Blog Title: Life is Short

REPOST (2006) - To the Batcave

I am reposting this piece while in the shadow of fear and sadness ...
Searching for the rainbow that has eluded me as I stand drenched in the storm of life.
Bear with me ...
This too will pass

-daguldol-

Without the Guilt

I turned on the television to relax at the end of a long day
It was time for the news...
I have always marveled at how news anchors will always start with "Good Evening ..."
And then will proceed to tell you exactly why it isn't ...

Tonight was no different
War, suffering, misery, poverty
Dirty politics, lies, corruption
Crime, death, theft, blood and gore ...
"And that's the news, Have a great weekend ... "
A great weekend indeed

As if the evening news were not bad enough,
I also received the results of my last medical check-up ...
Elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides
Ayayay ...

15 pounds overweight, no exercise and with fat floating around in my blood pa ...
I really needed to eat healthy
... at least for the weekend :-)




Healthy Kitchen is a newbie in the Serendra neighborhood
I was just passing through having crossed the street from Market Market,
When the smiling server called out - "sir, subukan nyo ho dito - it's healthy"
Huh - did he say that knowing I needed a healthy meal?
How did he know?
I checked my waistline - making sure that I had tucked in my fat properly
Took a deep breath and tried to hold it for as long as I could ...

"Is it vegetarian?" - I asked
My tummy immediately bounced back out with a big boinnnnng
"No sir - it is healthy food ... " he answered
"Eat good, feel good" - he added
Hmmmmmm

I walked in and immediately fell in love with the cozy country look
Mismatched chairs and distressed wood
A black menu writing board
Flowers
Candles
Colorful art on the wall
It felt like home
I was hooked ...




My heavy ass sunk into the soft sofa seat
I started dissecting the menu and ordered cautiously

Pitbull

I remember learning in science class that "the speed of light is faster than the speed of sound".
That may explain why,
Sometimes you will encounter someone who may appear very bright until you actually hear them speak.

I shall not go into details,
But yessssss - I had a very bad day at the office.
I had an encounter with a pitbull posing as a an office head
And she did something very irritating
She opened her mouth ...

I gave her the benefit of the doubt,
She was obviously confused as to whether she was in an office or in a marketplace.
I walked away
Took two paracetamols
And spent the rest of the day at my desk soothed by the music flowing out of my iPod
If ever I needed a good after-office dinner ... this was the day

Marciano's is the latest in the chain of restaurants put up with the involvement of entrepreneurial showbiz hunk Marvin Agustin
I was walking slowly with my head bowed in tired and frustrated desolation,
When I noticed this looker of a resto.




Elegant blacks and silvers
With lush patterned curtain dividers
And sparkling chandelier lights
Very New York ...

Attracted by it's voguish appeal
I took a seat and reveled in its casual sophistication
The servers smothered me with flattering attention ...
I scanned the interesting menu
"New Age Italian-American Cuisine"

Puffed Mozzarella Sticks (with smoked pomodoro and prosciutto)
Rudy Giuliani minestrone bean soup
Feels Like Barney's (portobello, crisp greens, prosciutto, gorgonzola, sundried tomato, and grilled foccacia)
Gransvoort seafood truffle pasta

New York indeed ...
Kinda'
The portions were generous
The flavors were very interestingly fused
And the sparkling wine was soothing and relaxing ...

As it should properly be, for a restaurant named after the famed boxer Rocky Marciano - this is a potential knockout
I will be back
With friends, family, associates, officemates ...
(Anyone except the pitbull)

Marciano's
2nd level
Greenbelt 3, Makati
(telephone to follow)

Craaaaaaashed

My laptop zonked out
My hard disk - craaaaaashed
Right while I was working on a blog post
First a hum, then a clink
A gush of hot air from the vents
Then nothing
Just - darkness on my screen

Panic
I must have pressed control-alt-delete a thousand times
Switched the on-off button a hundred times
Jiggled the plug tens of times
And smashed my head on the keyboard a couple of times

My whole life wiped out in a millisecond
No data
No back-up
No nothing

Without my laptop - I found myself so brain challenged.
Instead of the overly protective security of artificial intelligence,
I was now left with the nakedness of my natural stupidity

I realized how much I really didn't know (anymore)
I felt like I had to call my high school teacher to teach me how to add and spell again ...

I felt so clueless
Depressed
Useless
Incompetent
Incomplete
Impotent

A sad day indeed ...

There was no sympathy at home either
I announced to wifey that my disk had died
With a playful smile she said - "it's been dead for a while now"
I shouted with an irritated tone - "I meant disk with an 's' "
She sighed ..."ohhhhhh"
I could hear some snickering
Then there was silence ...





I brought my old laptop to the computer hospital
And hoped that it might be discharged in good working order

But ...
I found out that "maintenance free" -meant that it couldn't be fixed

Crash Time

I am just squeezing in a little blog time on a loaner.
My laptop craaaaaaashed a little more than a week ago - sometime after my last post.

Just trying to juggle my finances to get a new one.
In the meantime - I am out in the cold ...

Will be back in a couple of days.
Thanks.

Self Help

The bookstore was nice and cool ...
It was a refreshing sanctuary from the searing humidity outside
In this massive multi-storey literary playground, I would decompress after a hard day at the office.

I started browsing the thousands of books that were there
Wifey started looking around too ...
I could sense her looking for something
Then, with a puzzled look on her face, she turned to me and asked - "do you know where the SELF-HELP books are?"
With a polite smile, I looked her in the eyes and said - "Yes I do ... but, if i told you it would defeat the purpose ..."

The next thing I knew there was a hardbound copy of the "Kite Runner" soaring towards my head
Poison darts were flying from her blood-shot eyes
Fire was shooting out of her nostrils
And steam was rising from the tips of her searing red hot horns ...

Damage control ...
It was time to soothe the savage "beast"
I put my arms around her in a genuinely insincere way and suggested that we drive somewhere to patch things up over a glass of wine and some pasta (one of her favorite early evening "to do" things)



Artina Gallery Cafe is a nice quiet corner of art and cuisine.
Immediately attractive even from the outside, this glass encased gallery cum restaurant is rapidly becoming a destination for those who want the twin satisfaction that can be derived from good food and soulful art

It is literally like sitting in the middle of a small private gallery
A glass of Chardonnay sharpens the senses
The eyes constantly scanning the wall
Looking for stories hidden in each piece of art
Analysing the harmony of color, the depth of brush strokes and the mystery of technique

A warm greeting and a genuine smile from the servers puts us at ease
The comfort of tastefully chosen music calmed our nerves

The menu invitingly starts with:

"Our food is based on classic French cooking techniques, a foundation that allows us to create new flavors while maintaining the integrity of the old. We use the freshest and most flavorful ingredients to offer you an innovative yet traditional dining experience."

Mwah

I spent the evening with some balikbayan friends from the United States
Standard Pinoy "pica-pica"
A couple of drinks
A lot to catch up on
And a "show" that left them amazed

Superlatives from everyone at the table...
"Impressive"
"Really fun"
"Unexpected, unbelievable, unforgettable ..."

Club Mwah is a destination nitespot to which I had been several times before with family and friends, and it was great to join my balikbayaners there
It is a cozy but somehow dazzling dance club cum stage theatre, that is home to a talented group of transgenders and crossgenders who have put up a production suggestive of Las Vegas glitz and Broadway lights
Colorful quick-change costume sequences
Mind boggling sets
An array of lights
Dizzying choreography
And impeccable musical transitions...

The revue group is composed of 10 totally "reconstructed" transgenders (yes - even down under)
And another group of partially reconstructed crossgenders
Dressed to the nines and made up for the stage - these ex-men are "prettier, sexier and more graceful" than many of the real women in the audience ...
Really.
Even the women themselves say so ...
There is of course the one exception - the jester of the court - whose appeal is precisely that he is so abhorrently ugly to a point that it becomes funny
All part of a well thought of and wonderfully executed program sequence















The "Bedazzled 6" revue which we caught is one music and dance number after another
Synched to the music of Broadway - the show is a dance interpretation of such faves as Miss Saigon, Chicago, Phantom of the Opera and the likes
Costumes are lavish and dazzling
Sets include a massive golden Thai oriental temple during a Madonna "Vogue" inspired mind-boggler, and a helicopter "landing" on stage during a hilarious Miss Saigon segment

















This is not one of those "comedy at your expense" shows
No "put downs" and "make fun of you" spiels
This is a class act
This is an art form
An art form that I feel should be supported and preserved ...

Don't miss out on this Metro Manila secret
A Department of Tourism accredited entertainment club
Dinner, drinks and a taste of international caliber entertainment

A new show starts next week
Be dazzled by "Bedazzled 8 "
As can only be presented by the "Follies de Mwah"

If you have an adventurous streak
And are looking for something different
Want something unforgettable ...
Club Mwah will certainly keep you "gay" ...
Errrrr - I mean - keep you happy

Go na ...
See you there
I will be the guy with a glass of vodka
In a black muscle shirt
And a blonde wig
Baboooosh ...

Savings

Friends always catch wifey and me "holding hands" while walking in the mall
They think that it is sooooooo sweet
After all these years, we're still holding hands
They can think what they want
For me ...
It's just that if I let go of her hand--- she will run off and buy something

She has an incomprehensible sense of finance
She is always "saving" money
Just last night, she proudly showed me a new bag
It was originally priced at 10,000 pesos
She got it on sale for just 6,000 pesos
She had "saved" me 4000 pesos

The week before that she had "saved" 3000
And another 5000 the month before
A total of 20,000 pesos "savings" in the last two months ...
At the rate she is "saving" money I should be a millionaire soon
Instead I somehow appear to be close to bankruptcy ...

Haaay naku- I needed a glass of wine
"The new Caffe' Maestro has just opened" she demures ...
I said - "greaaaaaat, let's go"

Caffe' Maestro was a well patronized Italian cafe restaurant
But, it had over the years outlived its initial appeal and attraction
The Manila market is fickle, and new places are always cropping up
Caffe' Maestro needed to be re-invented and re-launched
So they closed - for renovation
For more than just several months they remained closed
I thought maybe they had sold the business - I mean the economy being what it is
They just disappeared from the culinary radar

And just when I thought they were permanently gone
There they were --- newly opened
Revitalized
Re-engineered
Re-invented

We drove up to the brick walled resto
And walked in towards the all too familiar cozy corner where our favorite table used to be
I turned to find the receptionist
Suddenly - wifey broke loose from my grip
She turned the other way straight into shelves and shelves of imported Italian shoes, dresses, blouses, belts, bags etc.

Whaaaaaaaat the?
Yup - Caffe' Maestro is now a caffe' inside a boutique store selling Italian fashion merchandise at discounted prices
Great concept - right?
Well - not if you don't know what you are walking into
I went there to eat
As it turned out - I was to end up "saving" money againnnnnnn














Whoever thought of this fashion cafe concept must have been female
She shops, he eats ...
Convenient
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I waited ...
The warm brick and wood ambiance was somehow soothing
Musical strains of Andrea Bocelli in the background
I fidgeted in my seat
A tasty onion soup,
And a flavorful, al dente "pasta ala vongole" helped to appease me
Wine calmed my nerves ...



























After an eternity ...
Wifey finally floated down towards the table to join me
She had this smile on her lips,
A glow on her face
And a loving look in her eyes.
She tenderly stroked my arm
Mussed up my hair
And blew me a kiss ...
In that magical moment I knew ...
It was time ...
It was time to whip out my credit card .
Once again -the lady of the house had "saved" some money for me

Arrrrrrrgggggggggggggh





























Caffe' Maestro
(Fashion Caffe' + Percamo Italian Fashion)
1780 Nicanor Garcia St. (formerly Reposo St.)
Makati, Philippines
(632) 8990780
(632) 8997322

Charades

Remember the game "charades" ?

Okay
Let's play charades
Focus on the picture above
It's a dead giveaway ...

Proper noun
Two syllables
One of my favorite quick getaway destinations
A city of contrasts
Steeped in history and culture
Locked in concrete and steel
A shoppers paradise
A land of charming people

Hawker lined streets
Bustling markets
Grand and swanky malls

Soaring skyscrapers looking down on humble huts
Sail quietly down the river
Zip noisily through the urban jungle
Hidden nooks of meditation and relaxation
A nightlife of endless adventure

And the food ...
Ohhhhh - the food
From some of the best and grandest restaurants
To the seediest cubby holes
Endless stalls of street food
To the most cosmopolitan table settings
The full range of predictable world cuisine
To the most exotic of plates ...

Gosssh - I really need a vacation
A short hop
Even for just a weekend ...

Yes - two syllables
First syllable ...
Sounds like hang
Second syllable
Sounds like "a timepiece on the wall"

Look at the picture...
Got it?
That's greaaaaaaaaat
See you there ....
Yessss
In Bangkok

Free

I finally made it to Aubergine Restaurant
Friends had been talking about this wonderful fine dining venue at the bustling Fort Bonifacio complex
Superlatives and good things
Highly recommended
But ...
Kinda' expensive

Hey - who said fine dining was cheap?
Right?
I was going to have to save up for this ...

Then ...
"Alakazam"
"Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo"
My dear sister gave me gift certificates for Aubergine
As if she were reading my mind
As if she knew I was "broke"...

And so , on a cool, moonlit Sunday evening
I put on my 5-star look
And jauntily proceeded with my FREE 5-star dinner

For a reputed fine dining leader, Aubergine is surprisingly, badly located above a McDonalds outlet
But that was easily forgiven if not forgotten once I stepped into the restaurant premises
Cosmopolitan and elegant
Yet somehow warm and soft

A glass encased kitchen is a showcase of culinary action ...
The servers greet you with a smile, and patiently wait for you to confuse yourself with the mouthwatering menu

We sipped on glasses of Nottage Hill Sparkling Chardonnay as we weighed our choices
Small talk
Big thoughts
Knowing glances
Then, a smile of anticipation ...

1. Parmesan Spuma (courtesy of the house)
2. Carpaccio of Australia Beef Tenderloin ( with pamesan fondue, truffle oil, assorted herbs, and a salad bouquet)
3. Roasted US Wagyu Beef Tri Tip (with pan fried foie gras, pot wine sauce, glazed vegetable, and pommery mustard mash potato)
4. Roasted French Duck Breast (with orange curacao set on truffled mousseline potato, served with port wine braised vegetable stew and mango tartlet)
5. Melted French Brie de Meaux ( served on grilled watermelon topped with watercress salad tossed in raspberry dressing walnut oil and Chinese truffles)
6. Belgian Chocolate Mousse Dome

Al Fresco

It was a cool Saturday evening
And Makati Avenue was buzzin'
I met up with some dear friends and had a couple of drinks
In what promises to be the next Makati "hotspot"

A. Venue Mall and Events Hall has been evolving over the past few months
Interesting restaurants and bars have been opening
And the humongous events hall is being increasingly recognized as a preferred concert and event venue

And now ...
On weekends,
The wide sidewalks facing Makati Avenue have been converted into a quaint village-type row of al fresco outlets that will surely be the next "in" destination for nightowls on the prowl for a fun place to be

Facing Makati Avenue on the ground level are Gasthof Restaurant and Grill, Seattle's Best Coffee, Padrino (of the famed " L'Opera and Balducci group), Botong's (a newbie bar resto) and Contempo Restaurant ...
Sidewalk seating allows an al fresco drink and dine experience that promises to be a "barkada's" delight ...

Watch the cars zip by
Watch the girls walk by
Listen to the music
Enjoy the food
Have a drink ... or two, maybe three
Maybe more

Seeya'
If you've got nothing to do this weekend
Drop by the "A"

I will be the guy on the sidewalk
Under the table umbrella
Sipping on a thirst-quenching mojito
Talking to a mucha bonita or two ... maybe three
Just livin' life ...

"Let's c'mon"
Join me ...

Fish Lip

Flash floods !!!
It was raining house and lot ...

The rumble of thunder
Streaks of lightning
And a sudden downpour ...

Perfect ingredients for Metro Manila floods
And the predictable traffic mess that follows
I was stuckkkkkkkkkk ....

Road rage
Hunger pangs
Fear of submersion
Possible engine stall
And an overloaded bladder ready to burst

I felt like I was in the China Olympic Games
Facing an obstacle course of water and vehicles
Avoiding potholes
Maneuvering my way through the thick Friday payday gridlock
All of us jockeying for position and dominance in a river where once was an asphalt road

Then out of the corner of my eye - I caught sight of an oasis of restaurants
A perfect pit stop
I really needed a break ...















Legend Hongkong Seafood Restaurant has been around for several years
It has always been on the "recommended" list of many of my friends - as far as Chinese restaurants are concerned
Here - finally was my chance to try it out

Relieved that I had found a place to weather out the rain,
I entered a typically large (and noisy) Chinese restaurant ...
There were families eating and slurping their way through some very inviting dishes

"Iced tea please"
Then -hmmmmm
Let me see ...

Fish Lip Soup
Steamed Fish Fillet in Ginger and Onion
Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs
Yang Chow Fried Rice

It Isn't Permanent

It's been almost 3 months - hasn't it?
Yup
Close to a quarter

Off the air
Brain dead
Signed off

My cerebral synapses have just not been working
Stunned into inaction
Lulled to sleep

Everything seemed to be alright one day ...
Then I woke up with the price of gas suddenly beyond my reach
Rice was more precious than gold
Canned goods exorbitantly priced
Food costs going up
Electricity costs casting a heavy burden
Transport rates unbelievable

People seemed listless
Shell shocked
Walking like zombies in the middle of department stores
Just staring, not buying ...
I couldn't blame them
Who could afford anything ?

Suddenly - it was survival mode
Penny pinching
Looking for new ways to make ends meet
Finding new opportunities

What has the world come to?
Where has the country gone?

I would stare into my laptop
Try to post something
But nothing would come out
Life itself - though short - was somehow, not in and of itself, inspiring enough to write about

Clearly, I had burned out ...
The pressure of being underpaid and overworked in an environment of rising costs was taking its toll
That TV, radio and printed media were full of murder, rape, corruption, litigation and wars was of no help at all

I needed to be in a bubble
I wanted to keep my interactivity with the world at a minimum
Work, work, work ...
That's all I focused on
Survival mode - remember?

Blogging was a luxury of time (and inspiration)
I just wanted to give it up altogether
Why blog?
Every other joe is doing it
Nothing new
Nothing great

Then last week, I stumbled into the July 23, 2008 post of Anton Diaz at his runaway blog hit Our Awesome Planet.
"Why Blog?" is a post that is an answer to his own question
In his post, Anton lists several of his "why blog" reasons
(I wish you would all read Anton's post. The content is even more inspiring than the list)

1. Our Blog is a love letter to our sons.
2. I'm writing the modern history of the Philippines.
3. To sow good deeds.
4. Ninoy Aquino is a blogger.
5. Inspire 1 Mind, Touch 1 Heart.
6. To have fun.
7. OAP is my personal art space.
8. Build personal brand.
9. I write to globalize the local.
10. To live forever.

Wholesome

Gasthof Restaurant is on the "must go" list of most everyone who visits the paradise that is Boracay
Right on the beach - in the center of it all,
With a bevy of minimally clad beauties cavorting about.
Taking on a German beer garden feel
With some of the best seafood, sausage and meat grills on the island
Famous for it's lip smackin', mouthwatering baby back ribs.
Gasthof ...

I sat leisurely in my chair
Beer in hand
Peering impatiently at the grill
Waiting as prawns, fish, and clams simmered over hot coal
And of course - the famous baby back ribs ...
I had to have baby back ribs

I could hardly wait
I closed my eyes
I imagined a time long , long ago when I first visited the secret island that was "Bora"
A time when the crowds were not so thick
The beach not so crowded
Hotels were far and in between
Restaurants were exotic and imaginative (including one perched on a treetop)

A time when it was still Borah-kai,
As opposed to Bora-khey
A time when breasts were real
And swim wear covered enough of the body to leave room for imagination

A time when "party" was a noun - not a verb
A time when "cell" was a room at the police station - not a phone
A time when Michael Jackson was "thrilling" - not weird
A time when "clowns" were in the circus -not in government

So long ago ...

The aroma of grilled baby backs now filled the air
I excitedly took a swig of the San Mig in my hand
The waiter walked towards me
With my culinary treasure on his tray
" Enjoy your meal" - he said
The prawns, clams and fish soon followed ...

This was the life
Few moments can match the fulfillment
I took a bite
No disappointment
Tasty, tangy, delicious ...
I was a happy guy

I looked out towards the road
Watched the people walking by
Looked helplessly on as a dilapidated taxicab turned the corner
And slammed directly into a waiting 6-wheeler truck
Creating a monster traffic jam ...

Whaaaaaaaaaaat?
Wait wait wait
Wasn't I in Boracay?

Well ....
Sort of
I was in Gasthof Restaurant and Grill - (of Boracay fame),
And Gasthof has come to Makati
Yup - in the middle of urbantown Makati itself

Gasthof's first branch outside of Boracay
Is making waves
As people trapped in the urban jungle of Makati
Troop to this three level resto
Serving it's original recipe of famous ribs and grills

No sand, no sea , no surf
No bikinis, no thongs
No surfboards, no paraws
Just beer or wine
And good ole' beach food ...

Totally "wholesome" - as opposed to some holes
Imagine na lang ,
It's as good as ...

Drop by
It's deja vu all over again for the 2nd time
Something similiar
Something family
Kinda'

Pwede na din ...



































































































Gasthof Restaurant and Grill
Ground Floor, A. Venue Mall
7829 Makati Avenue
Makati

(63-2) 382-8407

Consistently Delicious

The menu is marked by culinary interpretations of names of places and people that apparently are significant to the imaginative chef

Picture this:

Gen San - devilishly spicy tuna with garden salad

Mactan - grilled prawns with dried scallops, chili cucumber, radish and XO sauce served with brown rice risotto and green asparagus
Gaithersburg - braised short ribs with foie gras served with brown rice
And my most favorite of all ...
Farrah - foie gras fried rice
Not to forget the "must try" dessert -
Julia - a choco mani cake
(heaven for chocnut freaks like me)

Suckin' on a Wing

Finally ...
A post from the disappearing blogger
Miss me?


Sorry - it is just that ...
I have never been so tired in my life
The end of the day finds me brain dead
Physically zonked
Emotionally exhausted

The pressure is so high
The stress is tremendous
The uncertainty is unsettling
The expectations are unbelievable

Who invented "work" ?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I have never needed a break as much as I do now ...

Time to blow off steam
Have a festive time
Feel good
Forget my worries and my cares
Just be ...


Luckily -
HOOTERS is in town
Yes folks -barely a month old
The nearly famous Hooters Restaurant complete with their Hooter Girls welcomes Manila's maddening crowd ...



























Hooters is an American restaurant chain started in 1983 and now with about 435 branches worldwide.
It's claim to fame aside from their variation of the usual American menu is the all female "Hooter Girl" service crew
Clearly an attempt to play on the males attraction to scantily clad females, Hooters has nonetheless somehow positioned itself as a "neighborhood family-friendly restaurant"















I walked in with a high school buddy
Talking and laughing about days gone by
Somehow the "good old days" always seems a such a source of comfort ...

We sat at the bar and started browsing the mouthwatering offerings of the menu
Typical americana fare
Buffalo wings, french fries, burgers, nachos, grills etc.
Our eyes were flitting from the menu to the moving "targets" around us who were mostly in orange shorts and white tank tops
A few "bigger" cleavages in black uniforms belonged to imported Caucasian mentors - here in the Philippines to coach their "smaller" Pinay counterparts
Boldly emblazoned on someones formidable chest was the "espirit" of the place - "delightfully tacky yet unrefined"
We started a conversation with some "girls"
Tacky yet unrefined indeed
Talking about nothing in particular - mostly food (or was it about "eating")
Just hooting with the hooters ...








































It is a happy, boisterous place
Smiles, laughter and a lot of head-bobbin' , back-slappin' , beer-guzzlin' fun can be had here
Despite the rowdy, sleazy image that may first enter one's mind - it is really a harmless generic American restaurant in the mold of TGIF and the likes
There were families and kids enjoying the place, just as there were cross-eyed males trying to enjoy the "view" as much as the food

Hooters is a fun place
Friendly crew
Good food
Great drinks
A great place to meet with friends




And the "hooter girls" ?
Uhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Lets' just say - for the most part, I would probably need a significant amount of beer
Well -
Okay
I would need a lot of beer
I am shy like that ... (yeah right)



























Whatever ...

If you are looking for a new breastaurant?
Hooters Philippines has opened it's doors
Seeya
I will be the cross-eyed, pot-bellied nerd at the bar ...
Suckin' on a chicken wing
And drowning in a beer

















Hooters @Manila Bay, Philippines
Building D, Units 1-6
San Miguel By the Bay
Mall of Asia, Pasay

Book Tag

Long overdue
I owe my cyber-buddy Gizelle @mirage2g a "123" book tag entry.
Gizelle is a super-mom with the cutest kids and a penchant for great cooking. Her blogs are worth a visit because she posts some of the most wonderfully vivid photographs that give a sense of her life in Vienna, Austria.

Sorry for the slow Alzheimeric book tag reaction from me Giz ,
I have just been too laptop, DVD and Ipod intensive that I haven't really been near a good book lately.
I thank you for reminding me of the continued relevance of books.
There is after all, nothing like a paperback to keep me company while sipping coffee at Starbucks
(As opposed to having to talk to "wifey"
the paperback is looking like a mighty good option ...)

For those in the audience - the book tag works like this :

Here are the easy to do tag rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

So - here's my book:















Yes - the book is entitled "Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?"
It is a question and answer book.
One question , one answer
Then - on to the next question

I love books like this because they are entertaining, informative and such easy reads.
Great for stolen reading opportunities such as coffee breaks, afternoon tea, or waiting in line ,
As well as when waiting for someone who is always at least 30 minutes late for anything, knowing full well that that irritates me no end ...
Though that doesn't seem to matter despite the fact that she now legally owns half of everything I own ...
And 100% of everything that she ever bought despite my pleas for rational spending because my ability to pay credit card bills is stretched to the max already ...
And that a closet packed with dresses cannot be by any stretch of imagination so empty as to say "I have nothing to wear ... "
Grrrrrrrrrr
But then I digress ...

Okay
Back to the book tag
Hmmmm - page 123 - 1st 5 sentences
Then post the next three ...

"If you want to read about the first reported case of tone deafness, just go to the 1878 journal Mind and read Grant-Allnes article "Note Deafness". The article describes the case of a thirty-year-old man who took music lessons as a child, but was completely unable to carry a tune or recognize familiar melodies.
Congenital amusia is similar to a learning disability. "

This is part of the answer to the question - "Are some people really tone deaf?"
Unexciting answer
(Shucks - I could have just YouTubed wifey singing - and the answer would have been obvious)


Anyway ...
There are clearly more interesting questions and answers in other pages of the book.
The most interesting I guess is the part that answers the title,
"Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?"
This appears on page 14-16
A lengthy discussion that includes the role of body chemicals like oxytoxin, prolactin, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), and endorphins.
Ho hum
Perhaps boring but interesting to know nonetheless.

Of course if the authors had just taken the time to ask me,
Then I could have given them the simple answer

Q: - Why do men fall asleep after sex"
A: - Because ... there's nothing left to do.

Juan Day at Work

Okay...
I am back
Whaaaaaat happened?

Well
Work got in the way ...

For the past two weeks
Our office has gone through an international accreditation exercise
American industry auditors interrogated us
We were under the microscope
Tons of paperwork
Lots of legwork
Always on the edge
24/7

Maaaaaan !!!
I was up to my ears in Americans
Non-stop English can be very tiring

Susmarusep
Tanks Gad It Fridays
I needed a good old Filipino shot in the arm


Juan's Bistro is a cozy little "bistro kuno" that proposes to sprinkle Pinoy lutong bahay with a touch of informal elegance
"Komiks" splatter the wall to lock in that batang Pinoy feel
An open fire grilled kitchen kicks in the sense of bistro flair
The menu is a litany of Pinoy favorites






























I quenched my thirst with black gulaman and sago
Then (as usual) proceeded into my heart attack diet.
Sizzling sisig plus pork liempo and rice,
Add a dash of monggo with chicharon toppings
And I was all set ...
I felt so Filipino
Such a relief - after a week of captivity by American slave masters

Haaaaaay
This is the life ....

AmeriKana looking at bistro food menu: "uhmm Dagul ..can you please translate this foods for me cause i dont understand them."

Dagul: Sure why not - coconut?
'Kana: what is fried tinulingan?
Dagul: circumcised fish.
'Kana: Chicken Binakol?
Dagul: Pervert CHicken.‘
'Kana: kinalawing kambing
Dagul: Eagled Goat‘
'Kana: nilagang baka?
Dagul: Boiled Maybe?
‘Kana: thanks dagul! Waiter!waiter!
Waiter: yes mam whats your order?‘
'Kana: can i have a hamburger.
Waiter: yes mam? do you want to try our dessert tsokolateng mainit just ten pesos mam.
‘Kana: dagul - what is tsokolateng mainit in english?
Dagul: CHocolate That Want Sex

( toinnnnnnnnnnnngk ... flying menu board)

The Usual Stuff

I sat down and ordered from the extensive menu
The gracious waitress repeated my order (as they are trained to do),
Then jauntily scampered off towards the kitchen.
I unfolded a newspaper and started scanning the day's news
Corruption, murder, robbery, libel, overpricing, hoarding ...
Hmmm -nothing new
Just the usual stuff ...

Then there it was ,
On page A22

















Ouchhhhhhh
Yowwwwwwwwww
I shudder just at the thought of it ...

Yes folks ...
This scorned Pinay culminated her fits of fury with an act that can be said to be on the "cutting" edge
For her - the time had come "to cut - and cut cleanly"

And for the poor man ...
No dose of Viagra will ever be of any help
The deed is done
It will forever be very hard, to be very hard

Let the lesson be learned ...
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned "

There was much to think about ...
How does this lesson apply in my own life?
Where did I keep the scissors?
Does she know?
Should I sleep on my right side?

My thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the waitress
"Sir - your order is here. Enjoy your meal ..."
I stared
My thoughts still stuck on the news article
Suddenly - I wasn't hungry

















"Ahhhhh ...
Miss -pabalot na lang"

Pregnant

Yes people ...
The man is pregnant
And ...
Get this - he is proudly half-Pinoy
Half man, half woman and half Filipino
Three halves equal a "hole"
Ooooooooooooops - a "whole" ...
(Sorry about that)

The world is going mad
Global warming is frying our brains
The unthinkable is now reality
The totally weird is totally real

Omigossshhhhhhhh
Talk about the impossible ...
A pregnant man !
What will they think of next?
A faithful husband ??????
Hahahahaha
(Sorry about that ... )


Anyhoooooo
That really calls for a drink (donchatink?)
And perhaps a good dinner to boot
There is after all a new place in town ...

Contempo
Located along the rejuvenated and blooming Makati Avenue strip,
This casually elegant restaurant positions itself as serving "new Asian cuisine"
The place is in a "dry run" of sorts - but already one can see the makings of an upcoming hotspot
Service is warm and personal
Servers are helpful and knowledgeable

A glass of white wine started us off.
We took our time exploring the menu ...

It was a tough choice -there was much which was of interest.
For our first time sortie, we tried :

1. Squid marinated in sweet and spicy Thai dressing with sesame phyllo and alfalfa
2. Thai surf and turf - chili prawns, sweet pork belly and chicken pandan with Thai fried rice, quail egg and green mango
3. Seared beef tenderloin in rasberry teriyaki sauce, with crusted foie gras and truffled mash potatoes
4. Soy cheesecake with almond cornflake crust, green tea mousse and oolong tea syrup