...and Meryl Streep gets nominated for the 18th time for August: Osage County. She adds to the record of most Oscar acting nominations that she already holds; next on the list are both Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson with 12 each.
With a lot of strong female performances this year and with Meryl just winning her third Oscar two years ago for the Iron Lady, there was a lot of talk that she may not be nominated this year. I haven't seen the film yet but with what her co-stars and her director were saying, it seems that she put in yet another master class in acting. Here are some interesting quotes from this interview of the Men of August: Osage County.
Chris Cooper: "You can't imagine her talent unless you're on-set when the camera is rolling, take after take after take, and see the variety that she brings to each take. It's astounding."
Director John Wells: "The biggest problem that I didn't anticipate is that what she's doing can be so interesting that occasionally, other actors would forget to continue to act and drop lines and just be watching. And I could come in and say 'I know you're off camera but you actually have to continue to act.'"
Meryl is definitely not going to win - Cate Blanchett almost has that in the bag - but I'm glad to see that despite Streep fatigue, the Academy still rewarded her unimaginable talent with yet another nomination. Makes me wonder how many nominations Meryl will end up having. I am still hoping that she wins at least one more acting Oscar before she ends her career.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Trip to Clark
The Ber months last 2013 proved to be very busy and very stressful. I badly needed some me-time away from the noise of the city so I decided to go to Clark. Partly because I hadn't been there in a while and partly so that I would have an opportunity to do some duty free shopping right before Christmas. :) I used the voucher for Hotel Stotsenberg that I purchased some months back. I had seen photos of this hotel before and it looked interesting so I thought it was worth a visit.
Based on my stay here, I would say it was just okay. The room is pretty spacious but it does feel a bit old. Unfortunately, I slept through my alarm and missed the free breakfast so I can't comment on how good it is. WiFi in the room is free for one device; for any additional device that you want to connect, you have to pay around P120 which would be good for 24 hours or more, if I recall correctly.
I saw a sign for Giada's Cafe and Kitchen while I was driving along M. A. Roxas Highway. I didn't really have any any specific plans of where I would eat that night so I figured this would be a good place to try.
The waitress told me that the special of the day (P349) was the Baby Back Ribs and it came with soup and salad. By some strange stroke of luck, the baby back ribs is exactly what I wanted to order so I opted for the special instead. It's not a very good photo but it tasted really good.
I wanted to eat in C' Italian Dining for lunch the next day after checking out of the hotel. I don't have GPS so it took me a while to find it but when I did, I discovered that it had already closed down. Darn! I wasted a lot of time looking for it so I then decided to just drive to the Duty Free area and have lunch there. Unfortunately, it turns out that the only restos there are McDonald's and Chowking LOL. I didn't want to have to drive back out and look for a better place to eat so I ended up just having lunch in McDonald's before heading to Pure Gold.
I planned to buy a lot of stuff but somehow I ended up just getting a few bags of chocolates, a couple of cans of Pringles (I got the Honey Mustard and Four Cheese since I hadn't seen nor tried these flavors before), and a few biscuits that my mom purchased there a few years ago that she liked. Clearly, I wasn't all "shopped" out yet so on my way home, I stopped by a couple of gasoline stations along NLEX, not to gas up, but to visit the outlet malls and shopping centers there. While I was initially planning to get something from Nike, Adidas or Puma, I ended up getting a DC Shoes shirt.
I got back to Manila in the late afternoon so hung out a bit in Trinoma before heading to Romulo's at 7:30 PM, in time for dinner with my high school and college friends. I really enjoy these solo-flight, out-of-town trips so hopefully I can do this more often.
Based on my stay here, I would say it was just okay. The room is pretty spacious but it does feel a bit old. Unfortunately, I slept through my alarm and missed the free breakfast so I can't comment on how good it is. WiFi in the room is free for one device; for any additional device that you want to connect, you have to pay around P120 which would be good for 24 hours or more, if I recall correctly.
I saw a sign for Giada's Cafe and Kitchen while I was driving along M. A. Roxas Highway. I didn't really have any any specific plans of where I would eat that night so I figured this would be a good place to try.
The waitress told me that the special of the day (P349) was the Baby Back Ribs and it came with soup and salad. By some strange stroke of luck, the baby back ribs is exactly what I wanted to order so I opted for the special instead. It's not a very good photo but it tasted really good.
Baby Back Ribs
Soup and Salad, part of the Set Menu
I wanted to eat in C' Italian Dining for lunch the next day after checking out of the hotel. I don't have GPS so it took me a while to find it but when I did, I discovered that it had already closed down. Darn! I wasted a lot of time looking for it so I then decided to just drive to the Duty Free area and have lunch there. Unfortunately, it turns out that the only restos there are McDonald's and Chowking LOL. I didn't want to have to drive back out and look for a better place to eat so I ended up just having lunch in McDonald's before heading to Pure Gold.
I planned to buy a lot of stuff but somehow I ended up just getting a few bags of chocolates, a couple of cans of Pringles (I got the Honey Mustard and Four Cheese since I hadn't seen nor tried these flavors before), and a few biscuits that my mom purchased there a few years ago that she liked. Clearly, I wasn't all "shopped" out yet so on my way home, I stopped by a couple of gasoline stations along NLEX, not to gas up, but to visit the outlet malls and shopping centers there. While I was initially planning to get something from Nike, Adidas or Puma, I ended up getting a DC Shoes shirt.
I got back to Manila in the late afternoon so hung out a bit in Trinoma before heading to Romulo's at 7:30 PM, in time for dinner with my high school and college friends. I really enjoy these solo-flight, out-of-town trips so hopefully I can do this more often.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Fun, food-filled weekend
It was as if I was still right smack in the middle of the Christmas season as the last weekend brought with it lots of food enjoyed with great friends. Alvin and Doray moved to their new place recently and last Friday, they invited us over for dinner. While they ordered food from Boon Tong Kee for our main course, they themselves prepared the salad and the dessert (rocky road ice cream served over corn flakes and with a hazelnut biscuit. Pretty sophisticated!) I should have also taken note of the wine they served because it was quite good. We talked about a whole lot of stuff, from showbiz gossip to online deal vouchers we've purchased and we even tried out the slowmo camera capability of the iPhone 5s LOL. It was close to midnight when we finally called it a night.
I spent most of the next day in SM Aura. My friend Jesse was in town and we decided to meet up in SM Aura since a lot of the gang hadn't been there yet and some folks requested that we meet in BGC. It started out with just me, Jesse, and Tim having afternoon coffee and merienda in Shine Bakery and Cafe. While Jesse and I ordered sweets (she had a cupcake and I got an eclair), Tim opted for a savory dish and got the Spanish sardines. At close to 6pm, the rest of the gang texted us to say that they were on their way so we decided to move to a new place for dinner. We eventually ended up in Mesa since Jesse wanted to have crispy pata. Once everyone was there, we all started talking about potential out-of-town plans this year and people started getting excited about it. Not sure if the plans will push through but I hope they do. :)
We capped off the night with more food. :) I took everyone to The Royal Touch so we could have dessert. There were nine of us and each of us ordered a different cupcake and we all got try a little bit of everything. I think my current favorite is the Apple Crumble cupcake which is one of their bestsellers. I was raving about The Royal Touch so much during the day that I was worried that I raised everyone's expectations too much. I shouldn't have worried since it lived it up to the hype. :) Before heading home, I decided to get a box of 10 of their mini-cupcakes so I could try out a couple more flavors and give the rest to my family.
I spent most of the next day in SM Aura. My friend Jesse was in town and we decided to meet up in SM Aura since a lot of the gang hadn't been there yet and some folks requested that we meet in BGC. It started out with just me, Jesse, and Tim having afternoon coffee and merienda in Shine Bakery and Cafe. While Jesse and I ordered sweets (she had a cupcake and I got an eclair), Tim opted for a savory dish and got the Spanish sardines. At close to 6pm, the rest of the gang texted us to say that they were on their way so we decided to move to a new place for dinner. We eventually ended up in Mesa since Jesse wanted to have crispy pata. Once everyone was there, we all started talking about potential out-of-town plans this year and people started getting excited about it. Not sure if the plans will push through but I hope they do. :)
We capped off the night with more food. :) I took everyone to The Royal Touch so we could have dessert. There were nine of us and each of us ordered a different cupcake and we all got try a little bit of everything. I think my current favorite is the Apple Crumble cupcake which is one of their bestsellers. I was raving about The Royal Touch so much during the day that I was worried that I raised everyone's expectations too much. I shouldn't have worried since it lived it up to the hype. :) Before heading home, I decided to get a box of 10 of their mini-cupcakes so I could try out a couple more flavors and give the rest to my family.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
The LEGO Movie
I am really looking forward to this!
video uploaded in youtube by WarnerBrosPictures
The LEGO Movie will be in cinemas on February 7, just a couple of weeks from now. Can't wait! :)
video uploaded in youtube by WarnerBrosPictures
The LEGO Movie will be in cinemas on February 7, just a couple of weeks from now. Can't wait! :)
Monday, January 13, 2014
1,000!
Another year, another milestone. This is my 1,000th blog post! Amazing. :) I've had busy months and slow periods but over the last nine years, I have been able to write one blog post every three and a half days on average.
Probably the greatest use of my blog is when I have friends who are traveling to places I have visited in the last several years. One of my friends went to Iceland and picked up on some good things to do and places to visit from my blog. Another friend was going to Oslo and he was thinking whether he should go to Bergen or not. He only had a few days in Norway so he was inclined not to go. When he read about my Bergen and Norway in a Nutshell tour experiences, he decided to go. Another friend traveled to Brunei and found my posts and proposed itinerary quite useful. I shared my South Korea trip to friends who also traveled there and some other folks were inspired to visit Batanes and Russia because of what I wrote about those places. Cool!
Can't believe I've managed to remain active even after almost nine years of blogging. In fact, I think I've become a bit more prolific in the last year or so. I'm not that far away from my next milestone - my 10 year anniversary. I am definitely looking forward to that. :)
Probably the greatest use of my blog is when I have friends who are traveling to places I have visited in the last several years. One of my friends went to Iceland and picked up on some good things to do and places to visit from my blog. Another friend was going to Oslo and he was thinking whether he should go to Bergen or not. He only had a few days in Norway so he was inclined not to go. When he read about my Bergen and Norway in a Nutshell tour experiences, he decided to go. Another friend traveled to Brunei and found my posts and proposed itinerary quite useful. I shared my South Korea trip to friends who also traveled there and some other folks were inspired to visit Batanes and Russia because of what I wrote about those places. Cool!
Can't believe I've managed to remain active even after almost nine years of blogging. In fact, I think I've become a bit more prolific in the last year or so. I'm not that far away from my next milestone - my 10 year anniversary. I am definitely looking forward to that. :)
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Java Jazz Coffee
I learned about Java Jazz Coffee from tripadvisor, where it is currently ranked #3 among restaurants in Tagaytay. After reading more about this place, seeing pictures online, and checking out reviews, I knew I had to visit. And might I say, it definitely lived up to the hype.
The main thing that drew me here was the fact that there is an art gallery inside. The Java Jazz Coffee Shop Blogspot calls it "Sining sa Sahig" or "Art on the Floor". The low, angled ceiling doesn't provide a lot of space on which to hang the artwork so several paintings are just standing on the floor and set against the wall.
It's a small restaurant so there were only a couple dozen pieces on display, but that meant that I was able to spend more time carefully looking at and appreciating each painting. I didn't ask but I'm guessing that at least some of the pieces there are for sale.
I already had a few cups of coffee earlier in the day so while in Java Jazz, I decided to order the Tsokolate - Eh! (P85). This is pure tablea chocolate served without milk. I like my Filipino chocolate to be more on the bitter, strong-flavored side and I found this to be a bit too sweet but it was still pretty good. I paired it with a chocolate chip cookie (which cost around P20-25, I think).
There were a lot of Filipino sweets for sale there so I decided to buy a box of chocolate-coated cookies-and-cream flavored polvoron. I ate one there and I took home the rest. It was my first time to try chocolate-coated polvoron and despite my sugar overload that afternoon, I quite enjoyed it.
Adding to the quirkiness and cool-factor of this restaurant was the fact that the men's toilet featured some pretty interesting (and appropriate) art. :)
I spent the afternoon here soaking in the art and ambience, reading a book, and listening to classical music on my ipod (how cultured! LOL). Java Jazz Coffee is a perfect hideaway where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city while enjoying a cup of coffee or hot chocolate (their menu also includes a variety of other items such as pasta and rice bowls). I can understand why this place has been rated very highly and I am now a fan myself. I am definitely visiting Java Jazz again.
Java Jazz Coffee
442 Tagaytay-Calamba Road, Sungay West
Tagaytay City, Cavite, Philippines
Tel. No. (046)8602699
Directions: From the Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road, turn left onto Tagaytay-Calamba road heading towards Picnic Grove and People's Park. Java Jazz Coffee will be on the left side of the road, right before Ina ng Laging Saklolo Church, Keni Po, and T House.
The main thing that drew me here was the fact that there is an art gallery inside. The Java Jazz Coffee Shop Blogspot calls it "Sining sa Sahig" or "Art on the Floor". The low, angled ceiling doesn't provide a lot of space on which to hang the artwork so several paintings are just standing on the floor and set against the wall.
It's a small restaurant so there were only a couple dozen pieces on display, but that meant that I was able to spend more time carefully looking at and appreciating each painting. I didn't ask but I'm guessing that at least some of the pieces there are for sale.
I already had a few cups of coffee earlier in the day so while in Java Jazz, I decided to order the Tsokolate - Eh! (P85). This is pure tablea chocolate served without milk. I like my Filipino chocolate to be more on the bitter, strong-flavored side and I found this to be a bit too sweet but it was still pretty good. I paired it with a chocolate chip cookie (which cost around P20-25, I think).
There were a lot of Filipino sweets for sale there so I decided to buy a box of chocolate-coated cookies-and-cream flavored polvoron. I ate one there and I took home the rest. It was my first time to try chocolate-coated polvoron and despite my sugar overload that afternoon, I quite enjoyed it.
Adding to the quirkiness and cool-factor of this restaurant was the fact that the men's toilet featured some pretty interesting (and appropriate) art. :)
I spent the afternoon here soaking in the art and ambience, reading a book, and listening to classical music on my ipod (how cultured! LOL). Java Jazz Coffee is a perfect hideaway where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city while enjoying a cup of coffee or hot chocolate (their menu also includes a variety of other items such as pasta and rice bowls). I can understand why this place has been rated very highly and I am now a fan myself. I am definitely visiting Java Jazz again.
Java Jazz Coffee
442 Tagaytay-Calamba Road, Sungay West
Tagaytay City, Cavite, Philippines
Tel. No. (046)8602699
Directions: From the Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road, turn left onto Tagaytay-Calamba road heading towards Picnic Grove and People's Park. Java Jazz Coffee will be on the left side of the road, right before Ina ng Laging Saklolo Church, Keni Po, and T House.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Mano's Greek Taverna
I've seen Mano's Greek Taverna on multiple occasions since it is located right along Calamba Road just a short distance from the Rotonda. I enjoy Greek food so I thought it would make sense to try this place out.
I wanted to have the Spanakopita, which is a savory spinach pie, for my appetizer but it was unavailable. So instead I ordered the Keftedes (P190) or Greek meatballs. I thought these were just okay. It could have done with a bit more flavor.
One of my favorite Mediterranean dishes is Moussaka (P300). The ones I've tried before are mainly eggplant-based but the one in Mano's also has potato. I found this a bit overpriced since you can get really good moussaka in Cyma for the same price (P290) and in Cafe Mediterranean for a lot less (P190). (Or maybe that's just because I have come to realized that I prefer moussaka without potato.)
The restaurant interior is quite simple but it is interesting to note that the tables are covered in blue and white, matching the colors of the Greek flag.
I don't know if it was just for that evening, but they didn't accept credit cards when I was there so if you choose to dine here, make sure you have enough cash to cover your meal. It's probably not the best restaurant in Tagaytay but I don't think there are a lot of other Greek options in the area so if you are there for a while, then I guess it's worth a visit just to change things up. Since I wasn't wowed by the food that I tried, if you do visit Mano's, I would suggest that you try something other than what I ordered, like the shawarma or the souvlaki.
I wanted to have the Spanakopita, which is a savory spinach pie, for my appetizer but it was unavailable. So instead I ordered the Keftedes (P190) or Greek meatballs. I thought these were just okay. It could have done with a bit more flavor.
One of my favorite Mediterranean dishes is Moussaka (P300). The ones I've tried before are mainly eggplant-based but the one in Mano's also has potato. I found this a bit overpriced since you can get really good moussaka in Cyma for the same price (P290) and in Cafe Mediterranean for a lot less (P190). (Or maybe that's just because I have come to realized that I prefer moussaka without potato.)
The restaurant interior is quite simple but it is interesting to note that the tables are covered in blue and white, matching the colors of the Greek flag.
I don't know if it was just for that evening, but they didn't accept credit cards when I was there so if you choose to dine here, make sure you have enough cash to cover your meal. It's probably not the best restaurant in Tagaytay but I don't think there are a lot of other Greek options in the area so if you are there for a while, then I guess it's worth a visit just to change things up. Since I wasn't wowed by the food that I tried, if you do visit Mano's, I would suggest that you try something other than what I ordered, like the shawarma or the souvlaki.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Chine
Chine is a Chinese restaurant in Casino Filipino. It currently has a 4 1/2 star rating in Trip Advisor and some reviews talked about this place having the best dimsum in Tagaytay. Feasting on dimsum sounded like a great idea so I included this resto in my food trip itinerary. While it seemed like a good plan, it didn't exactly turn out the way I hoped.
Before I got there, I was planning to stuff myself on multiple plates of dimsum like siomai, hakaw, and beancurd roll which is what I normally do when I eat in Causeway. However, when I saw the menu, I realized that the dimsum menu was very limited. I think it had siomai, wonton, and siopao. That wasn't really what I had in mind so I changed my plan and instead opted for one order of dimsum and a main course. I ordered the Pork and Shrimp Siomai which was pretty good, although I think the Causeway siomai is still better (and cheaper, even without the 50% off).
I also ordered the Minced Pork with Lettuce. (Unfortunately, I forgot to note down the exact names of the dishes I ordered and I also lost my receipt so I don't know how much each item cost.) I'm not exactly sure what ingredients were mixed in with the meat but it had a lot of flavor, similar to what you would get in Chinese restaurants in Metro Manila.
I remember spending around P500-600 for these two items plus a Coke Zero so it is a bit on the expensive side. While the food is good, the ambience is definitely not up to par. It does photograph well from a distance but a closer look will make you realize that it isn't exactly the cleanest place and they could do with new table linens.
I wouldn't recommend that you go out of your way to have a meal in Chine. The food is good but the restaurant is a bit dingy (and the restroom here really sucks). If you are already in Casino Filipino and you don't feel like heading out for a meal, then this is a good option for you. I'm guessing that it has good reviews online because people in the casino can order from the restaurant which allows them to enjoy some dimsum and Chinese food while gambling the day and night away.
Chine at Casino Filipino
Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City
Casino Filipino is located right across Taal Vista Hotel
Before I got there, I was planning to stuff myself on multiple plates of dimsum like siomai, hakaw, and beancurd roll which is what I normally do when I eat in Causeway. However, when I saw the menu, I realized that the dimsum menu was very limited. I think it had siomai, wonton, and siopao. That wasn't really what I had in mind so I changed my plan and instead opted for one order of dimsum and a main course. I ordered the Pork and Shrimp Siomai which was pretty good, although I think the Causeway siomai is still better (and cheaper, even without the 50% off).
I also ordered the Minced Pork with Lettuce. (Unfortunately, I forgot to note down the exact names of the dishes I ordered and I also lost my receipt so I don't know how much each item cost.) I'm not exactly sure what ingredients were mixed in with the meat but it had a lot of flavor, similar to what you would get in Chinese restaurants in Metro Manila.
I remember spending around P500-600 for these two items plus a Coke Zero so it is a bit on the expensive side. While the food is good, the ambience is definitely not up to par. It does photograph well from a distance but a closer look will make you realize that it isn't exactly the cleanest place and they could do with new table linens.
I wouldn't recommend that you go out of your way to have a meal in Chine. The food is good but the restaurant is a bit dingy (and the restroom here really sucks). If you are already in Casino Filipino and you don't feel like heading out for a meal, then this is a good option for you. I'm guessing that it has good reviews online because people in the casino can order from the restaurant which allows them to enjoy some dimsum and Chinese food while gambling the day and night away.
Chine at Casino Filipino
Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City
Casino Filipino is located right across Taal Vista Hotel
Thursday, January 09, 2014
Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Breakfast at Antonio's
This wasn't the first time I had a meal in Breakfast at Antonio's. When I had lunch there back in 2008, I felt it was overrated. Nevertheless, me being the big fan of breakfast food that I am, I decided I wanted to give it another try. Thankfully, I did because I just did a complete 180! Maybe I ordered the wrong thing the first time I was there, or maybe they had a bad day. Whatever the case, this time around I became a massive fan.
I got there mid-afternoon and I still hadn't had lunch yet so I was pretty hungry when I arrived. I ordered the Roesti with Bacon, Swiss Cheese & Over Easy Eggs (P320). And wow, this dish is soooo exceptionally good!
The potatoes (roesti is a Swiss potato pancake) served as the base and every other ingredient was delicately and carefully piled on top of it. The eggs were perfectly cooked and I loved how the yolk just gently oozed out into the rest of the dish as I cut it up. You could taste every single ingredient, from the silky egg to the crisp and salty bacon to the flavorful cheese to the delicious potatoes and everything just worked perfectly together. This Bacon Roesti has now been elevated to one of my favorite dishes and it makes me want to go back to Tagaytay just so I can have it again. :)
The dish came with freshly baked bread and it should be enough to fill anyone's stomach but I was committed to trying another item on the menu so I also ordered the Apple Pie (215) for dessert.
It's actually quite a big apple pie and it can be shared by 2-3 people or more. The pie crust was soft and flaky although I do think it was a bit too thick. Clearly, I wasn't able to eat everything so I took the rest back to my hotel and enjoyed it later that night.
Breakfast at Antonio's also serves bottomless brewed coffee (P180). I had a few cups of coffee to complement my roesti and apple pie. To make the overall dining experience here even better, the service was incredible. I guess it helped that there were just a few other customers there at the time. :)
This is one restaurant I am definitely visiting again!
Breakfast at Antonio's
Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Bagong Tubig
Tagaytay City
Phone number +63 (46) 413-0738
You can check out the map here.
I got there mid-afternoon and I still hadn't had lunch yet so I was pretty hungry when I arrived. I ordered the Roesti with Bacon, Swiss Cheese & Over Easy Eggs (P320). And wow, this dish is soooo exceptionally good!
The potatoes (roesti is a Swiss potato pancake) served as the base and every other ingredient was delicately and carefully piled on top of it. The eggs were perfectly cooked and I loved how the yolk just gently oozed out into the rest of the dish as I cut it up. You could taste every single ingredient, from the silky egg to the crisp and salty bacon to the flavorful cheese to the delicious potatoes and everything just worked perfectly together. This Bacon Roesti has now been elevated to one of my favorite dishes and it makes me want to go back to Tagaytay just so I can have it again. :)
The dish came with freshly baked bread and it should be enough to fill anyone's stomach but I was committed to trying another item on the menu so I also ordered the Apple Pie (215) for dessert.
It's actually quite a big apple pie and it can be shared by 2-3 people or more. The pie crust was soft and flaky although I do think it was a bit too thick. Clearly, I wasn't able to eat everything so I took the rest back to my hotel and enjoyed it later that night.
Breakfast at Antonio's also serves bottomless brewed coffee (P180). I had a few cups of coffee to complement my roesti and apple pie. To make the overall dining experience here even better, the service was incredible. I guess it helped that there were just a few other customers there at the time. :)
This is one restaurant I am definitely visiting again!
Breakfast at Antonio's
Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Bagong Tubig
Tagaytay City
Phone number +63 (46) 413-0738
You can check out the map here.
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
Tagaytay Food Trip Part 2
I had a surprisingly great time when I did my first Tagaytay Food Trip a couple of years ago that I decided to do it again. My food trip this time around consisted of the following:
1. Breakfast at Antonio's
2. Chine
3. Mano's Greek Taverna
4. Chateau Hestia
5. Restaurant Verbena
6. Bag of Beans
7. Java Jazz Coffee
I'll have separate blog posts about the places I didn't go to during my first trip. I did revisit a few places, though. I had dinner in Chateau Hestia and this time, I ordered the Set Menu (P795). It was supposed to come with a specific soup, salad, main course, and dessert but I was told by the waiter that I could replace almost all of these items with something else on the menu. I ended up replacing the Viennese Potato soup with the Lobster Bisque, which was very flavorful and had small bits of lobster in it.
I stuck with the Hestia Garden Salad...
and the main course, the Rinds Rouladen or beef roulade filled with onion, bacon, mustard and parsley and flavored by its own sauce. This was pretty good and once again, the portion size was quite hefty.
For dessert, I had Panna Cotta, which was light and creamy and topped with their home-grown passion fruit jam. Together with coffee, this provided the perfect ending to a very good meal.
My return trip to Restaurant Verbena was a bit different since I had a friend who was also in Tagaytay at the same time and we decided to have lunch there together. We ordered the Black Truffle Risotto (~P590) which doesn't seem to be on the menu anymore (I took this trip several months ago). I love risotto and you can't go wrong with truffle oil and panchetta in the same dish.
For our main course, we decided to share a Grilled US Angus Rib Eye (P2000+). Pretty good steak. :)
I will say though that I enjoyed my first meal in Restaurant Verbena more. If I do a third food trip, I may re-order the Verbena sampler. :)
I also enjoyed some coffee and dessert in Bag of Beans, but this time in visited their place near the rotonda. I ordered their bottomless Brewed Barako (P120) and their Chocolate Mousse (P110). The mousse I had came straight from the freezer (I'm guessing they all do?) so I had to let it thaw a bit first but it was pretty good.
Next post: Breakfast at Antonio's.
1. Breakfast at Antonio's
2. Chine
3. Mano's Greek Taverna
4. Chateau Hestia
5. Restaurant Verbena
6. Bag of Beans
7. Java Jazz Coffee
I'll have separate blog posts about the places I didn't go to during my first trip. I did revisit a few places, though. I had dinner in Chateau Hestia and this time, I ordered the Set Menu (P795). It was supposed to come with a specific soup, salad, main course, and dessert but I was told by the waiter that I could replace almost all of these items with something else on the menu. I ended up replacing the Viennese Potato soup with the Lobster Bisque, which was very flavorful and had small bits of lobster in it.
I stuck with the Hestia Garden Salad...
and the main course, the Rinds Rouladen or beef roulade filled with onion, bacon, mustard and parsley and flavored by its own sauce. This was pretty good and once again, the portion size was quite hefty.
For dessert, I had Panna Cotta, which was light and creamy and topped with their home-grown passion fruit jam. Together with coffee, this provided the perfect ending to a very good meal.
My return trip to Restaurant Verbena was a bit different since I had a friend who was also in Tagaytay at the same time and we decided to have lunch there together. We ordered the Black Truffle Risotto (~P590) which doesn't seem to be on the menu anymore (I took this trip several months ago). I love risotto and you can't go wrong with truffle oil and panchetta in the same dish.
For our main course, we decided to share a Grilled US Angus Rib Eye (P2000+). Pretty good steak. :)
I will say though that I enjoyed my first meal in Restaurant Verbena more. If I do a third food trip, I may re-order the Verbena sampler. :)
I also enjoyed some coffee and dessert in Bag of Beans, but this time in visited their place near the rotonda. I ordered their bottomless Brewed Barako (P120) and their Chocolate Mousse (P110). The mousse I had came straight from the freezer (I'm guessing they all do?) so I had to let it thaw a bit first but it was pretty good.
Next post: Breakfast at Antonio's.
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
Customer Service Surprise at Conti's
Last December 30, I passed by Conti's Greenhills to place an advanced order for their party-size American Grilled Ribs. The plan was for me to pick the food up at 4pm on December 31 so that it would serve as our dinner and media noche on New Year.
I arrived at Conti's on December 31 and I'm given a number for the pre-order pick-up queue. Once it was my turn to be served, I was not pleased when they told me that there was some mix-up in the dispatch of food and my order seemed to have been given to someone else. Ugh!!! They told me that my order was already being prepared but that it would take another 15-20 minutes before I get served. At that point, I had already been in Conti's for 20 minutes and given that I had to do a couple more errands that afternoon, I really wasn't happy to be kept waiting even longer.
Around 11 people who were in the queue after me were served - most of them with big orders! - before my food finally arrived. At some point, the manager spoke to me and apologized for the delay. I left Conti's feeling disappointed.
Anyway, several days later, I go back to that same Conti's to place an order for their party-size Baked Prawns and Chicken Pastel for my nephew's birthday celebration at home. (Conti's Baked Prawns are my nephew's favorite so I had to order it for him.) When I pick up my order, the manager approached me and told me that it was she who spoke to me on the 31st when I had a problem with my order. She felt bad that she was not able to give me anything at the time so she then handed me two boxes of brownies and told me they were complimentary, to compensate for the delay in my food order. Cool! It may have been several days late but I really appreciated the gesture (and the brownies). I also think it was great that they actually remembered that I had a bad experience there and tried to make amends the next time I was there.
The manager told me that they would be moving soon to a new location in Shaw. I do think the Greenhills location is much more accessible since you won't have to go through Shaw traffic but hopefully, the new location is bigger and has more parking options. In any case, I need to know where in Shaw the new store will be.
I arrived at Conti's on December 31 and I'm given a number for the pre-order pick-up queue. Once it was my turn to be served, I was not pleased when they told me that there was some mix-up in the dispatch of food and my order seemed to have been given to someone else. Ugh!!! They told me that my order was already being prepared but that it would take another 15-20 minutes before I get served. At that point, I had already been in Conti's for 20 minutes and given that I had to do a couple more errands that afternoon, I really wasn't happy to be kept waiting even longer.
Around 11 people who were in the queue after me were served - most of them with big orders! - before my food finally arrived. At some point, the manager spoke to me and apologized for the delay. I left Conti's feeling disappointed.
Anyway, several days later, I go back to that same Conti's to place an order for their party-size Baked Prawns and Chicken Pastel for my nephew's birthday celebration at home. (Conti's Baked Prawns are my nephew's favorite so I had to order it for him.) When I pick up my order, the manager approached me and told me that it was she who spoke to me on the 31st when I had a problem with my order. She felt bad that she was not able to give me anything at the time so she then handed me two boxes of brownies and told me they were complimentary, to compensate for the delay in my food order. Cool! It may have been several days late but I really appreciated the gesture (and the brownies). I also think it was great that they actually remembered that I had a bad experience there and tried to make amends the next time I was there.
The manager told me that they would be moving soon to a new location in Shaw. I do think the Greenhills location is much more accessible since you won't have to go through Shaw traffic but hopefully, the new location is bigger and has more parking options. In any case, I need to know where in Shaw the new store will be.
Monday, January 06, 2014
Nadal wins in Doha
What a great way to start the year. Rafael Nadal won the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, his first tournament of 2014, beating Gael Monfils in three sets in the final. He cements his position as world #1, adding 250 points to his current total and slightly increasing his lead over #2 Novak Djokovic. This win, on a hard court surface, should help Rafa's confidence as he heads into the Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam tournament.
Doha marks Nadal's 61st singles title, moving him to the 8th spot in the list of ATP tour titles won in the Open era. He is only three titles behind Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg now so there is a chance for Rafa to move to solo 5th in the list by the end of the year.
Doha marks Nadal's 61st singles title, moving him to the 8th spot in the list of ATP tour titles won in the Open era. He is only three titles behind Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg now so there is a chance for Rafa to move to solo 5th in the list by the end of the year.
Sunday, January 05, 2014
Dinner at URBN
I had a craving for cheese soufflé ever since I saw a soufflé challenge on an episode of Master Chef USA. I’ve had chocolate soufflés before but never a cheese one because I didn’t know where in Manila that I could get it. That is, until I stumbled upon a Deal Grocer voucher for URBN Bar and Kitchen a few months ago. I checked out the menu and saw that it had a cheese soufflé so I quickly bought a voucher. :)
When I finally made my way to URBN, I decided to get two items. For my appetizer, I obviously had to go with the Manchego Souffle (P395) to satisfy the craving I’ve had for months already. The photo doesn’t do it justice but I absolutely loved it! It has crispy Jamon Serrano and it is served with a healthy dose of truffle cream sauce. Wow.
For my main course, I got the Slow Cooked Beef Shank (P500). The beef was very tender and well-cooked and it tasted good. the portion was pretty sizeable. It was served on top of Fried Parmesan polenta and the saltiness of the polenta matched the richness of the beef very well. The green beans balanced out the entire dish. Since I already had an appetizer and the beef shank portion was quite big, I ended up eating only half of my main course and taking home the rest.
I am definitely going back to URBN at some point to have at least that Machego Souffle again. Hopefully another voucher becomes available on Deal Grocer so I can get the food at a good discount. :)
When I finally made my way to URBN, I decided to get two items. For my appetizer, I obviously had to go with the Manchego Souffle (P395) to satisfy the craving I’ve had for months already. The photo doesn’t do it justice but I absolutely loved it! It has crispy Jamon Serrano and it is served with a healthy dose of truffle cream sauce. Wow.
For my main course, I got the Slow Cooked Beef Shank (P500). The beef was very tender and well-cooked and it tasted good. the portion was pretty sizeable. It was served on top of Fried Parmesan polenta and the saltiness of the polenta matched the richness of the beef very well. The green beans balanced out the entire dish. Since I already had an appetizer and the beef shank portion was quite big, I ended up eating only half of my main course and taking home the rest.
I am definitely going back to URBN at some point to have at least that Machego Souffle again. Hopefully another voucher becomes available on Deal Grocer so I can get the food at a good discount. :)
Saturday, January 04, 2014
Youtube Rewind 2013
Here's a cool video that celebrates stuff that went viral on youtube as well as some of the most viewed youtube videos in 2013.
video courtesy of YouTube Spotlight
video courtesy of YouTube Spotlight
Friday, January 03, 2014
Mini Family Reunion
Last Rizal Day, I visited Mama, my grandmother on my father’s side, and Tito Raul who lives with and takes care of her. The last time I saw them both was when Tita Florence and Tito Mario celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary which was several months ago. Strangely enough, our extended family didn’t have a big family Christmas or New Year celebration so I decided to organize my own mini-reunion.
I thought it would be a good idea to buy groceries for them and as it turned out, Tito Raul told me that I probably had mental telepathy because a lot of the stuff I brought were things they liked or were planning to get. I brought fruit cocktail and Tito Raul told me that Mama really loves fruit salad and the salad he made for her a few days before was almost fully consumed. I also brought ingredients for spaghetti with meat sauce and Tito Raul told me that Mama had recently asked him to prepare spaghetti for her. Tita Raul also told me that he recently asked Tita Susan to send him a box of Swiss Miss (she now lives in the US) and I brought a box of Swiss Miss for them. Pretty amazing! I also brought a whole lot of other stuff (Mama also said she loves chocolates so the bag of assorted Hershey’s chocolates I brought was very well received) and that should last them at least a few weeks.
They live near Lourdes Church in Quezon City so we had an early dinner in Aristocrat Banawe which was just a 5-minute drive away. We ordered sotanghon guisado, fish fillet in sweet and sour sauce, laing, and of course chicken barbecue. After all, Aristocrat is the 'home of the best chicken barbecue in town'. :)
It was a good meal that all of us enjoyed. We clearly ordered more than we could eat at the time so Mama and Tito Raul took home the leftovers. Aristocrat Banawe is right next to Formosa bakeshop so after dinner, I got them a couple of bread items and yema cake.
It was such a great experience spending time with Mama and Tito Raul. I need to make sure I get to visit them a lot more often.
I thought it would be a good idea to buy groceries for them and as it turned out, Tito Raul told me that I probably had mental telepathy because a lot of the stuff I brought were things they liked or were planning to get. I brought fruit cocktail and Tito Raul told me that Mama really loves fruit salad and the salad he made for her a few days before was almost fully consumed. I also brought ingredients for spaghetti with meat sauce and Tito Raul told me that Mama had recently asked him to prepare spaghetti for her. Tita Raul also told me that he recently asked Tita Susan to send him a box of Swiss Miss (she now lives in the US) and I brought a box of Swiss Miss for them. Pretty amazing! I also brought a whole lot of other stuff (Mama also said she loves chocolates so the bag of assorted Hershey’s chocolates I brought was very well received) and that should last them at least a few weeks.
They live near Lourdes Church in Quezon City so we had an early dinner in Aristocrat Banawe which was just a 5-minute drive away. We ordered sotanghon guisado, fish fillet in sweet and sour sauce, laing, and of course chicken barbecue. After all, Aristocrat is the 'home of the best chicken barbecue in town'. :)
It was a good meal that all of us enjoyed. We clearly ordered more than we could eat at the time so Mama and Tito Raul took home the leftovers. Aristocrat Banawe is right next to Formosa bakeshop so after dinner, I got them a couple of bread items and yema cake.
It was such a great experience spending time with Mama and Tito Raul. I need to make sure I get to visit them a lot more often.
Thursday, January 02, 2014
New Year resolution?
For the nth time in the last few years, I am trying to get back into the habit of exercising regularly. I will always manage to get on the treadmill about 2-3 times a week for a few weeks then I somehow end up stopping for one reason or another and it takes a long while before I get to hit the gym again. Obviously, I'm not getting any younger so it becomes even more important for me to keep fit.
The question now is how long I can keep going to the gym now. I know I can exercise regularly since I've been able to do this in the past (albeit around 3-4 years ago). I now need to channel that experience and discipline and make sure I stay on the fitness path now.
The question now is how long I can keep going to the gym now. I know I can exercise regularly since I've been able to do this in the past (albeit around 3-4 years ago). I now need to channel that experience and discipline and make sure I stay on the fitness path now.
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
Happy 2014!
Happy New Year! :)
It’s amazing how many things happened in 2013. As I read though my blog, I realized that certain experiences that feel like they happened a couple of years ago actually happened in the last 365 days. Here’s a quick look back at some of the highlights (and lowlights) of the year that was.
Family time
My grandmother celebrated her 90th birthday, my aunt and uncle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and my nephew graduated grade school.
Travel
A couple of firsts: I traveled to Russia with my mom and I also took my family to Legoland Malaysia. We revisited Singapore and Universal Studios Singapore. I also went to the Hundred Islands for the first time since I was a little kid.
Entertainment
I watched The Killers, OneRepublic, Cecile Licad, the Philippine Madrigals, and the Little Singers of Monaco. From classical to pop to rock, it was a pretty eclectic set of concerts that I got to see and I enjoyed each and every one of them.
New experiences
Apart from visiting new places like Russia and Legoland, I also got to try several new things. Food: Pistachio Sans Rival of Delize, Dutch Bread Hauz, Opus (for dinner, not for drinks), the Wildflour Croissant-Donut, cupcakes from The Royal Touch, and Nomama Artisanal Ramen, among a whole lot of others that I didn’t write about. Services: Zalora, Big Bert’s Auto Detailing, and Kimstore. Hotels: Fraser Place, Crosswinds Tagaytay (which I have yet to write about), and Hotel Stotsenberg (which I also still haven’t written about yet).
Random experiences
I was forced into a ballroom dancing competition for the first time in my life, our bowling team won first place, I had a photobook party with my friends, I organized and participated in Tree Planting and Tree Nursery activities, and for the first time I got to write one blog post per day for an entire month (January).
Of course, there were things in 2013 that weren’t great. My aunt and my cousin passed away, we lost our dog and I had stomach problems and also back problems. On a bigger scale, the Philippines was beset by major calamities: the Visayas Earthquake and Yolanda. With the PDAF scandal and the Zamboanga siege, 2013 is probably a year that the country would love to say goodbye to.
The great thing about having a blog is that it also serves as an online diary. I can always look back at stuff that happened during the year and remember in pretty good detail the cool experiences I had. I’m definitely looking forward to experiencing and writing about more great stuff in 2014.
It’s amazing how many things happened in 2013. As I read though my blog, I realized that certain experiences that feel like they happened a couple of years ago actually happened in the last 365 days. Here’s a quick look back at some of the highlights (and lowlights) of the year that was.
Family time
My grandmother celebrated her 90th birthday, my aunt and uncle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and my nephew graduated grade school.
Travel
A couple of firsts: I traveled to Russia with my mom and I also took my family to Legoland Malaysia. We revisited Singapore and Universal Studios Singapore. I also went to the Hundred Islands for the first time since I was a little kid.
Entertainment
I watched The Killers, OneRepublic, Cecile Licad, the Philippine Madrigals, and the Little Singers of Monaco. From classical to pop to rock, it was a pretty eclectic set of concerts that I got to see and I enjoyed each and every one of them.
New experiences
Apart from visiting new places like Russia and Legoland, I also got to try several new things. Food: Pistachio Sans Rival of Delize, Dutch Bread Hauz, Opus (for dinner, not for drinks), the Wildflour Croissant-Donut, cupcakes from The Royal Touch, and Nomama Artisanal Ramen, among a whole lot of others that I didn’t write about. Services: Zalora, Big Bert’s Auto Detailing, and Kimstore. Hotels: Fraser Place, Crosswinds Tagaytay (which I have yet to write about), and Hotel Stotsenberg (which I also still haven’t written about yet).
Random experiences
I was forced into a ballroom dancing competition for the first time in my life, our bowling team won first place, I had a photobook party with my friends, I organized and participated in Tree Planting and Tree Nursery activities, and for the first time I got to write one blog post per day for an entire month (January).
Of course, there were things in 2013 that weren’t great. My aunt and my cousin passed away, we lost our dog and I had stomach problems and also back problems. On a bigger scale, the Philippines was beset by major calamities: the Visayas Earthquake and Yolanda. With the PDAF scandal and the Zamboanga siege, 2013 is probably a year that the country would love to say goodbye to.
The great thing about having a blog is that it also serves as an online diary. I can always look back at stuff that happened during the year and remember in pretty good detail the cool experiences I had. I’m definitely looking forward to experiencing and writing about more great stuff in 2014.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Pop Danthology 2013
Before we say goodbye to 2013, here is Daniel Kim's mash-up of the biggest hits of the last year.
video uploaded by kimaginati0n
video uploaded by kimaginati0n
Monday, December 30, 2013
The Royal Touch Gourmet Cupcakes
I finally got to go on Sunday afternoon. There is a huge variety of cupcakes here and I ended up getting a box of six with assorted flavors:
Clockwise from top-left: Princess Rose Petal Cupcake (P95), Chocolate Cherry Baronet Cupcake (P80), Caramel and Date Squire Cupcake (P90), Apple Duchess Cupcake (P80), Chocolate Strawberry Marchioness Cupcake (P80), and Red Velvet Empress Cupcake (P80)
I decided to have the Caramel and Date Squire Cupcake in the store and I paired it up with brewed coffee. The rest, I set aside for my family.
This Caramel and Date Squire Cupcake was pretty good. The icing was smooth and silky, the cake was moist and delicious, and the whole cupcake, including the bit of caramel at the top, was just the right amount of sweet. I've never had a cupcake with dates before so this was a first.
While these cupcakes are not cheap, they aren't more expensive than a lot of others in the market (cupcakes often sell in the P60-90 range now). They are definitely worth the price and Royal Touch has now been elevated to my favorite cupcake shop!
The founder of The Royal Touch is Carolyn Robb, who was Executive Chef to Prince Charles, Princess Diana and the Royal Families so it's not surprising why these cupcakes are really good. I am definitely going here again. I want to try every item on the menu LOL but of course, it will take some time before I can go through their entire selection. Can't wait for that to happen, though. :)
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Random holiday season stuff
I was driving along Ayala Avenue the other day when I got caught in some pretty bad traffic. As it turned out, I ran smack into the victory parade for newly-crowned Miss International Bea Rose Santiago. I got to see her waving to the crowd amidst a shower of confetti while I was stuck in my car and despite my annoyance at the traffic, I actually ended up waving back at her LOL.
*****
I was there because I was going to Greenbelt to meet up with my good friend Daday. We had lunch in Kai then moved to Caffe Ti-Amo for coffee. At some point we ended up talking about how she missed out on seeing the metro stations in Moscow when she went to Russia so I ended up showing her my photos of the Moscow Metro as well as the rest of my Russia pics. I then accompanied her to Globe before we went our separate ways since I had a haircut appointment at 4pm. It was another long day as I then drove to Shangri-La Mall to do some after-the-fact Christmas shopping since I still had several gifts to buy and I also had to have the batteries replaced in four of my watches.
*****
The night before, I met up with another good friend, Che. She wanted to have Spanish food so we tried Relik Tapas Bar in BGC. The Baked Australian Brie was a bit bland, the Tenderloin was okay, and the Arroz Con Pollo was pretty good. It's been about a year since I saw her so there was a lot of catching up. Once the noise level in Relik started to go up, we moved to Kuppa which was just downstairs to enjoy some coffee.
*****
A bit of bad luck right before Christmas. As I was walking to my car after picking up food from Conti's, I noticed that the rear right tire of my car looked flat. I drove to the nearest gas station and had it filled with air before bringing all the food home first. I then went to my friendly neighborhood vulcanizing shop to have the tire looked at. As luck would have it, my tire was punctured. Ugh.
Not sure how that happened. Thankfully, it didn't completely deflate while I was driving and that the vulcanizing shop was open the afternoon before Christmas.
*****
And of course, the Christmas season brings with it extra weight. I've gained about five pounds over the last few weeks from overeating. There will be more food to enjoy over the next few days but hopefully, once January comes in, I can start going to the gym again to lose at least some of the extra weight. Good luck to me!
*****
I was there because I was going to Greenbelt to meet up with my good friend Daday. We had lunch in Kai then moved to Caffe Ti-Amo for coffee. At some point we ended up talking about how she missed out on seeing the metro stations in Moscow when she went to Russia so I ended up showing her my photos of the Moscow Metro as well as the rest of my Russia pics. I then accompanied her to Globe before we went our separate ways since I had a haircut appointment at 4pm. It was another long day as I then drove to Shangri-La Mall to do some after-the-fact Christmas shopping since I still had several gifts to buy and I also had to have the batteries replaced in four of my watches.
*****
The night before, I met up with another good friend, Che. She wanted to have Spanish food so we tried Relik Tapas Bar in BGC. The Baked Australian Brie was a bit bland, the Tenderloin was okay, and the Arroz Con Pollo was pretty good. It's been about a year since I saw her so there was a lot of catching up. Once the noise level in Relik started to go up, we moved to Kuppa which was just downstairs to enjoy some coffee.
*****
A bit of bad luck right before Christmas. As I was walking to my car after picking up food from Conti's, I noticed that the rear right tire of my car looked flat. I drove to the nearest gas station and had it filled with air before bringing all the food home first. I then went to my friendly neighborhood vulcanizing shop to have the tire looked at. As luck would have it, my tire was punctured. Ugh.
Not sure how that happened. Thankfully, it didn't completely deflate while I was driving and that the vulcanizing shop was open the afternoon before Christmas.
*****
And of course, the Christmas season brings with it extra weight. I've gained about five pounds over the last few weeks from overeating. There will be more food to enjoy over the next few days but hopefully, once January comes in, I can start going to the gym again to lose at least some of the extra weight. Good luck to me!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Seasons Greetings!
Merry Christmas, everybody!
In honor of today's holiday celebration, here's a really cool video of Christopher Lee reading Tim Burton's original poem "The Nightmare before Christmas".
video uploaded by fill10000
In honor of today's holiday celebration, here's a really cool video of Christopher Lee reading Tim Burton's original poem "The Nightmare before Christmas".
video uploaded by fill10000
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
What a day
It's not very often that you end up being more exhausted and having a fuller day when you are on leave than when you are working, but that's exactly what happened to me yesterday. Then again, a lot of people do experience this when Christmas is right around the corner, so I guess I'm not all that unique. :)
It started out when I took my car to the shop in Bonifacio Global City to have it looked at. I would get my car back at around 4pm so I decided to do personal errands over the next several hours. BGC isn't that big and I did have time to spare, so I decided to take a 10-minute walk to the bank to pay my credit card bills before heading to Early Bird Breakfast Club to try it out. I ordered an Eggs Benedict:
The verdict? I thought it was just okay, considering the price (P420). Along with the coffee, I spent close to P600 here. My poached eggs were a tad overcooked - the silky yolk didn't start spilling over everything when I cut into it - but the shoestring potatoes were a unique twist.
After polishing off my food and coffee, I made my way to The Spa in Bonifacio High Street to get a gift card that I planned to give out for Christmas. I then headed to Conti's so I could place an advance food order that would serve as my family's noche buena and Christmas food. There was a relatively long queue of people at the take-out counter - as there always is during the Yuletide season - so by the time I had placed and paid for my order, it was already close to 1pm.
I had a couple of errands to do in Market! Market! but I also knew that Ender's Game would be showing in SM Aura at 1:35pm. I only had a couple of days to catch it because the Metro Manila Film Fest starts on the 25th but when I got there, I realized it was being shown in the Director's Cut theater, which meant I would be in a crowd of only a couple dozen people and I would get to sit in a lazy boy with free popcorn but it would cost a whopping P350. After thinking about i, I decided it would be a new experience so I got myself a ticket. It was an interesting experience (it is definitely comfortable having a lot more space!) and the movie was a decent sci-fi flick with pretty good effects.
After the movie, I went to Market! Market! to look for Dulcelin since I wanted to get their strawberry cake for Christmas. It took me a while to find it - apparently, there is no Dulcelin shop but instead, Dulcelin items are sold by Pelican Farms. Unfortunately, the only dessert they had ready was the mango torte; everything else is for pre-order. So I went into the mall to look for the place where I bought my watch before to ask if they also sold batteries but apparently the store is gone. It was at this point that I got a call saying that my car was ready for pick-up.
I wanted to watch Frozen as well but I had to pick up my car first. So after settling the bill and heading to the mall to catch the 6pm showing of Frozen, I saw that my right headlight was not working. Bummer! I called my service attendant and he asks me to bring my car back to the shop. Apparently, my headlight was busted and I needed to replace it but the shop was about to close so I was told to just return later in the week. What a hassle.
I still had enough time to make it to Frozen. Two movies in one day! This was a pretty good Disney movie, with excellent character development and a very unique take on the Snow Queen fairytale. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up winning Best Animated Film at the Oscars.
As if my day wasn't long enough, I decided to go grocery shopping after my second movie. Thankfully, malls and supermarkets stay open a bit longer nowadays. I then drove to Aristocrat along Jupiter to buy a Torta Delos Reyes chocolate sansrival cake (I only got the small one since I am still hoping I can get a strawberry cake from Dulcelin in Times Street).
I had a hot, hearty dinner at around 10pm before I got home. Despite the full and productive day, I still have a lot of stuff to do. While I have almost completed my Christmas shopping, I am still missing gifts for all the kids I plan to give presents to. I also still have to return my car to the shop. I also need to have batteries replaced in a couple of my watches. Nevertheless, I am happy that most of my to-do list has already been crossed out. Hopefully, I can get some much needed rest during the Christmas break. :)
It started out when I took my car to the shop in Bonifacio Global City to have it looked at. I would get my car back at around 4pm so I decided to do personal errands over the next several hours. BGC isn't that big and I did have time to spare, so I decided to take a 10-minute walk to the bank to pay my credit card bills before heading to Early Bird Breakfast Club to try it out. I ordered an Eggs Benedict:
Eggs Benedict at the Early Bird Breakfast Club
The verdict? I thought it was just okay, considering the price (P420). Along with the coffee, I spent close to P600 here. My poached eggs were a tad overcooked - the silky yolk didn't start spilling over everything when I cut into it - but the shoestring potatoes were a unique twist.
After polishing off my food and coffee, I made my way to The Spa in Bonifacio High Street to get a gift card that I planned to give out for Christmas. I then headed to Conti's so I could place an advance food order that would serve as my family's noche buena and Christmas food. There was a relatively long queue of people at the take-out counter - as there always is during the Yuletide season - so by the time I had placed and paid for my order, it was already close to 1pm.
I had a couple of errands to do in Market! Market! but I also knew that Ender's Game would be showing in SM Aura at 1:35pm. I only had a couple of days to catch it because the Metro Manila Film Fest starts on the 25th but when I got there, I realized it was being shown in the Director's Cut theater, which meant I would be in a crowd of only a couple dozen people and I would get to sit in a lazy boy with free popcorn but it would cost a whopping P350. After thinking about i, I decided it would be a new experience so I got myself a ticket. It was an interesting experience (it is definitely comfortable having a lot more space!) and the movie was a decent sci-fi flick with pretty good effects.
After the movie, I went to Market! Market! to look for Dulcelin since I wanted to get their strawberry cake for Christmas. It took me a while to find it - apparently, there is no Dulcelin shop but instead, Dulcelin items are sold by Pelican Farms. Unfortunately, the only dessert they had ready was the mango torte; everything else is for pre-order. So I went into the mall to look for the place where I bought my watch before to ask if they also sold batteries but apparently the store is gone. It was at this point that I got a call saying that my car was ready for pick-up.
I wanted to watch Frozen as well but I had to pick up my car first. So after settling the bill and heading to the mall to catch the 6pm showing of Frozen, I saw that my right headlight was not working. Bummer! I called my service attendant and he asks me to bring my car back to the shop. Apparently, my headlight was busted and I needed to replace it but the shop was about to close so I was told to just return later in the week. What a hassle.
I still had enough time to make it to Frozen. Two movies in one day! This was a pretty good Disney movie, with excellent character development and a very unique take on the Snow Queen fairytale. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up winning Best Animated Film at the Oscars.
As if my day wasn't long enough, I decided to go grocery shopping after my second movie. Thankfully, malls and supermarkets stay open a bit longer nowadays. I then drove to Aristocrat along Jupiter to buy a Torta Delos Reyes chocolate sansrival cake (I only got the small one since I am still hoping I can get a strawberry cake from Dulcelin in Times Street).
Torta Delos Reyes (photo courtesy of http://www.aristocratbakeshop.com.ph)
I had a hot, hearty dinner at around 10pm before I got home. Despite the full and productive day, I still have a lot of stuff to do. While I have almost completed my Christmas shopping, I am still missing gifts for all the kids I plan to give presents to. I also still have to return my car to the shop. I also need to have batteries replaced in a couple of my watches. Nevertheless, I am happy that most of my to-do list has already been crossed out. Hopefully, I can get some much needed rest during the Christmas break. :)
Monday, December 23, 2013
Alex and Sierra win X Factor USA
I'm really happy that Alex and Sierra won The X Factor USA, especially since it's rare that a contestant or team I'm rooting for actually wins. They first caught my attention when they performed an acoustic and version of One Directions' Best Song Ever. Their individual voices sounded good but it was their unique arrangement and their great harmonization that really made them stand out for me. However, it was their standout rendition of "Say Something" that locked me in and made me become a fan. Take a look at what I think was the performance of the season:
video uploaded by eduardoox03
I had goosebumps watching and listening to this. The song, originally by A Great Big World, is now one of my current favorites. There aren't many current artists who are like them so I'm looking forward to Alex and Sierra releasing an album soon.
video uploaded by eduardoox03
I had goosebumps watching and listening to this. The song, originally by A Great Big World, is now one of my current favorites. There aren't many current artists who are like them so I'm looking forward to Alex and Sierra releasing an album soon.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Nadal wins a poker tournament
Talk about an uncanny ability to win. Rafael Nadal recently participated in the EPT Charity Challenge in Prague, his first-ever live poker tournament. Amazingly, he won! And not only did he win, he did so in style be coming from behind and actually knocking out Poker World #1 Daniel Negreanu. You can read the play-by-play in this link, but here's a snippet of that link showing how Nadal took down Negreanu:
6.15pm: Nadal hurricane knocks out Negreanu in 4th, €5,000
Wow. The last few hands have seen Rafa Nadal go from short stack to chip leader! He first doubled through Negreanu jamming all-in with Q♦3♠ and caught a queen against Negreanu's A♠9♥. Then he doubled with Q♥9♥ against Negreanu's pocket threes catching a straight on the river, then he won a huge three-way all-in against Negreanu and Andriy Shevchenko to give him 80,000! More details to come.
This poker tournament win came with EUR50,000 prize money that would go to charity of Nadal's choice. Way to go, Rafa!
6.15pm: Nadal hurricane knocks out Negreanu in 4th, €5,000
Wow. The last few hands have seen Rafa Nadal go from short stack to chip leader! He first doubled through Negreanu jamming all-in with Q♦3♠ and caught a queen against Negreanu's A♠9♥. Then he doubled with Q♥9♥ against Negreanu's pocket threes catching a straight on the river, then he won a huge three-way all-in against Negreanu and Andriy Shevchenko to give him 80,000! More details to come.
This poker tournament win came with EUR50,000 prize money that would go to charity of Nadal's choice. Way to go, Rafa!
Saturday, December 07, 2013
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Donating to Yolanda victims through Globe Rewards
I recently got the following text message from Globe Telecom:
You can donate to the Yolanda Relief Operations using your Globe Rewards points. Just text DONATE[space]YOLANDA[amount] to 4438. Available amounts: 5, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000. Ex. DONATE YOLANDA5. 1 point = Php 1 donation. Text BAL to 4438 to check your points.
I never get to use my Globe rewards points so when I got this text message, I used as much of my points as I could for Yolanda relief. I texted BAL to 4438 and found out I had about 380 points so I donated as much of it as I could. The instructions said that the available amounts are 5, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 so I texted the following to 4438:
You can donate to the Yolanda Relief Operations using your Globe Rewards points. Just text DONATE[space]
I never get to use my Globe rewards points so when I got this text message, I used as much of my points as I could for Yolanda relief. I texted BAL to 4438 and found out I had about 380 points so I donated as much of it as I could. The instructions said that the available amounts are 5, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 so I texted the following to 4438:
- DONATE YOLANDA100 (3 times)
- DONATE YOLANDA50
- DONATE YOLANDA20 and
- DONATE YOLANDA5 (2 times)
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Epic Ad
This Volvo commercial was uploaded in youtube last November 13, and in just two weeks, it has amassed more than 50 million views. When you see it, and you probably already have, you won't be surprised as it just makes an immediate and powerful impact.
video uploaded by VolvoTrucks
I don't know if this split while mounted on two trucks is real or not, but the point is, you can actually believe that it is real (possibly done with a harness on one of the trucks that was erased during editing). After all, Van Damme is the king of splits. Check out this video if you don't believe me. :)
video uploaded by VolvoTrucks
I don't know if this split while mounted on two trucks is real or not, but the point is, you can actually believe that it is real (possibly done with a harness on one of the trucks that was erased during editing). After all, Van Damme is the king of splits. Check out this video if you don't believe me. :)
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Manny Pacquiao: Highs and Lows
Manny Pacquiao has continued to make headlines over the last week.
Last Sunday, he routed Brandon Rios, putting in a very dominant performance and reminding everyone why he was once declared the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. This came in shortly after the Yolanda disaster, giving hope to millions of Filipinos. Manny himself dedicated the win to Yolanda victims, saying "This is not about my comeback. My victory is a symbol of my people's comeback from a natural disaster and a natural tragedy."
Just a couple of days later, however, Manny landed in the papers again, but this time under less desirable circumstances. News hit the media that Pacquiao's bank accounts were frozen since he supposedly hasn't proven to the BIR that he paid taxes in the 2008-2009 period. He allegedly has about P2.2 billion in back taxes. I think the point of contention now is that since he already paid taxes in the US - his winnings were taxed before he collected the prize money - he shouldn't be taxed again. Manny said that since his bank accounts were frozen, he had to borrow P1 million to donate to relief operations since he pledged to help out typhoon victims after his fight.
I don't know how this saga will play out in the end but needless to say, we will continue to see it in the news until it does.
Last Sunday, he routed Brandon Rios, putting in a very dominant performance and reminding everyone why he was once declared the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. This came in shortly after the Yolanda disaster, giving hope to millions of Filipinos. Manny himself dedicated the win to Yolanda victims, saying "This is not about my comeback. My victory is a symbol of my people's comeback from a natural disaster and a natural tragedy."
Just a couple of days later, however, Manny landed in the papers again, but this time under less desirable circumstances. News hit the media that Pacquiao's bank accounts were frozen since he supposedly hasn't proven to the BIR that he paid taxes in the 2008-2009 period. He allegedly has about P2.2 billion in back taxes. I think the point of contention now is that since he already paid taxes in the US - his winnings were taxed before he collected the prize money - he shouldn't be taxed again. Manny said that since his bank accounts were frozen, he had to borrow P1 million to donate to relief operations since he pledged to help out typhoon victims after his fight.
I don't know how this saga will play out in the end but needless to say, we will continue to see it in the news until it does.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Haiyan/Yolanda Aftermath
It's been about two weeks since Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda struck the Visayas region of the Philippines. This most horrific of natural disasters has been the worst that has hit the country in recent memory. As of today, the death toll is now 5,209 at more than 2 million people have been displaced. The damage is currently estimated at P22 Billion and while relief operations are ongoing, more help is still needed. A recent amateur video was published on youtube and the footage of the storm surge and how it just washed away a house is frightening.
video uploaded in youtube by itnnews
There are still a number of ways to donate. A good site to make a monetary donation via credit card or paypal is this site of the Philippine Red Cross: http://ushare.redcross.org.ph/. In this link, you can select the campaign to which you want to donate.
Thankfully, millions around the world have reached out to help the Philippines. The US, UK, Japan, and Switzerland are among the many countries that have donated several million dollars for relief efforts. International aid workers continue to head to the Philippines to provide assistance. News about 6-year-old Japanese boy Shoichi Kondoh and 6-year-old Russian boy Alexander Dzanaev who both donated the money in their piggy banks to Yolanda victims, made their rounds in the internet. Dozens of international celebrities have also helped out and they also encouraged their fans and followers to do the same.
Relief efforts are still being done and help is still badly needed so hopefully, as many of us can continue to do what we can.
video uploaded in youtube by itnnews
There are still a number of ways to donate. A good site to make a monetary donation via credit card or paypal is this site of the Philippine Red Cross: http://ushare.redcross.org.ph/. In this link, you can select the campaign to which you want to donate.
Thankfully, millions around the world have reached out to help the Philippines. The US, UK, Japan, and Switzerland are among the many countries that have donated several million dollars for relief efforts. International aid workers continue to head to the Philippines to provide assistance. News about 6-year-old Japanese boy Shoichi Kondoh and 6-year-old Russian boy Alexander Dzanaev who both donated the money in their piggy banks to Yolanda victims, made their rounds in the internet. Dozens of international celebrities have also helped out and they also encouraged their fans and followers to do the same.
Relief efforts are still being done and help is still badly needed so hopefully, as many of us can continue to do what we can.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
OneRepublic Live in Manila!
Okay so this blog post is two weeks late. However, I was looking forward to this concert for a really long time - I bought the tickets in late August, more than two months before the show - so I definitely still need to write about it. :)
I watched OneRepublic when they performed in Manila last November 6. Unlike the concert of The Killers where I was in the "mosh pit", my friend Meg and I sat some distance away from the stage at Upper Box B. I arrived shortly before 8pm, which was when the show was supposed to start, and to my initial dismay, I saw that the Smart Araneta Coliseum looked like it was only half full and I started feeling bad for OneRepublic. However, the show didn't start until about 30 minutes later (which was good as I had time to eat the overpriced Jamaican patties I bought there before getting fully settled). Just as the show was about to start, I realized that the coliseum was now packed. Awesome!
I have only one album of OneRepublic - the first one, Dreaming Out Loud - and I knew only a few of their songs from their succeeding albums (pretty much only those that they released internationally like Secrets, All the Right Moves, Good Life, and Feel Again, all of which they performed). This, of course, didn't stop me from fully enjoying their concert. What was fantastic was that most of the crowd seemed to know every song that they played that night. Every time they would start a new song, the crowd would go wild and in several cases, the people in the audience would be singing along. My friend Meg told me that she didn't expect to enjoy the concert as much as she did (she had already watched them perform live before in Singapore). You could sense that OneRepublic were feeding off all this positive energy, because at some point during the show, Ryan Tedder mentioned that they want to come back to the Philippines and do two shows! Their post on twitter after the concert proves just how much they enjoyed their concert here.
While I've always known Ryan Tedder to be a fantastic vocalist, hearing him live just made me a much bigger fan. He was able to easily slip from soft to loud and he effortlessly switched from chest tone to head tone like it was nothing. His ability to sing falsetto with just as much volume and projection as his normal chest voice was impressive, and he showcased his lung power by belting out some really powerful notes. He even went absurdly high in his falsetto range and each time he did, he got everyone in the crowd to cheer wildly. He also showed his artistic ability and control by playing around with his voice, going jazzy and stylizing a lot of notes. Absolutely brilliant!
I first discovered OneRepublic when I heard Apologize on the radio several years ago. Granted, what I heard was the Timbaland version. However, I was so drawn to that song that I searched it on youtube and kept playing it. I ended up buying both OneRepublic's "Dreaming Out Loud" CD and Timbaland's "Shock Value" CD. I even sang that song twice in company events and people had come to relate that song to me (it was a staple in my karaoke repertoire haha). So it was natural that the one song I was looking forward to hearing the most was Apologize. I wasn't disappointed. They even tossed in a bit of audience participation that made the experience really unique. Check out this video of their performance of Apologize:
video uploaded in youtube by isparkleen
I now know what I want for Christmas - the OneRepublic "Native" album! LOL I am hoping that they do come back to the Philippines like they said. If they do, I am definitely going to watch again and I will even try to get a front-row seat. :)
I watched OneRepublic when they performed in Manila last November 6. Unlike the concert of The Killers where I was in the "mosh pit", my friend Meg and I sat some distance away from the stage at Upper Box B. I arrived shortly before 8pm, which was when the show was supposed to start, and to my initial dismay, I saw that the Smart Araneta Coliseum looked like it was only half full and I started feeling bad for OneRepublic. However, the show didn't start until about 30 minutes later (which was good as I had time to eat the overpriced Jamaican patties I bought there before getting fully settled). Just as the show was about to start, I realized that the coliseum was now packed. Awesome!
I have only one album of OneRepublic - the first one, Dreaming Out Loud - and I knew only a few of their songs from their succeeding albums (pretty much only those that they released internationally like Secrets, All the Right Moves, Good Life, and Feel Again, all of which they performed). This, of course, didn't stop me from fully enjoying their concert. What was fantastic was that most of the crowd seemed to know every song that they played that night. Every time they would start a new song, the crowd would go wild and in several cases, the people in the audience would be singing along. My friend Meg told me that she didn't expect to enjoy the concert as much as she did (she had already watched them perform live before in Singapore). You could sense that OneRepublic were feeding off all this positive energy, because at some point during the show, Ryan Tedder mentioned that they want to come back to the Philippines and do two shows! Their post on twitter after the concert proves just how much they enjoyed their concert here.
Manila!!! Our love for u just multiplied 100X. The show was amazing, greatest crowd in ages!!! Will never forget. pic.twitter.com/lZwHFegHyq
— OneRepublic (@OneRepublic) November 6, 2013
While I've always known Ryan Tedder to be a fantastic vocalist, hearing him live just made me a much bigger fan. He was able to easily slip from soft to loud and he effortlessly switched from chest tone to head tone like it was nothing. His ability to sing falsetto with just as much volume and projection as his normal chest voice was impressive, and he showcased his lung power by belting out some really powerful notes. He even went absurdly high in his falsetto range and each time he did, he got everyone in the crowd to cheer wildly. He also showed his artistic ability and control by playing around with his voice, going jazzy and stylizing a lot of notes. Absolutely brilliant!
I first discovered OneRepublic when I heard Apologize on the radio several years ago. Granted, what I heard was the Timbaland version. However, I was so drawn to that song that I searched it on youtube and kept playing it. I ended up buying both OneRepublic's "Dreaming Out Loud" CD and Timbaland's "Shock Value" CD. I even sang that song twice in company events and people had come to relate that song to me (it was a staple in my karaoke repertoire haha). So it was natural that the one song I was looking forward to hearing the most was Apologize. I wasn't disappointed. They even tossed in a bit of audience participation that made the experience really unique. Check out this video of their performance of Apologize:
video uploaded in youtube by isparkleen
I now know what I want for Christmas - the OneRepublic "Native" album! LOL I am hoping that they do come back to the Philippines like they said. If they do, I am definitely going to watch again and I will even try to get a front-row seat. :)
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Last hurrah?
I was walking in Bonifacio High Street recently when I noticed that Kirin, the Chinese restaurant in that area, seems to now be closed. I'm not sure if it is permanent or if the restaurant is being renovated.
I hadn't eaten there in a really long time, up until a few weeks ago. It was a strange series of events actually. The inital plan was for me pick up my grandma, bring my mom and my nephew to his taekwondo class, take my grandma to the cemetery, pick up my mom and my nephew after his class, then have dinner before bringing everyone home. Sounds like a very long day with a lot of driving? Well, my grandma thought so too. So the moment we got to my nephew's taekwondo class, my grandma said she would just watch him in class and we didn't need to go to the cemetery again. I was thinking of where we would have dinner and I thought it would be nice to take them to a place where they hadn't eaten before yet. I figured Kirin would be a good place to go because my grandma enjoys Chinese food and my nephew loves Shao Long Pao (that's how they spell it here).
We over-ordered, which is what I usually do when I'm having a meal with my family because it means we get to try a lot of different dishes and we have enough left over to bring home for those who weren't able to join us. We enjoyed our meal and I've always liked the food here. If Kirin has indeed closed, at least we got to eat here just shortly before it did.
I hadn't eaten there in a really long time, up until a few weeks ago. It was a strange series of events actually. The inital plan was for me pick up my grandma, bring my mom and my nephew to his taekwondo class, take my grandma to the cemetery, pick up my mom and my nephew after his class, then have dinner before bringing everyone home. Sounds like a very long day with a lot of driving? Well, my grandma thought so too. So the moment we got to my nephew's taekwondo class, my grandma said she would just watch him in class and we didn't need to go to the cemetery again. I was thinking of where we would have dinner and I thought it would be nice to take them to a place where they hadn't eaten before yet. I figured Kirin would be a good place to go because my grandma enjoys Chinese food and my nephew loves Shao Long Pao (that's how they spell it here).
We over-ordered, which is what I usually do when I'm having a meal with my family because it means we get to try a lot of different dishes and we have enough left over to bring home for those who weren't able to join us. We enjoyed our meal and I've always liked the food here. If Kirin has indeed closed, at least we got to eat here just shortly before it did.
Monday, November 18, 2013
An evening of ballroom dancing
The last time I recall trying to learn ballroom dance was back in college. Through an interesting series of events, I ended up as part of the dance team of my department in an inter-department ballroom competition at work. All teams would have to perform a routine that consisted of boogie, jive, and cha-cha-cha.
This competition was the final event in our company sportsfest and our department was in a very good position to claim the overall championship. It would only happen if we had a good result in the ballroom dancing event. Talk about pressure!
To make matters worse for us, we finalized our roster only 3 weeks before the event, at which point other teams had already been rehearsing for a few to several weeks. We ended up practicing for about 2 weeks only but somehow we managed to put together a fun and entertaining routine.
We ended up taking third place, which is absolutely amazing considering the amount of time we had to practice. On top of that, because of our stunt-and-lift-filled routine, we had so much of the crowd cheering for most of our performance that we were also awarded crowd favorite. Cool! The best thing about the night however was that our department won the overall championship in our sportsfest. This was the first time we did this since 2009 and we definitely placed much better than we did last year (during which time we were 5th place).
I wanted to have a massive celebration last night but after the event, I started feeling extraordinarily tired. After a very late dinner with some of the colleagues, I headed home and got some much-needed rest. Ah well, I can always organize a late celebration next week. :)
This competition was the final event in our company sportsfest and our department was in a very good position to claim the overall championship. It would only happen if we had a good result in the ballroom dancing event. Talk about pressure!
To make matters worse for us, we finalized our roster only 3 weeks before the event, at which point other teams had already been rehearsing for a few to several weeks. We ended up practicing for about 2 weeks only but somehow we managed to put together a fun and entertaining routine.
We ended up taking third place, which is absolutely amazing considering the amount of time we had to practice. On top of that, because of our stunt-and-lift-filled routine, we had so much of the crowd cheering for most of our performance that we were also awarded crowd favorite. Cool! The best thing about the night however was that our department won the overall championship in our sportsfest. This was the first time we did this since 2009 and we definitely placed much better than we did last year (during which time we were 5th place).
I wanted to have a massive celebration last night but after the event, I started feeling extraordinarily tired. After a very late dinner with some of the colleagues, I headed home and got some much-needed rest. Ah well, I can always organize a late celebration next week. :)
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Nadal is ATP year-end #1
He may have lost the final of the ATP World Tour finals to his current chief rival Novak Djokovic but Rafael Nadal posted enough solid results throughout the year to secure the year-end #1 ranking. It's a pretty impressive year: he won 10 tournaments, including 2 Grand Slam events and 5 Masters 1000 titles. He reached four more finals and two semifinals. Apart from that Wimbledon glitch, it was a very solid year.
By reclaiming the year-end #1 ranking, Nadal makes history as being the only player to reclaim the year-end ranking after relinquishing it on two separate occasions. He was #1 in 2008 and 2010 before taking the top spot again.
Congratulations, Rafa!
By reclaiming the year-end #1 ranking, Nadal makes history as being the only player to reclaim the year-end ranking after relinquishing it on two separate occasions. He was #1 in 2008 and 2010 before taking the top spot again.
Congratulations, Rafa!
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Yolanda storms through the Philippines: How you can help
Such tragic news. Less than a month since an earthquake devastated Visayas, the Philippines gets hit by another major calamity. Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) is said to be the strongest supertyphoon to ever make landfall, with sustained winds of up to 315 kph and gusts of up to a horrifying 380kph. The storm surge reached up to 15 feet in certain areas, submerging the first story of buildings (although some reports indicate that this may have gone up to 40 to 50 feet).
I had my TV on almost the entire night watching CNN, which covered, and still continues to cover, Haiyan/Yolanda. The news is just so heartbreaking. You can read a more thorough report on what has been happening so far in this article from CNN.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer facebook page shares some ways that you can help. Check them out here:
CNN also provides a link for people who wish to help internationally.
I had my TV on almost the entire night watching CNN, which covered, and still continues to cover, Haiyan/Yolanda. The news is just so heartbreaking. You can read a more thorough report on what has been happening so far in this article from CNN.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer facebook page shares some ways that you can help. Check them out here:
photo from the Inquirer.net facebook page
CNN also provides a link for people who wish to help internationally.
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