Unang ulam

1/4 - giniling

5 takal - toyo

3 - patatas

55 - green peas

1/2 baso - tubig

2 - nilaga itlog

2 - bell peppers

2 - bilog bawang

2 - bilog sibuyas

1 wisik - asin

1 wisik - patis

1 - babaeng seksing maganda na naka-pink na sleeveless

huwaw. yummy.

Happy Birthday, Missus

I see myself as a poser sometimes. Much as I hate pretentious people, I see myself as pretentious when I pose to have the skill/gift higher than I really have. I'd pretend and would like to believe the I can truly write, for example, but past emails always have that bungled-up conjunction, that comma splice, that pretentious sentences.

But you, you don't pose. You magnetize people without really trying. You know youre likeable at first sight. You smile that magnetic smile, then you can get away with anything. You can smile your way out of anything (except perhaps with envious girlashes).

Some are saying that in relationships... times are hardest when desire has attained its object and the real problems are beginning. But us, we've been feeling the mutual pain at the very beginning... and we're still here. Is pure bliss coming next?

When beauty fades, real love begins. I will love your wrinkles....sorry for being almost a month late...well, that's my trademark, ain't it? :-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Sparkling natural, even when you sleep. Labyu.

Balai Isabel, Batangas

Tons of places South are popping up, and being prepped-up as "Team Building" places. One new place is Balai Isabel, along Taal lake. You can reach it via Tagaytay, then the a la Baguio roads going to Talisay. Ot another way is along Batangas Star Tollway... I forgot the exit, but it says to Talisay in the exit sign.

The pool is clean,

...place good enough. Why just "enough?" It's because the Taal lake is definitely not swimmable any more.

But there's also a mini obstacle precisely built for team activities. A plus also is the unlimited kapeng barako, and the conference rooms, big for 40.

But most important, as always, the food...
We can say it's better than the fares dished out in some hotels (like Westin :-) )
Decent rooms at lean season can go as low as 2500.

By the way, we saw this congressman-type with a girl, sticking like post-it in his legs while eating. She's easily 20 years younger than he who we named Kulas. As a testament to our failure as photojournalists, we were able to take this picture:

Wait til I get me that telescopic lens...

Hudapak: Mark Lapid

Pag nanuod ka ng cable ngayon, at gabi na, at nilipat mo duon sa mga parang Piling Piling pelikula channel (isa yung SinePinoy), napakalaki ng probabilidad na mapapanood mo si Mark Lapid.

Kakaibang naging isang gubernador ito ng Pilipinas. Mukhang tanga at parang may bading manners pa. Hanep, napapapikit pa pag bumabaril. Nobanaman actionhero yan.

Hanep pa umiyak. Labas ipin.

Tsaka totoo ba yung may dialog sya na "buti pa ang saging may puso..." sa isang pelikula?

PTI and Juno

I listen to this free ESPN Pardon the Interruption (PTI) podcast. It has two guys arguing, a la with bottles of beer. everything about sports and sports news on end. It's great to listen to it while driving. It's relaxes natural agressiveness while on the road, although the tone again is always like arguing in-your-face, who's best and what did Tom Brady did wrong,

Anyway, towards the end the two hosts normally recommend anything that's on TV. But this one time, one host (Tony Kornheiser) suddenly screamed... "People must leave their homes tonight, go to the movie theater and see Juno, wonderful movie!"

Ive been hearing about this movie for some time since we saw for sale the pirated "clear copy" at Quiapo, but we waited until it hit the theaters. It was a good wait.

I cant exactly recall when was the last time I almost cried in a movie (Forrest Gump?) But in this one, men, tear drops again almost fell. Then hug my oh my sweetheart Talampunay.

I think it can be summed this way: "The movie was brave enough to tackle a serious issue, handled it very well and in a funny manner at times, and made a stand in the end."

Juno is polarizing--that surely some will rate it very low for the message/s that it sends. Though we wish that people just judge it whether it's worth the 100 pesos or not. Just simple as that. Just the dialogue/diatribe is worth it. It's as in your face as PTI in this end.

Wonderful movie, worth the money. As always. better in the theaters.

Not While I'm Around

Nothing's gonna harm you Not while I'm around
Nothing's gonna harm you No sir, not while I'm around
Demons are prowling everywhere
Nowadays I'll send 'em howling I don't care
I got ways

No one's gonna hurt you No one's gonna dare
Others can desert you Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there


--from that Slasher flick... Sweeney Todd.

Turon ang solusyon...

Kung may bisitang banyaga at di alam ang ipapakain/ipapatikim, turon ang solusyon. Turong saging at ipakilala sya bilang simpleng "'Sorta banana spring roll. Sweet. For dessert."


Ngayong buwan ko lamang natutunan ito. May bisitang Singaporean, at isang kasama sa planta ang parang tiwalang-tiwalang umorder ng turon. Pagkatapos kumain, aba, gustung-gusto nila.

Sumunod naman ay mga Aleman. Aba, "fantastic" daw. "Thanks for the great lunch."

small point: kung ako mag-iinterbyu (job interview)...

... gusto kong makitang maglakad ang aplikante papunta sa kantin o papapasok ng planta. Hindi ko i-ha-hire pag mabagal maglakad. Malaki kasi ang probability na pag mabagal maglakad e inuuna ang porma, mabagal mag-isip, mas iniisip ang itsura nya kaysa trabaho, naapektuhan agad sa iniisip ng iba kaysa trabaho, isip masyado image, medyo tamad, medyo di pursigido, medyo teks ang inuuna, at/o medyo di makakarating sa paroroonan agad.

Pero syemps ang mahal ko ay exempted. Kasi ginawa nyang trademark talaga ang kembot. Naririnig naman sa boses at galaw ang kanyang determinasyon (taliwas sa kanyang lakad). Kasama na rin ang konsiderasyon na mas maliliit ang kanyang mag hakbang.

Exempted din ang mga buntis.

Renaldo Lapuz

I just want to write for posterity that I stayed up 'til 130am to watch pinoy Renaldo Lapuz in American Idol. Waited for him since seeing the advertisement of his pamperya arrival.

He sang his original composition "We're brother's forever..."

"I am your brother
Your best friend forever
Singing the songs The music that you like
We're brothers til the end of time
Together forever til the end of time
I am your brother
Your best friend forever Singing the songs The music that you like
We're brothers til the end of time Together or not, you're always in my heart
..."

Was it his plan to exhibit one of the perennial, "off-the-shelf," pinoy trait... sipsip and suck-up to Simon? Seems genuine though and Simon loves being sucked-up to.

I still maintain that William Hung and Renaldo should be paid premium for supplying entertainment. There was even this girl from a previous episode that they used as a perfect narrator to the ending montage.



And at the very least we look up to Renaldo for having the balls to arrive in a pamperya attire and do what we can't: speak in pure Filipino accent, sing the trademark inuman karaoke voice, hold back tears on tv (another pinoy-tv trademark), and become a youtube hit.

His name could be Reynaldo though. Idol staff could have stupidly missed the y.

Jollibee Hong Kong!

Sa aming palagay, kung ikaw ay pupunta sa Hong Kong para sa purong bakasyon, maiging isama sa itinerary ang pagpunta sa Jollibee Hong Kong. Dalawa na yata sila ngayon pero itong isa sa may Central Station ng MTR ang dapat bisitahin.

Shop Z4, G/B Eurotrade Center, 13-14 Connaught Rd. Central, Hong Kong

Maiging pumunta sa araw ng Linggo, dahil, ‘ika nga nila, you will catch a glimpse of OFW life on the side. Kung pano mag-adapt at magbuklod ang ating mga kabayan, maski isang araw lang nalibre mula sa pagkakayod nang isang linggo. Parang naging huntahan place ang Jollibee Hong Kong. Pag may hinahanap ka rin sigurong kahit sinong pinoy, na sigurado mong nakatira sa hong kong, dito maiging magtanong, parang katumbas ito ng Lucky Plaza sa Singapore.

Paano pumunta? Sumakay ng MTR. Bumaba ng Central Station, lumabas sa Exit B, at kumaliwa. Di ka lalayo, sa kaliwa mo pa rin, makikita ang ganitong eskinita. Bagamat may mga karatulang Chinese, para ka par ing ibinagsak sa isang eskinita sa Escolta or Carriedo.

Sinadya kaya na dito itayo ang Jollibag para talagang authentic ang feel at ang atmosphere? Para kang nasa Pinas talaga? Biruin mong pati ang mala-Caloocang mini-tambakan na basurahan, ang pagkadilim na parang nanakawan nang bumbilya ang poste, ang mismong sikip ala-eskinita,... mapapatanong ka talaga: Hong Kong pa ba ito? Parang hindi nga swak na magkaroon nang isang kainan dito.




Mauuna ang isang Little Quiapo Filipino Fast Food (mukhang hindi ito related sa sikat na Little Quiapo ng QC na may masarap na palabok at halo-halo)... tapos, susunod na ang isa sa simbolo ng ating bansa. Yahooo!



Sa labas pa lamang, nagkumpulan na ang mga kababayan natin. Nagtsitsismisan, nagpapalitan o nagbebentahan nang pirated DVD’s, may nagliligawan, may magkaholding hands. Karamihan din sa kanila’y nakaupo sa hagdanan at nagpapalipas lang nang oras--mukhang wala kasing hinihintay--hindi sila sumusulyap sa relo, hindi rin nakatayo at tumitingin sa teks sa selpon tapos lumilinga, basta kampante lang na nagpapalipas nang gabi.

Pagpasok naman sa loob, aba, wala na ang mabilis at nakakawindang na pantig ng salitang Chinese mula sa mga tao sa pligid. Mga wika na natin--Bikolano, Cebuano, Filipino, Ilokano (depende sa table na tatabihan)--ang maririnig. Pero meron pa ring ilang banyaga na mukhang nagustuhan na ang Jollibee (bagamat mabibilang sa kamay)




Mapapansin na pareho ang pintura, upuan, mga uniporme ng crew--pangkalahatang ambiance, pero may mga pagkakaiba sa menu. Una, may halo-halo sa Jollibee Hong Kong! Kakaiba rin na 22 HKD o 120 pesos ang Jolly Hotdog, samantalang 24 HKD o 136.8 PhP lamang ang Champ. (Iniimport siguro 100% ang palaman na hotdog ng Jolly Hotodg). Meron pa ring Amazing Aloha sa Jollibee Hong Kong, samantalang todits ay matagal nang wala.



Syangapala, maliit ang restroom dito at pila ang mga kababaihan sa pagdyinggel. Nakunan ang mga picture na ito sa loob habang hinihintay makadyinggel si Talampunay. Di rin ngapala namin sinasadyang magawi rito (nahanap sana ang bus papunta Peak Tram), bagamat wish namin na mahanap nga.
Pagkatapos sa Peak, gusto namin sanang tikman at ikumpara kung pareho ang luto at lasa (mukhang pareho naman ang hitsura). Pero hindi sila bukas 24 oras. Pagbalik nang mga alas onse, sarado na, pero andami pa ring mga kabayan!

Sa susunod, kailangang matikman naman namin ang chickenjoy dito. Kadali lang puntahan para mag-agahan, tanghalian, o hapunan. Isang dyok nga din na masarap mag-jolly Kiddie party sa Hong Kong. Pero kung meron nga, at aba kung gagawin mo, bongga ka agad sa komunidad ng Pinoy sa Hong Kong.