Explore Singapore

Just got back from a vacation away from Manila with Roxie and Ate Rochelle. 'Twas too short a stay. Didn't get to roam and explore Singapura as much as I would have liked, especially because most places of interest were closed for the holidays. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the trip. Well, maybe not as much as I should, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I've a bunch of photos to share and stories to tell and I hope that my memory would serve me right. Hehe.

02.06.08
I stayed at Roxie's place Tuesday night. She lent me her father's luggage. 'Twas smaller than what I had in mind. Just enough to keep two pairs of pants, a few shirts and underclothing, and some toiletries. Everything else, I dumped into Roxie's bag. Nyaha.

We were to meet Ate Rochelle 5am at the airport. While waiting for her, I tried activating my phone's roaming. As instructed, I texted ROAM ON to 333 and voil--- oh, shit.



Oh-kaaay. But exactly how long is later?! I mean, couldn't they be a tee bit more specific? Like, "Please try again in 3 minutes and 37.46 seconds"? At least I would know how long to wait. Hehehe. Absurd rant, I know! Oh well. I tried again in 5 minutes and 4.091 seconds and it worked all right. *toink*



Ate Rochelle arrived shortly. We went through security, checked in our luggages, and paid the terminal fee and travel tax amounting to Php2000+. Though our pockets were bleeding from all the moolah gone in a minute, we still managed to smile for the camera as we settled in for the wait. ^_^



Perfect! Hahaha. We boarded our plane and took off on schedule. We were served breakfast, which was a choice of Chicken Tocino or Daing na Bangus. The fish was good but my stomach wasn't. Needless to say, I stopped eating just after a few bites. Wrong timing! Lagi na lang! Argh!!!



We sailed through clouds for about 3 hours. Slept a bit during the flight. When we landed on solid ground, I turned on my roaming phone. Received a couple of text messages from friends asking what time our flight is and wishing us a safe trip. Really wanted to reply but I couldn't and I had no idea why! Coz I was sure I had the service activated on time and my load was still over its maintaining balance but I couldn't seem to send any text messages successfully! Seldom do I kvetch about Smart's services but yeah, that was soo fucked up! Amp.

Nweiz, we waited in our seats until the plane was half empty (or half full, depending on how you wanna look at it. Haha.) Bought some Singaporean dollars at the airport's forex. It took us quite a while to approach the guy at the counter coz we were having a hard time understanding the exchange rates. Turned out that the guy's Filipino. Nyehe.

Ate Lotis fetched us from the airport. Had our lunch with Jon and Arianne at Pepper Lunch where I had Salmon Pepper Rice. Food was served in an iron plate where you get to play with cook your food a little before eating. Nice! Heard that Pepper Lunch would soon be coming to Manila. Nicer! I could then try their Rib Eye Steak without going back to Singapore! Nicest! Hehehe. ^_^



After lunch, we headed to Ate Lotis' place. Roxie and I were knocked out to sleep while everyone else sang their vocal chords out. Sleepyheads, sleepyheads... tweedle-dee, tweedle-doo... dah-duhm, dah-duhm... ZZzzZz...

Went to Clarke Quay to try the G-Max reverse bungy, which works like a giant slingshot. I was a bundle of nerves before the ride. But the moment we were shot to the moon and back at a speed of 200kph, we just kept screaming and laughing! My stomach did a hundred and one somersaults and I swear it would've escaped out my mouth had I not grit my teeth! Hehehe. 'Twas one helluva ride I wouldn't mind strapping myself into again! Watch it here! ;)



We then had our dinner at The Coffee Connoisseur. I settled for the Smoked Salmon Linguine. At first, I was hungry enough to enjoy the meal despite the tinge of bitterness. But later on, I got fed up with the taste of the sauce. The pasta was literally swimming in it! Suffice it to say... Hehehe. They also ordered a couple of very sinful indulgences!



Since I've been carrying the weight of the tripod for quite a while already and my shoulder was already aching, it would be a high crime not to put it into use. So...

Perfect! Wehehe! ^_^

02.07.08



It was already pretty late when we started our trip to Sentosa. Since 'twas lunch time already, we went to Yoshinoya to eat. I wanted to have a bowl of Yakiniku Beef but I couldn't seem to find it in their combo meals so I had a bowl of Ebi Tempura instead. It was food that my tongue knew so I really had no trouble taking it in. But I'm a slow eater and as usual, I was the last to finish. Now that I mentioned it, I couldn't help but wonder why. Do I chew slowly and swallow slowly? Or do I just chew too much? Hmmm... The only comment I remember about the way I eat came from Onai. She told me that I always clear the edges of my spoon before I put it in my mouth. Is that slowing me down? Oh well.



We were supposed to ride the cable car to Sentosa but the queue was soooo long. And I mean, ridiculously loooong!!! So we decided to take the train instead. But just the same, we were greeted with a long queue. Good thing there were Filipinos in line who invited us to cut in. Hehehe.



Got on the train and it was jam-packed! We were squeezed into it like vacuum-packed sardines! And to make matters worse, we were surrounded with a bunch of Anaps! Talk about "close encounters" with the un---kind. What an experience! Nyahaha.

When we arrived at Sentosa, there was this flower festival called "Tales of Spring", which was a lovely celebration of blooms. There were lots of flower-bedecked floats around the area but we didn't get to appreciate the beauty of each one of them, let alone steal some shots. I think our tourist guides were in a hurry. Hehe. ;)



Our first stop was the Merlion. Roxie, Ate Rochelle, Anette and I were handed Merlion coins on our way in. We entered this cave-like structure adorned with mythical dragons and mermaids. While waiting for our turn to watch the short animation about the Merlion's origin, we had our pictures taken in this black-lit part of the cave. I think it was cool how my belt glowed like neon under black light. But I didn't notice that it wasn't just my belt that was glowing! Nyahaha. Nahiya naman ako. Wehehe!



After the short animation, we inserted the coins handed to us into the Mercub's mouth. We received a stub from the Mercub which we later exchanged for a Merlion keychain.



Then, we had our pictures taken from the viewing deck where we caught a glimpse of Singapore's skyline. Nice!



While we were in the Merlion, Ate Lotis, Jon and Arianne bought tickets for the Luge and Skyride. The luge ride was another proof of how much of a speed freak I am. I really, really enjoyed driving the luge down the hill and you could tell coz I'm gonna end this sentence with three exclamation points!!! Hehehe. But I think it would've been much more exciting if we did a little race to the finish line.

We then took the Skyride back to the top, which gave us a nice view of the greeneries. There was this camera taking pictures of people in the Skyride. We wanted to have our photo taken with our legs in Indian sit, but they didn't take our picture. Bawal yata pasaway. Hmp! Nweiz, they say that riding the luge once is not enough. So we did the whole thing thrice(?)! Adik. Hehehe.



Next stop was the Cineblast: Extreme Log Ride. We kinda experienced how it was to be a newly chopped down log transported from high mountains to dark caves, from deep ravines to wild rapids. 'Twas just like a roller coaster ride minus the stomach-churning feeling. Which made it less enjoyable and less exciting for me. Coz I think it's that sick feeling you get in the pit of your stomach that makes roller coaster rides thrilling.



After grabbing a bite to eat at Delifrance, we headed to Siloso Beach to watch the Songs of the Sea. We had trouble going down at the venue. There was a bottleneck of people trying to go up and people trying to go down. One personnel suggested we take the bus instead. But we could no longer walk back because of the thick crowd behind us. Our only option is to cross the jumping fountains. I was able to get across dry. But as I stood waiting for the next person to cross, a jet of water hit me! The left side of my shirt was soaking wet! Amp talaga! Nyahaha. No wonder I had another bout of cough and colds before the night ended. Ugh.

We rode the bus going to the venue. When we arrived, we had our tickets stamped for the 9:30pm(?) show. To kill the boredom while waiting in line, we played with our ringtones. We once again tried playing the Tsukurimashou song simultaneously. Hehe.

Utaimashou! Utaimashou!
Minna de utaeba, tanoshii na. Ehe!

We also played the kabaong ringtone. Funny how the male Anaps infront of us reacted upon hearing it! Guess it scared the bejeezus out of them! Hahaha.

Nweiz, the show was a dazzling visual feast. The display of laser lights, pyrotechnics, fire and water effects, and computer images was highly entertaining! We were seated in the front row so we also felt the heat from the flames and a gentle shower of water. You could watch parts of the video here and here.

Apparently, a day wasn't enough to enjoy Sentosa to the fullest. Well, not to mention the volume of people we had to share the air with because of the holiday. One thing we really missed though was the Underwater World. Waah! Too bad.

02.08.08
Having no clear itinerary for this day, except for the swimming party at night, Roxie and I decided to explore Singapore on our own. With just a map and a couple of brochures in hand, we got in the train and started our little adventure.

Our first stop: Chinatown. The place was decorated for the Chinese New Year. And it wasn't just ordinary decorations. Mickey Mouse and his friends were all over town! Ancute! Sobra! Had a blast taking pictures of them all! Super glad it's the year of the rat! Hehehe. ^_^

We had our lunch at McDonald's. Hehe. I ordered a McChicken Sandwich meal. The chicken wasn't as juicy as what we have here in Manila. But the fries was just as good. ;)



We walked and walked until we saw another train station. There was this huge and colorful kimono in a spacious lobby with only a few people passing by. It was a perfect venue for a jumpy three shots! Hehehe. But no matter how many times we tried to capture our jump, we just couldn't! Nyaha.

There were brochures in the station and we browsed through some. Saw this Art in Transit brochure saying that every station in the purple line features the best of Singapore art. Roxie and I thought of stopping at each station to steal some shots but we didn't push through with our plan. Oh well. I was able to have my photo taken beside one artwork anyway. Hehe.



From here on, we simply walked to wherever our feet would take us. Not only did it save us some money, we also had the chance to appreciate the surroundings more, which also meant more photo opportunities! ;)

Pardon the lack of mention of the places we visited. I'm bad at remembering names. Hehe. I know I should've taken note of it with the help of my phone's locator. But... But... *toink*

Nweiz, we saw this sculpture outside the mall. From afar, I thought it was a ring. Thought of having my picture taken inside it and pose like a hamster running in its wheel. Not on all fours, of course. Hehe. But when we got near it, it was an oblique circle. Kainis. I couldn't do the hamster-in-its-wheel shot. I couldn't even position myself comfortably inside! Nyaha.



Our feet took us to many places. We had our picture taken in front of a hotel...



in the park...



beside longs walls of colorful artworks...



and structures that appeared beautiful and foreign to our eyes.



Our favorite background: the Esplanade! Hehehe.



We saw all these places but what I really wanted to visit was the Mint Museum of Toys. Well, we were able to locate it but sadly, it was closed for the holidays. Huhuhu. T_T



Got tired from walking so we decided to rest inside the Esplanade. Favorite talaga! Hahaha. Bought some chocolate-dipped strawberries. One of the ladies behind the counter was a Filipina. She gave us an additional strawberry for free! Yay! Thank you very much! We know how much April loves strawberries so we offered some of it to her! ;)

I've heard Ate Rochelle rave about how much she wanted to eat this ice cream sandwich many times that it piqued my curiosity. So when Roxie and I saw a vendor slicing a block of ice cream, we did not resist the temptation! Hehe. We both had Chocolate-chip flavored ice creams between wafers! I felt like five again! Yum! Yum!



Our next destination was the Merlion Park. Again, they were all over the place! But unlike yesterday, there weren't any close encounters. Hehe.

Had a laugh trip while trying to take the picture of Roxie with the Merlion statue. I was asking her to move backwards and go near a pair of Anaps to achieve the shot of catching the water gushing from the Merlion's mouth with her own.

Me: "Atras pa! Atras pa! Hahaha!"
Roxie: "Ok na ako dito!"
Me: "Hindi! Atras ka pa! Hahaha!"

Good thing they noticed that they were hindering our photo shoot so they moved a little bit. Hehe. Buti naman.



We once again took a rest inside the mall. The longs walks left my legs feeling tired. Took out the strawberries we saved for April. We thought, "If only we could bring these back to the Philippines. If only the chocolate wouldn't melt. If only the strawberries wouldn't soften in the trip. We would give these to April." But the chocolate would melt and the strawberry would soften and we were hungry. So we ate the strawberries right there and then. Nyahaha.

We then went to Suntec City mall where the Fountain of Wealth is located. The fountain is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest fountain in the world. Coolness!



Ended the night with a dinner at New York, New York. We ordered Fried Calamari and Chicken Carbonara. 'Twas nice to know that almost all the servers were Filipinos. Talked to one of them and she told us that they were just there for their OJT and would be going back to the Philippines in a week or two. Sosyal! They're having their OJT in Singapore! Hehe.



For this day, I bought myself a new shirt that was on sale at Giordano, the Freedom Writers Diary book and a Sweeney Todd magnet. Ahihi. ^_^

We didn't join them at the swimming party at Pasir Ris. 'Twas a red day for Roxie and we would go to the beach in two weeks anyway. They left a note saying that they would be staying there over the night and that they would just meet us at the station tomorrow morning.

02.09.08
Prepared ourselves for the day. My clothes were unironed and wrinkled so I borrowed Ate Lotis' iron. Ayun. I accidentally burnt the iron table's cover. Lagot. I was really on a guilt trip the entire day. Super sorry! *toink*

Nweiz, we started our journey to Pasir Ris station. We weren't able to estimate the trip correctly coz we weren't really that familiar with the travel time. It goes without saying that we arrived late at the meeting place. Nyaha.



We had our lunch first. Again, I ordered fish. The food was ok. But I didn't eat the mungbean sprout. Haha! Sosyal! Mungbean sprout. *toink*



Also, I found it rather disturbing to see the elderly working in the foodcourt. They were carrying trays of plates and glasses that I think were too heavy for them. At their age, they should be resting comfortably at home. Well, I guess that's a little glimpse of the cultural differences we have with the people in this part of the world. Haaaay. :(

We then headed to the Escape Theme Park. Honestly, I was oddly unexcited about it. I dunno. It just felt mundane. Oh well.



First went to the Central Pavilion, which is basically a peryahan, where we played some games. I tried shooting hoops but my shots were no good. The balls kept on going off my hand at a different angle than I intended. Nakomang ata ako. Hahaha.

They tried the Roll-A-Ball game, which is a horse race. You roll a ball into a hole and your horse would either walk, trot, or run.

I tried the Ring Toss. At first, I wasn't able to shoot any rings into the bottle's neck. But I felt that I could do it, so I gave it another shot. And I did it! Got this furry white dog strapped into a long stick. Sana hindi ko na lang na-shoot. Nyahaha!



We then entered the horror house. Funny how Ate Rochelle and Jon acted like they were really scared of the thingamajigs scattered around the house. Ang kulit. Hahaha.



Then, we rode the Pirate Ship. According to the girl doing the controls, we weren't allowed to use the camera while on the ride. Ok. But being the pasaway that I am, I still tried capturing the ride. Out of all the clicks I made though, there was only one decent shot. The rest were just photos of strangers and poles. Nyaha.



They got some rest while Mark, Roxie, Ate Rochelle and I fell in line at the Daytona Go-Kart. I can't say it was better than the luge ride. I think both were enjoyable. Only this time, I had more control with the cart's speed and 'twas really meant for racing. Hehe.



I just wanna insert this at the middle of this post. Hehe. I think it would be better if we did set the camera to 10 shots so that people would be moving at the background. Hahaha. Well, this photo kinda represents how I see Singapore. I think everyone is in a hurry to get from one place to another. People rushing in and out of the trains, fast-paced walks, fast escalators, and all that. Hehe. Wala lang.



After spending some time at the theme park, we went to Orchard to shop! I miss the feeling of walking inside the mall without guards having to inspect my bags. Hehe. Dropped by Lacoste, where they bought bags and bags of polo shirts. Richness! Hehe. Roxie and I went to Gap to look for anything to buy. She looked for a cap or a shirt for Jolo while I looked for a shirt for myself. Hehe. I've been eyeing the (PRODUCT) RED Chucks at Converse for quite some time now but I couldn't get myself to buy a new pair of shoes. Nyaha. So when I saw that Gap is also part of the campaign, I wanted to buy one of their RED shirts. Coz just like what their shirts say, I am INSPI(RED), EMPOWE(RED) and BO(RED). Hehehe. And yes, because I also want to change the world. Hehe. ;) I really wanted to, but the available sizes didn't fit me well. Huhu.

Nweiz, I stopped looking for things to buy for myself and started buying for my family. I bought my mom this distressed black leather bag from Dorothy Perkins. I chose something that I could also use myself. But of course, I really bought it for her. Believe me. Hehehe.



Everything else, I bought at Giordano. Polo shirts for my dad and my uncle. A white printed shirt for Mico. And another polo shirt for Kringle! Wait, that's me! *toink*



After splurging, Mark accompanied Roxie and I to buy an HDD and some souvenirs. We bought magnets, tees and shotglasses whose design are the things prohibited in this "fine" city. One of which is "No Urinating. Fine: $1000" Recalled the sign we read in the elevator saying that it is equipped with a Urine Detection Device. According to Jon, that's because some people really do pee inside the elevator. Now I wonder what the device is and what it would do (if there is really one). Does it detect the sound of dripping liquid or the acrid smell of urine? Would it stop the elevator, lock you in, and call the police? Or would it take a picture of you peeing inside the elevator and post it online? Wehehe.

Then, we went to the terminal and waited for a bus going to Night Safari. Thanks, Mark!

When we arrived, we first munched on some food at Bongo Burgers. The fries and the burger were good. Oily but good. Hehe.



While waiting for Blessy, Det, Edison and Mon... Roxie and I posed for a couple of pictures and roamed around the souvenir shops. We bought cellphone charms so that Roxie could purchase the seatbelt covers. Ahihihi. ^_^ I find the charm too long for my cellphone so I don't think I would be using it. But it's too cute to give away that's why I'm keeping mine. Hehe.



It was taking them forever to arrive. We thought that maybe the last tram would be gone so we got on without them. We just texted Blessy to follow us there if they could still make it on time.



Good thing they were able to make it. Ate Rochelle was right. The animals were too tame. Most of them just stayed still as we passed by. It would've been more thrilling if they were a little on the wild side. Hehehe. But the tram isn't enclosed, unlike the ones we have at Zoobic Safari, so it's not a good idea afterall unless I want something real and more dangerous than this...



After going around the Night Safari by tram, we spent most the night doing an awful lot of continuous shots!

There weren't any buses going back at that time. Someone offered us a ride for $40(?). It was too expensive a fare but Det said it's ok. As long as we could go home safe. So we just chipped in a little for the fare. Thanks, Det!

And thank you Mon for paying for the souvenir picture! Hehe. ^_^

02.10.08
Had our things in a messy heap on the floor. Our clothes, our pasalubongs, all waiting to be dumped into our bags. Haha. As if I could dump them all into my bag. *toink*



Nweiz, we left Ate Lotis' place quite late. When we reached the airport, we were already pressed for time. I dropped by the perfume section and bought a bottle of CK Euphoria for Dino. We also bought Merci chocolates and sugarfree bars for my mom and my lola and we were given a free strawberry-flavored yogurt drink.

Our terminal was soooo far from where we were. So we ran inside the airport like we were in the Amazing Race just to catch our flight. In the terminal, they checked our hand-carry bags and told us that the drink is not allowed inside. So we drank its sweetness bottoms up! When we got on the plane, everyone seemed settled down. Guess we were the only ones they were waiting for. Nyaha.

There were no seats available wherein we would be seated beside each other. I got a window seat overlooking the wing of the plane. Nyehe.



We were served our lunch. I had this seafood pasta of sorts, which made my head ache. I only ate the shrimp and tofu in it. I also ate the bread, the pudding, and the fruits. I wanted to have tea after but the stewardess gave me coffee instead. Hehe.



They were showing Bee Movie. I already started watching this movie at the office but I never got around finishing it. I planned to finish it in the plane so that I could start watching a new movie when I get back. But... I fell asleep in the middle of it. *toink* Sleepyheads, sleepyheads... tweedle-dee, tweedle-doo... dah-duhm, dah-duhm... ZZzzZz...



When we reached Manila, we said our goodbyes to Ate Rochelle. Roxie's brother fetch us from the airport. We dropped by Duty Free to do some more shopping. I bought a pack of Soft Batch cookies, Chips Ahoy Reduced Fat cookies, Loacker Tiramisu Quadratini wafers, Lays, Ruffles, and a bottle of Hershey's syrup. Learned that the Merci chocolates were cheaper there. Kainis. Excited kasi! Nyahaha.

Thanks to Roxie, Ate Rochelle, Ate Lotis, Arianne, Mark, Jon, and Anette! ^_^

~o0o~

When I got home, Dino told me that my mom's wallet was stolen by a pickpocket and took with him P2000 worth of cash. Someone broke in our house at San Roque and stole my dad's collection of wines and my mom's collection of angels. Good thing, we already brought most of our things here. And I already have my CD collection coz I think the burglars were after our collections. How about some good news? Amp.

Nweiz, tomorrow, I'm back to work. For sure, I'll be on leave in the morning. And because I've just shelled out some serious cash for this vacation, I would be eating Skyflakes until the next payday. Nyahaha.

From Gobblers To Bloggers

Originally scheduled last December 13, the TriNoma Blogger Food Tour was moved to this day. Consequently, the number of participants was extended from a hundred bloggers to a hundred and fifty. 'Twas my first time to attend such an event so there's no denying how excited I was! I even applied for a half-day leave and I was at the office by 7:14am! And if you think that was a typo, then I'll type it again. I was at the office by 7:14am! Seriously! Hahaha. ;)

At one point, I felt that the Gods were conspiring against me. The Red Fairy came and gave me menstrual cramps in exchange for my appetite. And for whatever fucking reason, I had to answer nature's emergency call twice! Wah! To think that I only had tuna sandwich for breakfast! *toink* But I didn't wake up early for nothing. Afterall, it's all in the mind... Hehehe.

Since JP and I were too lazy to walk and climb the stairs to ride the MRT, we hailed a cab instead. When we reached TriNoma, we both forgot where the registration was. We asked the people at the information booth but they said they weren't informed of such event. Huh? That's weird. So we just texted Ms. Elaine for the venue.

The registration and cocktails were held at the 4th floor cinema lobby. We were given our group color (Pink Five!), a TriNoma baller, a bag of goodies containing Hershey's chocolates, a notepad and a movie pass.



Food was also being served, but we were saving space for the tour so we just had some puto, kutsinta, and a glass of iced tea. Hehe.



After the opening remarks and a lengthy presentation of the mall's facilities, we were grouped according to our colors. Our marshals were Ms. Kankan from Yehey! and Ms. Anne from TriNoma. We started the tour at the mall's 2nd level. Zong was closed and Crustasia did not confirm their participation. So we first tried...

Cabalen. I'm only speaking for myself but I know that most bloggers who joined the tour share my sentiments as well. Cabalen sucked big time. Not because they didn't serve us good food but because of the condescending attitude and the bad customer service that we received from no less than the manager herself. Haven't she heard that good customer service is the lifeblood of any business?! We may not be paying for the food but we weren't a bunch of PGs taking her restaurant under siege! Wasn't she informed that we would be writing about them? I may not be a professional food blogger, but I would be writing about them. And I think I do have my fair share of readers, don't I? Nyehe. Nweiz, from the large buffet selection, we were only allowed to taste three dishes - kare-kare, sisig, and lechon. I won't be spending another minute of keyboard action to review their food. Everything is mediocre anyway.



La Maison. When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted warmly by their friendly staff. I think the manager was also there, but I'm not sure if he really is the manager. He reminded me of Director Fritz Infante. No wonder I assumed he manages the restaurant. Hehe. Taken from their write-up: La Maison is French for home as it is the home of the best ribs, steaks, and seafood. A place where one can really feel at home. And I sure did! Hehe. They served us three of their popular dishes. The Barkada Ribs was so delicious and so tender, the meat just fell off the bone. The Mussels in Creamy Wine Sauce was cooked to perfection. And because I loove anything with cream on it, I had to remind myself that I still have a triple dozen more restaurants to visit and to just eat in small portions. Ehe. Lastly, we got to taste their Dover Sole Fish Fillet, whose claim to fame is that it melts in your mouth. In one word: Succulent! JP thought of treating us there for dinner when his turn comes so we're definitely coming back! ^_^



Second level: Done!
Next stop: Third level.

Abé. Abé serves Filipino dishes, with a strong bias for the cooking of Pampanga. My uncle have tried this restaurant once at Serendra and according to him, they offer great food. Then I guess we were just served the wrong food. Coz honestly, I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the food in La Maison. Sorry, I can't help but compare. Nyehe. The first dish is called Lumpiang Pica-Pica. I asked one of the waitresses for the ingredients and everything she said sounded gibberish to me. Basta. For me, it's everything she said mashed into an unrecognizable yellow paste. Hehe. Another dish is called Rellenong Mais. It tasted good but not to die for. The Pork Binagoongan was good too. But again, not to die for. I wanna go back to taste their other dishes, though. Coz I've read a couple of impressive reviews and the Chicken Supreme looks wow! Hehehe.



Haiku. The first and only Japanese resto that we got to try. Loved its interior, modern yet classy. The food presentation was beautiful. We were given a starfish-shaped plate of greens and sashimi. Cute!

JP: "Excuse me, anong tawag dito sa dish na to?"
Waiter: "Bali po sir meron siyang..."
*He lost us when he started talking about the ingredients. Hehe.*
JP: "Ahhhh.. so anong tawag?"
Waiter: "Salad."

We thought so! Wahahaha! I am not a fan of raw fish but when I ate it with a serving of pickled ginger, my taste buds actually liked it! Surprisingly. Hehehe.



Hossein. Another restaurant with a lovely interior. The colors, the curtains and the seats gave it a Persian ambiance reminiscent of the Arabian Nights. All that was missing were the belly dancers! Hehehe. Nweiz, they made us eat Homos (or Hummus) with Meat. I really had no idea how to eat the homos. The dish, I mean. Ok, that just didn't sound right. Nyahaha. Sure, I could just mix everything together - the beef kebab, the homos, the pita bread - and eat it. But is there a proper way? Oh well. The beef kebab looked like poop but 'twas yummy. Hehe.



We were pressed for time so we had to move through the other restaurants quicker. Went up the fourth level and sampled...

T.G.I. Friday's. For me, it still is the perfect resto for casual dining. Every branch has this fun and lively ambiance, you wouldn't mind talking and laughing out loud. I love seeing the different memorabilia adorning their walls. If only I could take some of them home. Hehe. They served us Crispy Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard. The chicken was tender and juicy and... hotdog. Hahaha. Corny. But really, 'twas good as always. They also served Tangy Buffalo Wings but I chose not to take some. I didn't want to eat something messy coz we were just standing outside the resto. Hehe.



Italianni's. They served Penne Arrabiato, which is pasta with mushrooms, tomato and basil in vodka sauce. I didn't sample the pasta because it had tomato in it. Yak. Hehe. The Spinach and Artichoke Formaggio was sooo good, I had to stop myself from licking my plate! Nyaha. I learned from their article that their mission is to provide an authentic dining experience where Guest Requests Are Never Denied (G.R.A.N.D.). Hmm... that being said, may I have another serving please? Thank you. Now ain't that grand? ;)



Fish & Co. Taken from their write-up: Fish & Co. offers a unique menu of fish and seafood that are literally from the seven seas. For a seafood person like me, that is saying a lot. They served Fish and Chips, without the chips. Yum! And Mussels in Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce. Yum! Yum!

Waitress: "Ang sarap naman ng work nio..."
Me: "Ay! Di namin xa work. One day event lang xa for bloggers..."

How I wish I could make a living out of eating and writing! Hahaha!



Bubba Gump. Out of all the restaurants we've tried, Bubba Gump had the most friendly, most accomodating and most bubbly service crew. They treated us so extra specially, I seriously felt like a VIP. Hehe. They escorted us to their function room called "The House of Gump". The food presentation was very creatively done. Hmm! Tempting! We were curious about the signage on the tables so we asked one of the crews what it meant. According to him, the red "Stop Forrest Stop" means that you need table service and the blue "Run Forrest Run" means that all is well. Nice. Got a taste of Ping Pong Shrimp witn Mango Pineapple Salsa. Honestly, at this point, I could no longer tell the difference between the fried finger foods we were eating. The shrimp, the fish, and the chicken - all tasted the same. Nyaha. But the salsa was good, nonetheless. The Shrimp Shack Pasta was quite tasty. Not bad. Hehe.



Holy Cow Chop House. What a cool concept for a resto. Holy cow. A cow with halo and wings. Makes you a little less guilty about eating meat. They're holy anyway. Hehe. I have no idea what the dishes were called, though. I don't remember seeing any labels and I don't remember hearing the servers say a thing about the dishes. On the table were pasta, chicken fingers (or was it fish?), and nachos with spinach dip(?). I only got to try the nachos because I already wanted to dig into the cakes! Hehe.



Jack's Loft. Delicious cakes are always a welcome treat. So I shamelessly indulged my sweet tooth with slices of Blueberry Cheesecake and Chocolate/Caramel Cake! Waah!! It tasted like heaven, really! ^_^



Cyma. We were given a plateful of their sample dishes: Roasted Leg of Lamb, Pastisado Greek Osso Bucco, Chicken Souvlaki, and Spinach and Artichoke Fondue. The lamb wasn't that easy on the jaw but it tasted good. The chicken was flavorful. The spinach dip was ok too. Not much of a difference with that of Holy Cow, though. I didn't like the pasta. 'Twas too al dente for me. At this point, I was already full to the brim so I wasn't able to finish my plate. Sayang. Wish I could take them home. Pasalubong ulit. Haha.



The tour ended by 6pm. We weren't able to cover the two remaining floors. According to Ms. Kankan, we could resume the tour after the activity at the park. If we still have some room in our stomachs, that is. Hehe.

To cap off the tour, we headed for the park for a couple of raffle draws. Sound would be playing also. I'm not really that familiar with their songs, except for "Di Na Natuto", which is part of the APO album. But I must say, their songs were beautiful and relaxing. I think they kinda helped me digest my food. Hehe. I specially liked their song that was reminiscent of my Sesame Street years. Astig. I forgot the title, though. And I think the keyboardist is crushable. Ahihihi. ;)



Met up with the other pink team members and decided to drop by Conti's. When we got there, the floor manager was no longer around so they could no longer accomodate us. Sayang. Huhu. We also failed to visit North Park, Heaven and Eggs, Congo Grill, Giligan's Island, Mangan, Mann Hann, Pho Hoa, among many others. Duh. Like I could still eat another bite. Nyaha.

Photo credits: JP, Laszlo, Noemi, LordArtworks, Sgurd4

Friday's I'm In Love

Left the house early to pay for the book that I bought in eBay but the GCash service at Globe Metroeast was unavailable. I was a little disappointed coz I was too early for nothing. So I splurged and bought myself a new bag instead. Hehehe. Belated Merry Christmas to me! ^_^

Honestly, I had second thoughts about pushing through with this dinner only because I wanted to watch the PBB Big Night. Nyaha. But calling it off was really out of the question. It's difficult to cancel or reschedule a date with people you don't get to see very often and miss terribly. Naks.

Shared this dinner with my highschool barkada - Noemi, Roxie, Onai and Abby. Onai came with Jayel and RJ arrived several hours later. Sadly, two of our friends weren't able to make it. Jong had been awake for about twenty hours and could no longer keep her eyes open for a couple more. And Alpha had to beat a deadline for her concept paper. Sayang.

We had Fried Calamari, Onion Rings, Mac and Cheese Bites, BBQ Beef Taco, Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Chicken Alfredo, and Chicken and Shrimp Diablo. Didn't eat much of everything, though. I just stuffed myself with mi favorito Fried Calamari and loads and loads of stories and laughter. Hehe. Onai gave us bars of Butterfinger, Roxie gave us a box of soap from Lush, and I gave them this cute cellphone charm. Ahihi.

And if you think we gave up watching the Big Night for this dinner, think again. We requested to be seated near a TV set and asked one of the waitresses to switch the channel to ABS-CBN. Why choose when you can do both?! Hahaha!

I wasn't really happy with the results, though. First, I wanted Riza out of the Big 4 but since Jon was evicted, then fine, the spot is yours! But to beat Gaby for 2nd place? Waaah! Kainis. Hahaha! Affected. *toink*

Housewarming-Cum-Christmas-Party

First, I had to meet Tita Julie at Sta. Lucia for the blueberry cheesecake I ordered. My mom told me that my aunt is always an hour late, so I told her that we'll meet at around 1:00 to 1:30pm while I planned to be there by 2pm. Five minutes past our supposed meeeting time...

*I'm way too cool for ya boy... That's why it'll never work...*
Me: "Hello?"
Tita Julie: "Kringle, saan ka na?"
Me: "Ay, papunta na po!"
Tita Julie: "Nasan ka na? Nasa bahay ka pa?"
Me: "Uhm, opo.."
Tita Julie: "Ganun ba? Nandito na ako Sta. Lucia."

Yikes! What a shame. So instead of taking two jeepney rides, I rode a tricycle all the way to the mall. When I got there, I wanted to tell her that it was mom's fault, that she told me to set an hour buffer, blah this, blah that. But what's the point, really? So I just said sorry for like ten times. Nyaha. Kahiya. >_<

Off to Megamall to meet Franz. I arrived at 3pm, right on the dot. The cake that I bought wasn't baked so I had to put it in a freezer to retain its form. I stayed at Bubble Tea where I ordered a large glass of Jasmine Milk Tea and asked one of the waitresses if I could have her chill the cake for me. It was taking Franz an eternity to arrive. I sipped on my drink as slowly as I could. I chewed on each bubble like a cow chewing on its grass. Sloooowly. One tiny bubble at a time. I think it took me about an hour to empty the glass. It took Franz that long to arrive. Tsktsk. Hehe.

Hailed a cab going to Cityland 8 in Makati. When we arrived at Ate Rochelle's pad, we just dropped our gifts and the cake and then we left again for Glorietta to buy some food and some more gifts. We got back several hours later. Julius, MJ and Ma'am Mitos were already there. And Tin too, but she left for a while. Ate Julie, Roney and JP arrived and not for long, Ate Lotis.

Again, a night loaded with food! A couple of KFC bucket meals, pizza, barbecue, cakes, and pasalubongs from Baguio and Naga! And not only were we loaded with food, we were also loaded with canned softdrinks! Hehehe. And of course, bottles of mudslide! Nice.

We then had our gift giving. Got myself a new Gaiman book, a Mickey charm bracelet, Mickey slippers, a cute drunken pony, Precious moments chopsticks, which came with a hair band coz you know I can't use the chopsticks without one (hehehe) and a box of chocolates! Thank you, thank you! ^_^

Funny thing is that we weren't able to do the things that people usually do at a housewarming party. We weren't able to pray for her pad, we weren't able to throw coins around or whatever other rituals that people do to draw positive energy into a home. And we weren't able to play even a single round of Pinoy Henyo! Huhu. Guess we were all busy eating, drinking and chitchatting. And as for me, I was glued into the boob tube watching Marimar and Coffee Prince. *toink* But I do hope that our presence exuded enough warmth to warm her pad up, in a figurative rather than its literal sense. Wait. Warmth to warm? Am I being redundantly redundant? Hehehe.

Bravissimo!

Got a call from Ermel inviting both JP and I for dinner. Since I was still on leave with nothing better to do, I eagerly accepted his invitation. On my way to Megamall, I asked Ermel if I could invite Ate Lotis coz we also owe her dinner. Thought it would be unlikely at such short notice. But good thing she's really on her way to the mall. :)

Met up with JP and Ermel at Bubble Tea. Texted Ate Lotis that she could meet us there but I got no reply. After several minutes of shooting the breeze, we got off our asses and went around the mall to buy a thankyou/farewell/goodluck gift for Ma'am Mitos. We already had three items in mind. This, this, and this. But when we arrived at CD-R King, not even one was available. Texted Franz if he could look for those items at a branch near him while JP and I looked for other things. Most of what we found appealing though were priced out of our budget. Boohoo.

Walking around left us with nothing but a pair of tired legs and a grumbling stomach. So we walked a litttle more looking for a place to dine. We were on our way out to Mega Strip when we saw Ate Lotis outside Wendy's. We thought of calling her attention but we all got shy coz she was with a bunch of friends. I just texted her that we saw her. Nyahaha.

Nweiz, we decided to grab a bite at Italianni's. Ate Lotis asked us where we were and told me that she'd just follow us there. We ordered a pan of Smoked Salmon Pizza, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Alfredo, Caesar Salad, and Frito Misto, which is a platter of fried zucchini, shrimp, stuffed tomatoes (eww!), and fish. Bravissimo! Hehehe.

It was already pretty late when we parted ways but instead of heading home, I dropped by the "Tiangge Along D' Ilog" to meet my mom and do some midnight shopping. Adik. Hehehe.

Crossing Over

The morning of 2008 started with me waking up from a dream. Just like my other dreams, it had a celebrity guest appearance. Heart Evangelista and Jericho Rosales were in it. Hehehe. But my dream was no love story. No Panday battling fire-breathing dragons to save his damsel in distress. And there was no Eden waiting for her knight in maroon sando. Nyahaha.

My 2nd year higschool classmates and my officemates were out on a summer trip. I was snapping pictures of myself when I captured a shot where my dead grandfather appeared beside me. He was wearing a blue, white and green striped shirt, just like what my little brother wore when he was like two years old. But what is really worth mentioning is that in the photo, he was wearing a smile. Probably the happiest smile I've ever seen in my life. I was showing it to my friends when I saw him walking towards the restroom. I came up to him and asked why he showed himself to me. He simply smiled. I said, "Sige po, mag-CR na muna kayo." like he really needed to. Ehe. When he got out, he told me, "Dumalaw lang ako. And tell Heart to be careful."

Then, I woke up from the sound of my brothers playing Final Fantasy. I tried going back to sleep, tried going back to the dream. But words were already screaming in my mind that hushing them down was as impossible as Manny Pacquiao winning the Best Actor award in the Metro Manila Film Festival. I just had to roll off my bed and write everything down. I hate it when that happens. Oh well. Going back...

In that dream, I saw my grandfather again the way I remember how he looked. I heard him again the way I remember how he sounded. And I felt him again the way I remember the warmth of his presence.

I miss you, Lolo. And I'm still looking forward to that day.

Coming Clean

This is the last time that I'm going to write about this. I know it would involve me swallowing a lot of very bitter-tasting pride. I know I might be putting someone in a bad light. I know that some things might change. What's even worse is that I dunno the eyes who would be reading this. (Though I would really appreciate a line or two from you nameless lurkers who show up in my traffic log.) But fuck it, here goes.

First off, why the need, you may ask. One, I hate the thought of someone believing that he or she is holding all the aces in the deck. I don't want someone having that kind of power over me. So I am getting off the leash.

Two, after reading the article entitled "A Rescue From Hell By Jesus Christ", I realized how much I wanted to experience Heaven. I would never, ever do myself in, of course. But the thought of dying and being with these angels, these magnificent beings, going back to the Source, being one with the Source, feeling His Love so unconditional and pure and all that... I dunno. Suddenly, I just wanted to take Death's boney hand in mine. Or to be ready, at least. This, being the first step.

Lastly, I wanna be worthy of people's trust. I, for one, find it difficult to trust other people. I am a cynic, most of the time. Maybe that's why I value promises so much. Coz somehow, it gives me the assurance that I need. The same is true when I make my promises. But what I want now is for these people to trust my word. With or without the promises.

Ok, enough with the introduction. These are my confessions... (Nyaha. Parang kanta lang.)

1. We were never a couple. Friends thought that we were, my family thought that we were, we made them think that we were. But if truth be told, there was never an "us". It was such a pathetic lie, I know. And what makes it heinous is that I actually believed it. We almost had each other. But almost is far from reality. Almost is incomplete, unclear and revocable. Almost just doesn't count.

2. I wasn't on the rocks with my ex. I never did the "tumikim ng ibang ulam" or anything in that context. In the first place, I have no ex and no ulam to speak of. Though I'd like to believe that it was help given in good conscience, it was my mistake for allowing another person to put words into my mouth. I had a hundred and one reasons to turn you down but all you got was a pack of fabricated lies. I was given more than one chance to rectify that but I never took it. Instead, I dragged on, played along and added more lies in order to justify the story. Because I was afraid. Because I was a wimp. And a pathetic one at that.

Well, that's it. I dunno if I could get by with a simple apology but it's the only thing left for me to say. I'm sorry. And I'm saying it in the truest sense of the word.

This is where I end. This is where I begin.

Updated Entry

The pictures are now up for this post. Finally! Nyehehe. ^_^

The Opposite of Love Is Not Hate

The opposite of Love is not Hate. Hate is Love pulled inside out. Hate is Love gone bad. Hate, just like Love, is a passionate emotion. So why bother hating when you no longer love? Well then, if the opposite of Love is not Hate, then what is?

The mere sight of your name used to stir a roller coaster of emotions inside me. Feelings of happiness, of doubt, of fear, of sadness, of anger, and of pain - just to mention a few, have gained hold of me everyfuckintime. But for the first time in a very long time, I saw your name again and I felt nothing. Your name now is no more than just a bunch of letters put together. Your name now means nothing.

I have loved you. And I am done hating you. Now, I don't give a shit.

The opposite of Love is not Hate. It's indifference.