the Berlin International Film Festival -- a first of many coups for the South African film industry. The Berlinale is the world's largest film festival in terms of ticket sales and press participation.

"U Carmen" based on Bizet's classic opera (and my personal favorite), Carmen. It is sung and spoken in isiXhosa -- a pleasant South African dialect characterized by tones and clicks. It is also Nelson Mandela's mother tongue.

Click on http://www.southafrica.info/what_happening/arts_entertainment/ucarmen-ekhayelitsha.htm if you want to know more about this film!

Of Postcards and Screensavers

2005-02-21T20:54:00.000+08:00

Read all about your travels with grumpus, Maya (Check out Maya's comment to my Out of Africa blog); savored it, more like. Enjoyed it as much as Shy's honeymoon diary, with its rich narration, witty asides, colorful descriptions (though colorful doesn't quite cut it). Guess Africa epitomizes what it means when travelers say "to see is to believe". The pictures (oh, such wonderful pictures) look like postcards or screensavers sent to me by religious websites. They look ethereal, surreal? sometimes, disturbing, even digitally enhanced; mostly they look like nothing I've seen yet everything I've imagined "creation" to be. They literally take my breath away. Cliche-ish, but who cares? It's true. I used to say to anyone who'd listen that I would die happy after witnessing the splendor of an aurora borealis in Finland; lying on some craggy cliff or grassy knoll in Scotland, looking up at the impossibly stormy sky and imagining the bloodshed on those war-torn grounds; now I'm changing my plans a bit. Africa is definitely on my must-see and must-experience list. Thank you for introducing me to this oft-maligned, yet incredibly moving country.

Bushwalks and the Wonders of Dung

2005-02-19T17:01:00.000+08:00

July 2004, Djuma Bush Camp, Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa:

"Pluck those leaves" said our tracker, Abel, as we dutifully did what we were told. "Now add some water" Placing just a few drops from our bottled water, we immediately saw the miracle unfolding before our very eyes -- soap suds!!!

"We call it Bush Shampoo!" Abel exclaimed as were were all struck dumb with wonder. The leaves somehow reacted with the water and out came a fresh, clean smelling substance which left our hands so soft and smooth. Apparently, the women use these leaves to clean their clothes and wash their bodies.

"What is that?" Abel asked the group, pointing to something that suspiciously resembled dung pellets. When nobody could give a specific answer, Abel told us that it was zebra dung and that his people (the Utah tribe who lived along the periphery of Kruger National Park), would gather all the zebra dung they could find and light a fire with it. The fumes from the smoke would instantly stop a nose bleed. He also told us that elephant dung could cure a very bad headache. Their children also play with impala dung -- they stick them in their mouths (and are apparently very clean) and spit them out. Whoever spits with the longest distance wins!

Ahhh...the wonders of dung! In Clinton Palanca's yet-to-be published book about his African safari with A to A, he tells of his guide extolling the vitues of elephant dung. Smoking it will get you really high -- similar to smoking marijuana -- but it's all perfectly legal. His travel companion found all the elephant dung she could find and brought them back home to Manila as "pasalubong" to her pot head buddies -- funny!!!

Africa vs. the Philippines - The Great Paradox

2005-02-19T08:53:00.000+08:00

July of 2004...Jay and I had driven more than 2,000 kms up and down the highways and dirt roads of Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces of South Africa -- home to the famous Kruger National Park and Joburg (Jozi to the locals) respectively. Being a member of A to A Safaris, one of the perks of my job is to pose as a client for a few days, check out 5 - 10 new camps per year and write very detailed (and sometimes even scathing) reviews about them. So when our real clients ask me questions, I will be able to answer everything from first hand experience. Knowing how Jay wanted so badly to escape from the daily drudgery of management consulting, he was more than willing to be dragged along for the ride. (Too bad he still can't quit his day job or we'll definitely starve -- my job sure is a lot of fun, but if I don't have enough clients, my annual salary won't even pay for a a couple of months' grocery bill).

Being a small, financially conservative company, A to A opted to rent us a car instead of flying us from camp to camp which effectively saved us thousands of dollars. We figured that it was also a great way to see a slice of the "real" Africa; how people commuted from town to town; how the roads and general infrastructure were; how dangerous was it really to ask directions from strangers; how dirty/clean were the bathrooms were in the gas stations and pit stops -- you know, mundane things like that. We absolutely had no idea of what to expect and little did we know that we were in for a big surprise! First of all, the main roads and highways were all perfect! There were modern flyovers; big signages all in English and very good road directions. If not for the fact that 99% of the people were black, you would think that you were somewhere in the US or Canada. Drivers were very courteous and followed speed limits; were gracious about letting you in their lane and signaled whenever they turned. There was also the concept of "right of way" which, in Asia, is almost foreign (I am now convinced that Asians are the worst drivers in the world, I almost felt like a barbarian in SA with my own Asian driving skills, or lack thereof). Naturally, all that driving made us tired, hungry and in need of several bathroom breaks and shuddered at the thought of entering dingy, stinky gas stations and being mugged or worse, raped (this bias was based on several media news reports about car jackings, shootings and rapes in the city). How wrong we were! The locals we asked always gave us the correct directions to our destination. And, even if they weren't smiling or warm, were always unfailingly polite. There were several gas stations along the way (every x number of kilometers at regular intervals) and almost every one had convenience stores; ATM's; and fast food restaurants. And how clean they all were! Even the small ones along the dirt roads had relatively clean floors and all stalls had toilet paper despite the fact that we were surrounded by very poor people. Almost immediately, I felt ashamed about my own country where Filipinos cannot seem to keep the public bathrooms in half decent condition; people don't even know how to "aim" properly when taking a leak and that there seems to be almost always no toilet paper in the stalls! Sure, I am very aware that SA and some of the countries in Africa for that matter, were slightly richer (in GDP figures) vs the Philippines; but poverty is NOT an excuse to live like a pig.

I believe that there is one key difference between Africans and the Filipinos, and that is the concept of self worth. We noticed from the among myriad of locals (blacks, whites, coloureds -- which is politically correct term to use in SA, by the way) we saw during our long road trip that there heads were almost always held high, they walked so tall (and most literally are) and had the air of so much confidence about them. I fel that they truly had a sense of being one with the land; who are proud of it and really owned their culture. (Sidebar: One thing that was quite amusing to see is that the black women were mostly Rubenesque in proportion to the males who were almost stick thin and when I inquired about this to a local, she told me that men liked their women "meaty" because "it kept them warm at night, esp. during winter.") In the Philippines, true, the people are smiling, warm, and chatty but I don't get a sense that the they are confident and truly happy. For me, this really shows in the way Pinoys take care of public property (mostly filled with garbage; defaced with graffiti) or even in their own homes when there's really no "pride of place". During my honeymoon in Cape Town, SA, last Jan 2004, Jay and I had visited a shanty town (yes, a real squatter area) and I immediately sensed the pride of place the people had. In the midst of all the corrugated iron; tires and tiny dirt roads, they had built their own simple but very functional pre-schools and high schools; bars and restaurants; a center to learn life skills; and even the world's smallest B&B where tourists can spend the night in a real black African township. Vicky's B&B was extremely clean, inviting and it was easy for me to consider spend a night or two there. Contrast this to some of the squallor found right in the maids' or drivers' quarters in some of my friends' huge homes in Manila's most prestigious subdivisions, I think I'd rather spend the night at an African shantytown, thank you very much.

For a continent whose 50% of its adult population is ravaged by AIDS, and so many people living below the poverty line, the countries I had visited had some of the best tourism infrastructure that I have ever seen outside of the US. Seamless travel between airport to hotel; or camp to camp is commonplace. They make you avoid long transit periods in airports and try to make the route between locations as direct as possible. Service is impeccable. Contrast this to Boracay where you have to first take a plane - then take a van - then a tricycle - then finally, a boat to reach the beach, where you have to wade through the shin deep waters just to get to your hotel! Couldn't they have just built a proper dock? (They say that's part of the charm of Boracay, but I don't buy it). My last visit was in Dec 2003 and it was a nightmare! Almost all the food in every restaurant was out of stock by 7:30pm; the only coffee machine at the beach's only coffee shop broke; there was no hot water and electricty in my bedroom for one night (never, ever stay at Pearl of the Pacific, sorry, that's Hurl of the Pacific); service was horrendous and worse, a storm hit us! And this is the Philippines' most well-known beach! Even if I had stayed at Fridays, the situation wouldn't have been a lot better. The thing is, whether you're a 5 star or a 2 star traveler, I believe that you should always deserve what you pay for and our wonderful experiences in SA and Botswana did indeed prove this; but that fiasco in Boracay did little to convince me in further promoting our country to my foreign friends. It's sad that even if you pay more (and therefore expect more in terms of service and facilities), you end up with less than what is perceived as "acceptable". (I don't think expecting to have hot water, electricity and hot meals is too much of a stretch).

The Great Paradox is this -- both are poverty stricken places; but one has refused to allow this to shape its destiny and bow its pride; while the other one allows this to be used as an excuse for everything that goes wrong.

From a "mere" housewife

2005-02-18T23:33:00.000+08:00

I have a confession to make, I used to be one of those people who looked down on "mere" housewives --now talk about karma! The problem with me was that I had always equated money (or being the breadwinner) with power; thanks in no small part to my upbringing. My mother used to (and still does) nag us about "earning our own money" and never to "depend on any man" so I always thought that I would be one of those dragon ladies who were CEO's of conglomerates that you see being interviewed and featured on CNN or read about in the papers (nevermind if I was still single at 40 at least I had millions in the bank!) Well, surprisingly all I can say is that I have absolutely no regrets about the choice that I have made to become a housewife. And coming from a corporate background, this has been a most humbling experience for me. When I first moved to HK, I immediately fell into a deep depression as my "self worth" and "reason for being" (e.g. my job - pathetic isn't it?) had just been taken away from me. Not one multinational company in HK wanted me or were impressed with my credentials since I had no local experience and couldn't speak Cantonese even if I had 5 and a half years of Marketing experience in the mainland! The only ones that accepted me were companies which I thought were beneath me. (Very conceited, indeed, but I was highly conscious of my self worth and my ability to truly be an asset to a company of my choice, given the chance). Admittedly, my job search had been ill-timed with the economic crisis and SARS still looming. And you know what -- because of my depression (and stupidity) I had almost taken for granted the only person who accepts me for me and not for the money nor the prestige nor the power I bring to the table -- my husband! I just had all these blinders on and just felt sorry for myself the entire time. Can I tell you that I am terribly lucky to have met and married such a wonderful and dependable person who never uses his status as breadwinner to "power trip" and use this as a license to become a senorito around the house or worse, to fool around with other women just because I don't dare leave him? No way, Jose! (that's Jay's real name by the way). (Sadly, I do have titas who turn a blind eye to their philandering husbands because he "puts food on the table anyway" or "I get him to buy me whatever I want all the time" or my favorite, "it's just sex"). And, I never thought that I'd say this, but being a "mere" housewife has given me so much more freedom than I have ever experienced in my entire life! Compared to the days when I was a worker drone (bo-ring!!!), I didn't have any free time to do my own thing like pursue my yoga practice; cultivate new friendships (hello thursday group!); be a part time employee of an African safari company (uber cool job! won't ever trade it for FMCG* companies again); and even learn how to cook! Bottomline is, I didn't have the time to become the more well-rounded person that I am today (which is quite contrary to the view I had about housewives doing nothing all day!) Sure, I was earning a good living before but in retrospect, I didn't really appreciate it or fully take advantage of it. I was surely psyched about financing my 2 week trip to Europe all on my own for the very first time in '99; or spending my own money on exotic vacations with Jay back when were both dating each other. But most of the time I was spending it on all sorts of useless things just to fill in the void that was within me. (When I was doing my spring cleaning last CNY, I was appalled to see how much junk I had accumulated thoughout the years!) Now that Jay and I have a joint account (and therefore a tighter budget because of his single salary), it has actually "freed" me to make the right (or better) purchasing choices that we BOTH enjoy, things like dining at good restaurants; art; real estate; furniture; wine; and our perennial favorite, African safaris. I must admit that the only thing that I miss about working full time is the salary, but if I had to give up my current life (and all its perks) just for the chance to earn a monthly wage, it ain't worth it. (now, if someone offered to pay me a hundred grand HKD a month, maybe I'll think about it!) :)

*FMCG - Fast Moving Consumer Goods

Out of Africa... Edited

2005-02-18T18:52:00.000+08:00

I've finished the book, and now that I know the ending I just have to change this blog.

Every chance I get, I try to finish a few pages of Anita Shreve's "The Last Time They Met" (thanks, Shy). The critics have been effusive in their praise of Shreve-and rightly so. When I read the final page, it sent shivers through me. After the initial tingling came awe; it was as if someone knocked the wind out of me. Not really because of the underlying suspense, or the surprise ending. Mostly I just marvelled at a love so strong, a memory so intense, it literally stands the test of time. I mourned the hearbreaking loss and the iron will that attaches every event to a single, beloved moment.

But what I love best is the way Africa (Kenya in particular) is cast, like a place no one can ever imagine exists, God's playground in this vast world of artifice. Suddenly, living in HK with its skyscrapers, efficient modes of transportation, shopping malls, urbanites dressed to the nines seems so... for lack of a better word, fake. After gasping over the raw landscape of Rhodesia in "Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight" (thanks Maya) and longing for the ascetic beauty of Bhutan in "Beyond the Earth and the Sky" (recommended reading!) -- the dull gray skies overhead, uncertain whether to let the sun peep out or tickle the earth with the slightest of drizzles -- gets me beyond depressed. The perpetual mist/haze? doesn't help any.

Although I feed on the energy and verve of HK, and, like all expats, appreciate its modernity, efficiency, choice of restaurants (heaven for a chowhound like me!), fresh grocery displays, lavish parties, clean restrooms and paved streets; sometimes my bare feet longs for a muddy field or grassy patch, my eyes ache to see just trees and sky. A bare expanse of heaven, dotted not with city lights or building towers but a multitude of glinting stars. The way the sun shines in Africa is ferocious, books say, and when it rains, it pours. Is this true, Shy? Maya? The purity and mystery of everything there fascinates me, from the color of the landscape, caprices of nature, personality of the people, cruelty of animals. It all makes me feel tinier than a grain of sand, but not as insignificant. It's a conundrum why, in the continent where God shows Himself the most, there can be so much suffering. But that's another story.

Can I live in a hut? Can I walk miles to the nearest dry goods store? Can I sleep soundly at night, knowing there are no gates, guard dogs or security guards around? Can I stand getting sick when the hospital is ages down the road and filled to capacity with people more in need of their services and attention than I do? Can I do my thing in a hole in the ground? Maybe for a month. Certainly not for years. Provincial life I can manage (gentlewoman farmer sounds good), living with the birds and the beasts with no hot water and a non-existent bookstore I cannot. Yet something in me makes me want to live in Africa (not the modern-day cities but the wilder outskirts) for a while. To experience and feel daily miracles and masterpeices. Am I in love with an idea? Authors just make these remote, untouched places sound so bare, so real, so filled with spirit and soul.

Valentine's, El Cheapo style

2005-02-16T17:46:00.000+08:00

Not wanting to brave the crush of people, couples and singles alike, who were sure to be out partying on February 14; my hubby and I decided to celebrate at home in our usual quiet and simple way (i.e. listening to a screaming Joaquin insist on his fave video, which frustrated Derrick to the max because he was so looking forward to the Grammy's; listening to Joaquin singing along 'off-key, naturally' with Norah Jones and Joss Stone when he finally allowed us to watch the Grammy's; listening to Joaquin insist on his fave bedtime story when all we wanted was to sleep and dream of a romantic, splendid dinner followed by a luxurious massage ). Ah! The joys of parenthood, indeed. Maybe the crowds would have been soothing compared to the ruckus at home. Needless to say, we had ourselves an unromantic, noisy Valentine's with our baby boy. To console ourselves, we took to reminiscing about our past Valentine's dates. One in particular we remember well was spent in Vieux Chalet in Antipolo (anyone ever been there?). You need a 4x4 to navigate the potholes or else you'll end up cursing the Mayor of Antipolo and the owner of the chalet. The panoramic view of Manila, as well as the cool weather and sumptuous dinner, was worth all the cursing, though.

Speaking of dinner, ours (last Monday) was el cheapo compared to the astronomic prices quoted by top HK restos. It even came with free rock n' roll music and head-banging courtesy of Joaquin. I made a lamb stew and served it with creamed cauliflower (tastes better than mashed potatoes and perfect for the SBdieter!), garlic-sauteed broccoli and triangles of bread to soak up the sauce. For the appetizer, I fried some Lokal-style chicken fingers (cornflakes instead of breadcrumbs make it more crispy and tasty). Dessert was a simple low-sugar faux tiramisu with crushed oreos. Derrick loved it, so it made my numerous grocery trips worthwhile.

Next year, we might book a table at an ultra romantic and uber chic place. And be haunted the rest of the night by the forlorn look on our son's face when we leave the house. Then again, we could eat in and spend five minutes making goo goo eyes at each other, then the rest of the night running after our terrible yet oh-so-lovable two and a half.

Happy V day! Do share your own romantic and kakakilig stories, sexual misadventures and the like (wink, wink). Don't forget to describe what you ate and where you partook of it! For my future reference, hahaha!

katrina's birthday

2005-02-14T19:01:00.000+08:00

everybody knows that babies are better-looking than grown-ups. so despite the fact that parents and their friends outnumbered babies by at least 3 to 1 at katrina's first birthday party last saturday, no one took any pictures of the grown-ups. here is what the next generation looks like though. yes, "awwwwwwwwwwwww" is an acceptable reaction.

katrina

sofie

sammy

Desert Safari in Dubai

2005-02-14T14:37:00.000+08:00

Last February 8, 2005, the day before Chinese New Year, Winston, Jay, Rhea and I booked for the popular Desert Safari Tour by African Adventures in Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel. We were picked up by our professional driver, Sajad in his spick- and- span Landcruiser towards the desert reserve which was about 40 minutes from the hotel. The fun started when we, and a dozen more Landcruisers finally reached the beautiful sandbanks in the desert and rode the sand dunes one by one. We were breathtakingly ecstatic going up and down the soft sandy ridges of the sandbanks, dune bashing. It's quite daunting and exhilarating at the same time with the thought that we can get stuck anytime from these steep hills of sand. Out of a dozen cars dune bashing, some get intentionally stuck, which gives us a chance to photograph a picture perfect scene.

At last, we finally reached the campsite at sunset. We were welcomed with a homey decorated campground, which gave us the local atmosphere of old Dubai. It was fascinating photographing the herds of camels with the native's homes nearby. We also had the chance to ride the domesticated camels in a small circle while listening to the soft Arabic music in the background. Henna painting, Arabic coffee tasting, "Shisa" or the traditional Arabic way of smoking and picture-taking with their trained native hawk were also part of the welcome treat.

The night continues on in a large Bedouin Tent with a buffet of a variety of Barbequed Arabian dishes on the side with unlimited drinks and an enchanting Belly Dancing performance for entertainment. It is a unique experience, one worth going to.

Rating ****

*Five stars means excellent.

What About Pinoy Food?

2005-02-14T10:34:00.000+08:00

1. Filipino food should be on the map!
2. Visit Cendrillion in New York if you get the chance (I haven't). Heard they serve kare-kare to unsuspecting Caucasians, but who cares about tripe and oxtail when it doesn't look like it, right? 3. There's a new Pinoy resto in Spain called Ulan. Funny thing is, the chef's Thai.
4. Spices Resto in Repulse Bay features one, just one Pinoy specialty and it's lumpiang prito! A mutant chinese dish! Whatever happened to adobo, palabok, kare-kare, pinakbet, kinilaw na isda or kambing (the best!), balut, sisig, kakanin? All are variations too, but at least they're special!
5. Someone should come up with a Pinoy cookbook with all the yucky, mushy stuff styled to look like 5-star offerings. Pinoy food is tops on taste, but lacking in appearance. And maybe the sauce could be served on the side? We tend to smother our dishes with sauce and let all the overcooked veggies swim in it.
6. There's a gourmet Flipino cooking competition back in Manila and the entries are superb! Neither oily nor saucy, very colorful, veggies and noodles cooked al dente, starches shaped into architectural masterpeices... the result a mastery of geometry, balance, flavor and aroma.

Pinoy Cuisine -- what's that?

2005-02-08T14:33:00.000+08:00

On Saturday night, I walked up-hill to the Angusses. It was Martin's birthday, and Sherry--iso-Dabaw that she is--served Pinoy food. No one worried about Martin's stomach, because he enjoyed Pancit Bihon, Menudo, Spicy Tuyo with Rigatoni and Leche Flan just like all the Asian guests present.

It took a while, however, to whet the appetites of Martin's mates.

"What's that?" and pairs of googly eyes would greet the table as one immediately introduced each dish with much care:

a. Menudo - "It's beef stew, but it's made of pork (which is the interesting bit), but it contains potatoes and carrots just like ye ol' beef stew." Had Sherry made kaldereta, I would've plainly said, "It's beef stew." Many takers there.

b. Pancit Bihon - "It's vermicelli with shredded chicken." Ah!, went the approving all-male populace, in full broad "A" fashion, but some had trouble cutting the noodles. Too long to bother.

c. Spicy Tuyo with Rigatoni - "Peppered herring in olive oil. You do eat herring, right?" And the birthday celebrant goes, "Is that the same as BANG-GUSS?" Another Pinay replied "Milkfish" while I said, "It tastes like tuna macaroni salad, except that it's spicy."

Introductions were finally over. Two hours passed. Then, Martin's friend John approached dessert with much trepidation, while scrutinising the leche flan very carefully. This should prove to be the sure winner.

"It's creme brulee, but thicker and richer."

John returned to the table thrice that night.

Luckily, Sherry was prepared with poppadums, tandoori chicken, chili con carne and nachos for the more delicate bellies around.

Pizza, Pasta... Magnifico!

2005-02-08T11:03:00.000+08:00

Saturday, lunchtime. Ordered a pasta and pizza. Loved the foccacia and dipped it in olive oil artfully blended with balsamico. Pasta was freshly made; and though a little too thick and heavy in texture for my taste, the sauce, composed of San Daniele ham (they only make 1000 of these a year in Italy), porcini and cream, was heavenly. Generous quantities of sliced porcini gave off buttery bursts of flavor; the ham was slightly smoky. Ordered a quattro formaggi (gorgonzola, fontina, mozarella and parmesan) on the thinnest thin crust this side of HK. Washed it all down with a baduy glass of fresh oj (should've had a glass of chianti). Ended the meal with a lovely dessert platter which costs all of 60 and had, on the huge and artistically designed plate, five, yes, five kinds of desserts. Pretty little things like apple pie with a home-made vanilla ice cream (soaked vanilla pods give off a special taste and aroma not found in commercial ice cream, but I could be wrong), chocolate mousse (my personal favorite), tiramisu, raspberry panna cotta with orange caramel sauce and espresso creme brulee (Derrick's fave). All these for 500. Not bad, not bad at all. Baci at Lan Kwai Fong. When I enjoy a meal, I capture the moment and relish the memory. Buon appetito!

All Focked Up

2005-02-08T10:54:00.000+08:00

I got FOCKED last weekend, and, like most people I know, I enjoyed the first version much more than the second (it's always exciting the first time, don't ya think? ;p) --- could it be because the woman behind me was laughing her brains out at even the most un-funny scenes? Slapstick antics and the ubiquitous name-dropping aside, it was a pretty entertaining flick; I loved the part where the baby learns to say ass-hole, tried it with Joaquin but he's too corny and wouldn't repeat after his demented mama.

Chater Garden Art Gig

2005-02-08T09:37:00.000+08:00

The Home Affairs Bureau of the HK Government is sponsoring a one-day Philippine Arts Festival to showcase the work of HK-based Pinoy artists.

When: 20 February 2005 - 10 am-6 pm
Where: Chater Garden, Central

Featured guests include painters Joel Ferraris, Noel de Guzman, Arnel Agawin, Bobit Segismundo and Justo Cascante; photographer S. Canete; and opera diva Teresa Carpio.

Should this event be a success, the Philippine Consulate General shall plan for a Philippine Arts Month in June 2006. Email Anjhie Aguilar for details.

more on the great chow sing-chi

2005-02-07T17:43:00.001+08:00

So if the TV trailer tickled your funnybone enough, you probably trooped down to your local multiplex to go see Kung Fu Hustle (if not, God help your incurious soul). I did just that one cold January afternoon, and with four other viewers scattered across the theater, enjoyed the discounted 2:30 show. I guess all normal people were at school, at work, or at home feeding children.

So here I was, expecting nothing more than 99 minutes of lunacy. Instead I got my mind blown away, much like everyone else who's seen it. My brain reeled, my eyes popped, and yes, I gasped for breath in between fits of laughter. They went nuts for it across Asia, and in previews, they went nuts at Sundance. Go see this movie. And thank me later for the recommendation.

how the other half lives

2005-02-07T17:14:00.000+08:00

Apropos of whatever issues we have about being the non-breadwinning half of a modern, urban, cosmopolitan couple, with careers on hold (by choice or circumstance), I thought that this article in the Journal was interesting.

This part especially: "Today, it sometimes seems as though, after a long and painful bout of feminism, women are returning to their traditional roles as protectors of families, morals and the status quo ... But to read "Mrs. Bridge," is to understand that there is no going back. Even women who make their families their life's work now understand they have choices unavailable to their mothers and grandmothers"

Yes, we do this by choice; no it isn't a step back into the Dark Ages. Maybe we've come full circle; but this time it's a partnership of equals.

Winner, DVD Blurb Award

2005-02-05T08:47:00.000+08:00

The award goes to the Kung Fu Hustle "Early Edition" DVD:

"The story takes place China in the 40's of 20 centuries, a star plays a per matter has results not to show, the burglar is small to touch of seduce into wrong doing the, a
mbition affiliation that at that time influence is biggest, the means is cruel and black
to help "the axe helps". The star tries at a calls "pig cageCity""

Hey, it was a valiant effort... but do any two words together actually make sense? I'm guessing this was churned out by a computer translation program. Funny though.