First Day Funk

What do you know I have another pending entry before I decided to compose this? It got bumped off because it was incomplete and my Multiply export tool is taking forever to download all of my memories circa 2006. I was planning to do a top 20 list complete with pictures and everything as a tribute to my insanely colorful past. 

But okay. Here goes. 

It's barely a minute before 1AM and I'm up doing leftover reports for my former employer. Yup. Tomorrow is my official first day at the new palace. I never thought it would be more exciting than it should, but it is. The only reason why I'm still up is because of the adrenaline rush (despite the tiring 4 day 'hiatus/self-errands' transition period) that's been picking on my nerves. I booked a lunch date with a friend (who I think is reluctant to show up since he didn't rsvp) and a dinner with my marketing foursome (I kind of have to call them that now since that has to be our x factor) just to keep the day's momentum. 

I can't believe I'm back to square one. A week ago, I couldn't believe that I was leaving the place I called home for over two bittersweetly agonizing and euphoric years. The decision to transfer to another company, let alone a bigger, more mature, more economically relevant one was a bit of a surprise for me too. But I felt that, and this of course is paired with reasons known to my peers and I, it was really time for me to grow and move forward to do greater things like I am destined to. 

A room full of unfamiliar faces is enough to make me press the panic button, what more an entire building? It's like freshman year all over again. Despite not being able to tidy up my warehouse of a room (still longing for the time I can vacate and move to the new higher ground) I have already packed my bag with notebook and pen, decided on my outfit and of course prettified myself for the occasion - such a cliche. I'm ready as hell to take the new road again. I guess what makes me more excited is the fact that I can take more challenges now and buckets of to do lists await me plus the fact that I feel I'm becoming a more responsible and a wiser person each day. Couple that with the perk of earning at least 3x more to give way for my lifestyle (hello travels, investments, stocks, masters, business) and the time to do so many other things like my orgs. 

I left with a caveat from most of my friends and professional peers that if I left because of a few unpleasant people at work, this bigger sea I'm about to dive in has 100x more filled with them.  In the first place I didn't and of course, I already knew that. And that's no big deal.Because no matter where I am, I know I'm a step closer to where I should be. 

Christmas Wish List :)

HELLO! Long time! As per usual, I have failed to keep this blog alive thanks to all the yuppie problems enough to keep me busy on a daily basis.  

Some good news: I have kept true to my promise of cooking meals for my family on a weekly basis, I have found a way to solve my career dilemma, I have remedied a few of my short sighted crises in the past months. In fact, 4Q is turning out to be the best period of the year so far. 

In the middle of all the pre-holiday planning, pre-shopping and food scouting for the looming festive season, I took the initiative to organize all probable expenses into a wish list. This way, I will be able to  prioritize the assortment of goodies I already earmarked since day 1 of our pre-shopping spree this first week of October. 

1) Table top oven 
    I have not been able to test my skills in baking and desserts because the gas range and the oven     have yet to be replaced here at home. Thank God my parents are allowing me to buy a smaller oven this Christmas. I saw one today while looking for a portable emergency light (because my parents are really paranoid about typhoons and the climate change) which is a bit under 10k. Pwede na! I'll treat it as part capital for a hobby-business. Hahaha.

Goodbye to no-bake desserts! I already have a gazillion ideas in mind, maybe even do this as a sideline on weekends. I've done a mental layout of the packaging and sticker design to top it all off. Hahaha :) 

2) Baking and cooking materials 
    Of course I won't be able to pursue sweets and pastries without the right cooking ensemble. I've been eyeing on the basics but nothing fancy. Just the few that will help me survive since I have been using improvised molding pans for quite a while. Hahaha. I also need a sushi mat, outdoor grill and food processor. Hihihi :) 


3) External Hard Drive 
    Yes, I love my series. Plus I'm working on some freelance projects for PS and web content. I might need to free up some space and give way for a formal portfolio. I'm kind of lazy to take pictures lately but since I'm looking at upgrading my camera, hope I can do my 2012 travel photodump soon! :) This year was indeed the beginning of my travel years ;) 

4) Classes 
    Since I'm still on my 2nd year off of graduation, I have a year before I can pursue parttime teaching and eventually an MD, so I want to invest in all types of learning I could use. Short courses on cooking, Adobe apps and of course another set of refresher course for driving. Finally getting wheels (oh so delayed gratification) but I don't know if I'm happy since I'll be paying for it and the gas. I might have to lay off on the clothes and travel for a while. It's a good thing I've already invested in great gadgets this year. 

5) Treadmill 
    With my mom lobbying for opposition, my dad and I have been canvassing for treadmills that we can use when our veranda gets built. Nothing can surely replace jogging in Makati parks, but let's face it. This is a more practical (and lazy-friendly) way to ensure that we all do our mandated dose of cardio every day, even during the rainy season. Here's hoping my mom isn't right about us. Hahahaha. 

Well what else? Looking at my wish list, I can see that I'm maturing in terms of selecting purchases and investments. I hope everything fits my budget since we're upgrading almost everything in the house starting November. 

I'm so excited! Never been more excited for the holidays! I have a lot of dinners, reunions and travel lined up for this! :D 


    
    

The Quarter Quell

A seemingly plateauing career with several mountains and avalanches of workload. 

Always the first to come in and the last to leave. 

Heightened caffeine intake. 

Increased weight and body fat. Delinquency in health. 

Clothes that don't fit. 

Negligence of personal care. 

Unfinished passion projects. 

Long overdue to-do lists. 

Speech slur. 

Overwhelming responsibilities and accountabilities. 

Never ending and unjust deadlines. 

Dissatisfied friends finally taking the huge leap of faith to leave. Something you have been planning to do for the longest time. 

An empty bank account and wallet. 

Autopilot social sessions. 

Not seeing great friends for too long. 

Long time couple friends getting engaged. 

Long time couple friends getting married (at 23).

Nagging parental authorities.  

The call that never comes. 

The plans that have not materialized. 

What is this? 

Signs

When wheeling around a decision that is bound to utterly change your life, you will always go for the standard method of singling the other one out. The pros and cons checklist. 

But what if, all circumstances granted, the pros and the cons don't seem to outweigh one another? What will you do? 

You pray to God, and ask for a sign. 

This week I've had a couple. 

In the nearness of the highly anticipated pre-clincher activity, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about God sending me the signs. I wanted to prepare myself and gradually be inclined to the more favorable outcome. 

1) I let go of all the usual anxiety at work despite all the looming deadlines and they, in one way or another, found a way to deliver themselves.  

2) On the first day of school, I asked the cab driver to take the usual route, despite the qualms about slow moving traffic in Service Road. He told me we would take the express way but I insisted on going the usual direction. 

We took the Service Road and we breezed through it. No traffic, just a 5 minute ride all the way. 

I was right in trusting my instincts and in taking the risk. I took the way I trusted more and it was smooth sailing. 

3) The biggest sign? I was asked to submit writing samples. I dug deep into my HD to retrieve all reaction papers and position essays that I did in college. (Since, in the absence of such at my present work, I have none)

I found this in one SOMBA paper that I wrote for a post-talk reflection on starting a business. 

 Of all the people I quoted right? :) 

Who is John Rockefeller? You'll find out soon enough! 

Fingers crossed! 

A Real Food Blog

Today I was talking with parents regarding my career and a possible change in route (this early). It was a pretty sneaky ninja attack since I told them that I've already laid out some action to progress my plan and I was just waiting for the favorable results. In short, I wasn't just thinking of doing it, I have done something about it. 

Of course, as usual, they have always trusted my guts and instincts ergo very little reason not to support my cause. I just promised them a couple of things that would buy me time before I make the move and I was very certain that I could get the spot. What this is, I'm sure to update you when it's already final. 

So during the course of the conversation I tricked my mom and my dad into thinking that I wanted to take a degree in culinary. Hahaha :) OF COURSE NOT. As a not-so-recently transformed foodie and cooking enthusiast,  I wanted to channel the cravings and weight gain into something more adventurous and suffice it to say, beneficial. 

I want to take short course in main entree, desserts and baking. (On top of teach at my alma mater. This were the justifications that I used when I told my parents about wanting to leave my current job. I won't be the full career woman/entrepreneur/teacher/government worker that I intend to be if I stay.)

When I do take up these short courses, I want to open up a small store that specializes in comfort food, like a coffee shop or a tea shop with snacks and desserts. As cliche as it may sound (and saturated in the market) I have to argue that there is a shortage of these places in the south especially near residential areas. A lot of commercial food establishments are available, why not homey coffee shops? In order to go to coffee shops you have to be in the mall areas or the business districts that sometimes, it defeats the purpose of wanting to be in an ambient surrounding so you can use the peace and quiet to be productive with work, or catch up with good friends. 

I know it's a long way to go and it's a stellar-ly ambitious dream. By the time I might have the resources to go through with this, all residential areas might have staple little coffee shops and my dream will be history. But it's worth a shot. After all, my love for food will always be there and I will never ever give it up as one of my passions. 

In the meantime, I could use the practice to explore and to hone my skills, develop the tastebuds and think like food lovers with adventurous palates. I want to start the ritual of cooking meals at home on weekends and trying out new places on weekdays. It will be pretty costly for my weekday routine and it will be definitely a hit or miss but the weekend habit will be a breeze. My mom hates cooking on weekends that's why we eat out. It's her only time to rest so it will be my pleasure to be of service to the family on Saturdays and Sundays. 

I've tried to start the food blog on several attempts but to no avail. I would get carried away experimenting with the recipes that I forget to document everything that I did. Plus, my kitchen and dining area have really bad lighting so I can't count on them for scrumptiously appealing photographs of my hard work. 

First order for my food blog: find a list of blogs to emulate. From there, it will be easy breezy. Next will be shows to get inspiration from, cookbooks as well as dining areas. These will all contribute to what will be the next food blog for a foodie wannabe like me. 

Next to my dream of wanting to be in the food business, I also wanted to have my own cooking show in TLC, Lifestyle or AFC. Since I'm sure that this is never (or too far off) to happen, this career in food blogging will be the next big thing. It's the most convenient way to document gastronomic experiences while being able to share it with other people. 

My love for food, it will never ever die. 

Let's join the Feast! :)

I've been saying this for quite a while and I have never been more excited that tomorrow's a Thursday because, I miss the Feast! 

Been so stressed lately I've been channeling a lot of rollercoaster positive-negative vibes since the year kicked in. My life's flying with colors if it's about family, friends and my goal to travel but my work life started taking an unexpected route to burnout. I'm super lucky to have a friend like Patty, who I share a lot of things in common with. She's very active in extra curricular activities like helping out in an NGO for less fortunate kids, short of a visionary that's not contented with status quo and being a corporate slave, and of course she was the one who introduced me to the Feast :) 

For everyone who was active in serving faith-based orgs in college, the Feast is like a gathering of people from all walks of life to listen, share and praise God's Word. 

Patty invited me to one session and I've been trying my best not to miss every now and then. But of course, for as long as my schedule permits I could only make so much time for other things right now. 

The first time that I attended was the key to unlocking the door. 

We assembled at a conference room in AIM, with about 400 people in the hall. There is a theme for a whole month called the 'series' and that's where the topics of the builders/speakers will center on. After inspirational stories were shared, worships songs with one of the most amazing bands played for everyone to participate in. It was like a big jamming session for all people to take the songs in and the message of the earlier talks. It reminded me of the worship sessions that my lola used to bring us to after Sunday school (of course back then I didn't know what Born Again was). 

After which all updates were made for past events, announcements were released for succeeding dates, invitations to join care groups and ministries were held and there were even intermissions for our entertainment. 

The night capped off with finger foods lined up at the tables outside the hall so that we can fill ourselves up before going home. 

It was truly a Feast in the truest sense. 

Unlike Sunday masses (which I do not discourage of course) is that this is not the preachy, traditional and uptight celebration of God's Word. It is a sincere modern approach to bringing across the message of God that relates to everyone no matter who they are, where they come from or how they feel. 

What touched me deeply was the fact that I was with genuine people, with genuine feelings who were all willing to let go and spend time with God. May it be to ask for pardon, for supplication, to ask for strength in trying times. Whatever the reason is, people go there to be with God. 

I'm so amazed that a friend has ignited the spark for me to be active with my faith again. Despite everything that's happening, being able to spare a few hours in order to remember what God did for me for the past years of my life is such a blessing. 

And so tomorrow will be the day that I finally can go back to attending the Feast. 

Thank you Lord, for the gift of life :) 

I'm still alive.

After two hell-ish months, I am still here. Struggling to keep my promise of updating this blog. Hahaha :) 

Turning 23 was a bit awesome for me. It was timed right smack into a flurry of events at work, in my family, summer, etc. etc. Then my laptop died. That's why I had to wait and buy a new one before I regained my techie dependent life once again. 

The whole of April turned out to be some kind of spread for me. Capped off two events, had a lot of weekend sales, had to do my regional rounds (and still ongoing), so on and so on. I have a whole line up of posts that I want to make: 

1) Bohol Trip 

2) Work & Burn Out 

3) New recipes! 

4) On being a semi-foodie 

5) Debunking the diet myth 

6) Canon events!!! 

7) The oblivion called the friend zone?

8) Room make over 

9) Volleyball 

10) Summer like no other 

11) The Life Plan 

And many many many more. Don't know how and where to start but at least I got to list them down. I'm so happy with my new laptop (although I don't have funds for any shopping until before Christmas) that I promise to be diligent with all my work. I have yet to organize my files and my contacts. 

Plus I have work to do now so I better continue and get my beauty rest. 

Til then. Just wanted to let you know I was still alive. 

Better Than Manny

(Doing a spin-off from my TM speech proj 2) 

What comes into your mind when you hear the word GenSan? (pause) Or Saranggani? (People mutter familiar answers under their breaths) Or Mindanao? 

Good evening. I am here today to take you into a small tour of the treasures that lie within General Santos and Saranggani, other than Manny Pacquiao's mansion and birthplace. 


As a yuppie, I consider the luxury of traveling (on my own and with my friends) as a hard-earned privilege. When I was 10 years old, traveling meant waking up at dawn to be able to get to a resort or a beach in nearby Laguna or Batangas with my family. But now, the possibilities are limitless. Because traveling has been made so accessible to almost everyone in this age, it is only common for people to invest in exposure to and absorption of so many different cultures that the world has to offer. Or the Philippines at that. 


My college friends and I have this small traveling group because of our friend Paolo, who gets assigned to ridiculous places in the archipelago as his retail territorial manager stint in Pilipinas Shell Corp. Aside from visiting and spending time with him to perk up his dying nomadic social life, we get free passes to tour, lodging and gas when we book a trip to his turf. Last year it was Iloilo-Guimaras. This year, it was the borderline mountains of the Philippines in General Santos and Saranggani. 


We know Davao and Samal Island as the more frequented tourist spots in Mindanao. But apart from the familiar echo of the words GenSan and Saranggani whenever Manny Pacquiao wins a fight, nobody has any idea on what treasures these cities hold. So, coming into the trip we absolutely had no idea what to expect. For me, there were only two things: I was in it for the 1) fun and the 2) relaxation no more no less, away from the city - because honestly the stress of it all can't make me any less thankful than being deported to the far flung areas of the country.


Prior to this trip, people would ask me, where are you off to this weekend? I'd politely say: "GenSan" and get to a short narrative of this thing with Pao. With eat and roadtrip with "the best company ever" in mind and a few bikinis in my bag in hopes of having little traces of sun when I get back to the city, I set off for my weekend trip to GenSan. 


When we got there, Pao already poured effort into debunking the absence of our expectations and promised us three things (you know, the non-negotiables in any traveler's checklist): 1) food 2) adventure and 3) scenery. And we were like, okay since we're already here, might as well. Then we began our itinerary. 


On our first day, Pao picked us up with his familiar red Ford Ranger (company car no less) all filled up and ready for the roadtrip. After our breakfast stop in one of the popular coffee shops in the key city area, we headed to Lake Sebu, a 2 to 3-hour drive from the municipalities of GenSan located in the South Cotabato region. As we took off, we saw long outstretched roads that boasted of green pastures and fantastic mountain scenery. I thought this was a given since this was very rural for the place and I sure hoped this would not end there. 


We got to the place at around lunch time. It was a very balmy summer day and the lake's surface was reflecting the sun's sparkling rays. A boatman set out to paddle within the area and check if there was any catch at that time. Now this was still scenery :) 

 

The whole morning drive drained us so we settled for lunch that was mostly tilapia in nature. Since Lake Sebu was known for its cultivation and breeding of tilapia, all sorts of dishes were practically made to appeal to everyone's palate. We ordered just about anything that looked scrumptious. We chose the floating section on the top of the water to complete the dining experience. 

Tilapia like never before: pinakbet, sinigang sa pakwan, chicharon, sizzling, sweet and sour. BURP. 

First attempt at showcasing food, check. It was a definite success. 

After filling up our stomachs, we then headed to the second item in our itinerary, adventure. Just a few minutes away from the lake was a zipline attraction that served as a go-to by many of the tourists. Never mind that the drive was pretty bumpy and scary, my mental image of the zipline ride got the best of me. News had it that it was right smack in the middle of the mountains, just beside the waterfalls and a few hundred feet above the ground. I was scared of heights and I needed to someone to hold my hand, like the last time. Heehee :) 

Shortly after a 10 minute trek from the hill view top, we readied ourselves for the zipline ride. I was so eager to ask the manong in the first stretch of the station: "Manong, ilan po pwedeng sumakay?" (Silently praying that my friends would cut me some slack and accompany the chicken in me to the ride) He surveyed me from head to toe and unhesitatingly answered, "Ma'am depende po sa bigat." KABOOM. I dared not ask more. But thankfully my good friend Sammey rode with me on the first line. 

  Strapped to death. 

 

Here we go!

 

At long last!!! :) 

The ride was mind numbing/breathtaking/adrenaline pumping in all levels! We got to cruise above 600 ft off the ground with all the trees and tiny specks of living things prodding below. We passed by the gigantic water falls on our way to the other side. Adventure, check. I was ready for round two. 

This time (and despite what manong said) Raymond, Sam and I were fastened to the zipline. 

 

There was nothing like it. 

Upon settling down, we then proceeded to the waterfalls where we were hoping to have a good swim. We were all sticky from the zipline and the humid afternoon deserved no less than a plunge in the cool foresty waters. This was what welcomed us tucked behind the mountains. 

 

Of course at this point we were all thinking, Pao you haven't disappointed us one wee bit. 

But the rapids were too strong so after taking some pictures with the Japanese painting-like view, we then headed towards home. Awesome scenery: double-check. 

Being in a place far away from home puts you in a state of experimentation, of trying things you have never done before. But en route to our dinner place we tried out one thing we didn't have to experiment on just because we didn't have a choice: watch the last full show at 8PM. A bucket of popcorn plus a romcom and we were all set. 

 

Unofficially Yours

Then at long last, it was dinner time. To humble our grumbling stomachs, we were in for this kind of treat: 

 

King crabs smothered in garlic-ky goodness.

 

Tuna. The pride of Mindanao. 

We dozed off in bed very very happy. That capped off our first night in GenSan. 

Second day, woke up to a pretty late start but the sun was high enough to welcome us to the tententen: BEACH! It was time for us to get our tan on. High from the previous day's adventures and food, we headed to Saranggani to have our regular dose of the beach. 

Lo and behold this was what we found. No words, embellished and exaggerated could describe how underrated this beach seems to be. Hiding in the borderlines of this country, left unexplored by wanderlusts and travelers, this is a good enough attraction to magnet all tourists to this place. 

 

Nope, this ain't PS and BS. White sand, aqua blue crystal clear waters that mimic the shorelines of Brazil. This is Saranggani for you. 

 

The weather was just perfect. The scorching heat of the sun complemented the sea breeze as we indulged ourselves with a noontime dip. We played around with the fine sand, so fine it seemed like clay. Scenery and adventure: check check check check!!! :) 

Needless to say, I got burnt after this trip. 

On our way to the city, we decided to stop over and have our first meal of the day (at like 3 in the afternoon). We stuffed ourselves up with these babies. Only the cheapest, yummiest and most sinful steaks in town: 

 

Rib-eye steak with a bar of margarine. Thousand points for Weight Watchers! 

As if we haven't had enough, we hung unto the promise of cliff diving as briefed by Pao on our first day. We took another 30-minute drive to the cliff bay area to find the perfect diving spot for another fresh adventure. But much to our dismay, it was already getting dark and no one could accommodate us anymore. We then took a pit stop at Cesma cliff and swam the waters until past sunset. 

 

That aww-inducing moment. 

By twilight that day, we were quite sad that our GenSan adventure was nearing to an end. But before everything else, we had yet to tire ourselves with tuna. So this was what made our dinner on our last night: 

 

Baby back ribs at Php 300+ 

 

Grilled tuna. 

 

Tuna kilawin. 

Our last night was cheered to a halt with a bottle of Bailey's rolled out with the best of our friendship's catching up and talks. It was another one for the books most definitely. 

I apologize for the lack of description (my corporate life is catching its toll on me) and hasty ending but here's what I assure you. 

I came to this trip with just 2 expectations: fun and relaxation. Pao counterproposed with three things: scenery, food and adventure. He didn't fail the least in any of them and at such, actually exceeded them. Because at the end of the day, most truly, there is something better in GenSan and Saranggani to see than Manny. 

Toodles! 

Book On Board!

Life is a journey,we're all going somewhere, but where are we going? - Logos Hope 

I've been too many years late in finding out about the MV Logos Hope, just about the largest floating book sale that sails all over the world (pun intended). I read about it in a newspaper article that was posted by a friend in Facebook. Anything about books and book sales makes me go gaga ever since I was a kid. 


Before booking my parents for a visit to the South Port of Manila and see what was there to see, I did my own research about the MV Logos Hope. Apparently, it began its journey originally as a car ferry before it was operated by the renowned German Christian organization the GBA Ships e.V. Since 1970, its ships (Logos, Doulos, Logos II and now Logos Hope) have visited over 500 different ports in 160 countries and have welcomed over 40 million visitors on board.With a very inspirational goal of  bringing knowledge, help and hope to nations across the globe, it also allows citizens of various countries to volunteer, live and serve for two years in the ship en route to its many destinations. 


It was scheduled to dock in the ports of Manila from February 16 to March 14, 2012 and I was lucky enough to have time on the last weekend before it sails for the Subic pier. Stationed on Pier 15, right behind the Manila Hotel and past the Philippine Coastguard Headquarters it was pretty easy to find if you're familiar with the Manila Bay area. Since it was a Sunday, I told my parents to go after lunch because it opens at 1:30PM on Sundays. When we got to the South Port entrance, there was very little parking space so I guessed a mob of people must have gone to see the ship on its last weekend in Manila. 


Moving into the gates, we were welcomed by two ships. The Superferry carrier ship was nearest the dock and the MV Logos Hope was sitting majestically behind it. This was a pretty shot that I was able to take complete with an overcast sky on a late Manila Sunday afternoon. I could smell the sea breeze from where I stood. 

And the standing took long, mind you, because this was the queue that greeted us upon setting foot in the port entrance. 

 About a hundred feet away waiting to board the MV Logos Hope.

Crossing over the real gates, where we would pay our entrance fee and board the ship.

But the wait was absolutely worth it. Despite the long lines and our grumbling stomachs (a very clever mistake not to eat before going there), it took us roughly about 20 mins. tops to wait for our turn. Every 5 mins. signaled a flurry of people getting off the ship so I could just imagine how many people were actually in there. Finally, after paying a very delightfully cheap entrance fee of Php 20.00, we entered the MV Logos Hope for a real treat.

We were welcomed by a highly energetic crew, with the frontliner being a woman (a South American I'm guessing) giving us the house rules after playing a short video about the MV Logos Hope and its crusade. She was even chanting Tagalog words to relate to us and help us ingrain in our minds that the walk in the ship is a one-way system and that we cannot make "halo-halo" the books as courtesy to the next customers who will be coming in. Pretty witty at that, and I was more excited to move on into the book sale.

 Wall exhibit on the ship history.

Inside the ship were 5 different stations: the welcome area where we watched the video, the book fair area, the journey of life area, the theatre and the international cafe. 

Predictably, there were a lot of people on board that it was like mall sale of sorts inside the book fair. I had a hard time squeezing in past customers in the different sections that held almost 5,000 titles. Like the usual bookstore, the books were divided into catergories according to their general topics and I was pleased to see that the staples were there: fiction, health, biographies, cooking, children, spiritual, academic titles, etc.

My parents and I were not so keen on hoarding books since we were there mostly for the adventure but we grabbed a few titles that we found the most useful for home use (which I will reveal later). And well, my dad told me I could download through my iPad the books I wanted anyway and I guiltily agreed so. 


The books were priced per unit but it was fairly easy to remember because 1 unit = P1.00. The price range was fairly reasonable, though I could still vouch for cheaper books in real book sales. But the books were not all hand me downs and the majority for sale was actually brand new.

After asking my dad to pay for our finds, we then cruised through the other stations hurriedly because we wanted to get to the international cafe, to where the food was. On our way we saw murals on glass that told the story of the Prodigal Son, videos of life as a crew on the ship and a small room where a seminar on HIV was being held. 

 

At last we reached the cafe which was unsurprisingly barricaded by a long line of people yet again. Most families and kids had to fight their way to get tables.

While waiting in line, a woman went around and showed us the menu so we'd be ready to order by the time we reach the counter. 
 

I got us the quickest snacks: a bag of popcorn, a croissant (with chocolate syrup and almond slices) and vanilla ice cream. It wasn't bad at all. After it, we were ready to say goodbye to MV Logos Hope and make way for more people to enter the ship.

The book titles that we got were more on health, recipes and self-help. I didn't bother much on the fiction and biography since I still had untouched books here at home. We also got a bag for our books and I have to say that these were best buys that I can't wait to flip through. 


The MV Logos Hope goes around the world every year and my only wish for it is for more people to come and visit. An adventure in it once is enough, given the multitude of people who want to get a piece of that experience. 


I'm not sure if I'd be visiting next year to get more titles but I am interested to volunteer when it docks in Manila again. It would be truly great to spread the cause, involve people and help in a vessel of hope, inspiration and knowledge, in every sense of the word. 

What's Food For You

Anyone who knows me can attest my love for food. In fact, I can almost eat just about anything (yes, anything mind you) for as long as it doesn't border the too exotic. You can just take a look at my almost obese figure and understand how a 5-foot tall girl can store tons of food in her system. As a full-fledged night creature, I go to sleep every night excited to wake up because I look forward to having breakfast in the morning. That's how pressingly I love food. 


But I don't just love food. In my college years, I developed a knack for cooking. That, which was triggered and gradually stirred by no less than cooking shows in Lifestyle Network, Travel and Living, Asian Food Channel and the like. From Barefoot Contessa to Giada de Laurentis to Wolfgang Puck to Jamie Oliver to Bruce Lim to whomever shows I flip through. I didn't always have time to work on my technique and come up with a variety of concoctions to have people try and critique but I always had my share of practice come holidays (3 years running, or that which I could remember). I become the resident chef who prepares an entire meal for a party of 4, festive enough to last post-holiday dinners with leftovers and remakes of the recipes I was able to pull off. 


On my first year as the cook, I focused on the easy, no-brainer pasta. I remember making my first ever puttanesca, coupled with a main entree of buttered shrimp and a dessert of the passe mango float. You could say that I was a chef on a whim, pretending to be inventive and a pretentious chef who knows nothing about combination or the appeal to the palate. But the pasta ended up being too salty because I overused the anchovies and from there it was history. 


Second year as the cook, I planned on a Greek/Persian Christmas platter with salads and gyro stuff when I discovered the wonders of the yogurt shawarma sauce. I ended up doing roastbeef sandwiches (this got an A-grade) and kebabs (B+) which were then complemented by my mom's sweet roast chicken. 


Last year, I took my cooking skills up a notch by trying some heavy gourmet meal. I cooked sundried tomato pasta, steak with asparagus and potato gratin. My friends and I would always have these in reunions and it was about time to bring it to my family. (Sorry for the poor lighting of the photos)

 Pasta with sundried tomatoes and chili flakes 

Tenderloin steak with asparagus and potato gratin

Now to take this a step further, my parents, friends and I have recently become 'foodies' on a quest. Not so much critique food for a living but to extensively scavenge the streets of Manila and the tourist destinations that we go to for the best they have to offer. With the advent of Instagram and Twitter, that host the wild evidence of weight gain and food pornography, I can easily share snapshots of the restaurants I visit. The combinations that I taste and leave lasting impressions then become an inspiration and instruments to the next cuisine experiment that I will venture. 

So, with this I will now begin to embark on a new culinary adventure. I'm toying with the idea of doing food business as a sideline (seeing that my business Caja has been put on hold indefinitely). My first trial will be tentententen: MOCHI BALLS. Googled the recipe and it's selling like pancakes in night and weekend markets, plus it looks very easy to make (or I hope so). I'm giving it a try this summer and will offer it to my friends and officemates so they can enjoy the heat with a cool and delectable dessert. 

Updates on that soon. 

Toodles! :)