LP 35: Ang pagwawagi
Nung bumisita kami ni WhizHeart sa Batanes ay nakuha ang atensyon ko ng batang pintor na ito. Patuloy lang sya sa paggawa ng kanyang obra maestra ng walang pakialam sa mundo. Kung ikaw ay mahilig sa sining na tulad ko, kamangha-mangha talagang pagmasdan ang gawain ng mga artists. Wag na nating bilangin si Michaelangelo. Hinahangaan ko ang mga artists dahil kaya nilang gumawa ng mga magagandang bagay sa mga pinagtagpi-tagping papel, bubog ng baso, basura at iba pang ordinaryo sa ating paningin.
Hellas Taverna: authentic Greek food in the heart of Manila
I work in the Malate-Ermita area and for all its imperfections, I cannot really complain about the diversity in food. Everything’s just a walk away, whether you want hotel food (Hyatt, & Pan Pacific has a very interesting food court), $1 shawarmas at Shawarma Snack Center, juicy Shanghai dimsum like xiao long bao in Suzhou and those Korean holes-in-the-wall which seem to have overtaken this once-glorious tourist district. Am not even talking about the numerous culinary choices in Robinson’s Midtown yet. What to eat, what to eat….? That is the question.
It was a joy discovering a real Greek taverna in Manila, especially since it did not choose to be mainstream, like being situated in a crowded mall! Too bad, my phone’s memory card went kaput so I was only able to save a few pics from my love affair with Hellas Greek Taverna. I still remember the first thing I ordered, the Kotopoulo Kokinisto – a big plate of tomato-based pasta with flavorful roast chicken. I was about to complain that this meal of P300 was beyond my lunch budget, but I forgot that it can easily serve two persons. Most of the courses are meant for sharing.
Nov. 30 book launch set for Ricky Lee’s first ever novel
After being the most-acclaimed Filipino movie scriptwriter, Ricky Lee wears another hat in his star-studded career by launching his first novel entitled ” Para Kay B (O kung paano dinevastate ng pag-ibig ang 4 out of 5 sa atin)” on Nov. 30, 4 pm. Venue is the UP Bahay ng Alumni in Diliman, Quezon City.
Previously, Mr. Lee published books but they were more literary adaptations of his screenplay. The list includes “Trip to Quiapo” (considered a bible by aspiring screenwriters), “Si Tatang at mga Himala ng Ating Panahon” (anthology of short fiction, essays and a screenplay), and Brutal/Salome (the first-ever published film scripts in the Philippines).
“This is the realization of a lifelong dream for me,” says Mr. Lee, whom I had the fortune of interviewing in the past at his house in Xavierville, Quezon City – the official address of the notable Ricky Lee scriptwriting workshops. Mr. Lee is an avid bibliophile and also has an enviable collection of films in all formats.
Photohunt : Reflection
Okay, so am getting a kick out of joining these photo events in the web. The better to use my growing Flickr library. This week, it’s my first time to join PhotoHunt with the theme Reflection. It was kinda hard choosing which pic to use for this one: nature? food? travel? Until I thought of the simplest thing I could find: my twins! I need not look far: one is the reflection of the other 
Pagkaing kalye: madumi pero masarap ….
Susubukan ko ngayon na magsulat sa sariling wika sapagka’t trip kong sumali sa lingguhang meme ng mga bongga ka day na mga blogistang-litratista ng Litratong Pinoy! Aaminin ko na ang pangunahing atraksyon sa akin ng pagsali dito ay ang pagkakataon na magsulat muli sa Pilipino. Mas madaling magsalita kesa magsulat ng katutubong wika, di ba? at mahirap magsulat kung di mo man lang ito pina-praktis at ang gusto mo lang ay haypalutin na Ingles. Kaya samahan nyo po ako sa aking munting ensayo at talakayin ang tema ng LP ngayong linggo na ito na pinamagatang “madumi.”
Nakakapagtaka. Halos tatlong libo na rin ang mga larawang kuha ko sa Flickr, pero wala akong maisip na litratong aakma sa temang ito. Naisip ko tuloy na dapat yata ay magising na ako sa katotohanan at hindi na lang puro kagandahan ng buhay ang kunan.
Halimbawa: nandiyan naman ang mga barung-barong, ang kaawa-awang kalagayan ng Pasig River o di kaya ang mga gusgusing nilalang na nagpapalimos sa atin sa Maynila. Bakit kaya karamihan sa mga blogistang tulad ko ay puro masasarap na pagkain at magagandang tanawin na lang ang kinukunan? Hindi ba form of self-denial ito, o shying away from reality kaya? Muni-muni mode on! 
Pagkain na naman ang naisip ko pag pinag-usapan ang “madumi” at yan ay ang street food!Wala nang ibang madumi na masarap di ba?
A grand tour of the National Museum, anyone?
It’s been ages since I visited the National Museum. I used to work in that hallowed building back in the 90s, because the Philippine Senate was housed there. It’s really such a shame to be ogling at museums in other countries and not loving your own. Must.go there.soon.
The National Museum today has undergone a complete transformation. In fact it can already compare with its counterparts in Asia and beyond. It boasts of an extensive art and artifact collection housed in 21 galleries and spanning two colonial-era buildings. What can be seen in its historic walls? The works of great men like National Artist Fernando Amorsolo whose ongoing retrospective at the museum features his best works and drawings.
Somebody says one of the best gifts you can give to yourself this Christmas is the gift of cultural understanding and appreciating art. It is the gift of having a Grand Tour of the National Museum. Who can disagree with something noble like that? Details after the jump:
Top 7 restaurant habits that turn me off
Eating in restaurants is my vice or indulgence, since I don’t smoke and hardly ever drink. I don’t claim to be an expert, but at one point in this blog’s life, I’ve been called a foodie, which is defined in this site as “someone who has an ardent or refined interest in food.”
Ardent, yes; refined is still something I have to achieve since most of the time, I prefer lutong bahay (home cooking), carinderia fare and making tusok the fishballs. Eating out – especially charting untried culinary territory – remains an adventure since you don’t know whether what they will serve you is up to par with your hard-earned peso’s expectation. Unless of course the meal is free, then it becomes less of a burden
I’ve long thought of making this post, from the point of view of a customer who has splurged my salary on food and patronized restaurants all these years. It is true that times are hard and it’s doubly difficult to keep businesses afloat; still, proprietors forget that it is often the little details that count. If you, as a customer, has something else to add or say, please feel free to share them here:
1. Giving me change; giving me very very loose change. I still have to ascertain if this is unique to the Philippines. Let’s say I’ve paid for my meal in cash, and expect a change of P680. I’d surely dread it if the server returns with an assortment of peso bills, two P10 coins, 4 P5 coins and 20 pieces of P1 coins. Wow! Don’t know what they mean by this, but nothing screams more of “gimme a tip! gimme a tip!” I do hope those presumptuous cashiers give patrons the option to determine the amount of gratuity, instead of cheapening themselves by implying that I should give loose change , when in fact I mean to give a whole paper bill
Kanin Club, Alabang… and my first taste of ‘dinuguan’!
Kanin Club in Paseo de Santa Rosa has been on the radar of foodies for over a year now. Either I’ve missed one opportunity to go there, or I haven’t been to the Laguna-Tagaytay border for some time. However, a good restaurant shouldn’t stay rooted in one area for long. I was certainly happy to know that they’ve opened in Alabang, which is nearer where we live. The location is that quiet,uncrowded restaurant row called the Westgate Center inside the Filinvest Corporate City.
As its name implies, Kanin Club specializes in rice dishes and some other savories which shall be dealt with later. Photo shows their Sinigang na Sinangag – fried rice that’s flavored like sinigang, with all the sinigang bits like sliced tomatoes, green pepper and pork. It is crowned with vegetables fried in tempura batter, which gives one a crunchy intermission before you wade your spoon into the rice. Taste was not too sour or overpowering. The only thing missing from this concoction was the soup!
FitFlop and titanium accessories: do they really work?
It’s a health conscious world we’re living. It’s not just enough to eat your fruits, walk daily, drink eight cups of water, take your vitamins and adopt the whole get-fit caboodle. These days, people also get to “wear their health,” as we’ll see in the following examples.
Subject no. 1: FitFlop! The latest designer incarnation of the ubiquitous thong sandals became famous when the likes of Oprah and Heidi Klum started to endorse it, and celebrities like Julianne Moore started wearing ‘em. FitFlop takes pride in its slogan “It’s the flip flop with the gym built-in.” The official literature says the brand gives your feet a workout through its MicroWobbleboard technology in midsole which lets you exert 15% more energy in walking. More effort means you get to burn your muscles more, thus toning and firming the legs.
What is it with Davao City… and durian?
Discussing durian, the fruit, The Philippines most recent celebrity visitor Anthony Bourdain was once quoted as saying in his TV show No Reservations: ” Its taste can only be described as…indescribable, something you will either love or despise. …Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.”
Dead grandma or not, durian certainly looked like it was a staple in Davao City – at least for this tourist. Huge pieces of the fruit were laid out on the sidewalks, more than mangoes or watermelon. I actually had to do a double take, as I first thought it was jackfruit or langka, if not for the pronounced spiky ends. Davao City prides itself for being the “fruit basket of the Philippines,” but at least credit it for being focused in marketing its primary product. It should rightfully be called the “durian capital of the country.”
Blogging since 2004 and recently married to Mr Z. I can't live without coffee....and brown sugar.
