A Hotelier's blog

2010-10-23T21:54:00.002+08:00

This was written by an uncle of mine.

MANILA OBSERVER

100 days silly

Leandro V. Coronel

MANILA

The practice of grading a nation's President after 100 days in office is a silly idea. To ask for "concrete" results in that short time is loony.

But this practice continues here. President Aquino has just finished his first 100 days in office. And everyone and his uncle have graded him, many of them giving the Chief Executive a failing mark.

But how could any executive or leader produce results in three months? That is why this practice is silly which, by the way, we adopted from the Americans. It was originally a "honeymoon" period to give a new officeholder breathing room to get settled in his or her new job.

PNoy's (his pop-culture name) critics have gone to town declaring him to be a failure after three months. From the Left and from the Right have come criticism. He hasn't done this, he hasn't done that. He hasn't made any reforms.

Can anyone "make" reforms in 100 days? Reforms aren't "made," they take time, years, to take form and to transform anything, this time a government and a nation.

So, is it unfair for critics to flagellate PNoy for "failing" after 100 days?

I think it's too soon to judge a leader, or anyone for that matter, for being on the job for three months. In the real world, new employees are given at least six months to show their worth. One year is probably more reasonable a time to give someone who's new on the job.

Your "Observer" thinks it's more reasonable to look for policy directions rather than concrete results after 100 days.

So, has Noynoy set policy directions that would take the country to a new way of doing things, to a new mode of governing, to a new ethic in leadership?

The answer is yes. PNoy has been able to put in place initiatives aimed at demolishing institutional and individual structures of corruption that had flourished in the immediate past. The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs have joined hands in going after big-time tax evaders.

Aquino has gone after government-related corporations whose managers have been lavishing themselves with obscene perks and privileges, to the detriment of the lowly rank and file. The President has abolished government units that haven't been functioning well or have no legitimate claim to existence in the first place.

The new government has stopoped or is reviewing financially questionable projects or deals consummated during the previous administration.

Aquino has invited the private sector to take a partnership role with the government in pushing broader economic development.

These are policy directions that set the tone of the new government's pledge to bring down entrenched bulwarks of official corruption and set the tone for a new way of doing public business.

There have been major setbacks that marred the government's public image. The hostage-taking in August has given the Aquino government a damaging black-eye around the world. The Hong Kong tourists died tragically and unnecessarily, something more expert hands could probably have prevented.

A general aura of ineptness and incompetence has pervaded the Aquino administration. This requires immediate and decisive action by the President to get his and his people's acts together to right the unsteady ship of State. The public perception is that PNoy hasn't been firm and decisive enough in making his subordinates toe his official line. There is rumored infighting among Cabinet members this early in the Aquino administration.

Mr. Aquino has to take a reality check about what's going on in his inner circle if he wants to get his government really going. Failing to curb the squabbling and crack the whip to spur action and performance among his men will spell doom for him. It would be a long six years if he doesn't act with dispatch and with determination.

PNoy came to office on the crest of massive popular acceptance and well-wishing. He cannot afford to dissipate this unquantifiable goodwill and still succeed.

Noynoy's great asset is his honesty, personal incorruptibility, humility and simple lifestyle. This is what keeps him popular and trusted among the people.

Despite his critics' vociferousness, the people in general have given the President high marks for his performance in his first 100 days. This is in contrast to his critics' failing grade. Who is right and who is wrong?

One is inclined to believe that the people are correct this time. They're willing to give PNoy time before they hand down their verdict on his performance, which is the reasonable tack to take.

Grading someone after three months is plain silly. Setting a performance bar at 100 days is an artificial and unreasonable benchmark. The people are being more generous and commonsensical.

Is it possible PNoy has spoiled the people with his accessibility and willingness to engage in dialogue with them and the media? Aquino is a welcome relief from his predecessor who was often aloof and elusive. Is it possible his simple style and good-naturedness have emboldened his critics to be more vocal?

Mr. Aquino's first 100 days have been blustery, if not yet stormy. He has his work cut out for him. Let's hope, for the sake of the nation, he knows this and makes the necessary changes while it's still early.

Matteo's 1st birthday

2010-01-09T21:53:00.000+08:00

Link

photos of my nephew's first birthday, matteo enrique alba reyes.

dec. 6, 2009 @ jollibee in bonifacio global city

paalam, pangulong cory aquino

2009-08-05T08:22:00.002+08:00

i may be at home watching the funeral procession of madam cory, but i still wore a yellow shirt

new ultrasound image

2009-03-12T05:20:00.003+08:00

taken last march 7 at 7:26pm

baby's getting bigger!

Daddy

2009-02-11T17:52:00.000+08:00

i'm going to be a daddy soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Paris, a critic criticized

2009-01-16T10:20:00.001+08:00

I like to share this article; which I read in the International Herald Tribune; to those who, like me , like to blog about places they've been to or food that they've tried, and to those who really write about food and restaurants.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/14/style/14simon.php

In Paris, a critic criticized
By Elaine Sciolino

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

PARIS: When the sommelier in the overpriced Paris restaurant started to refill the glass without asking, François Simon stopped his hand in midair before a drop could fall.

"I like to control the temperature of my wine," he announced. "In a restaurant, I am horrified by having to obey. I want to be indulged."

Simon may be the most feared and most read figure in France's culinary world, an ordinary looking man with a fountain pen as razor-sharp as a butcher's slaughter knife.

As food critic for the right-of-center Le Figaro newspaper for more than two decades, he has skinned, sliced, grilled and roasted his subjects, indifferent to the impact of his words on them, but can be thin-skinned when they hit back.

He once described a meal at the restaurant Guy Savoy, a Michelin favorite, as "a three-star crucifixion," faulting Savoy for serving his signature artichoke and truffle soup out of season. Marc Veyrat, who enjoys an unheard-of perfect 20-20 score in the Gault-Millau guide, is for him a "clown" and "a fake peasant" with megalomaniacal tendencies.

He has extended his reach with books, a weekly cable television show in which he hides his face and a blog that includes his secret video recordings with a hand-held camera of some of the great and not-so-great tables of France.

Not content simply to pass judgment on others, Simon claims to be an accomplished cook himself. His blog, in both French and English, boasts that he can cook a chicken 200 ways.
Last month, though, he took a step that few of his colleagues would have dared. He closeted himself in the kitchen of the tiny, mural-tiled bistro Le Cochon à l'Oreille and cooked five nights in a row, each night for 20 or so diners who had won the free meals in a first-come-first-served Internet sign-up.

Simon's debut as a chef occurred during the annual "Le Fooding" week, sponsored by a French gastronomic movement that he strongly supports and that promotes an egalitarian, irreverent approach to dining. He announced his kitchen stint on his blog and in his column, and by the time he was ready to cook, much of the French media world had taken note.

The meal was barely adequate, according to five diners one night. The pumpkin soup, seasoned heavily with ginger, vanilla and black sesame oil, was grainy, undercooked and so dense it stood up in stiff peaks.

"I'm disappointed," said Julie Demarest, an administrator in a water purification company. "It's thick — like oatmeal. I don't like it."

The spiced chicken with pine nuts and golden raisins filled the dinner plate, but was accompanied only by an underdressed green salad. The zabaglione with sake was frothy and thin rather than creamy; the centers of the macaroons were chewy rather than soft. When the maître d'hôtel offered seconds on the dessert, there were few takers.

"Those macaroons — they're so hard they could choke a Christian," said Marc Beekenkamp, a Web designer, using an expression that means the dish is hard to digest.

But his colleague and friend, Matthieu Zerafa, came to Simon's defense. "Every day he sits in judgment, and now it's his turn to be judged," he said. "You have to compliment him on one thing — he has a lot of nerve."

That point, at least, has never been in dispute. Simon prides himself on being an outsider and a provocateur. His columns describe not only a restaurant's food, but also its service, décor and clientele, even down to the movement of the breasts of women around him.

Simon has created such a buzz around himself that some French reporters called him the model for Anton Ego, the dour, unforgiving food critic in the 2007 animated film "Ratatouille."
Brad Bird, the film's director, said through a spokesman that the character was a pastiche derived from many sources. No matter: Simon was quick to assume Anton Ego's persona.
"Since 'Ratatouille,' it hasn't stopped: I've become the darling of my nephews," he wrote in his blog, "Simon Says." He said that he loved it when his friends started calling him Anton Ego, writing: "This low-life Anton is a good guy. He sacrifices his reputation to celebrate the cuisine of a rat."

Simon has little use for the Michelin and Gault-Millau grading systems that have created a rigid gastronomic hierarchy and transformed chefs into superstars.

He has charged that politics often drives Michelin to sprinkle stars on less-than-worthy chefs. He relentlessly attacks certain multistarred French chefs and regularly proclaims that France has lost its "culinary supremacy."

Even before the British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay opened his restaurant in Versailles last spring, Simon panned it. "Dishes like his starter of cream of Jerusalem artichokes with lardons of bacon and cabbage can be found in 70 Parisian restaurants which are just as good," he told The Daily Telegraph. "What's more, he is British, and Parisians don't like going to Versailles — it's much too far."

Simon accuses Alain Ducasse (with whom he once wrote a book on Provence) of empire-building commercialism, stratospheric prices, "photocopied cuisine" and worst of all, absenteeism from his many restaurant kitchens. He said Le Jules Verne, the Ducasse restaurant at the top of the Eiffel Tower, serves food "worthy of an airplane, first class — no, rather, business class."

He has nothing good and everything bad to say about many of Paris's gastronomic icons, including La Tour d'Argent, Hélène Darroze, Le Procope, Allard, Maxim's and Brasserie Balzar.

"My real problem is that chefs are used to extremely excessive literary praise," Simon said in an interview over a lunch in a restaurant where the appetizers averaged more than $40 apiece. "They become insufferable, divas. They can't take the least criticism. But when you talk of them like they're Beethovens or Mozarts, you're lying."

As for sommeliers, he wrote, "Perhaps we should drown them, to allow us to drink as we please."

For Nicolas de Rabaudy, a food writer who has reviewed Simon's books, Simon has become both mean-spirited and self-absorbed.

"His ego has surpassed him, the poor François," de Rabaudy said. "I mean, come on, François Simon is the only person who doesn't like Guy Savoy's artichoke and truffle soup. It's one of the great dishes of modern French cuisine."

Asked about Simon and his sharp pen, Savoy said: "Frankly, what he writes or says doesn't interest me one bit. Life's too short."

The most savage criticism of Simon came after the suicide of the Michelin three-star chef Bernard Loiseau in 2003.

Early that year, before Michelin announced its annual star ratings, Simon had written in two columns that Loiseau was to have lost one of his three stars, but had managed to hold onto it. Days after one column appeared, Loiseau killed himself.

The chef Jacques Pourcel, head of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Cuisine Française at the time, openly accused Simon of contributing to Loiseau's death.

Simon defended himself, saying in the interview that it was convenient for the chefs of France and Michelin to identify "a naughty boy who did villainous things." He added, "This misunderstanding will last forever."

Loiseau suffered from serious depression. Asked whether Simon's reviews played a role in her husband's death, his widow, Dominique, who runs the restaurant, said, "It's giving him too much importance."

Simon also showers criticism on other French food critics, faulting them for identifying themselves in restaurants, cozying up to chefs and taking free meals and gifts. "It is much easier to turn into a courtesan, to be inside rather than outside the house of the chefs," he said.

But other critics call his aloof approach sterile. "I want to get to know the chef, to understand what he feels, his frame of reference, his roots," said Jean-Claude Ribaut, the longtime food critic at Le Monde. ( Ribaut pays for his restaurant meals.) "I want to know if he grew up on a farm, if his father grew vegetables. If you go anonymously, you can't ever have this kind of dialogue."

Even though Simon books reservations under an alias and pays for his meals with alias credit cards, his face is known to many chefs, and his sideburns, flyaway hair and sartorial daring — bold tweeds, loud ties, velvet vests — sometimes give him away.

Simon portrays himself as close to his readers, soliciting their comments by printing his direct phone number at the bottom of his columns. He shamelessly boosts his favorites, including Yannick Alléno of Le Meurice, Pascal Barbot of L'Astrance and his favorite bistro, Paul Bert, in the 11th Arrondissement. Ravioli with tomato sauce prepared by the Italian chef Fulvio Pierangelini at Gambero Rosso in San Vincenzo "almost makes me cry with emotion," he said. He called a truffle à la croque au sel with a glass of Montée de Tonnerre chablis at Lucien Vanel in Toulouse, now defunct, "better than cocaine."

Even his admirers want him to tone down. "He's got a strong character, his articles are fun and he doesn't pontificate," said Christian Millau, co-author of the Gault-Millau guide, who gave Simon his first job as a critic 30 years ago. But, he added, "Sometimes I tell him not to overdo it."

Are you a Ner, Geek or Dork? Take the The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test

2008-10-03T12:52:00.001+08:00

http://www.helloquizzy.com/results/the-nerd-geek-or-dork-test/?fromCGI=1&var_nerdiness=12&var_geekosity=15&var_dork%2bpoints=3

Your result for The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test ...

Modern, Cool Nerd

52 % Nerd, 65% Geek, 13% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd.

Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)!

Congratulations!

Compared to other takers

43/100 You scored 52% on nerdiness, higher than 43% of your peers.
89/100 You scored 65% on geekosity, higher than 89% of your peers.
13/100 You scored 13% on dork points, higher than 13% of your peers.

Take the test or type the address: http://www.helloquizzy.com/tests/the-nerd-geek-or-dork-test

My Wife's Pepper Lunch food trip

2008-08-02T20:52:00.001+08:00

My wife and I had dinner at Pepper Lunch in the Power Plant Mall at Rockwell last weekend.

It was her first time to try Pepper Lunch. I've told her about it after my trip to Bangkok last January where I was able to try it out in the World Center Mall in downtown Bangkok. I was able to try the Hitokuchi Steak Cut then. And then last June, at Rockwell with a friend of mine, I had the hamburger and steak combo.

She had the Chicken Pepper Rice but without the pepper and I had the Salmon Pepper Rice and we shared a Sesame Chicken salad shake. You literally have to shake the plastic container where the salad is served in order to mix the ingredients.

She liked it but commented that the Pepper Rice meals are a bit pricey for something that looks like a rice topping meal. But she also said that the steak meals are probably worth the price as she assumed that the beef is imported.

We'll probably come back after a month or two and try the other items on the menu.

To the owners, Chef Jeroen and Cecile, kudos to your business venture!

Junior's Cheesecake - A New York Institution is now in the Philippines!

2008-08-02T20:15:00.001+08:00

Saw this ad in the Inquirer last week.

It says that you can order Junior's Cheesecake from the main supplier in Kamagong St., Makati City or from among the residences that sell them (Rockwell, Alabang/Paranaque, Mandaluyong, Quezon City). But this for a limited time only, until September. Not sure if they were able to have authentic Junior's cheesecake flown in all the way from the US or someone who works with Junior's in the country and is making them locally. They even used the website link of the US outlet.

My wife and I have tried Junior's cheesecake when we were in NY last May. We had dinner there with her sis-in-law. And their cheesecakes are to die for. We were lucky that her sis-in-law was able to make table reservations for us. Otherwise, we would have had to queue for a table with the other patrons trying to wait for a table. We dined at the Times Square outlet.

I ordered the steak burger and strawberry milkshake, my wife had a salad. My wife didn't finish her salad in order to leave space for dessert.

Then we ordered a strawberry cheesecake and a chocolate cheesecake.

The cheesecakes are rich and are filling to the stomach.

Photos can be seen in my multiply site (http://tibo3rdph.multiply.com/photos/album/16/US_Trip_2008)

Will try to order and find out if the cheesecakes that they say are authentic.

Home cooking food trip: Chicken Inasal

2008-05-09T09:27:00.001+08:00

I was at the Landmark Supermarket last Wednesday looking for pasalubong for our relatives in the US, when I chanced on this in one of the shelves of the supermarket. It's a bottle of Claude's Inasal BBQ marinade (one of the many bottled food products of artist/chef/cabalen Claude Tayag). So, I thought I'd get a bottle and give it a try. And it costs less than P100.00.

I remembered that I had purchased boneless chicken breasts and thighs about 2 weeks ago and were just sitting in the freezer. I was originally planning to cook the chicken parts with the Indian curry sauce given by my wife's cousin who was ssent by his office for an 8-week assignment in New Delhi. But since my wife isn't fond of curry or Indian food, I decided to use the marinade instead.

Instruction says to use 1/2 cup of the marinade for every kilo of meat (chicken or pork). Let it sit for about 2 hours before cooking or better yet, refrigerate it overnight so that the marinade would seep into the meat. One way of making the marinade seep into the meat is to puncture the meat with a fork.

Then I pan-grilled the chicken, however I didn't have a pan grill (those with ridges) so I used my regular teflon frying pan. I wanted to use my stove-top griller but didn't want to make a mess. I didn't have to oil the pan as the sauce already had oil in it, together with the herbs and spices.

Good thing I still had some sinamak (sukang ilonggo) in my cupboard. Which reminds me, I have to get fresh garlic, ginger and sili; and make a fresh batch of sinamak.

Had I let the marinade and chicken sit overnight, the marinade would have seeped into the meat more. But still, it tasted great!

Food tripping: Bun on the Run - President Ave., Pque.

2008-05-08T08:54:00.002+08:00

Finally got to check out the branch of Bun on the Run along President Ave., near the intersection of Elizalde Ave. Been passing the place everytime we would visit my in-laws. Parking is a problem as there are few slots in front of the place. And they don't do delivery. Not much space inside, there were 4 small tables with stools.

I ordered their well-known Choriburger and fries and a bottle of Tropicana Orange Twister. First time I had a Choriburger was back in my high school days when they had a kiosk at the second floor of the Greenbelt 1 mall. After getting movie tickets, I would order 2 Choriburgers and would chow down on them while watching the movie.

Their Choriburger tasted a bit saltier than I remembered. I forgot which blog I read but it did mention that it was a bit salty to the taste. I had to take sips of my orange drink once in awhile just to wash off the salty taste.

After finishing my meal, I mentioned to the staff that the patty was a bit salty and they confirmed this as they have received a lot of comments about it. They said they'll mention it to the owners. I hope that they'll be able to adjust the recipe.

I learned that aside from this branch and in Metrowalk, there are 2 more branches of Bun on the run. One is along Rufino Ave. (formerly Herrera Ave.) in Legaspi Village, and a more recent one in Trinoma.

Let Go Of Your Table Manners!

2008-04-25T09:58:00.002+08:00

If you have the chance and you're hungry like a wolf, check out the new Burger King Steakhouse Burger!

100% Angus Beef!

This burger is next on my list!

Slammer Burgers

2008-04-25T09:37:00.002+08:00

I first read about Slammer Burgers when the group owner of Gimik group read it in the blog of Francis Ibanez and posted it in the group.

That day he posted it, I was at ayala center and saw an outlet of Slammer Burgers in the food court of Ayala Center G4. But since I've already ordered from Meisters by Almon Marina, I told myself that I'll have to try next time.

And so, I was at ayala center this morning and was able to try out the Slammer Burger in the G4 food court.

I ordered the 2 pcs. roasted garlic slammer for P60.00 and a regular order of belgian fries for P40.00 without dip. If you want dip with the fries, it costs P45.00.

I thought that the roasted garlic variant would have chopped roasted garlic. Instead they use garlic sauce. And as mentioned in the blog, the fries did taste great.

The serving size of the 2pcs. was just right for me but had I really been hungry, I would have gotten the 4 pcs.

Their other variants are plain, cheeseburger, jalapeno and bacon mushroom melt. They offer them at 2pcs., 4 pcs. and 8 pcs.

Burger lovers should check out this new burger joint.

Previous food trippings

2008-04-03T11:03:00.001+08:00

had dinner at racks in magallanes about 3 months ago. we ordered their mixed platter (grilled chicken, pork tenderloin and baby back ribs) with sidings of carrots & corn, pork & beans and corn bread. their grilled items still taste great! wanted to take home sone barbeque sauce but they didn't have available for take out.

saw some pepsi deluxe in sm supermarket at sm dasmarinas. got one of each, strawberries and cream and creme caramel. both tasted great but i preferred the creme caramel.

and together with the pepsi deluxe, i tried two of the new e-aji potato chips, light salted and sour cream and chives. tastes better than jack and jill's potato chips and tastes as good as oishi potato chips and frito lays.

was up in tagaytay once and went to bahay pastulan (maryridge) to buy some ube jam for balikbayans, same makers of the famous ube jam in baguio, and thought i'd also try their pandan kutsinta.

still one of my favorite merienda fare whenever i'm at the food stalls of an sm supermarket, fried lumpiang gulay and tokwa't baboy with sago't gulaman.

my wife and i had breakfast at max's and tried their adobo flakes and hungarian sausage. their breakfast comes with a cup of coffee.

i also tried the breakfast menu delifrance. i liked it coz it had a small fruit cup but was a bit disappointed with the serving portion of the viands (as you can see in the photo) for the price they charge.

my wife and i had dinner once at david's tea house located along aguinaldo highway in dasmarinas, cavite. we ordered their polonchay soup, asado siopao and mixed dimsum platter. the soup was big enough to serve 4 people, as well as their mixed dimsum platter. all were delicious!

was driving up to tagaytay once and i cut through santa rosa. since it was about 12 noon, i decided to stop at the paseo de sta rosa to have lunch. i remembered from a forum or a blog that the hamburger sandwich of crepe breton came highly recommended even though they were not known as a hamburger place.

their hamburger patty was cooked just right. it was topped with mushrooms and onions and a lettuce leaf, with coleslaw on the side. and for dessert i had their peanut butter and jelly crepe, which hit the spot. i had to walk around the shops first before i continued my drive.

during the lenten season, i tried chowking's lenten offer of fish with chinese tofu in oyster sauce. it tasted better than their other fish menu.

want a piece of choco chip cookie? a really big piece of choco chip cookie?? head on to aristocrat and get their giant choco chip cookie. it's about 8-10" wide. a great gift item.

Nestle Ice Cream Pops

2008-04-03T08:04:00.001+08:00

was at shopwise makati last tuesday having a snack while waiting for my car to be washed nearby, then all of a sudden there was a heavy downpour of rain.

so while waiting for the rain to stop, went inside shopwise to cool off. then i decided to try the new nestle ice cream pops.

they're bite size vanilla ice cream coated in chocolate. they come in handy tumbler containers and cost P25 and P75. i got the P25 container.

there are about 20 pieces in the small container. great for snack time!

Chi's Brick Oven Kitchen - Aguirre Ave., BF Homes, Pque.

2008-03-13T22:52:00.003+08:00

my wife and her best friend were planning to meet a balikbayan classmate of theirs. and since all of us were staying in south of the metro, i suggested that we go back and try the pizza and pasta of chi's brick oven kitchen in bf homes.

the first time we went was last month, and we only tried their mango ice box dessert and got their puchon (pugon lechon) to go.

while my wife and her friends were swapping stories, i ordered the pizza chips for our starter. it's pizza dough with olive oil brushed on it and topped with parmesan and a pimiento dip.

this is a great appetizer.

for our main course, i ordered 2 kinds of pasta; the rigatoni in 3-cheese sauce

and the chorizo alfredo

the serving size of their pasta is enough to feed 2-3 persons.

i also ordered 2 kinds of pizza, the chicken bacon mushroom melt

and the salmon pizza

both pizzas were 12" and had 8 slices each. the crust was cooked just right and both tasted great! the prices of their pizzas range from P160-220.

we were so full from the meal that we didn't order dessert, just coffee and tea but we were given a plate of their brick oven chocolate cake by apple tirona (the owner) to try and share.

their brick oven chocolate cake was the best that i've tried so far. it was like a choco lava cake, the outside was a bit crunchy and the inside was moist and melted chocolate flowed out as soon as the it was sliced. it was topped with vanilla ice cream and maraschino cherry.

another dessert of theirs is the mango ice box cake, which i mentioned that we tried the first time we went.

the place is nice, quaint and cozy. it could fit about 25-30 persons. when we got there, there was a group of about 12 which had a long table.

here you'll see the wooden trays that they use when serving their pizza.

they also have separate smoking area which has its own aircondition unit and exhaust fan.

the main attraction of the place is the open kitchen where you could see the brick oven. they use dried sampaloc logs to fire up the oven.

i wasn't able to take a photo, but they also have a small open air area for children to paly in while waiting for the food to come or while their parents are having fun telling stories with their friends.

the place is owned by chi and apple tirona. both had their own careers prior to opening the restaurant. and one day, they decided to leave their careers and start up a pizza-pasta place.

kudos to both of them!

so, when you're in the south of the metro, check out the place. it's an alternative to those expensive italian restaurants.

Jatujak Thai Food - SM Megamall

2008-03-13T22:17:00.002+08:00

some say that after you've been to another place, you tend to look for the food of that place. in my case i was in bangkok last january with our other managers for a tourism event and my tongue was still looking for that thai taste.

and since my wife wasn't able to join my on my trip, i decided that we have dinner at the new branch of Jatujak Thai restaurant, located at the ground level, bldg A of SM Megamall. it's located right beside the vietnamese resto, lemon grass, which is also a great place to eat. where there are 2 japanese restos too.

we ordered the tofu salad, which had some lettuce leaves, julliened carrots, bean sprouts, peanuts and a nice blend of sweet and spicy dressing.

we also ordered the grilled squid, which was tender

and the chicken satay in peanut sauce, which had a dip that was tasted very good. the dip was some sort of cucumber in vinegar but the vinegar wasn't too sour.

i also ordered the thai iced tea for drink

and for dessert, we had the Thai version of halo-halo. i think it's called ruhmvit. please correct me if i'm wrong.

our dinner cost us about P800.

the food tasted great and their menu is quite affordable.

this is their 3rd branch. the first one opened in the block of SM City North and the 2nd is in Mall of Asia.

the waiter said that the restaurants are owned by filipinos and that their chef is thai, who oversees all 3 kitchens.

i told him, if he gets the chance, to ask their chef or the owners if the name of their restaurants came from a name of a park in bangkok, the chatuchak park, where they have their weekend market.

Behold: Pepper Lunch store designs for Rockwell

2008-02-05T17:04:00.000+08:00

to those who've read my post on Pepper Lunch; here's an update from the Philippine franchisee;

set to open on april, 30 2008. it's located across the Rustan's supermarket, same area as Shakey's and Kenny Rogers

with permission from the franchisee.

for better view of the photos, go to http://chuvaness.livejournal.com/340815.html

4th-Feb-2008 11:25 pm - Behold: Pepper Lunch store designs for Rockwell

We love working with Japanese. They are modern, innovative, professional, efficient and all the wonderful things you thought about them.

For our first store in Rockwell we hired the official Suntory space designers, MYU Planning & Operators.
While our project coordinator in Manila is Kimachi Takatoshi of Kuni Philippines (L) shown with Hiro (also of Kuni) and Jeroen of Pepper Lunch.

Ok, their office in Makati is just awesome.

Take a sneak peak at the floor plan sent by MYU

and computer renderings by Kuni Philippines

The seating looks cozy. Don't you wanna eat here?

Eyelovit. Do you love it?

For updates, join our Pepper Lunch group on Facebook

IMPACT Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand

2008-02-01T16:28:00.000+08:00

Me and my co-managers attended the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Bangkok, Thailand. The convention was held at the Impact Exhibition Center in the Muang Thong Thani district of Bangkok, which is about 25-30 minutes away from downtown Bangkok. It is accessible via one of the elevated expressways that Bangkok has.

The whole complex is bigger than the Phil. International Convention Center, SMX Convention Center, World Trade Center and Araneta Coliseum combined.

It has an arena, 2 exhibiton centers with 8 halls, 1 convention center with 2 halls and the IMPACT Challenger with 3 exhibit halls, several meeting rooms and function rooms and a huge ballroom. It was in the Challenger building were the convention was located. The Challenger is even bigger than the new SMX and the World Trade Center.

The convention center has it's own food court (Subway, Starbucks, McDonald's, etc) and a drugstore (Boots from the UK). It has 5 other restaurants (Japanese, Indonesian, European, Chinese, Vietnamese).

There's even a cafe in the center of the wide lobby area, across the registration counter (as seen in the last 3 photos).

How I wish our country could have a facilty or building as big as this, which could attract the international convention and exhibition market. This would boost the tourism industry of the country.

It doesn't even have to be in any of the congested areas of Metro Manila (Pasay, Makati, Manila, Pasig, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Las Pinas, Quezon City). The Thais situated the convention center on the outskirts of the capital. But, like I mentioned earlier, is accessible via one of their expressways.

Their elevated highway network is another story. Something which Bayani Fernando would want for Metro Manila and connecting provinces.

sigh.... wishful thinking.......

Smoking is dangerous to your health

2008-02-01T11:55:00.000+08:00

Warning: Smoking is dangerous to your health.

Check out how the Thais warn cigarette buyers and smokers on the dangers of smoking tobacco.

If that picture doesn't scare you, I don't know what will.

I don't know why the government can't mandate the tobacco companies here to do the same. And to think that the cigarettes were made-manufactured-packed here in the Philippines, thanks to Philip Morris Philippines.

Pepper Lunch Resto, Bangkok

2008-02-01T01:37:00.001+08:00

Was in Bangkok last week for the ASEAN Tourism Forum with 8 other managers from Microtel, and during our free time, we had the opportunity to go to one of the malls in downtown.We went to Central World Mall, it was about 7pm, the other managers wanted to do shopping first; i wanted to eat first so i decided to go up to the 6th level where the restaurants were. I was joined by 2 other managers who were hungry as well. Upon reaching the 6th level, we walked around to see what restaurant where there.

I saw an outlet of Pepper Lunch.

A Japanese restaurant, which was featured in 2 blogs (Chuvaness, and my good friend Spanky) and mentioned that Pepper Lunch will open a branch in the Powerplant Mall in Rockwell, Makati City. And if i remember correctly, they might open sometime in March or April.

I ordered the Hitokuchi Cut

It's beef strips with mung bean sprouts and rice, and i ordered a side of egg with it. Which cost me Baht 204.

While letting the electromagnetic hot plate cook the meat, I added honey brown sauce on it.

Aroi! (delicious!)

Joel ordered the sirloin steak

while Rose had the hamburger steak with egg on the side

I even sent a message to my brother in Singapore to try Pepper Lunch. He said he's seen the place already and will give it a try. he also said that it was beside his favorite Japanese hamburger place. I asked if it was Mos Japanese hamburger, to which he said yes. I saw the same in Bangkok and would have wanted to try had I had enough time.

I'm looking forward to the opening of Pepper Lunch Manila and try each item on their menu.

After eating, we proceeded with our shopping. And after an hour, I met the other managers and asked me if we've had dinner yet. I said yes and I told them to try Pepper Lunch too. So they went on ahead as I waited for Joel and Rose to finish their shopping.

We followed the others to the restaurant and they told me that they enjoyed the food they ordered. They were surprised that I knew the place even though there was no outlet in Manila yet.

I owe the info to the blogs of Chuvaness and my Kabalen, Spanky.

Kop koon kap!
(Thank you!)

Hotel Kimberly Tagaytay

2008-01-16T19:03:00.001+08:00

Photobucket Album

YugaTech 2008 New Year Giveaway

2008-01-03T09:06:00.000+08:00

Abe of Yuga Tech, www.yugatech.com/blog, is having a contest again on his site! Sponsored by Auction.ph (http://auction.ph/) and ploghost (www.ploghost.com/)

Check out his site here: http://www.yugatech.com/blog/contests/yugatech-2008-new-year-giveaway/

YugaTech 2008 New Year Giveaway

Published by: yuga under: Contests.

posted: 6 days, 3 hours ago. (Visited 2313 times)

While we still have a few more days left for 2007, why don’t we cap off the year with yet another round of contest and giveaways? Thanks to the support of our friends at Auction.PH, we have more stuff to send out on top of what I have in my storage box.

Here’s what we’ll be giving away this time around:

Creative 2.1 Subwoofer System
Php2,000 Gift Certificate on any Nokia Stores*
Shell-Ferrari Model Cars**
Apacer USB 2.0 Drive
20 pcs. Auction.PH T-Shirts
2 accounts for 1-year Free 1GB Hosting and Domain***

Here’s how to win in the raffle:

For the Auction.PH T-Shirt, just leave a comment with your gender and shirt size. We’ll have 10 for males and 10 for females.

For all the rest of the prizes, just mention/trackback this contest/giveaway in your blog with a link to our sponsors (Auction.PH and plogHost).

You can win more prizes by commenting or blogging about this. Winners will be raffled and announced here on Monday, January 7, 2008. Total prizes cost over Php25,000. Happy New Year to all!

Note:
* GC valid on ff. store: Digital Exchange in Glorietta 3; Podium in Ortigas; and CyberZone at SM City, North EDSA
** Models depend on availability
*** Powered by plogHost (any .com, .net, .org with 1GB webspace & 20GB bandwidth valued at Php9,000 a year)
- T-Shirts will be shipped by Auction.PH anywhere in the Philippines via courier
- some items (2.1 Subwoofer) will have to be picked up at Makati

Disclosure:
- I’m the owner of web hosting company, plogHost.com
- I’m an official endorser of Auction.PH

Burger King's new exclusive desserts

2007-11-01T07:05:00.000+08:00

Burger King has added two new desserts to their menu.

Hershey's Chocolate Sundae Pie

and

Butterfinger Cream Pie

Both desserts were exclusively made for Burger King by Nestle.

Each costs P75.00

Both tastes great but I loved the Butterfinger more. Though a bit pricey, they're still a great alternative compared to the desserts of the other burger joints.

They also have Dutch Apple Pie on their dessert menu.

Lolo Claro's crispy fried chicken ala Max's

2007-11-01T06:52:00.000+08:00

Had lunch at Lolo Claro's last Saturday with my wife and supervisors. Their original outlet is in Tanza, Cavite (or in Naic, not quite sure). They opened a branch in Trece Martires. It's located along Governor's Drive, across from the city hall of Trece Martires. I first heard of this restaurant from a friend of mine and he said that the fried chicken tastes like that of Max's. They have a very simple menu line up. They have combo meals of chicken with pansit, liempo with pansit, lumpiang shanghai with pansit. They also have chopsuey and fresh lumpiang ubod as well as fried lumpiang ubod. Of course, their house specialty is the crispy fried chicken. The place is a bit small, they had about 10 round monobloc tables that sits 4. They had one window type airconditioner with wall fans to augment the aircon. The Tourism Officer of Trece said that the place is always packed on weekdays, every lunch and even sometimes during dinner.

We ordered chopsuey and 2 whole fried chickens.

Their fried chicken did look and smell like that of Max's. It also tasted similar to that of Max's but not as close to the real thing. They even have Jufran banana ketchup just like in Max's.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed our lunch and said that if we craved for crispy fried chicken, we could just go here.

They're open From Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

So, to those in the area or are passing through, check out Lolo Claro's.

Cheeken!!!

Kenny Rogers Roasters New Sandwich Menu

2007-09-28T17:28:00.000+08:00

On my way to Makati this morning, I decided to have lunch at the Festival Supermall in Filinvest.

As I was walking to the mall, I was already thinking of what and where to eat until I finally decided to have lunch at Kenny Rogers Roasters. I was planning on getting their baby back ribs and chicken combo platter.

As I approached the place, I noticed that they had some posters on display at the entrance. It was their new sandwich menu and new grill entrees. They have 4 new sandwiches added to their other sandwiches and all are served in whole wheat bread.

They have Philly Cheesesteak, Roast Chicken, BBQ Rib, Tuna Melt, Cheese Burger, Fried Chicken, Cold Chunky Tuna, Cold Chunky Chicken, Jumbo Hotdog and Jumbo Chili Hotdog.

For their grilled entrees, they serve Grilled Rib, Cheeseburger, BBQ Chicken, BBQ Pork Belly, Burger Steak, Grilled Fish Fillet and Grilled Sausage.

I've already tried their jumbo chili hotdog, chunky tuna and roast chicken. So this time I ordered their new BBQ Rib sandwich. The sandwich was great! Ribs were tender and the sauce was just right.

Unfortunately, as I was placing my order, the staff was not well-informed of their new sandwich line-up. When I told her I wanted BBQ Rib sandwich, she offered me their BBQ rib platter. I then said I wanted the sandwich at which she said that they have sandwiches. I then told her I wanted the new BBQ rib sandwich and then gave me the dumb look as if thinking "what is he talking about". I told her that there is a poster at the entrance that they have new sandwiches.

She then asked her colleague beside her what I was talking about. Her colleague knew what I wanted and told her that it's in the sandwich button of their POS. That's when she only knew what I was talking about.

One thing else that Kenny Rogers did is to renovate their interiors. They now sport a brighter dining area.

There will always be the debate on who serves the best chicken (them, Max's or KFC) but I would recommend that you give them a try. Hope that they do something about the product knowledge of their front staff.

Happy eating!

Mile Hi Inn Tagaytay

2007-09-22T08:34:00.000+08:00

On my way up to Tagaytay yesterday for a meeting, I stopped at Mile Hi Diner for lunch. Wanted to have their Angus Beef Burger but was not available, so I opted for their Mile Hi Burger instead (which was very juicy!) and a cup of French Onion soup.

While waiting for my food to arrive, I noticed a tarpaulin banner hanging on the wall. I thought it was one part of their menu promos. I was surprised to see that it was about their rooms. Turns out they have rooms in their place.

So I asked the waiter where there rooms were and how many did they have. He said that they're located below the restaurant and that they have 3 rooms (1 Family and 2 Standard). So I asked him if I could see them after having my lunch and he said yes it could be arranged. I took my time enjoying my hot soup and juicy burger. After I paid my bill, they asked if I still wanted to see the rooms, and still having enough time to make it to my meeting, I followed the waiter outside and downstairs of the diner. I didn't have a regular camera with me, so I used my handy N70 to take pictures of the place.

There's a common door for all 3 rooms, which is located under the restaurant and fronts Carlo's Pizza. Upon entering, there are 3 doors; to your left and right are the doors of the 2 Standard rooms and few steps ahead is the door to the Family room.

The Standard rooms have 2 single beds placed beside each other which makes it look like a double sized bed. There's a small wall-type air-conditioning unit which is strong enough for the size of the room. Floor area is about 9sqm. TV with cable connection is part of the features of the room (TV was removed temporarily to give way to the installation of an emergency light). There's a small toilet and bath as well with hot water.

As to the Family room, it has a double bed; plus another single bed with a roll-away bed beneath it. It also had a cabinet. Room also comes with a TV with cable connection and a toilet and bath which was a bit wider than that of the Standard rooms. Floor area is about 12sqm.

The place is great for groups or families. It's better that one group books all three rooms, that way you won't disturb or be disturbed if there were other guests. The waiter said that no matter the room rate, they don't do head counts of how many are going to sleep in a room.

One thing nice about the place is that you don't have to go far for a meal. The room rate comes with breakfast for two at the diner. And for other meals, you have the choice of Carlo's Pizza, Teriyaki Boy, Pancake House, The Grill by Antonio; over the wall is Dencio's, or you could cross the road and you have King Bee Chinese Restaurant (great food here) and Raja Korean Restaurant.

Overall, the rooms are clean. The waiter was kind enough to disclose that sometimes guests comment on the noise from the restaurant, especially when chairs and tables are being dragged. There is no sound insulation between the diner and the rooms. There is also no view whatsoever so don't expect waking up with a nice, clear view of the Taal volcano.

Room rates are as follows: Family room = P2995, Standard Room = P2250, additional mattress, pillow and blanket = P250. Amenities are Cable TV, hot shower, breakfast for 2.

They also have a wash up rate of P600 for 3 hours, which is available from 9am to 6pm only.

For reservations, call (046) 413.4203 or text 0921.798.8819 c/o Irene Bustos. For weekends and holidays, it's better to call and book ahead as they get booked fast.

Think Green!!!!

2007-09-02T19:23:00.000+08:00

Help protect our environment! And you thought i was talking about a university.

Nope, i'm talking about being responsible by helping save mother earth. Shopwise is one of those retail companies that have been encouraging their shoppers to use reusable bags. For P99.50, you could buy a bag made of canvass and use it every time you buy your groceries. Also, when you get their reusable grocery bag, they give you a laminated card with a bar code printed, which you can attach to your bag using the chain that comes with the laminated card.

After you've done your shopping and the cashier rings up your bill, she scans the bar code of the card and it gives you double points.

We used to bring home about 8-10 plastic bags of a month's worth of groceries. Yesterday, we only had two of the Shopwise canvass bag.

I know SM Supermarket is another retail company that encourages their grocery shoppers to get their canvass bag which you can use when you buy your groceries.

Back in the US, Safeway encourages their shoppers to use their previous plastic bags when they buy groceries again. All you have to do is fold them neatly and place them in another plastic bag. And when you're at the cashier, you give the used plastic bag to the bagger and he will put all of your purchases in the old plastic bag.

Another thing Safeway does is that the have a big basket outside the entrance with a sign that says "Dispose your old plastic bags here". Then they recycle the used plastic bags.

These are two options that Shopwise, SM and other groceries and department stores can do to encourage people to reuse or recycle.

Even Yokohama tires, Nissan and Toyota gave out canvass bags during the just recent International Motorshow.

It's the responsible thing to do. Do your share.

The Diva resigns!

2007-08-23T23:30:00.000+08:00

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=89652

National (as of 10:30 PM)
Society columnist quits over OFW bashing

Complaints sent via the Internet and through othery types of media led a Manila-based society columnist to resign from her job following her negative comments about overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau reported Thursday.

Bureau chief Dindo Amparo reported that Filipinos in the Middle East proved they can make a difference by uniting for a cause against columnist Malu Fernandez.

In her column titled "From Boracay to Greece," which saw print on "People Asia" magazine, Fernandez detailed her unusual and spur of the moment Holy Week vacation in Greece.

Fernandez said that following a friend's advice, she flew on economy class to Greece. The plane made a stopover in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. It was her written observations during the flight and while in the city that got Fernandez in trouble.

“I forget that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of OFWs were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them,” she wrote.

Fernandez said this was aggravated when one of her fellow passengers spoke to her and said, “Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?"

The columnist went further by insinuating that due to the large number of OFWs in the plane wearing cheap perfumes, the expensive brand she had on immediately evaporated into thin air.

“I had resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while my Jo Malone evaporated into thin air,” Fernandez said.

Based on prices from the Jo Malone Web site, a 100 ml bottle of cologne ranges from 30-59 British pounds (around 2,800-5,500 Philippine pesos).

Who's the diva?
Fernandez's statements spread like wildfire on the Internet and earned the ire of communities of Filipino workers abroad, especially in the Middle East.

The migrant workers immediately issued statements and sent e-mails to blogs expressing their anger against Fernandez.

The statements can be found at this special blog (http://selvo.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/mahaderang-matapobre-sa-ofws/#comment-1042).

To make matters worse, Fernandez wrote in her succeeding column in the "Manila Standard Today" that she was only being true to herself.

"Many people often find my direct attitude to be rude or obnoxious. I really don't mean to be anything but true to myself," she said.

"Now, I seriously ask you, am I being a diva or are people around me just lacking in common sense? Perhaps it's a little of both!" she added.

Her statements further enraged the Filipino workers. She later apologized.

“I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world,” Fernandez said in her latest statement on the online version of Manila Standard Today.

She added: “I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked.
It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.”

Fernandez admitted being insensitive and offensive, as she apologized to the OFWs for whatever she had written.

Sought for an interview by ABS-CBN, Fernandez declined.

She, however, sent a letter, saying, "I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest.”

Not yet finished
Meanwhile, abs-cbnNEWS.com received dozens of feedback e-mails against Fernandez after news broke out about her anti-OFW statements.

“We are already having a hard time here working under the hot climate, then we get a strong below the belt blow by our own kabayan who has totally no idea on being an OFW,” Francis Sangalang wrote from Dubai.

Another OFW, who declined to be named, said: “I seldom come across articles that bring my blood pressure up to a record high. This article by Malu
Fernandez has led me to set a new personal record. To say that this is ‘nakakakunsumi’ (troubling) is an understatement of the highest degree.”

The special blog was also created to compile comments against Fernandez. The comments ranged from defending her column as being about perfumes to to downright below the belt statements.

Contract worker Florencio Laron wrote from Saudi Arabia and said, "All I have to say is that may breeding siya (masama nga lang) (only, it's bad) and she [doesn’t] deserve to be a Filipino.”

An anonymous e-mail sender, meanwhile, said, “Her side comments were uncalled for. She should have kept them to herself. This is bigotry at its purest. What’s worst is she did it to her fellow Filipinos. The bad part is her pathetic attempt to justify what she wrote.”

Information from the Web site of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said a total of 462,545 OFWs or 58 percent of the total number of Filipinos employed abroad were in the Middle East as of last year.

Last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said OFWs sent a total of US$12.6 billion in remittances to their families in the Philippines.

Statement from Malu Fernandez on the OFW Controversy

2007-08-23T19:58:00.000+08:00

Statement from Malu Fernandez on the OFW Controversy

I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled 'From Boracay to Greece!' which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.

As the recent recipient and target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults, I now truly understand the insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor. Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions. It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred ( against overweight individuals , for example )

I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest.

san miguel purefoods mom's kitchen ready to eat adobo

2007-08-14T18:10:00.001+08:00

got a container of san miguel purefoods new frozen food product, Mom's Kitchen. they have adobo, callos, patatim.

i got the adobo. you could either microwave it or re-fry it. i re-fried mine. the cooking directions said that you add a little oil but i didn't coz i know that adobo already has oil in it. i fried it until it was a bit dry, that way it becomes a bit crispy. what i also did was i sprinkled some oregano and rosemary on it and it smelled and tasted great!

it's a great product for those who want to eat right away and can't cook, either at home or at the office.

check it out in your suking grocery.

The Wrath of (Mayor Fred) Lim

2007-08-14T15:24:00.000+08:00

my good kabalen, spanky, posted his blog in one of our email groups about the news item on newly elected Manila Mayor Lim wanting to remove all establishments along the baywalk area.

true to his word, Mayor Lim aka Dirty Harry took down all of the bars located along the stretch of the baywalk area, which were enjoying good business during the term of former Mayor Atienza.

yesteday morning, after i dropped off my wife at the US embassy for her interview, i drove down the boulevard on my way to cavite. as i was driving, i remembered my friend's post and decided to take pictures of the now empty baywalk. using my nokia N70 and using the 'sport' setting, i took some pictures as i was driving by.

here are the pictures that i took:

now, if they took down the fake hanging shark and the dinosaurs, how come the giant coffee cup of cafe puro hasn't been torn down yet? same goes for the coffee/snack bar at the end of the baywalk towards the manila yacht club.

when i used to work at the manila hotel, i knew how terrible traffic was along the boulevard, especially on saturdays when bro. mike velarde and his "fan club" would hold their prayer meetings at the quirino grandstand. it's good that they've moved their gathering to the land owned by bro. mike along sucat road, not far from sm sucat. the baywalk then was dark and you would think twice if you wanted to take sunset or early evening stroll.

when former Mayor Atienza allowed bars to be set up along the baywalk, the place came alive. lots of people suddenly appreciated the area at night. the place lit up. as a hotelier, i too learned to appreciate the idea of using the baywalk as an entertainment area. it attracted both local and foreign tourists to the area. it was a place to be for some beers and stories among friends.

Mayor Lim said that it wasn't political, he was just implementing the law. we don't know the 'real' reason behind the demolition but we hope that they would reconsider what they did.

New favorite weekend lunch place

2007-08-14T14:45:00.000+08:00

my wife and i have a new favorite weeked lunch place in makati. it's the mongolian quick stop, located at the ground floor of waltermart, makati city.

for P245 per person, you can have their all-you-can-eat mongolian barbeque. you fill up your bowl with egg and/or vermicelli noodles, veggies and meats; then you could either make your own sauce combinaton or choose from their own combinations (regular, sweet, spicy or sweet and spicy).

aside from their all-you-can-eat, they also have the quick bowl, which is one serving of their mongolian menu. you load up your bowl with noodles (egg and/or vermicelli), rice and veggies, and then you hand over your bowl to their attendant and they put your choice of meats (beef, chicken, pork), squid, fish balls and squid balls. then they ask you what sauce you want (regular, sweet, spicy, sweet and spicy).

then there's the quick box which is a smaller serving of their quick bowl. they do the toppings for you and they ask you for your choice of sauce.

they also have other items on their menu like sze chuan rice toppings, friend chicken, pork bbq, grilled squid.

unfortunately, i'm not the same buffet eater i used to be. halfway through my second bowl, it was becoming a challenge to finish it. back in my days, i could go for a fourth bowl. the last time i had a mongolian bbq all-you-can-eat was at summer place bar in boracay, when i was still working in the island.

although their range of ingredients is not as extensive as kublai's rock, it's still a good alternative, especially since it's not as crowded and you don't have the lack of parking slots compared to magallanes center.

so, if you want to satisfy your hunger pangs and go on an eating binge, check out mongolian quick stop.

newbie

2007-08-13T12:08:00.000+08:00

after meeting a few bloggers last week, it got me thinking of finally setting up my own blog. some friends of mine already have their own blog sites.

i am a member of quite a few email groups, 14 to be exact. i moderate 3 and i own 4. and i post or forward a lot emails to these groups.

i have been visiting a lot of blog sites especially when the subject matters are food, travel, movies, gadgets, photography and music. one author even encouraged me to put up my own after i left a comment in her blog site.

so to those who are 'veterans' in the blog world, a little advice, some words of encouragement or tips and tricks would be appreciated to help this newbie.

thanks!

I got a C!

2007-08-13T11:51:00.000+08:00

I checked out Eugene Villar's site, Lakbayan: How much of the Philippines have you visited (http://forge.codedgraphic.com/lakbayan/) to see how many places I have been to in our motherland.

And I got a C! My good friend and cabalen, Spanky aka Manila Boy (http://spankyenriquez.blogspot.com/) got a B-.

Here's my map. Check it out and get your grade

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.