Pulse

Ratatouille is Disney's latest animated flick. Don't dismiss it as just another example of perfect animation by Pixar. It dishes out wisdom with the speed of a fast food restaurant but

with all the trimmings associated with fine dining. And in buffet style too. Take as much wisdom as you please.

What's on the menu?

Anyone can cook. Gusteau's motto is the overall theme of the movie. He encourages Remy and other chefs in training or by profession to take the bold leap and chase after that dream. His dictum is applicable to anything that we set out to accomplish. We just have to keep working at it.

Stealing is bad and is never right. The end does not justify the means. Whatever your reason may be, never take what isn't yours.

You can always count on family. Friends may desert you in the most trying of times but family will always be there.

Don't take credit for other people's accomplishments. Bask in your own glory. Do not pass off other people's work as your own.

Accept help even from unlikely allies. Do not brush off people just because you don't see eye to eye with them or because you're from two different worlds. Successful ventures have come out of unlikely partnerships.

Be prepared to be wowed. Sometimes, we are too eager to criticize. Compliment when praise is due. Keep your eyes open to see both the good and the bad. If you must criticize, at least be fair.

Give others a chance. Don't dismiss anyone just because you think he is lowly. Allow him room to move up. If you can, mentor or extend a helping hand.

Don't be afraid to experiment. While there are some areas in life that you need to stick by the rules, there are others wherein you have the free hand to follow your heart or instinct. You will never know the possibilities until you try.

Fancy does not always satisfy. Sometimes, it is the simplest that brings comfort. Food or otherwise.

As Anton Ego said, in reference to Chef Gusteau's motto,

Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.

Ratatouille leaves you full yet eager to try it again similar to a magnificent dish beckoning you to keep coming back. My compliments to the chef!

ratatouille, movies, review

Treadmill x 30 minutes x 190 calories

Photo from this site.

Labels: exercise time, movies

Everybody is invited to attend The Health Cube's Let's Talk Health Series on August 15, Wednesday at 3 pm at The Health Cube Lobby. Topics include vaccination ABC's, introduction to nutrition and botox wonders.

NO REGISTRATION FEE.

Prevention. Even adults need their vaccines too. Immunizers lets you learn about the ABC's of Vaccination. Who needs it. When you need it. Why you need it.

Proper Diet and Nutrition. Proper nutrition is both a science and an art. Two of our Physicians introduce us to what are the basics of good diet and what we can do to live a healthier lifestyle.

Botox Wonders. There's more to botox than reducing wrinkles. Learn how this therapeutic wonder has other benefits such as relieving chronic headaches and certain muscle groups.

The Health Cube is at 226 Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan. Contact numbers are 744-5552 and 744-5553.

the health cube, vaccination, nutrition, botox, health series

Labels: announcement

More late nights. I'd probably have a harder time logging off. That's because I'm finally on broadband. I've been considering broadband for a few months, especially after I've been blogging regularly. Dial up was becoming inconvenient and more costly. You go online for a long time yet accomplishing only a little of what you should have had the connection speed been faster. Since I've been blogging regularly, I've been exceeding my dial up allowance (P253 for 5 hours on Pacific Internet), sometimes reaching my credit limit and then buying prepaid cards. That being the case, it has become more costly too. I couldn't decide which company offer to get until PLDT called. They offered a P240 per month unlimited DSL connection. The advertised P999 came with a phone line. Since we have a PLDT connection anyway, there was no need to subscribe to the P999 bundle.


I'm on broadband and loving it. I'll be saying goodbye soon to my Pacific Internet account of 8 years or so.

pldt mydsl, broadband, dial-up

Labels: pinoy blogosphere

I never fancied The Simpsons while growing up. I like my cartoons drawn well. The Simpsons simply look hideous and are yellow. But having nothing to do in the mall and arriving late for the screening of Ratatouille, I decided to give the The Simpsons Movie my time.

Let me tell you what I saw in Springfield. Yes, that's me walking through the town streets.

The movie is about Homer Simpson, his wife Marge, son Bart and daughters Lisa and Maggie. Through the selfish and politically incorrect Homer, the viewer is treated to lessons about the environment, parenting and marriage.

I understand why the movie is classified PG-13. It shows some violence and nudity with sexual innuendoes and racial jokes in the dialogue. The movie unapologetically gives us another person's perspective about the world and how we've come to abuse it.

Indeed we are guilty about using cellphones in church, doing what is easy rather than what is right, neglecting family, trashing the environment, etc. Lessons are scattered all throughout the movie. Keep your eyes focused, be entertained and educated too.

Visit Springfield and get your own avatar here.

the simpsons movie, movies

Stationary bike x 30 minutes

Labels: exercise time, movies

I didn't go to the gym yesterday as I meant to but logged on 30 minutes of exercise by using the stationary bike at home.

The stationary bike is almost a year old. I bought it October 29 of last year to encourage my mom to exercise. She was complaining of leg weakness. I knew that exercise improves endurance and flexibility. She used it for some time. I did too. However, like many exercise equipment we purchase, it suffers from being an instant hit to being a neglected item. Remember the toys in Toy Story and how they felt each time a new toy would arrive? That fate is not exclusive to exercise equipment and toys alone, we also do the same to clothes, gadgets and even friends and family.

The stationary bike moved last night. The pedals turned. The counters recorded the minutes I was on the bike, the calories I burned.

Its counter registered that I burned 294 calories with just 30 minutes on the bike. I find that hard to believe. I believe I burned less than that amount. I only burn 190 calories on the treadmill for the same amount of time.

It is stationary no more and I intend to pay more attention to it from now on, faulty counter or not.

exercise, toy story, stationary bike

Treadmill x 30 minutes x 190 calories

Labels: exercise time, medical information

I had high hopes of exercising today. After all, the CARESP Annual Convention which I was attending is at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of the RCBC Plaza. A floor below it can be found a branch of my gym, one of its biggest in fact. However, on my way to the gym with Joanna, we were invited for snacks by business partners we have not seen in a long time. We relented because Joanna had not yet eaten breakfast.

One of RCBC Plaza's food tenants, The Java Man is a coffee cart outlet which serves sandwiches, paninis and coffee, among others. Both of us ordered the grilled cheese panini. The panini came with a bag of potato chips. It was good. The panini was lightly toasted and the melt-in-your-mouth cheese was garnished with tomatoes. We both shunned the high calorie coffee creations and chose our beverages wisely. Joanna had brewed coffee while I had Diet Coke.

My only regret about meeting The Java Man is missing out on gym time. But if you see a log of exercise time at the bottom of this post, that would mean I got guilty and went anyway.

the java man, coffee, rcbc plaza

Stationary bike x 30 minutes

Labels: taste test

I just had lunch at Pancake House with JTM, a friend who goes to the gym more often than I do. She has always been conscious about her health and is more determined than I am. I remember she used to jog around the corridors of the hospital dorm when we were in training. Her car's trunk contains a tennis racket, gym bag and a swimsuit.

When we finished our meal, we both wanted dessert but felt that gym time would be rendered useless if we go all out on sugar loading. We shunned the chocolate cake and sundaes and instead opted to share Mini Pancakes (P65), 3 small pieces of the house specialty served with butter and syrup. We divided it equally and were satisfied.

If you want to eat dessert or something sinful, consider sharing with a friend. That's another way to downsize.

downsize, pancake house, friends

Labels: friends, taste test

Blame today's lunch on conditioning and the desire to try yet another blog recommended treat.

I've known about Su Zhou Dimsum since it opened in Promenade but never tried it for a number of reasons. I get enough Chinese food when dining with family so when I eat out by myself, it's usually some other cuisine. I feel more comfortable in enclosed stores than food courts when dining on my own. If I wanted a Chinese fix in Greenhills, Le Ching is always the first choice. However, upon seeing Table for Three, Please's reviews on the place and their awesome pictures, I decided to give it a try.

Since I was eating alone, I had a difficult time choosing from their menu which included dimsum and dishes meant for sharing. I asked about rice toppings and they showed me a separate list. I ordered garlic spareribs. It was all right except that I was expecting something similar to Le Ching's spareribs rice, my all-time favorite.

I wonder if I would have been more satisfied if I tried the Xiao Long Pao which Stich and Franco both liked. Maybe next time. For the meantime, my opinion of Su Zhou Dimsum based on the single dish that I tried is so so, nothing spectacular.

su zhou dimsum, table for three please, chinese food

Treadmill x 30 minutes x 191 calories

Labels: hotels, taste test

In celebration of its 21st year, the St. Luke's Heart Institute is holding a lay fora on hypertension dubbed Alta Presyon: Deal or No Deal on August 7, 2007 from 8 AM to 12 NN at the 14th Floor Auditorium 1 of St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City. The halfday event will bring together experts in the field of cardiology, neurology and endocrinology. Topics include diet, therapy, etc. For further information, call 724-1589 or 723-0301 loc 5402.

high blood pressure, hypertension, lay fora, st. luke's medical center

Labels: announcement

Go ahead, read. No spoilers here.

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yesterday and I was satisfied. I am reading it again as I think I may have glossed over some description to get to the end of the book.

What my yesterday was like...Set the alarm for 5 am. Rounds at 6 AM. Shangri-La at 7 AM. Home before 8 AM. Read until it was time to work, only stopping to eat or to pee. Clinic from 5 to 7. Resumed reading at 8 PM. Done at 9 PM.

I was not the first one at Shangri-La Streetscape where National Bookstore said they'd be distributing the books. Many more were there and people have started to line up. I was maybe the 20th to the 30th in line. Although the NBS staff came dressed in Harry Potter T-shirts and with freebies to distribute, they were not at all organized or efficient. People, me included, were complaining why they were entertaining those paying in cash with no reservations earlier than those who took the time to reserve. I reserved mine on February. Only after we let our voices heard did they stop accomodating those who were not lining up. There was another line for Powerbooks and for a moment there, I regretted reserving with NBS Shangri-La. The Powerbooks booth seemed more organized. I thought about reading in Dome or Starbucks but figured that reading at home was the best option. I got a NBS tumbler and 20g Chips delight with the book. But I didn't care about the freebies at all. The book was more than enough.

Did my predictions come true? I got 8 out of 9.

I wish though that JK Rowling stopped at the last chapter to preserve the 17-year old Harry Potter in readers' minds. For the true Harry Potter fan, an epilogue was not necessary.

harry potter and the deathly hallows, national book store shangri-la, jkrowling

The restaurant where we usually eat our meals in the hospital is closing up shop to give way to new management. My friends and I are sad that what is familiar will be replaced by something new but also excited about what the new store will offer. After all, we've become accustomed to the taste and the service and the feeling of being home. We all agreed, however, that before they close their doors, we'd all eat what we've come to know as our comfort foods, tapa, pancit Maria, garlic chicken, etc. Never mind the cholesterol...for the moment that is.

dining, comfort foods

Labels: taste test

I was happy to see 2 personalities in the gym today. Their presence seems to send out a statement about exercise.

Maria Isabel Lopez. Best known as a Binibining Pilipinas-Universe titleholder in the 1980s, this actress looks good and has kept her svelte figure. Her presence in the gym seems to say that you have to work hard to keep your body beautiful.

Ernesto Maceda. This former senator seems to be saying it's never too late to start exercising. Senior citizens should not use age as an excuse not to exercise.

Hats off to you both for your passion to exercise.

exercise, elderly, beauty, ernesto maceda, maria isabel lopez

Treadmill x 30 minutes x 180 calories

Labels: celebrity sighting, exercise time

The other day, I saw a woman wearing a T-shirt which reads "I love the 1980's". That led me to thinking what I remember best about the time period and this series of posts labelled T-Shirt Statements.

Why do I love the 1980's?

• It was an exciting time in Philippine history. The events leading up to the EDSA revolution were unpredictable. EDSA made everyone proud to be Pinoy. The coups that followed were of course a different story.
• I had a grand time in college at UP Diliman with friends. Fun time included our Field Bio trips to Bolinao, Binangonan and Baguio, watching Lotlot de Leon's movie for the heck of it, hanging out at SM North, eating at Tea House or Cravings...
• Movies. I had a pass at Greenhills Cinema to watch a movie for P1.00. And I did. Viva Films was very active then. The now classic Bagets was very popular. I remember watching Batman too and not liking it at all because it was very dark.
• MTV. Although the genre traces its beginnings to an earlier time, it peaked in the 1980's. Who can forget the classic MTVs of Thriller and Material Girl?
• Stuff high schools are made of. Fairs. Intramurals. The cheering competition was hotly contested between batches. I still remember our cheers. Our cheerdancers would perform even if the ground was wet. That was how determined we were and how we creamed the competition.

Don't you just sometimes want to react to a statement printed on a lowly T-shirt? What do you love about the 1980's?

i love the 1980's, T-shirt statements

Labels: T-Shirt Statements

House premiered at 830 PM last night on QTV. I don't really follow medical dramas because I'd rather see something entirely different from what my day was like when relaxing. I found Dr. House very interesting because he is presented as flawed unlike the poster boys of ER and Grey's Anatomy. (Which is probably why I like Nip Tuck too but that's another story.) The focus therefore is on the medical case and not on the personalities. It was very instructive and unlike ER, only 1 case was discussed, which was good. It was medical sleuthing at its finest. This is one show I'd follow.

house md, medical drama, tv

I've seen all Die Hard movies while growing up and John McClane is one of my heroes. When I saw the trailer of Die Hard 4.0, I made a mental note to see the movie. Unfortunately, my being sick and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix got in the way. It was a good thing though that today Die Hard 4.0 had 2 screenings in the Harry Potter dominated theater.

Like the 3 previous movies, Die Hard 4.0 does not disappoint. It is non-stop action combined with some comedy. It speaks of how dependent the world has been on computers and how the machine could be a possible weapon of mass destruction. In the wrong hands, the computer may bring havoc to the country and the world. The authorities are depicted as clueless and helpless in the movie, leaving John McClane the job of saving the world from virtual terrorists. And of course, good triumphs over evil. John McClane is hero once more.

Unlike Nicolas Cage, Bruce Willis has come to terms with getting older and being bald. The movie pokes fun at his age and even his hair or lack of it. He looks good too and very funny. It's interesting too that Armageddon is mentioned twice in the movie. Bruce Willis starred in a movie of the same title too. While he played a dad in the movie and sported no hair at all, Bruce Willis looked a lot younger and sexier than Nicolas Cage.

Watching the movie, one would think that John McClane is either a very lucky guy or if the Filipino adage is to be believed, a masamang damo. Except for the gunshot and the limping, he survived each encounter with just a scratch. There was not even any swelling. I would have expected his face to be all mangled up with all that trauma. I don't think even that would make Bruce Willis look bad. He simply is adorable in the movie. I would watch it again and encourage others to view it too.

Photo from Yahoo Movies.
die hard 4.0, bruce willis, movies

Treadmill x 45 minutes x 270 calories
Stationary bike x 15 minutes x 60 calories

Labels: exercise time, movies

From as far back as I can remember, everytime an occasion is celebrated in my family, we troop to a Chinese restaurant. That is, if we are not celebrating at home, which has been the case for the last few years as the "cooks" in the family have found it less stressing to eat out.

These Chinese restaurants have played host to us, one time or another...
James' Chopsuey House. You probably have not heard of this at all but back in the province we call home, this restaurant was a big deal when it started serving Chinese food. They have since closed shop.
Moon Palace. Located along Shaw Boulevard, I remember loving their shrimp balls. Another Chinese restaurant now occupies the space.
Jade Valley. Still standing in the Tomas Morato area, we used to celebrate graduations etc in their old branch. I remember playing with my sisters and cousins in that restaurant.
Mr. Wok. If memory serves me right, my cousin's and my graduation from UP was marked with dinner at this place in Greenhills. The place has since been torn down.
China Star. A short lived restaurant in Podium. We only tried this restaurant once. We felt that the cost was not equivalent to the taste.
Super Bowl of China. We brought relatives visiting from Michigan to their branch at Megamall and they were pleased.
Gloria Maris. The family favorite is the Shangri-La branch. In fact, we just celebrated an aunt's 79th birthday there yesterday. Service could be faster though. Their prawn salad is the best.
Good Earth. We love the Metrowalk branch's Popoy's delight. I celebrated my birthday here in 2004, my tenth year as a physician in 2005, a Father's Day lunch, among others.
Next Door. This restaurant is tucked in the Ortigas Home Depot compound. They serve very good and inexpensive Chinese lumpia, lechon macau, fried wanton and crispy noodles.
Zhuang. Located in Pioneer St, this is the current family favorite because of ease in finding a parking space. The food here is good too. I must have eaten here 7 times in 7 months.

My generation would LOVE to try other cuisine but the older generation prefers Chinese food. To preserve the yin yang, we play along. Occasionally, they would agree to Japanese food. Filipino, they'd rather not, saying that that can be cooked at home but they may be persuaded. The rest of the world's cuisine, I'd be surprised if they'd even try. I too love eating Chinese food but I'm starting to get tired of seeing the same place when I take pictures. Do you have Chinese restaurant recommendations?

chinese food, chinese restaurant

Labels: family, taste test

My first exposure to Harry Potter was Chris Columbus' Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I was very pleased with the movie and that began my addiction to JK Rowling's books.

As I imbibed JKR's text, I found it hard to appreciate the movies without comparing it to the books. This became more apparent when I would read the book again just before seeing its movie version. I would exit the theater thinking about the inconsistencies and what has been deleted or revised.

To enjoy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I purposely avoided reading the book version. It was a wise decision. I let David Yates take me to Harry's world and he succeeded although I still think the best Harry Potter movie is the first one. I watched the movie knowing what would happen next but not in all its detail. I would have wanted to see St. Mungo's and Mundungus Fletcher though. Overall, the movie was enjoyable.

Photo from this site.

harry potter and the order of the phoenix, movie

Labels: movies

My dad likes burgers from Burger King best. He says it's the beefiest compared to McDonalds and Jollibee. Now, there's another reason to go to Burger King...Hershey's Sundae Pie.

Labels: taste test

The following predictions are largely based on logic and my understanding of the 6 books so far and how JK Rowling thinks. I did not use tea leaves, a crystal ball or any of Professor Trelawney's tools.

RAB. I think Sirius' brother Regulus is RAB. He was a death eater, after all. Is he really dead? The reports about his death are sketchy but we can presume that he is because Harry inherited Grimmauld Place and Kreacher. If Regulus was alive, Kreacher would not have followed Harry's orders.

Locket. I believe that the real locket where Voldemort hid his soul was the one that Harry and friends found at Grimmauld place. They couldn't open it at all. However, if it was full of dark magic, shouldn't it be untouchable? I don't think so. The diary was not. If it's not in Grimmauld Place anymore, it must be with Mundungus who has been nicking Sirius' stuff.

The Veil. We saw this first in Book 5. I believe we will see more of it here.

Wormtail. Harry was mad at himself for letting Wormtail live in Book 3 but Dumbledore was quick to assure him that he did the right thing. Wormtail has a debt to pay Harry and I think he will deliver. In Book 4, he showed concern for Harry by suggesting to Voldemort to leave Harry alone and use another enemy.

Snape. I trust Dumbledore's judgment and believe that Snape is a friend. His siding with Voldemort is in keeping with Dumbledore's instructions.

Giants. We were introduced to Grawp and the other giants in Book 5 and 6. I think we will see more of them in Book 7.

Percy Weasley. I think he will finally realize he made the wrong decision for distancing himself from his family and the Order of Phoenix.

Dumbledore. I think he will make a comeback in Book 7. The phoenix like mist that was seen at his burial must mean something. While sprawled in the ground, his face did not bear the typical markings (or the lack of it) of victims of Avada Kedavra.

Harry Potter. He will triumph over Voldemort.

Am I right? Or am I as good as Professor Trelawney? Let's find out on July 21 when the book comes out.

harry potter, harry potter and the deathly hallows

I just came from the Unite for Diabetes Symposia, a joint undertaking of the Philippine Diabetes association, Inc., Philippine Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Institute for Studies on Diabetes Foundation, Inc. and Diabetes Center Philippines, happening today and tomorrow at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila. Topics include PhilCOS-DM, childhood and gestational diabetes, treatment options and comorbid diseases.

What I really found interesting was the intermission number of a group of children and young adults. They were all dressed in white with a blue sash and danced to Michael Jackson's Heal the World.

There's a place in your heart
And I know that it is love
And this place could be much
Brighter than tomorrow.
And if you really try
You'll find there's no need to cry
In this place you'll feel
There's no hurt or sorrow.
There are ways to get there
If you care enough for the living
Make a little space, make a better place.

Chorus:
Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for
You and for me.

The song is one of my favorites. The message is simple, straight to the point and timeless.

heal the world, michael jackson, unite for diabetes

Like the rest of the household, I have cough and colds too. It's been a week and I don't feel normal yet. My friend Nancy says that there are telltale signs that I'm not faking it.

• I'm taking generic Amoxicillin.
• My appetite is poor.
• I'd rather go to bed than see Die Hard 4.0.
• I missed clinic.

I can't wait to get better. After all, I already have tickets to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on Sunday.

In celebration of its 21st year, the St. Luke's Heart Institute is sponsoring the St. Luke's 1st Cardiovascular Symposium on August 9-10, 2007 at the Garden Ballroom of the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. The 2-day event will bring together experts in the field of cardiovascular medicine. Topics include congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, syncope, arrhythmia, diagnostic and therapeutic advances. For further information, call 724-1589 or 723-0301 loc 5402.

st. luke's heart institute, 1st cardiovascular symposium

Labels: announcement

The priest of yesterday's mass tackled the gospel using St. Augustine's definition of peace.

Peace is serenity of mind, tranquility of soul, simplicity of heart, the bond of love. Peace takes away enmities, restrains wars, holds back anger, calms those who quarrel and reconciles those who are enemies.

Let's all work towards inner peace.

--
I love picking up quotes when I go to mass, just as I do when at the movies. I love the current format of the mass and feel that a return to the traditional Latin version, as proposed by Pope Benedict, would turn people away.

mass, st augustine, definition of peace

I don't like rude awakenings. Literally.

I'm a morning person. I'm usually up by 6 am, whether I'm home or on holiday, must be my body clock. I'm out the door at 7 am, ready to start work.

My mom wakes me up for all sorts of reasons. She thinks occasionally that I'm oversleeping. I don't. When I'm having a migraine and decides to sleep it off, she wakes me up to ask if I've already taken my medicine. I have to specifically tell her not to wake me up. Sometimes, she wakes me up by asking aloud if I've seen something that she's missing.

This morning, I was awakened by loud knocks. My dad woke me up at 5:40 AM and it was Sunday. That would not have been a problem as I make my rounds early even on Sundays (so the rest of the day after rounds and mass is mine) except that I had an early morning call from the ER. I wanted a bit of a lie-in but still be up to be in the hospital by 7 AM. And it feels so much better to wake up on your own.

Even as an intern and until fellowship, I would rather stay up than sleep and be awakened intermittently. You see, I find it difficult to initiate sleep.

While off duty during my fellowship, a co-fellow texted me this message at dawn.

Please tell the others I can't go to work tomorrow. I can't sleep. Di ako pinatutulog ng inaanak mo. (Your godchild is preventing me from sleeping).

The next time I saw her, I told her to spare me. I'm not the one with child.

As a doctor, I get enough awakenings during the night. So, spare me rude awakenings unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, I would appreciate a gentle nudge, a softly spoken "Gising na" (Wake up).

rude awakening, sleep

Labels: musings

My recent trip to Singapore and my first few days back in Manila provided yet another contrast about culture. This time, on the subject of tipping.

One such example is taxi cabs. Metered taxis are the norm in Singapore and Manila. But while in Singapore, they give you the exact change, drivers in Manila feel that they deserve a tip regardless of the quality of service and vehicle.

VisitSingapore has this to say about tipping

Tipping is not practised as most hotels and restaurants in Singapore already levy a 10% service charge on customers' bills. Tipping is not a way of life in Singapore and is prohibited at the airport.

WowPhilippines says

Tipping is expected for many services. The standard amount is 10% of the total bill. Tipping is optional on bills that include a service charge, which is often 10% as well of the total bill.

You can check out these travel websites for additional information on the subject: Fodors, Trip Advisor

BBC provides comprehensive information about international tipping etiquette.

I tip a fixed amount when I'm satisfied with the service rendered, even if a service charge has been added to the bill and when there's no service charge.

What about YOU?

When do you tip?

• All the time, regardless of quality of service rendered
• Not at all
• Only if there's no service charge

How much do you tip?

• A fixed amount, regardless of services provided
• 10-20% of bill

Leave a comment to answer the questions I posted above. Thanks.

tipping, singapore, philippines

I was in the middle of organizing the CARESP Annual Convention when I answered Toni's interview. I think the stress made me give her the wrong answer. Although the convention is important, there's something I've been looking forward to (since 2 years ago) that's happening this July.

When I came back from Singapore, I was surprised to find that a significant event has happened in the Pinoy blogosphere. Sexy Mom has been attacked for reasons the email sender said was "disgracing to the Filipina".
-

Your mom is a disgrace to the Filipino women. We have been trying to change the image of the Filipino women in the internet. Foreigners type “filipina” to search for women to have sex. The same kind of people (pedophiles and perverts) type “sexy mom” and it points to your mother . Your mom is an embarassment to our country. Tell her to stop using that name . I know of other mommy bloggers who laugh behind her back because of her pseudonym.

Bloggers came to Sexy Mom's defense. Noemi Dado of About My Recovery goes a step further by enumerating ways on how to reshape the sexy Filipina image. One such method is flooding the web with positive posts about the Filipina and linking to increase visibility.

The idea is not exactly new and has been floated around by Marc Macalua, founder of SEO Philippines, since 2004.

I am starting a campaign among Filipino bloggers, more like a crusade, to “take back” these keywords. There’s a way, and it’s so simple. It’s called Google bombing.

-
Noemi also mentioned putting in the word Filipina in your blog's main page. This blog has been carrying the word Filipino since its launch in March 2007. While Marc's campaign has been underway since 2004 and Noemi's post has elicited a sort of group writing project among bloggers, google the word Filipina and still you will be directed to mail-order brides, dating, etc. Google the word Filipino and you will be directed to respectable sites.

The problem is gender-specific. Women are regarded as toys. While we need more bloggers to uplift the image of the Filipina on the net and the world, let's also make it a blog project to celebrate womanhood.

Thanks to Jonas San Diego for the Yan ang Pinay logo.

filipina

Labels: group writing project

I received this text message yesterday.

Reminding you of picture taking tomorrow at 7 AM. Attire: Long sleeves with tie for men, dresses for ladies.

WHAT?!

Fashion emergency! If memory serves me right, the last time I wore a dress was in 2003. I racked my brain for answers.

• Do I have a dress in my wardrobe?
• If I do, will it still fit me?
• Should I buy?

I didn't want to buy a dress to wear for just one occasion and with so little time left, I would likely make a poor and expensive choice. Wearing pants was not an option as I was part of the committee handling the shoots. The least that I could do was comply. Luckily, I remembered a J Goulbourn matching blouse and skirt I wore in 2000. I called the house immediately to have it washed or I might smell like the cabinet. My Ate Mary was quick to assure me that it would still fit.

And there it was, washed and ironed, waiting for me when I got home. Thanks, Ate Mary.

The photo shoot is now over and done with. I survived a fashion emergency. But this episode taught me to be ready for such events in the future.

fashion emergency

Transformers (2007) is a movie about good and evil and about making sacrifices. It is a robot flick with a heart. And a lot of action and humor too. There is no dull moment. Special effects is incredible.

Labels: exercise time, movies

Food, glorious food...one more reason to go back to Singapore.

The country has always been proud of its cuisine and highlights these in the Singapore Food Festival. Too bad that I had to leave on its first day. But I was fortunate to have tried some of its restaurants.

Maggie. My Singapore based sister swears by this restaurant at Bugis. She particularly loves their cereal prawns and visits every opportunity she has especially when she's tired from office work. Talk about comfort food. The staff know her already and ready to serve her the usual all the time. I loved their cereal prawns too. We also tried their black pepper chicken and fried rice.

Kopitiam. This food court is located in Plaza by the Park at the corner of Bencoolen St and Bras Basah Road and is a short walk from Bayview Hotel Singapore. Choices include Hainanese chicken rice, dimsum, etc. We tried the dimsum and ice kacang. Both were good and reasonably priced.

Bongo Burgers. Since we had little time left, we just ordered take away at Night Safari. The chicken nuggets and burger were both good but were more expensive, theme park priced. Serving size is large.

Food Republic. This food court at Suntec serves all kinds of food from different countries. We loved the Hong Kong style roasts and dimsum. The area is very clean and well maintained. It is made to look like a library. It felt like dining in the great hall at Hogwarts.

Great Treat. This food court in the basement of Hotel Meridien at Orchard Road serves mostly Thai food but they also have Korean, Australian and Japanese cuisine. We ordered from Japan Fusion and were satisfied.

Jumbo. Lonely Planet lists this restaurant as one of the best places to eat when in Singapore. We dined at their Riverside branch which had a magnificent view of Singapore river. We had the chili crab, cereal prawns, satay, seafood fried rice and sauteed asparagus. I loved their satay but I like Maggie's cereal prawns better. Word of caution to rice eaters: Remember to tell them to serve it early, otherwise they'd serve it last.

I had a great time eating in Singapore. It's a good thing that I walked a lot too then to burn the extra calories.

singapore food, maggie, jumbo seafood restaurant, kopitiam, bongo burgers, great treat, food republic

Labels: family, singapore, taste test, travel

I found this hotel online while researching for hotels within walking distance of the Cathedral of Good Shepherd. Although there were other hotels available, I chose Bayview Hotel Singapore because of its being part of Bayview International Hotels and Resorts, generally favorable reviews and its photo gallery. I was not disappointed with my choice.

Labels: family, hotels, singapore, travel