Pilita's

Pilita Corrales has been in the consciousness of Pinoys for many years now. First, as the back-bending Asia's Queen of Songs then as partner to Bert Marcelo in Ang Bagong Kampeon. For the young ones, she is best known as one of the judges of Philippine Idol. Pilita's, her restaurant, has never attracted me despite my frequency in the Greenhills area probably because she is better known as a singer than a restaurateur.

I entered Pilita's with some misgivings. There are, after all, a number of food establishments within walking distance (Teriyaki Boy, Peri-Peri Chicken, Tender Bob's, The Sizzlin' Pepper Steak 2, Le Ching, Dimsum N' Dumplings, Racks, Reyes Barbecue, Pancake House, Pho Hoa, Oyster Boy, Bacolod Chicken Inasal). I decided to try Pilita's because I've already tried the others.

From 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM daily, the restaurant serves The 143 Brunch, 10 meals which come with main course, dessert and drink. I ordered the Pork Salpicao Meal (PHP 143) which came with salpicao, a cup of rice, iced tea and fresh fruit salad. The pork salpicao was tender and reminded me of home-cooked meals. Fresh mango, watermelon, pineapple and banana served with a dollop of cream and cherry on top completed the salad. I think these choices offer great value for money. I was also impressed with the silverware they're using. They are a bit on the heavy side but seem to be of very good quality.

At the time that I ate there, only 2 tables were occupied inside, mine included. Two other tables in the smoking section were also occupied. They seemed to be understaffed, I could see the manager helping out in the kitchen. This is a plus point.

What I liked too about Pilita's is its quiet atmosphere. One can definitely enjoy solitude here. But the place becomes noisy at night, but not loud, as a small stage features performers from time to time. My mom and her friends, some of them balikbayan, have spent girls' nights out here. Memorabilia of Pilita's past outings and her pictures dot the walls.

My lunch experience tells me never to limit people into what they can do. Leave them room to grow and improve. I'm happy to have seen another side of Pilita and intend to be back.

pilita's, pilita corrales, pork salpicao, the 143 brunch

Thirteen and One Ways to Enjoy Coconut

Listen to Ryan Cayabyab's Da Coconut Nut. This should set you in the mood for some coconut time.

Climb a tree. Have you seen the view from up there? It must be nice. I haven't seen it too and don't think I'd try. Parental guidance is advised. This may also be dangerous to your health. Consult your doctor first.

Learn how to husk a coconut. This looks difficult to do but the record is under 3 seconds. How long will it take you?

Be creative. The leaves can be made into all sorts of accessories. A belt and a headgear come to mind. Remember however to be environmentally conscious.

Cool off. Summer is almost upon us. Whether it's Arce Dairy Buco Sherbet or Gold Label's Macapuno Ube Swirl or home-made ice cream, it's guaranteed to take the heat off. You can even jazz it up with nata de coco like I did to make Coco Jelly. Why should it always be coffee jelly? Go nuts with coco.

Teach your kids how to make ice candy. When we were kids, we used to make ice candy. This would be a fun activity to bond with your kids.

Sell it. Teach your kids the value of earning money. Set up a coconut stand for them. It doesn't always have to be lemonade. They can sell ice candy or juice too, both from coconut.

Take a road trip to Tagaytay for some buko pie. Majority who hie off to this summer capital buy buko pie at least once during their travels. Stores dot the road. Sellers run up to the car. How can one resist buko pie, especially if it's D' Original?

Stop on the way to buy buko to drink. This is so refreshing. When you spot a man pushing a cart of coconuts, stop by all means. He can prepare the drink for you in a jiffy.

Make Nuts Over Coco Pie. This is my own recipe. Try it out yourself.

Start an online petition to Jollibee. They used to sell buko pie but phased it out some 4 or 5 years ago. Let's ask them to bring it back.

Go loco over coco. Join Lasang Pinoy 24. Deadline is end of the month. When the round-up is posted, duplicate the entries. Or maybe even manage a disaster.

Plant a tree. This is the best guarantee of more coconut moments.

---

P.S. Here's one more but this is definitely not really nutty...

Use it. I'm sure there are more ways to enjoy coconut. In the Philippines, use your coconut means use your head. Go ahead, make your own list.

This is my second entry to Thursday Thirteen. The first was How Do I Love Thee?

thursday thirteen, coconut

Treadmill x 25 minutes x 138 calories
Stationary bike x 20 minutes x 97 calories

Blonde Ambition

I watched this movie because of Jessica Simpson. I wanted to see if she could carry a romantic comedy on her own, having only seen her in a supporting role in The Dukes of Hazzard. I know very little about her except that she's constantly talked about.

Blonde Ambition tells the story of a blond, small-town girl who suddenly finds herself in New York dumped by the boy of her dreams. She rises above it, reinvents herself in the process and falls in love.

It does sound a bit like Legally Blonde. But the Reese Witherspoon starrer was a lot better because of its originality and actors.

Like Legally Blonde, Blonde Ambition discusses stereotypes. Blonds are commonly portrayed as clueless and if they happen to be big-breasted too, bimbos. Small-town people are portrayed as soft-hearted. While the movie shows us that these stereotypes are not true, its creators seem to have preconceived ideas of its own about other people. Actors are portrayed as weird. Is it acceptable because fun is poked at their own kind?

There were some funny moments in the film but none enough to make me laugh out loud unlike My Best Friend's Girlfriend. There was however, a lone woman who enjoyed all the jokes in the audience of maybe 8. She laughed her heart out, it was a bit irritating.

Blonde Ambition is a romantic comedy all right but not one you'd want to watch over and over. There are no lines here or moments to rival My Best Friend's Wedding or Two Weeks Notice. Jessica Simpson did all right but she has a long way to go before she becomes the next Julia Roberts. It's a good thing I redeemed a free ticket.

blonde ambition, romantic comedy, jessica simpson, movie

Photo from this site.

Anatomy of a Disaster

Looking Back was not at all what I intended to post yesterday. What should have occupied that spot was my second entry to Lasang Pinoy 24: Loco Over Coco. I was emboldened by the success of my first entry. It was easy to do yet tasted very well. For the last few days, I've been working with ideas in my head, going through recipe books, etc. I chanced upon a recipe called Coconut Mallow Squares (in Making the Most of Your Microwave by Bridget Jones) and decided that that would be my next entry. It seemed easy enough to do.

Ingredients: 1 (200 g) packet white marshmallows; 75 g butter; 225 g gingernut biscuits; 50 g dessicated coconut

Place the marshmallows and butter in a large bowl, cook on full power for 3 minutes stirring once. Grease a 9-in shallow square tin. Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs then add to melted mixture with the coconut and stir thoroughly. Press the mixture into the prepared tin and cool, then chill until firm. Cut into squares and serve.

When I took it out of the refrigerator to cut into squares then a photoshoot, I couldn't get it out of the container. I tried to cut it into squares but it was rock hard. I knew I'd failed and counted my losses.

I retraced my steps to find out what went wrong.

• Since there was no white marshmallows available, I substituted marshmallows of various colors.
• I used butter coconut biscuits instead of gingernut biscuits.
• I couldn't find dessicated coconut and so opted to substitute the equal amount of butter coconut biscuits.
• Seeing that the marshmallows were still not fully dissolved at 3 minutes, I added an extra 30 seconds.
• I used a Pyrex loaf dish instead of a shallow tin.

The dish looked good enough but definitely not edible unless you want a jawbreaker or a dental emergency.

I think I overcooked and used too many biscuits. What do you think?

anatomy of a disaster, coconuts, lasang pinoy 24, failure

Stationary bike x 30 minutes x 152 calories

Looking Back

Twenty two years ago,

• I was a high school senior with suspended classes.
• We made food for heroes.
• We stayed at home, listened to Radio Veritas while others trooped to EDSA.
• Mom mended some clothes to keep her mind off things.
• Mom told us to fast and abstain. I complied but was restless. It was the perfect time, after all, to drink Coke and open a bag of chips.
  
• We camped out at the living room, watched television though broadcast was intermittent.
• I was asleep when Marcos finally left the country.

Today,

• I'm older and hopefully wiser. Although I went on rounds this morning, I had the rest of the day free.
  
• I made another entry to Lasang Pinoy 24: Loco Over Coco but it was unsuccessful. What should have been soft and chewy is now hard as rock. No sense trying to eat it or risk a chipped tooth.
• We stayed at home, watched the Oscars.
• Mom went with the General and Mimi to the province.
• I've given up Coke. Though I was curious when Dad opened a can of Coke Zero, I did not give in. Nor did I open a bag of chips.
• I blogged and worked on a presentation.
• I'm staying awake for Coffee Prince.

What about you?

edsa, people power, february 25

Luau Feast: Hula-Hula Take 2

When Zara and I dined at Hula-Hula Seafood & BBQ House, we were both charmed and vowed to come back. So, when they asked me for suggestions on where to eat lunch today, I mentioned the restaurant.

This time, we ordered from the Luau Feast section of the menu. Of the 4 choices available, we ordered the Japanese Hawaiian (for 3-4 persons PHP 1065). It came spread out in a wooden board with fried kani maki, shrimp tempura, kani cucumber salad, pineapple rice, island belly chops, beef yakiniku, grilled eggplant and crispy dory fillet. Everything was great. We also ordered the Kiddies' Mess of Chicken (PHP 298), 3 sticks of honey chicken barbecue, 3 chicken balls and macaroni salad. This was good too. We ordered this thinking the luau feast would not be enough for the 5 of us dining but we even had some of that to take out, yet all of us were full.


There's a happy vibe in the restaurant. The music alone sets one in the mood for some island fever. Hawaiian songs play on the stereo and I was transported back in time to my previous luaus.

Hawaii will always hold a special place in my heart. The laid back atmosphere in Hawaii is infectious. That is what I like best about the island. The trip to Honolulu was my first trip outside the country. This happened in 2002 when I presented a paper at a medical convention. We found ourselves then at 2 luaus. The first was at the grounds of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, organized by the society holding the convention. It was a chance to hobnob with world experts in patient care. The second was as a tourist visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center. One of the highlights of our tour was the luau dinner where not only did we partake of Hawaiian specialties, we were also treated to songs and dances of the region and the presentation of its traditions, including roasting a pig. I was able to repeat this experience in 2006 when I visited Honolulu's most visited attraction again with S2 in 2006.

The last luau I attended was in February 2006. We were given sarongs and Havanas (that's spelled correctly) slip-ons by our hosts for a beach front dinner at Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort. The food was great and so was the entertainment.

Today's lunch at Hula-Hula proved that one need not travel far to enjoy a luau. But then again, a trip back to Hawaii would be wonderful. I would never tire of the island.

luau. hawaii, japanese, hula-hula seafood & bbq house

Vantage Point

8 Strangers. 8 Points of View. 1 Truth.

That is the tagline of Vantage Point, a movie which stars Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, William Hurt, Forest Whitaker and Sigourney Weaver (thanks D@phn3 L@ur@ for the correction!). The movie speaks about an act of terrorism against the United States, primarily the American president, and how the different players see it in their own points of view.


The movie presents 8 viewpoints. That much was promised by the tagline and trailer. Each time a point of view is shown, some of the audience in the cinema where I watched snickered. They seemed not to appreciate the director's approach.

The director's approach is but one way of telling a story. Telling it chronologically and from only one point of view is the traditional approach. Seeing a film, this or another, is another example of vantage point. We come out of the theater with different perceptions of what we've just seen, all because of vantage point, one anchored in our beliefs, biases, etc.

And do stay until the end to find out the truth. Or what is convenient.

vantage point, point of view, dennis quaid

Photo from this site.

Treadmill x 60 minutes x 357 calories

My Best Friend's Girlfriend

When I lined up to get a ticket for last Me Day's movie, my choices were Juno, Jumper and My Best Friend's Girlfriend. Two of my options were blockbusters in the US, one of them even gunning for Academy awards yet I chose a blockbuster closer to home. I wanted something light. My other consideration was how long the run would likely be in local cinemas. My film choice would probably run in local cinemas for weeks but not in my favorite cinema which screens Tagalog films rarely. I was not disappointed with my choice.

My Best Friend's Girlfriend is a boy-meets-girl in unusual circumstances story. They fall in love without intending to. They chose to fall out of love but fail miserably.

The chemistry between Richard Gutierrez and Marian Rivera was palpable. This is their first onscreen pairing yet they go very well together. Individually, they fit their roles to a T and managed to elicit laughs from the audience with their comic antics, mine included. Ehra Madrigal who played the other woman was effective and so was Chariz Solomon who provided comic relief.

There were a number of commercial endorsements in the movie but they were generally well placed and not too in-your-face unlike Bahay Kubo. There was, however, no need to show the name of the university each time Marian Rivera is shown attending class. Once would have been enough.

In a scene at the university, a teacher was shown explaining ADHD. He said, Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder. That should have been corrected to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The missed word is crucial to the definition.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and would watch out for the couple's next movie together. Catch it if you can.

my best friend's girlfriend, richard gutierrez, marian rivera, gma

How Do I Love Thee?

Let me count the ways. I love you...

...when I first met you. You were hot and I pushed you away. Oh, the pain.

...I just can't get enough of you. At Rochester, Minnesota, I kept coming back to you. So what if they're watching?

...in Cleveland. The chilly evening walk to Morton's was worth it. You were at your best here. I took you home with me.

...how you're still great the morning after. No uncertainties here, your charm was unchanged.

...at a chance encounter at Dusit Hotel Nikko. Zara and I were on our way out to lunch when they called us back. I hesitated. I realized later that I shouldn't have. Meeting you once again was heavenly.

...when you're so close. I can immediately satisfy my yearning for you.

...everywhere. Our dates may not be at high-end places all the time but I love them and you just the same.

...when you're home. I don't need to get all dolled up to see you. Those Sundays with you were special. My family loved you too.

...when you're free. Like last Tuesday. I have to thank Mike and Tintin for arranging our meeting place and fulfilling my Christmas wish.

...on your own. You can very well stand on your own.

...with your trusted sides. They bring out the best in you.

...especially when you're all tender and warm. You comfort me.

...when you're just how I want you to be. I prefer you medium-well or well-done.

I love steak!

Yet I know I must not have you all the time. Having you is dangerous. I restrain myself from having you all the time but love you just the same.

---

This is my first contribution to Thursday Thirteen.

thursday thirteen, meme, how do i love thee

Oyster Boy

I've been meaning to bring the family to the Oyster Boy branch along Meralco Avenue since dining at its outlet at The Strip in Greenhills some 4 or 5 years ago. However, several things stood in the way. The old location at Meralco Avenue was not ideal. It was right beside a pet store. My family is addicted to Chinese food. Not all of them anyway but the seniors always get their way. I was not too intent on celebrating my birthday here in the past because I was not sure of the freshness of the oysters a day after Christmas. After all, everybody takes a break on Christmas and I believe that includes the fishermen of Iloilo.

When I asked Mom earlier today where we'd dine out for lunch, she said Zhuang or Sang. I asked her to pick as she is the most choosy about restaurants and ultimately choose either a Japanese or Chinese restaurant. I told her, anywhere but Zhuang. Zhuang is actually a good restaurant but we've dined there several times already. We call Shangri-La mall Sang because of Z who calls it that way. Probably not wanting to be branded as a Chinese restaurant addict, Mom told me to choose any. My options were Hula-Hula at Sang, Mandarin Wok at El Pueblo (which I've never tried) and Oyster Boy at Metrowalk. The availability of parking (and the lack of it in other places) brought us to Metrowalk.

The branch at Metrowalk is a relatively new tenant of the strip having transferred from their old location. I was one of those thrilled with the decision as I didn't relish dining next door to a pet store. The interiors are done in black, white and gray and the place looks a lot newer than the other outlets at Metrowalk. Lighting was subdued, a detail that did not escape Mom or S1's attention. I told S1 that her genes are showing and that maybe she'll ask the staff to turn down the music as our Lolo Doc once did.

1. Lato Salad, 2. Chops and Steaks, 3. Oysters in Garlic and Cheese, 4. Bannoffi

We ordered the Oysters in Garlic and Cheese (PHP 245) and found it very fresh and flavorful, the garlic and cheese providing a good contrast to the oysters. Our order of Molo Soup (PHP 120) was just right for the five of us. It had a generous amount of broth and dumplings for sharing. We chose 3 kinds of rice - Plain (PHP 28), Garlic (PHP 38) and Aligue (PHP 55). All our rice orders were in a cup but they can be ordered in a bigger serving for sharing. That turned out to be a good idea. Although the aligue rice was very flavorful, I didn't fancy it too much and had just plain rice for my next serving. A doctor friend once sent lato to the hospital and we loved it. I saw that the restaurant had this in the menu and so ordered Lato Salad (PHP 120). Dad and Z enjoyed it immensely. S1 and Mom did not even try. I consumed a little but preferred the small version shared to us in the past. Oyster Boy's lato was a lot bigger. A flyer directed Mom to this month's limited edition offerings. We ordered the Chops and Steaks (PHP 685) which was grilled beef steak, pork chops, chicken and beef ribs on a bed of rice. This order was the last served our table as it took some time to make. It came with 2 kinds of sauces, barbecue which was a bit sweet and the other one which was spicy. We took almost 2/3 of this home as we were all full. Dessert was Bannoffi (PHP 120), their house specialty. It was good, had a lot of chocolate, bananas and cream and the crust was chewy. Z and I found it too sweet while Mom wanted it sweeter. Our drinks were priced as follows: Sarsi (PHP 45), Dalandan Juice (PHP 80), Bottomless Iced Tea (PHP 65).

Overall, I think the family enjoyed it. S1 was particularly pleased with our server and gave him a hefty tip. He was very attentive and seemed to enjoy his job a lot. We talked about bringing Lolo Doc and the General here, if only to try the oysters. Tennis Ace, Susan, Mimi and Martha are easier to please. Maybe there's a way out of the Chinese restaurant syndrome after all.

oyster boy, metrowalk

There's Art in Heart

This is the third blog carnival Wifely Steps is hosting that I am joining. The first was Oh My Gulay for Lasang Pinoy. Next was the If Books Were Food blog carnival. And now this, A Show of Hearts, which is very appropriate for the love month.

The challenge calls for posting pictures of hearts, wherever one may find one, in a cake, in a love letter or even on a string. I found my hearts in the hospital.

The word heart may be interpreted 2 ways. First, as a symbol, one easy to make and reflects love. The second is as a body part, probably the most important. Although, I know certain quarters who would vote for the brain.

The images you see in this page are entries to a poster-making contest of the hospital with the theme Global Heart Care Delivery. There were 10 entries but these 3 are my favorites.

I like the first one best for its simplicity, the second for its message which is so true and the third because it shows doctors from all over the world united in the fight against heart disease. The last 2 paintings show the heart in its anatomic representation while the first one shows us the heart as many of us know it to be.

Whatever illustration best describes your heart, keep it healthy. If you happen to hold the heart of someone, handle with care. That applies to both the medical practitioner and a lover.

blog carnival, a show of hearts, wifely steps, poster-making

Stationary bike x 35 minutes x 158 calories
Treadmill x 25 minutes x 149 calories

LP 24: Nuts Over Coco Pie

Blogging has changed me. The kitchen is seeing more of me. Well, that is, every time there's a Lasang Pinoy event that moves me. This month's theme is coconuts, appropriately hosted by Bucaio. Lasang Pinoy 24 is Loco Over Coco.

Since reading the Yummy November issue, I've been wanting to try the Tiny Treats on page 14, mini pies which use crushed cookies as pie crust, filling could be cream, pudding or custard and topping could be anything from chocolate chips to blueberries. I've been toying with the idea of creating a mini pie, even going to the grocery to scour ingredients since late last year. Several things stumped me. The expense. I calculated the cost of buying ingredients and making my own desserts but they were beyond PHP 100, with that amount I could already buy a box of brownies with no sweat or time invested. Christmas. How could I make desserts when it's difficult enough to consume the food gifts and when there's always a party happening? Time. On days I have nothing to do, I'd rather blog, watch a DVD or sleep. Cooking entails time.

But I just couldn't stay away from Lasang Pinoy. This recipe is the hardest I've done. I'm no cook remember? My previous entries were elementary.

I used the following ingredients: Dr. Oetker Organics Coconut Cooked Pudding and Pie Mix (PHP 99.50); Nestle Full Cream Milk 500 ml (PHP 58.00); Monde Butter Coconut Cookies 90 g (PHP 9.25); ChocNut (PHP28.50 - I used only 4 of the 24 pieces); Butter.

Crush the cookies. Mix in 2 tablespoons melted butter. Line in muffin bowls. Chill.

Prepare pudding as directed in the package. Empty contents in 1.5 liter pan. Add 500 ml of cold milk. Mix. Microwave on high for 10 minutes until it boils, stirring every two minutes to prevent lumping. Cool for 5 minutes, stirring twice in between to prevent clumping.

Pour pudding into muffin bowls. Top with crushed cookies and Choc-Nut.

Chill.

Makes 4.

Easy enough to make. Go loco too. Make your own pie. You don't need to follow my recipe. Use your coconut. He he.

I'm surprising the family with this creation as I worked on this while home alone. They'll be shocked and know immediately I'm on another internet project. Like I said, I'm rarely in the kitchen. I just went nuts over coco.

lasang pinoy, lp 24, loco over coco, coconuts, mini pie

This month's icon is by Mike.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

There was no way I would miss The Spiderwick Chronicles. After all, I love movies with magic, where the imagination can soar like the wind, take you to places you never dreamed existed.

That said, the movie is about what is imagined and what is real. Central to the story is a boy with anger and parental issues. His previous experiences predispose his family to think of his stories as imagined rather than real. They were surprised and apologetic to find that they were true.

Arthur Spiderwick is the boy's great grand uncle who puts his observations about another world in a book, a field guide, which though it contains information about these creatures can also lead to their annihilation. His refusal to part with the book and to abandon his research causes him to lose sight of what is really important.

Fans of the Harry Potter movie series will definitely find this movie interesting because of the magic and creatures common to both. Trolls, goblins, griffins, make their mark here as they did in the Harry Potter books.

A fertile imagination or appreciation of an alternate truth is good but it should always be grounded in reality. Arthur Spiderwick might have known plenty about the alternate world but lost his place in his own.

the spiderwick chronicles, arthur spiderwick, field guid, movie, magic

Photo from this site.

The Sizzlin' Pepper Steak 2

Salt and pepper shakers mean little to me because I hardly season my food. I try not to add salt at the table. I was not thinking about this at all when I had lunch today at The Sizzlin' Pepper Steak 2 at the Promenade.

I ordered the Peppered Chicken Steak (PHP 185) which came in a sizzling plate, garnished with lemon with a side of steamed carrots, string beans and mongo sprouts and complemented by gravy. The dish was nothing special and I think fairly easy to duplicate at home. Season chicken with pepper then grill seems to me how the dish was prepared. The amount of pepper used was just right but I prefer chicken seasoned with herbs such as rosemary anytime. I paired it with Japanese Rice (PHP 35). As the rice tasted and felt no differently from the usual plain rice, I found this overpriced. A single serving of Iced Tea sells for PHP 30.

There are other menu choices such as rice toppings, steak series and hamburg series and even Japanese food options. But I wanted to check out the hype about pepper steak hence my order.

The branch at Promenade is but a small stall in the food court. They only have 2 tables with 2 stools each for guests. Other guests may use the common areas of the food court. Orders are brought to the diners by their staff and usually take 5 to 10 minutes from the time of purchase. The servers were attentive, asked guests for additional needs from time to time. Extra gravy is available on request.

While examining my receipt, I found that the restaurant is part of the Teriyaki Boy group. That explains the similarity of the concept, display and Japanese items. Maybe next time, I'll stay away from the pepper and go Japanese. As I said, salt and pepper shakers mean little to me.

the sizzling pepper steak 2, promenade, teriyaki boy

Treadmill x 50 minutes x 291 calories

Coffee Prince

When I don't get enough sleep, I wake up with a headache. That's one reason I try not to blog at home because once I start, I find it difficult to log off. I do that especially when I have to wake up early the morning after because of a patient appointment.

In December I blogged about following Maging Sino Ka Man Book 2 closely, I still do but my interest has since waned partly because it starts late. Although the characters are intriguing as ever, I'm not as excited about it because of the largely supporting roles given Anne Curtis and Sam Milby. Somehow, their bliss is not as exciting as the rocky relationship they had in Book 1. I am also turned off by the current screenwriters' references to dreams, premonitions and fortune telling and so channel surf when that happens.

Channel surfing introduced me to Coffee Prince. Though I've followed Koreanovelas in the past, Lovers in Paris and Princess Lulu (which were both aired by the Kapamilya network), I like watching them from the beginning like any movie or teleserye. That is not what happened with me and Coffee Prince, having discovered it a month after it started showing and only because I lost interest in the other channel. Despite that, it's gotten me hooked, eager to know the story of what went before. I'm scouring the net now for references, trying to watch old episodes on YouTube. However, the episodes take forever to load. And when they do, they are not as good as when they're dubbed in Tagalog. My pregnant friend Sch agrees. Mas nakakakilig, she says. I hope they show it again on Saturday TV or on a better time slot on QTV.

I'm watching it again tonight. I hope I don't get a headache tomorrow.

coffee prince, gma-7, kapuso, koreanovela

The Clueless Define Love

One of the more popular items in my elementary and early high school days was autograph books. We'd pass them around in class; get our friends and, more importantly, our crushes to sign. They were traditionally divided into 3 parts: personal data including name, address, telephone, likes, dislikes, etc; a dedication page where one writes a message to the owner; and a separate page about love.

I found a couple of them while decluttering and thought that Valentine's Day was the best time to share how we, the clueless, defined love in those days.

To the slum book question Define: 'Love', a number of interesting responses was immortalized.

My grade school self defined it as thicker than water. Looking back, the definition was because I was then into my Andy Gibb phase. I named him my favorite singer in the first page of my entry. Love is Thicker than Water happens to be one of his signature songs.

In the same book, S1, who is a year older than me, defined love as the strongest human emotion while Tintin said that it is blind. I wonder what Mike, her husband of 8 years would think about that.

My slum book at age 13 had these responses to the same question.

• Love is like an island surrounded by expenses.
• Love is always patient and kind.
• Love is really wonderful.
• Love makes two hearts beat together.
• Love is everlasting. Love blooms forever until the next world.
• Love is a heartache.

I defined it then as the greatest feeling ever present in one's body. Tintin said love is love, was love and will be love. I wonder what she meant by that.

How would you define love? Do you think you have its definition down pat or are you just as clueless as we were?

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

autograph books, slumbooks, define love, valentine's day

Reminiscin'

When I met an old friend, Endapea, over brunch last week, it was a given that we would talk about high school. After all, that's where we met.

I haven't been to our alma mater except for one time a year after graduation but she goes there regularly as her only daughter studies there. She tells me that I should go visit. The campus has improved markedly. The gym which we raised money for has been built and is fully equipped. Unlike us, students nowadays need not play volleyball/softball under the scorching sun.

We also talked about teachers, those we loved and those we had a good laugh at. There was this male teacher we absolutely hated when he showed up the first time in second year class. By the end of high school, he was one of the most loved. My friend and I agreed that we loved literature because of the one teaching it, a single lady who has since left teaching to become a sister.

And of course, how can we not talk about the people we mingled with daily? We both asked each other who among high school friends we are still in touch with. I can count those I see regularly and not even use up all my fingers. She sees more of them than I do largely because of business, having a kid enrolled in our old school and gets updates from the e-group. In high school, we kept mostly to our friends and were not within the in groups. Reminiscing reminded me of Bratz and all the other high school movies with the same theme where a class is divided into categories - mean girls, party people, dorks, nerds, etc. While some of us have stayed the same way, most of us have gone past our labels in high school, reinvented ourselves and are more open to new friendships.

She encouraged me to be more participatory in alumni activities. Some of the names she mentioned I could not associate with faces anymore. I whipped out my yearbook the other night and had a grand time recalling the names, faces and events of 20 or so years ago.

What about you? What do you remember about high school?

reminiscing, high school

Not Love Struck All the Time

When we speak of love, we often describe it with all the giddy and happy details. However, it is not all about chocolate, roses, candlelight dinners, etc. Love is not as simple as that. It has 3 stages - romance, disillusionment and true love.

The love story of Mike and Tintin is a perfect example.

Mike was initially attracted to Tintin because of her features. Dealing with her on a regular basis exposed him to her other qualities, the stuff his dreams were made of. He had finally found a pretty girl with the sanctity of a nun. On the other hand, Tintin was not attracted to Mike physically but felt his presence steadying. She felt safe with him and loved him more as he became part of her family. Thirty six months later, they were officially a couple and thinking about marriage.

Although they discovered differences as their relationship progressed, the biggest test was when Mike was found to have a critical heart condition just when they were planning to get married. This should have been enough to scare any bride but Tintin by then was love struck. She stood by Mike despite some misgivings.

They married, had a child, succeeded individually but their bliss was rocked by Mike's need to undergo open heart surgery. This was a difficult time for both of them. A year later, barely recovered from the bypass financially and emotionally, Mike went under the knife again, this time for kidney transplant.

As a physician, I knew the difficulties a patient and his family experiences in the course of an illness. As a close friend, I saw with my own eyes how these changes made them more mature.

In the few years that they've been a couple, Mike and Tintin had to endure more crises than most couples normally undergo in the course of marriage. Their standing side by side is a testament to true love.

He said: And so, here we are, making ourselves more available in the work of fostering God's life and love in the world - be it in sharing among poor couples in an urban parish, or a community of religious priests and seminarians in Tagaytay or a forum for teenagers in Marikina, or offering advice and support to other kidney patients and their families. Genuine happiness in a relationship is not about gazing lovingly on each other but in looking out into the world together, and in healing others we truly heal ourselves. In that do we truly find each other.

She said: After his heart bypass, there were far more difficulties and new challenges but we continued to trudge on toward the same direction - constantly finding ourselves going through cycles of romance and disillusionment. It is only God's grace and the love that always wills the good of the other which give me the assurance that Mike and I will be able to live through more challenges that will come our way.

---

Find out more about their love story in I've Been Dating...Now What? A joint project of Mike H. Asis, PhD and Maribel Sison Dionisio, MA, the book is a guide for college students and young professionals on the subjects of dating, relationships and marriage. The book is available in National Bookstore.

This post is my entry to About My Recovery's Love Struck Writing Contest.

mike and tintin, love struck writing contest, about my recovery, i've been dating...now what?

Stationary bike x 35 minutes x 150 calories

Krokodile Grill

My first encounter with Krokodile Grill was at their branch in Libis. We were on our way to our induction as junior members of the organization in 2000. As it was a few weeks after a bombing incident and all sorts of rumors were going around, we chose a stand alone restaurant. Krokodile Grill was recommended by a friend of ours and we were pleased we took his suggestion. We were all stuffed.

So when the restaurant moved to Shangri-La in recent years, I was of course thrilled. I tried it first with 2 family members. Having experienced a good thing, I chose it as venue to Dad's birthday 2 years ago because of the food and function room. It's hard enough to entertain a lot of guests while feeling the pressure of having to vacate the tables right away. Getting a function room solves that problem.

I remember at least 4 occasions where I used the function rooms of Krokodile Grill Shangri-La. The first was for Dad's birthday where we used all the rooms which are interconnected. We used the smallest of the function rooms when I dined with med school friends and in a separate gathering with hospital staff. The last time we used the function room was last year when we bid goodbye to a cousin and his doctor bride about to start life in America.

Of the restaurants in Shangri-La mall, Krokodile Grill provides the biggest function rooms though I've tried the ones too of Cravings and Gloria Maris. Fish & Co.'s smoking section can sometimes be closed for private functions too. It is Krokodile Grill which provides the best value for money. The hurdle becomes convincing the Chinese restaurant fanatics in the family of the choice.

The good thing about Krokodile Grill is that they serve good Filipino food at affordable prices. These may be ordered ala carte or as sets. In fact, the sets meant for 10 are actually plenty enough to be shared by 15. Such was still the case when I dined there last Saturday with S1 and Z, our 79-year old aunt.


I suggested we order the Inihaw Sampler Platter (PHP 315) which came with inihaw na hito, pusit, liempo, tahong, 2 sticks of pork barbecue and 2 sticks of grilled shrimp. Everything was all right. I just wished the liempo was tenderer. I especially liked the grilled shrimp while Z enjoyed the hito.

Soup is an S1 meal must and so she asked for the Beef Ribs Soup (PHP 260) which came steaming hot and resulted in the photo I took getting all blurred. The soup was flavorful, had just the right amount of vegetables and beef ribs which were tender and juicy.

Z was quiet the whole time while we were ordering even if we asked her for suggestions. S1 requested that we order from the pulutan part of the menu. Z perked up when she heard one of S1's choices and asked for that. I let them have their way though I reminded them that it's bad for their health. Chicharon Bulaklak (PHP 175) was not all what it was supposed to be, half of it was actually kropeck. At least, that took care of some of the guilt.

Complementing the dishes were Plain Rice (PHP 25) for Z, Garlic Rice (PHP 35) for S1 and me, Dalandan Juice (PHP 40) and Bottomless Iced Tea (PHP 50).

Though we wanted the pannacotta for dessert as this was the bestseller in our previous outings at Krokodile Grill, both mango and banana variations were not available. We had Turon Ala Mode (PHP 70) instead. Two banana turon were fried until golden brown then served with langka ice cream.

We had enough leftovers to take home. Z took the package as I still had a movie to see. I'm sure she had dinner as wonderful as our lunch for she took some of the magic of Krokodile Grill with her.

krokodile grill, shangri-la mall, filipino food

The Bucket List

I love movies which are not only entertaining but inspiring as well. This movie is an example.

The Bucket List tells the story of two strangers who meet in a hospital room while both battling cancer. They strike a bond and spend their last few days together.

Jack Nicholson plays Edward Cole, a high strung business executive who is humbled by his illness. Morgan Freeman plays Carter, the mechanic who Edward had to share a room with. In the course of their travels together, they tick off items in the bucket list one by one. The list is about things they'd like to do before they kick the bucket, a euphemism for death. Some of the items are trivial, the others simply majestic. How they come to terms with death and dying is what the rest of the movie is all about.

The movie is entirely about the two leads. Sean Hayes, who is best remembered in Will and Grace, provides comedic support. As usual, Nicholson is lovable being the obnoxious one while Freeman is his trademark, no nonsense, level headed guy.

People who do not handle the issues of death and dying very well may be turned off by the film. A terminal illness is commonly seen as a death sentence. Carter and Edward do not see it that way. In fact, the diagnosis gave them the freedom to experience what they've missed out having been busy building a family or an empire.

It is never too early to start a bucket list. The movie speaks volumes about carpe diem. Seize the day. Start fulfilling your bucket list before it's too late. Why don't you start writing your own list now? Death may or may not be the deadline. It can be this year or ten years later. It's your list after all.

th bucket list, jack nicholson, morgan freeman, sean hayes, death, dying

Photo from this site.

Cafe Breton

If you've been following this blog, you'd know by now that I enjoy discovering restaurants or food and falling in love with them. My first encounter with Cafe Breton was memorable for a number of reasons. It was way back summer of 2003. We had just passed the specialty board exams and our mentors were thrilled. One mentor took us to this restaurant's branch in Tomas Morato. On the way to the outlet, he asked us where we wanted to eat and if we had tried Cafe Breton. Good thing our companions with traditional palates were too shy to insist on a familiar place, I was finally able to try a restaurant I was always curious about having read it in the papers. I remember most of us ordered the on-the-menu crepes which were the house specialties. Our friend with the traditional palate chose to customize her crepe, choosing ham and cheese as fillings. The other friend with the super traditional palate opted to just order juice. But she really is like that. On a trip to Japan, her companions chided her for not even trying Japanese food. But I digress.

I fell in love with Cafe Breton that day but never visited the Tomas Morato branch again. Subsequent visits were to the branch at Podium and mostly for breakfast. It was my turn to introduce Cafe Breton to family and friends. Although this remains one of our choices, my Sunday breakfast companions prefer restaurants with quick serving time as one of them is a diabetic. The wait time, however, in Cafe Breton is understandable as the food is only prepared when it is ordered. For those who frequent the Podium, this is the best deal of the places already open for breakfast. The food is good but is not expensive as Dome yet the ambience is much, much better than Delifrance. Having the best of both worlds (food and ambiance) is a deal maker.

My last Cafe Breton experience was just this Tuesday when I met an old friend for brunch. She ordered the Galette Rustique while I had the Mozzarella Burger. The Galette Rustique (PHP 173) is a bacon and crepe combination served with fried egg and tomatoes. I was very impressed with my choice. The Mozzarella Burger (PHP 185) was huge, tender and juicy. It's served on a patty, garnished with lettuce and mushrooms and comes with coleslaw. Although the cafe serves a wide choice of beverages, we both opted for service water. The fact that the meal was shared with a friend over reminisces of days long gone by made it more special.

Cafe Breton has never disappointed in the many times I've dined there, I see many more visits in the future. I hope you try this one too. Don't let your palate remain traditional. Be adventurous.

What the Future Holds

On the days leading up to Chinese New Year, major dailies and TV shows featured segments focusing on the Chinese zodiac and what it holds for 2008. Part of the features included items which may promote luck.

Did you read them in detail or watch them intently? I didn't so I was pretty surprised when friends teased me for wearing red last Wednesday.

Horoscopes don't interest me except when it's printed in Libre, the free daily up for grabs at the MRT. I read it because it's hilarious. Grab a copy and see why.


I admit I may have read the horoscope when I was younger but I've never been obsessed with it. Case in point. We visited a Chinese temple as part of the city tour we availed on a recent visit to Malaysia. I took the photo you see above from the balcony of the temple. It shows the animals of the Chinese zodiac. When we got to that area, S2 asked me to take a photo of her with the pig. Not to be outdone, I asked her to take mine too. Problem was, I couldn't remember if my animal's a rooster or a dog. I had both pictures taken.

There is a fortune though that I'm very interested in, the one that comes with a cookie. Not because of what it says but because I want to crack the cookie open and eat it. My avatar used to be a fortune cookie until I worried about not using my own image.

Enough said.

Our future is what we make it.

What about you? Are you into horoscopes?

chinese new year, zodiac, horoscope, fortune telling

Kung Hei Fat Choi

Today marks the beginning of the Chinese calendar year. Chinese everywhere started welcoming it yesterday with all sorts of practices.

Although we keep all the lights on, leave the doors open, wear polka dots, have round fruits on New Year's Eve (December 31), we don't do anything at all for Chinese New Year. But our Chinese friends provide us with some benefits. Like the 2 boxes of tikoy you see in the picture. The one on top was given by Zara and her husband Clarence; the bigger one was given by a patient who is also a family friend.

If you look at the picture closely, you will see cooking instructions. We don't eat our tikoy deep-fried and coated with egg. My mom makes them into turonnes and combines the tikoy with either kundol or ube. I shared the recipe in my first entry to Lasang Pinoy. We usually prepare it for Sunday lunch or when we have visitors coming over and not on the day Chinese New Year falls. You might want to try having the tikoy this way. I believe a number are searching for new recipes as mybloglog revealed a surge in views for this post.

I hope this answers MegaMom's tag.

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone.

chinese new year, tikoy, tradition

A Less Meat Season

Today is Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. Last night, my mom reminded me of fasting and abstinence which we practice. We observe both practices on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On all Fridays of Lent, we refrain from eating meat.

The season is not exactly about going meatless but about eating no meat on selected days. Eating out used to post a problem as most dining places don't have such options but not anymore. Here are some of my picks.


Smoked Golden Tinapa (Pancake House). I don't usually order fish when dining out because of the fear of getting one malansa. This one changed that. This dish is so good, I end up even eating the belly which I don't usually like in other fish. What you see above is my lunch today, smoked golden tinapa served with mango salsa, rice and egg (PHP 180).

Lapu Lapu Tempura (Teriyaki Boy). When I'm craving for tempura but don't want to spend too much, I choose lapu lapu instead of ebi. This order comes with 6 pieces of deep fried lapu lapu fillet. I also have to visit this restaurant soon to use the gift certificates I got from S5 and my clan's Cubao branch last Christmas.

Kisu Parmigiana (SumoSam). This is another tempura substitute. My friends, however, do not like this as much as I do. They prefer ebi tempura anytime.

Captain Hook (Fish & Co.). This is a personal favorite and is from the restaurant's kids' menu. It's a small version of their best-selling fish and chips. By the way, they now serve buffet on weekdays, from 11 AM to 3 PM. But I don't think buffets are in keeping with the Lenten sacrifice. To go around the rule, this can be a choice for Valentine's Day or Easter Sunday.


Crabstick Sandwich (Delifrance). I love this. The serving is generous and you can choose what bread you want it served in. I usually ask for toasted wheat bread.

Big Fish (Burger King). I usually order this when I've had enough of their burgers. Keep my reminders on how to approach a fast food joint in mind.

Shrimp Sandwich (Wendy's). I think this is seasonal and not available year-round. I tried this 2 years ago and was satisfied.

I'd like to try other stuff. Any recommendations?

Although if I eat everything I like, is that still considered a Lenten sacrifice?

fasting, abstinence, lent, ash wednesday, meatless

Travelife

I was walking along the hospital corridors when I chanced upon an aide pushing a cart with copies of this issue. She told me she was distributing copies to doctors. I introduced myself and got one. Yehey!

I've been curious about Travelife since reading about it in Ramblings from a Gypsy Soul. However, I've never seen a copy in the bookstores I frequent.

You see, I love travel magazines as they allow me to dream on, imagine my next destination and actually do research. But they can be quite expensive. I'm guilty of browsing in bookstores and only buying those magazines with a good selection of articles. Online resources are what I usually use to plan a trip but magazines are handy and contain more captivating pictures.

Travelife costs only PHP 175. The issue that I got for free had some interesting reads too.

Batanes. This is one destination I'd like to visit some day. That has been the case since I first heard about its beauty while reading this blog. I am wary however of getting stranded in Batanes like Ajay. The magazine article is a great resource for a first-time visitor to the island.

Sentosa. I've been to this island in Singapore twice already, in 2005 and 2007. Reading the article made me realize there's so much more of the island to explore and that a few hours' is not enough to experience all it has to offer.

Viaje del Sol. This is one road trip I'd like to do someday. Of the 19 stops, 10 are featured in the magazine. I've only been to 1 twice - Villa Escudero. The first was in the early 80's on a field trip with classmates. The more recent one was in 2006. It was still attractive with the antiques, carabao carts, dancing and all. The falls is still a sight to behold but it seemed smaller and was harder to negotiate the submerged part of the restaurant because of the moss. We planned to stay overnight at the resort then but backed out when we learned that most rooms were not air conditioned.

Traveling with kids. This article is instructive but does not really apply to me. I'm sure the cousin from Marikina, cousin-law G and S3 would learn a tip or two.

Boutique hotels. I'd like to stay in one but haven't had the chance because of budget issues. When I'm traveling, I'd rather spend my money on seeing the sights than splurging on where I sleep. After all, the frenzied pace of touring and shopping does not give one much chance to enjoy the hotel. Still, when choosing hotels, I value security more than affordability.

The good thing about Travelife is it's a magazine written for Filipinos by Filipinos. That alone is a come-on. When I read travel reviews, I look for entries of kababayans as I think we have the same expectations.

So, if you want to actively plan a trip or maybe just dream on, consider getting a copy of Travelife.

travel, travel magazine, travelife

How Do You Handle Anger?

On the way to work this morning, I heard a news item about someone who was found dead and is suspected to have been murdered. I don't know the circumstances of this case but if it was indeed murder, I am pretty sure that it had a lot to do with anger.

Anger is a difficult emotion to control. It takes a lot of effort to keep it in check. If we allow ourselves to get consumed by it, we end up hurting people more than they've hurt us. And I don't mean just physically. Sometimes words hurt more than physical injury. And whether the abuse is physical or verbal, we find that both are difficult to undo.

I am no saint. While I try not to get angry, there are occasions when I can't help it. Most of the time, I speak my mind about what ticked me off. I think a dialogue between both parties is a must as this would prevent a repeat episode. The timing however should be appropriate. When anger is at its peak, no amount of explanation will do and it is just best to walk away. When both parties have calmed down, the readiness to listen and the receptiveness to explanation are on both sides' advantage.

My prescription to anger management:

• Don't sweat the small stuff. There are some things not worth going into battle for.
• Walk away. If you find anger creeping in, move back and relax.
• See the issue from another perspective. You don't have to be right all the time.
• Get it out of your system fast. Do you really have to be upset all the time? Anger bogs you down, mentally, emotionally and physically. If you don't let go, you're hurting yourself more.

What about you? How do you handle anger?

anger management, verbal abuse, physical injury

Image from this site.

27 Dresses

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

Some women would find that tag insulting but not Jane, the main character in 27 Dresses. She considers it a privilege to be the bride's right-hand until her baby sister gets engaged.

Katherine Heigl plays the part of Jane perfectly. She's beautiful, funny and perfect yet comes across as self-sacrificing. Her turnaround at the end of the movie is wicked. Malin Ackerman who plays her younger sister is the perfect foil to Katherine Heigl. She gives the word Bridezilla a new meaning.

The two lead actors in the movie equally do well. Edward Burns plays George, Jane's boss with whom she is secretly in love with. He breaks Jane's heart but you cannot be angry at him as he's presented as someone with a really good heart although with a poor choice in women.

James Marsden plays Kevin/Malcolm Doyle, the newspaper reporter who dissects this bridesmaid who's kept all 27 dresses in a cramped New York apartment. He's cynical, even rude but is charming all the time. I like him better than George. And why shouldn't he be charming? After all, he was last seen in Enchanted as just that, Prince Charming - a fact I only remembered while writing this post.

27 Dresses is about not getting everything as we pictured it in our minds to be. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, we actually get more than what we wished for.

27 dresses, movie, katherine heigl, james marsden, wedding, bridesmaid

Photo from this site.

Reyes Barbecue

I blame poor event planning and my friend Romulo for my reintroduction to this barbecue. It must have been 7 or 8 years ago when we attended a convention at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel and found ourselves unable to attend a lunch symposium because the event was overbooked. There were no more chairs or meals available. Romulo suggested we go to the mall for a quick fix. Our friend Rita joined us.

Romulo suggested we eat at Aristocrat Restaurant as he loves their barbecue. If I remember correctly, we ordered pretty much the same thing. Romulo had what he always wanted. I got wowed by a find while Rita didn't find it appealing at all.

For me, it was not an introduction but a reacquaintance. Aristocrat was one of my lunchtime haunts back in college when we would hie off to the branch behind the College of Education for some comfort food after battling blue books. So, it was what you'd call "lovelier the second time around" chancing upon Aristocrat in the mall.

The restaurant has since rebranded to Reyes Barbecue but it still occupies the same spot and I love it just the same.


Today, I ordered the Chicken Barbecue (PHP 95) which comes with 1/4 boneless chicken, java rice, atsara and peanut sauce. Soup is optional. Diners ordering from the grill are advised a wait time of 7-10 minutes. The peanut sauce is as I like it. I asked the cook to take as much time as she needs grilling the chicken. I didn't want the chicken half-cooked. It came out all right, tender and juicy. I could have enjoyed it better if I were not preoccupied with keeping an eye out for my things, as the case should be when dining out in the food court.

I intend to go back soon when it's my turn to treat S1 and Z. I saw an item in the menu that I'm sure Z would love. Chicken Ass!

Getting reacquainted with this barbecue is a good thing that came out of poor event planning. I thank Romulo for making it happen.

reyes barbecue, chicken barbecue, aristocrat

Good Luck Chuck

The reason I was interested to see Good Luck Chuck was Jessica Alba. I wanted to see how she'd fare in a romantic comedy, having only seen her in Into the Blue and Fantastic 4.

Jessica Alba (Cam Wexler) was engaging enough, funny even. Although Dane Cook (Chuck) was okay in some parts, I find it hard to believe that women would fall for him as he looked unkempt most times.

The story is interesting but there were some scenes which could have been deleted and doing so would not have affected the plot at all except probably reduce the movie to half an hour of screening time or less.

The movie elicits laughs by poking fun at women and sex. Most of the movie's time is devoted to jokes about sex or women's breasts. Women are portrayed as desperate to find mates and are willing to do incredible things to get the man. Chuck is the Good Samaritan who allows these women to go to bed with him in the belief that this would lead them to The One. Cam Wexler is the girl who falls for Chuck despite all the women he slept with. One wonders if thoughts of sexually transmitted disease ever crossed the minds of these characters.

Dan Fogler portrays Chuck's cosmetic surgeon friend. I found his characterization sick. He presents cosmetic surgeons as abusive of the trust given to them by patients, using that trust to his advantage and to his ends.

There are many ways to tell the story. I think that this story could have been better told from a clean perspective. The plot could have still been the same without need to be graphic.

Jessica Alba played the Invisible Woman in Fantastic 4 and did it wonderfully. She should have been invisible in Good Luck Chuck. Participating in this movie is a bad career move and also a poor personal choice as the movie is degrading to women.

good luck chuck, movie, jessica alba, dane cook