This must be how it is for me now. I don't have trips to videoke bars often but when I do, these trips come in bunches. Take this weekend, for instance. I had a planned to trip to Centerstage on Saturday night with some friends whom I hadn't seen each other in months. Then a few days ago, I got an invite for a friend's birthday on Friday night. As it turns out, the venue was in the VIP room of a bar and this room had a karaoke set-up. :) It took a while for people to start singing, which meant that I started singing before anyone else LOL. I guess it was also because it was like a mini-reunion, with people catching up with each other after not really getting to hang out as a group in a while. Towards the end of the night, the energy was really high and we were all starting to feel like rock stars so I ambitiously attempted "I'll remember you" by Skid Row which is notoriously tough to sing. I managed to make it through the song but it left my throat hoarse which didn't make life easy for me the next day. :)
For the second karaoke night, I figured would be late so I told everyone that my reservation was at 8pm when I actually booked the room at 9. I did arrive at 8 and almost everyone was late so I decided to walk down the street to have dinner and I stumbled upon H Cuisine. I tried their "Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly" and it was really good. As more people started to come, I told them where I was and five people ended up joining me there. It was kinda cool because everyone's tardiness allowed me to discover a new place that serves pretty good food. In any case, that good meal was just a prelude to the main event which was karaoke. As my voice was pretty hoarse, I stayed away from really high songs for the most part, although a friend of mine picked Sam Smith's "Stay with me" and asked me to sing with him since it is really high. Strangely though, every one seemed tired that Saturday night that at some point, everyone started to look really sleepy. I was hungry once we left Centerstage but everyone was ready to go home so I just had a quick meal in David's Tea House before heading home. Apparently, I was also really tired because I fell asleep almost as soon as I got home and I ended up oversleeping. :) It was a really long and exhausting week and my weekend was full too so I guess I deserved the extra hours of sleep.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Mama's 40th day
My grandmother "Mama" passed away more than a month ago and our family got together right around Mother's Day to commemorate the 40th day of her passing away. We started the evening by celebrating mass in Mama's honor. The timing was interesting because it was also Mother's Day weekend so the mass felt even more meaningful to us.
Afterwards, we headed to the house of my uncle where we had dinner. My cousin Rainier is a really good cook and he also brought his famed spare ribs which I got to try for the first time and they were really good! (And I'm not just saying that because he's my cousin.) His immediate family are really into food because his brother (and my other cousin) Mark recently opened a restaurant which was mobbed on its soft opening. Part of our dinner conversation was the fact that their family are looking at opening another restaurant that will feature family favorites. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
After dinner, my uncle's house turned into a makeshift tiannge as my other cousin Carina brought out a huge bag of overruns. A lot of us started looking through the clothes. I ended up getting five long-sleeved shirts because the shirts she had fit me pretty well, unlike a lot of clothes now which are often tight around my midsection (everything now is slim fit hahaha).
The party was far from over by the time I left late in the evening but I couldn't stay too long since I also had a despedida to go to that night. Nevertheless, I'm happy that while we all still grieve for the loss of Mama, we are all able to celebrate her life together. Mama may not have been physically present that evening, but she was definitely with us in spirit.
Afterwards, we headed to the house of my uncle where we had dinner. My cousin Rainier is a really good cook and he also brought his famed spare ribs which I got to try for the first time and they were really good! (And I'm not just saying that because he's my cousin.) His immediate family are really into food because his brother (and my other cousin) Mark recently opened a restaurant which was mobbed on its soft opening. Part of our dinner conversation was the fact that their family are looking at opening another restaurant that will feature family favorites. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
After dinner, my uncle's house turned into a makeshift tiannge as my other cousin Carina brought out a huge bag of overruns. A lot of us started looking through the clothes. I ended up getting five long-sleeved shirts because the shirts she had fit me pretty well, unlike a lot of clothes now which are often tight around my midsection (everything now is slim fit hahaha).
The party was far from over by the time I left late in the evening but I couldn't stay too long since I also had a despedida to go to that night. Nevertheless, I'm happy that while we all still grieve for the loss of Mama, we are all able to celebrate her life together. Mama may not have been physically present that evening, but she was definitely with us in spirit.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
El Gamma Penumbra wins Asia's Got Talent
Congratulations to El Gamma Penumbra for winning Asia's Got Talent!
I posted about them a few years back for their "Piliin mo ang Pilipinas" video which I thought was pretty impressive. They were also a finalist in season 3 of Pilipinas Got Talent back in 2011.
The finals of Asia's Got Talent featured 9 acts from different countries across the continent, including the Philippines, Japan, China, Mongolia, Thailand, and Singapore/Australia. Only the Philippines had multiple representation, with four acts: El Gamma Penumbra, Gerphil Flores, Gwyneth Dorado, and Junior New System. Since there were so many Filipino acts in the final, I actually thought none of our four contenders would end up with the title. Thankfully, that didn't happen as El Gamma Penumbra took the top prize of US$100,000 and a chance to perform at the Marina Bay Sands. They are the only act to have scored two golden buzzers: their first came during the auditions sending them straight through to the semfinals and the second one came in the semifinals sending them straight through to the finals. Check out her final performance, a moving tribute to mother nature and a reminder that we must take care of our environment (I hadn't made my mind up who I wanted to support but when I saw this video, I started rooting for El Gamma Penumbra):
video uploaded in youtube by Asia's Got Talent
Second honors went to Khusugtun, a musical ensemble group from Mongolia (I actually really like this group too since they really highlight their culture so I'm happy they placed second). Gerphil Flores whom I posted about a few weeks ago came in third. (Side note: it's interesting to see that El Gamma Penumbra won Asia's Got Talent and they were only a finalist in Pilipinas Got Talent season 3. Gerphil Flores joined the first season of Pilipinas Got Talent and only made it as far as the semifinals.) I will say though that I am very disappointed that Gao and Liu were in the bottom 3 of the 9 finalists. Given their incredible skill, I was almost certain they would be in the top 3-4 at least. Here's their performance in the finals. Gao was apparently injured here but you can't tell. Such a shame they didn't place better than they did.
Congratulations once again to El Gamma Penumbra! That was a well-deserved win.
Asia, your first ever #GrandFinals winner is...#ElGammaPenumbra! SHOW THEM SOME LOVE FANS!! <3 <3 #AsiasGotTalent pic.twitter.com/ndXPZSYphO
— Asia's Got Talent (@asiasgottalent) May 14, 2015
I posted about them a few years back for their "Piliin mo ang Pilipinas" video which I thought was pretty impressive. They were also a finalist in season 3 of Pilipinas Got Talent back in 2011.
The finals of Asia's Got Talent featured 9 acts from different countries across the continent, including the Philippines, Japan, China, Mongolia, Thailand, and Singapore/Australia. Only the Philippines had multiple representation, with four acts: El Gamma Penumbra, Gerphil Flores, Gwyneth Dorado, and Junior New System. Since there were so many Filipino acts in the final, I actually thought none of our four contenders would end up with the title. Thankfully, that didn't happen as El Gamma Penumbra took the top prize of US$100,000 and a chance to perform at the Marina Bay Sands. They are the only act to have scored two golden buzzers: their first came during the auditions sending them straight through to the semfinals and the second one came in the semifinals sending them straight through to the finals. Check out her final performance, a moving tribute to mother nature and a reminder that we must take care of our environment (I hadn't made my mind up who I wanted to support but when I saw this video, I started rooting for El Gamma Penumbra):
video uploaded in youtube by Asia's Got Talent
Second honors went to Khusugtun, a musical ensemble group from Mongolia (I actually really like this group too since they really highlight their culture so I'm happy they placed second). Gerphil Flores whom I posted about a few weeks ago came in third. (Side note: it's interesting to see that El Gamma Penumbra won Asia's Got Talent and they were only a finalist in Pilipinas Got Talent season 3. Gerphil Flores joined the first season of Pilipinas Got Talent and only made it as far as the semifinals.) I will say though that I am very disappointed that Gao and Liu were in the bottom 3 of the 9 finalists. Given their incredible skill, I was almost certain they would be in the top 3-4 at least. Here's their performance in the finals. Gao was apparently injured here but you can't tell. Such a shame they didn't place better than they did.
Congratulations once again to El Gamma Penumbra! That was a well-deserved win.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Game night at DyceNDyne
Late last Saturday, I met up with some friends (and made a few new ones) in DyceNDyne, a boardgame hang-out in Pasig. We had been planning a follow-up game night over the last couple of months after the first time we played Resistance: Avalon and the One Night Ultimate Werewolf. We couldn't find a good venue until one of us discovered DyceNDyne.
DyceNDyne
Unit #3 Elements @Rosemarie Building, Pasig Blvd (right across the Seaoil station)
The cool thing about this place is that it stays open until 2:00 AM so you can hang out here for a long time. Another plus is that you only need to pay for food and drinks; there is no additional fee for staying here or using the games. The downside is that they don't serve hot coffee. (I ordered a large Americano and it turned out to be a cold coffee hahaha.) However, they do have beer which is a good match for crazy and loud evenings with friends. And you can get loud here without it being an issue. :)
We started playing Cards Against Humanity. It's a strange game but it is quick and easy to play so we ended up playing several rounds of it. We then moved on to Resistance: Avalon. Unfortunately, I found out a couple of days after our game night that we played it incorrectly as we had four red cards instead of three in our group of nine. As a result, red won almost all the games except for the one game where blue luckily picked all blue players and they stuck with that team for every succeeding mission. Nevertheless, it was still a lot of fun having that crazy interaction with everyone.
When DyceNDyne closed at 2AM, people still wanted to hang out so we moved to Rufo's in Eastwood. The initial idea was to play One Night: Ultimate Werewolf there but because it was a bit of an open area, we couldn't really hear the instructions from the phone. Instead, we played this game where you had to name a celebrity or fictional character whose first name starts with first letter of the last name of the celebrity or fictional character named by the person before you. (For instance, if someone says Scarlett Johansson, the next player has to name someone whose first name starts with J, like James Dean. The next person then has to name someone whose first name starts with D, like Dina Bonnevie.) If someone says someone whose initials are the same - such as Peter Parker - then everyone has to keep coming up with names with those repeating initials until someone can't think of a name within the allowed time. It is through this game that I discovered Promise Phan hahaha (youtube celebrities are allowed).
We hung out in Rufo's for a couple of hours before calling it a night. With the amount of fun people had, I'm pretty sure we'll be hanging out again soon for more boardgame play. :)
photo from the DyceNDyne facebook page
DyceNDyne
Unit #3 Elements @Rosemarie Building, Pasig Blvd (right across the Seaoil station)
The cool thing about this place is that it stays open until 2:00 AM so you can hang out here for a long time. Another plus is that you only need to pay for food and drinks; there is no additional fee for staying here or using the games. The downside is that they don't serve hot coffee. (I ordered a large Americano and it turned out to be a cold coffee hahaha.) However, they do have beer which is a good match for crazy and loud evenings with friends. And you can get loud here without it being an issue. :)
We started playing Cards Against Humanity. It's a strange game but it is quick and easy to play so we ended up playing several rounds of it. We then moved on to Resistance: Avalon. Unfortunately, I found out a couple of days after our game night that we played it incorrectly as we had four red cards instead of three in our group of nine. As a result, red won almost all the games except for the one game where blue luckily picked all blue players and they stuck with that team for every succeeding mission. Nevertheless, it was still a lot of fun having that crazy interaction with everyone.
When DyceNDyne closed at 2AM, people still wanted to hang out so we moved to Rufo's in Eastwood. The initial idea was to play One Night: Ultimate Werewolf there but because it was a bit of an open area, we couldn't really hear the instructions from the phone. Instead, we played this game where you had to name a celebrity or fictional character whose first name starts with first letter of the last name of the celebrity or fictional character named by the person before you. (For instance, if someone says Scarlett Johansson, the next player has to name someone whose first name starts with J, like James Dean. The next person then has to name someone whose first name starts with D, like Dina Bonnevie.) If someone says someone whose initials are the same - such as Peter Parker - then everyone has to keep coming up with names with those repeating initials until someone can't think of a name within the allowed time. It is through this game that I discovered Promise Phan hahaha (youtube celebrities are allowed).
We hung out in Rufo's for a couple of hours before calling it a night. With the amount of fun people had, I'm pretty sure we'll be hanging out again soon for more boardgame play. :)
Monday, May 11, 2015
Madrid Masters
This is definitely has been Rafa Nadal's toughest start to the year. In yesterday's Madrid Masters final, he suffered a bad loss to Andy Murray, 3-6, 2-6. He showed glimpses of his claycourt prowess but he still seems to be beleaguered by confidence and consistency problems. He he had several chances to break Murray's serve but wasn't able to and this could be a problem for him going into the Rome masters as well as Roland Garros later this month.
This was one of his worst defeats in a claycourt final (and it was on home turf). The last time he lost this many times on clay was in his rookie year back in 2003. He has now dropped to #7 in the world and if he fails to reach the Rome finals, he can drop out of the top 8 before the French Open. I am still keeping the faith, though.
*****
On the women's side, I am happy that Petra Kvitova won the title in convincing fashion, beating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-2 in the final. In the semifinals, she beat a fatigued Serena Williams 6-2, 6-3, thus snapping the world #1's 27-match winning streak and handing Serena her first loss of the season. The last time Kvitova won in Madrid, she also won Wimbledon. Could this title be a sign of things to come for her this year? I'll keep my fingers crossed for that.
This was one of his worst defeats in a claycourt final (and it was on home turf). The last time he lost this many times on clay was in his rookie year back in 2003. He has now dropped to #7 in the world and if he fails to reach the Rome finals, he can drop out of the top 8 before the French Open. I am still keeping the faith, though.
*****
On the women's side, I am happy that Petra Kvitova won the title in convincing fashion, beating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-2 in the final. In the semifinals, she beat a fatigued Serena Williams 6-2, 6-3, thus snapping the world #1's 27-match winning streak and handing Serena her first loss of the season. The last time Kvitova won in Madrid, she also won Wimbledon. Could this title be a sign of things to come for her this year? I'll keep my fingers crossed for that.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
U23 Asian Women's Volleyball held in Manila
The first-ever under-23 Asian women's volleyball tournament was held in Manila from May 1 to 9. China beat Thailand in the final in four sets, 27-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-11. As a result of both countries making it to the finals, China and Thailand qualify for the FIVB Women's U23 World Championships in August. I felt bad for Japan who were a very strong frontrunner and they were up 2 sets to 0 against Thailand in the semifinals before the Thais mounted a stunning comeback. In the bronze medal match, that loss may still have affected the Japanese and the bowed out meekly to South Korea in straight sets.
The Philippine team held its own quite well in this tournament and made some international buzz. The team took a set off both China and Chinese Taipei. We also beat Kazakhstan and Iran in straight sets. As a result, the Philippines finished at a respectable 7th place. That's pretty awesome for a team that hasn't really participated in many international events. Having to play against global powerhouses like Japan and China will also serve us well in the long run as it provides us with the experience and exposure we need to help us get better. Great job, Team Pilipinas!
The Philippine team held its own quite well in this tournament and made some international buzz. The team took a set off both China and Chinese Taipei. We also beat Kazakhstan and Iran in straight sets. As a result, the Philippines finished at a respectable 7th place. That's pretty awesome for a team that hasn't really participated in many international events. Having to play against global powerhouses like Japan and China will also serve us well in the long run as it provides us with the experience and exposure we need to help us get better. Great job, Team Pilipinas!
Wednesday, May 06, 2015
Maya Plisetskaya: Dying Swan
Maya Plisetskaya, one of the greatest ballerinas of all time, passed away last Saturday, May 2, at the age of 89. I learned about her after watching some ballets in Russia and doing online searches later on about some of the most legendary Russian ballet artists. Maya is one of only 12 dancers to have been given the title prima ballerina assoluta.
One of Maya's most famous performances was The Dying Swan. This video shows her performance in Boston in the late 1980s when she was already 62 years old!!! (If you find that hard to believe, this other video shows her dancing when she was 61.) Take a look at her unbelievably fluid and graceful arms when she enters the stage, especially from around 0:28 to 0:38. It is just utterly astounding!
video uploaded in youtube by Esquire Jauchem
While she naturally was better technique-wise when she was younger (in her Dying Swan performance in 1959, she showcases the incredible flexibility of her back; of course, she was still in her mid-30s then), I think she had a much deeper emotional interpretation of this piece when she was older, making her latter performances more spellbinding. Maybe partly because she had done this innumerable times before and partly because she was starting to feel greater mortality - not just as a human being but as a dancer who could no longer do what she could when she was younger - thus providing her with a greater connection to the theme of death. I also think that her arm movement got even better as she aged.
While Maya Plisetskaya is no longer with us, she leaves behind an amazing legacy. She has given us countless treasures that will allow us to still marvel at and embrace her genius even as after her death. R.I.P., Maya Plisetskaya.
One of Maya's most famous performances was The Dying Swan. This video shows her performance in Boston in the late 1980s when she was already 62 years old!!! (If you find that hard to believe, this other video shows her dancing when she was 61.) Take a look at her unbelievably fluid and graceful arms when she enters the stage, especially from around 0:28 to 0:38. It is just utterly astounding!
video uploaded in youtube by Esquire Jauchem
While she naturally was better technique-wise when she was younger (in her Dying Swan performance in 1959, she showcases the incredible flexibility of her back; of course, she was still in her mid-30s then), I think she had a much deeper emotional interpretation of this piece when she was older, making her latter performances more spellbinding. Maybe partly because she had done this innumerable times before and partly because she was starting to feel greater mortality - not just as a human being but as a dancer who could no longer do what she could when she was younger - thus providing her with a greater connection to the theme of death. I also think that her arm movement got even better as she aged.
While Maya Plisetskaya is no longer with us, she leaves behind an amazing legacy. She has given us countless treasures that will allow us to still marvel at and embrace her genius even as after her death. R.I.P., Maya Plisetskaya.
Monday, May 04, 2015
Sinag Pilipinas bring home Gold!
Despite Manny Pacquiao's loss on Sunday (Philippine time), it wasn't all bad news in the sporting world for the Philippines over the long weekend. Sinag Pilipinas defeated Singapore last Friday, May 1, to win gold in the 2015 Southeast Asian Basketball Association Championships (SEABA). Check out this Instagram photo taken by Kiefer Ravena of the team with their medals.
The Philippine team was extremely dominant throughout the tournament, winning all their games with massive leads. They beat all their opponents by an average of 68 points. Their biggest win was a 140-29 demolition of Brunei (that's a 111 point margin)! Against Singapore in the finals, the score was 82-56. This win qualifies the Philippines for the 2015 FIBA Asian Championships which will be held in late September to early October.
Congratulations Sinag Pilipinas!
The Philippine team was extremely dominant throughout the tournament, winning all their games with massive leads. They beat all their opponents by an average of 68 points. Their biggest win was a 140-29 demolition of Brunei (that's a 111 point margin)! Against Singapore in the finals, the score was 82-56. This win qualifies the Philippines for the 2015 FIBA Asian Championships which will be held in late September to early October.
Congratulations Sinag Pilipinas!
Sunday, May 03, 2015
Pacquiao falls short
Sad news for the Philippines. Manny Pacquiao lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. by unanimous decision in their fight early today.
I actually didn't see the fight myself. I don't normally watch boxing - even in the many times that Manny won - because I always feel sorry for the loser, regardless of who it is. (Heck, depending on how beat up both boxers are, I sometimes also feel bad for the winner!) I learned about the result when I overheard some of the waiters talking about it while I was having lunch with my nephews at the mall. I texted my friends who then confirmed the result. Too bad. Manny Pacquiao has been one of the biggest heroes in the country and everyone was hoping he would finally deal Mayweather his first loss. Alas, it was not to be.
There have been a lot of comments flying about how this fight went as well as its outcome but I will steer clear of all of that as I am not a boxing expert and cannot provide any semblance of expertise on it. :) What I will say is that even with this loss, I am proud of Manny and thankful for what he has done for the Philippines.
*****
While this loss was terrible news, possibly devastating to many, it did come with a benefit for me today. There was almost no traffic in Metro Manila the entire day, which was good for me because I had to drive quite a lot.
I actually didn't see the fight myself. I don't normally watch boxing - even in the many times that Manny won - because I always feel sorry for the loser, regardless of who it is. (Heck, depending on how beat up both boxers are, I sometimes also feel bad for the winner!) I learned about the result when I overheard some of the waiters talking about it while I was having lunch with my nephews at the mall. I texted my friends who then confirmed the result. Too bad. Manny Pacquiao has been one of the biggest heroes in the country and everyone was hoping he would finally deal Mayweather his first loss. Alas, it was not to be.
There have been a lot of comments flying about how this fight went as well as its outcome but I will steer clear of all of that as I am not a boxing expert and cannot provide any semblance of expertise on it. :) What I will say is that even with this loss, I am proud of Manny and thankful for what he has done for the Philippines.
*****
While this loss was terrible news, possibly devastating to many, it did come with a benefit for me today. There was almost no traffic in Metro Manila the entire day, which was good for me because I had to drive quite a lot.
Saturday, May 02, 2015
Surgery
I recent had surgery on my foot and due to the location and the size of the surgical wound, the healing has taken quite a while. The early goings were pretty tough. It was really difficult to walk shortly after the surgery and in fact, one night as I was replacing the dressing, my wound started bleeding a lot and I had to rush to the ER to have it looked at. (I was taught a better way to replace the dressing to reduce and event prevent further bleeding. I was also given a tetanus shot as a precautionary measure since the location of my wound made it prone to getting dirty and possibly infected.)
Walking wasn't the only challenging thing. To help the would heal faster, I had to keep it from getting wet, making it very tricky and physically challenging to take a shower. I covered my foot in a plastic bag and tied an Aquazorb towel right beneath my knee to prevent any water dripping from my upper leg into my foot. I then had to assume many difficult "yogaesque" positions - often with a raised leg - to minimize the the chances my foot would get soaked.
When I went back to my doctor for a follow-up check-up, I was told that my wound seems to have practically healed now so I can get it wet. I was also told I no longer needed to use the antibacterial gauze on my wounds. Finally! I will also try to put a shoe on my foot for the first time tomorrow; I haven't worn a shoe since the surgery since I didn't want to bleed into it. Hopefully walking with a shoe tomorrow will turn out okay.
Some bad news though: I gained about 5 pounds while nursing my surgical wound. I guess it's because I haven't really been walking a lot recently; I'd be sitting or lying down quite a lot. At least the wound is okay now. I'm still a bit wary though; I don't want to reopen the wound by walking too fast or flexing my foot too much. Hopefully, I can become active again soon.
Walking wasn't the only challenging thing. To help the would heal faster, I had to keep it from getting wet, making it very tricky and physically challenging to take a shower. I covered my foot in a plastic bag and tied an Aquazorb towel right beneath my knee to prevent any water dripping from my upper leg into my foot. I then had to assume many difficult "yogaesque" positions - often with a raised leg - to minimize the the chances my foot would get soaked.
When I went back to my doctor for a follow-up check-up, I was told that my wound seems to have practically healed now so I can get it wet. I was also told I no longer needed to use the antibacterial gauze on my wounds. Finally! I will also try to put a shoe on my foot for the first time tomorrow; I haven't worn a shoe since the surgery since I didn't want to bleed into it. Hopefully walking with a shoe tomorrow will turn out okay.
Some bad news though: I gained about 5 pounds while nursing my surgical wound. I guess it's because I haven't really been walking a lot recently; I'd be sitting or lying down quite a lot. At least the wound is okay now. I'm still a bit wary though; I don't want to reopen the wound by walking too fast or flexing my foot too much. Hopefully, I can become active again soon.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Family Celebration
My grandmother "Nanay" recently turned 88 and to celebrate, I took her along with my family to Prince Albert. I had eaten there before and I thought my family would also really enjoy the food in this restaurant. When I saw Deal Grocer vouchers for a pretty hefty meal for two at Prince Albert, I thought it would be as good a time as any for me to bring my family there.
Each voucher was for a four-course meal for two that included soup, salad, a prime rib main course, and dessert. It also included a drink (soda, fresh fruit juice, or iced tea) and coffee or tea. At 52% off, it was a pretty awesome deal! We had two choices of salad; a few of us opted for the Arugula, Green Pear, Walnuts and Roquefort cheese salad. I initially ordered that but there was a mistake in the order-taking and I didn't want to waste the food so I ended up having the more-standard-but-still-good Caesar salad. For soup, there were also two choices but one of the options was unavailable that night so we all had the Forest Mushroom Soup.
I've blogged about the Prince Albert Prime Rib before and it didn't disappoint. Even the side dishes - Yorkshire pudding, baked potato with bacon bits and sour cream, and grilled vegetables - were a massive hit with everyone. For dessert, we had a couple of options: Crepe Samurai and Pistachio Lime Cream Financier. The crepe was available that night but the financier wasn't. Our waiter told us we could instead have the Raspberry Meringue Tart (I think that's what it was called). Half of us got the crepe and the other half got the pie. Both were really good, but I think I liked the Raspberry Meringue Pie a bit more. It also looked really beautiful!
As we were finishing our dessert and coffee, the waiters turned the lights off in our area and started singing "Happy birthday". As they did, they brought in a beautiful cake! As it turned out, they gave this to us for free because it didn't appear in the bill afterwards. I thought it was really wonderful that they did this. Since we were all so full, the waiters said they would just pack it up for us so Nanay could bring it home with her.
I'm really happy I was able to bring my family to Prince Albert. The food was amazing and we were all stuffed, the service was superb, and we got a free cake. My aunt and her family were also able to join us, making Nanay's 88th birthday celebration even more memorable.
Each voucher was for a four-course meal for two that included soup, salad, a prime rib main course, and dessert. It also included a drink (soda, fresh fruit juice, or iced tea) and coffee or tea. At 52% off, it was a pretty awesome deal! We had two choices of salad; a few of us opted for the Arugula, Green Pear, Walnuts and Roquefort cheese salad. I initially ordered that but there was a mistake in the order-taking and I didn't want to waste the food so I ended up having the more-standard-but-still-good Caesar salad. For soup, there were also two choices but one of the options was unavailable that night so we all had the Forest Mushroom Soup.
Forest Mushroom Soup
I've blogged about the Prince Albert Prime Rib before and it didn't disappoint. Even the side dishes - Yorkshire pudding, baked potato with bacon bits and sour cream, and grilled vegetables - were a massive hit with everyone. For dessert, we had a couple of options: Crepe Samurai and Pistachio Lime Cream Financier. The crepe was available that night but the financier wasn't. Our waiter told us we could instead have the Raspberry Meringue Tart (I think that's what it was called). Half of us got the crepe and the other half got the pie. Both were really good, but I think I liked the Raspberry Meringue Pie a bit more. It also looked really beautiful!
Raspberry Meringue Tart
As we were finishing our dessert and coffee, the waiters turned the lights off in our area and started singing "Happy birthday". As they did, they brought in a beautiful cake! As it turned out, they gave this to us for free because it didn't appear in the bill afterwards. I thought it was really wonderful that they did this. Since we were all so full, the waiters said they would just pack it up for us so Nanay could bring it home with her.
Thank you, Prince Albert, for the free cake!
I'm really happy I was able to bring my family to Prince Albert. The food was amazing and we were all stuffed, the service was superb, and we got a free cake. My aunt and her family were also able to join us, making Nanay's 88th birthday celebration even more memorable.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
More ways to help the Nepal earthquake victims
As of this writing, the Nepal earthquake has taken more than 2300 lives.As if the first 7.8 magnitude earthquake yesterday wasn't enough, a massive 6.7 aftershock hit the country again earlier today. Rescue efforts continue and international aid continues to come in, although the damage to infrastructure has made it difficult for help to get to where it is needed.
For those who want to help, CNN shares a list of ways that you can donate.
Here's the list of the different organizations that are working on relief efforts now but you can read this link to read more about each of these organizations.
Nepal Red Cross Society (donation link)
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (donation link)
AmeriCares (disaster relief fund)
CARE (donation page)
Catholic Relief Services
Concern Worldwide (online donation)
Direct Relief (online donation)
Global Giving (online donation)
Handicap International
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (online donation)
International Medical Corps (online donation)
MercyCorps
Operation USA
Oxfam International (links to: US donation, Great Britain donation)
Save the Children
Samaritan's Purse
UNICEF (online donation)
The World Food Programme (online donation)
World Vision Nepal earthquake relief fund
For those who want to help, CNN shares a list of ways that you can donate.
Looking for ways to help victims of the #NepalQuake? @CNNImpact has a list of organizations http://t.co/964rXMx3XJ pic.twitter.com/NxphPBQGZ0
— CNN (@CNN) April 25, 2015
Here's the list of the different organizations that are working on relief efforts now but you can read this link to read more about each of these organizations.
Nepal Red Cross Society (donation link)
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (donation link)
AmeriCares (disaster relief fund)
CARE (donation page)
Catholic Relief Services
Concern Worldwide (online donation)
Direct Relief (online donation)
Global Giving (online donation)
Handicap International
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (online donation)
International Medical Corps (online donation)
MercyCorps
Operation USA
Oxfam International (links to: US donation, Great Britain donation)
Save the Children
Samaritan's Purse
UNICEF (online donation)
The World Food Programme (online donation)
World Vision Nepal earthquake relief fund
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Earthquake hits Nepal
I just saw the very sad news on CNN. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake just hit Nepal earlier today. As of now, it has been confirmed that more than 1400 people were killed and several thousands have been injured by this disaster. There is massive destruction throughout the country and many historic monuments such as important temples and palaces have been greatly damaged if not reduced to rubble. The earthquake also caused a huge avalanche on Mt. Everest and many casualties have already been reported.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Nepal and everyone who has been affected by this catastrophe.
How to help:
International Federation of Red Cross: Donate to Nepal Earthquake Relief
Global Giving Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund
My thoughts and prayers go out to Nepal and everyone who has been affected by this catastrophe.
How to help:
International Federation of Red Cross: Donate to Nepal Earthquake Relief
Global Giving Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Kimberly Nichole sings House of the Rising Sun on The Voice
I'm happy that I stumbled upon this performance while switching channels earlier today. Kimberly Nichole from Team Christina brings everyone to their feet with this smashing, soul-stirring performance of House of the Rising Sun.
video uploaded in youtube by The Voice
During the build-up to the performance, guest coach Reba McEntire commented that if Kimberly performs on stage the way she did during rehearsal, she would get everyone on their feet. I thought it was an exaggeration. As it turned out, it was not. She got a standing ovation and I had goosebumps. I'm interested to see how well she will do in The Voice. Would be awesome to see her go far and even win.
video uploaded in youtube by The Voice
During the build-up to the performance, guest coach Reba McEntire commented that if Kimberly performs on stage the way she did during rehearsal, she would get everyone on their feet. I thought it was an exaggeration. As it turned out, it was not. She got a standing ovation and I had goosebumps. I'm interested to see how well she will do in The Voice. Would be awesome to see her go far and even win.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Getting there
Rafa Nadal lost in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo masters to nemesis Novak Djokovic.While it's disappointing - Rafa still hasn't had a good result this year in any of the big tournaments - there are a few positive things he can take away from this tournament. It's his first semifinal in a bit tournament that featured many of the top 10 players. He avenged his quarterfinal loss in last year's tournament to David Ferrer. And after dropping to 5th place in the ATP rankings, he climbs back up to 4th. I'm still hoping he gets close to top form in a month's time.
In the meantime, Novak Djokovic continues to rack up records. He recently passed Rafa in terms of number of weeks at #1 (he has now been at the top of the rankings for 143 weeks; Nadal stopped at 141 when Novak took over from him). And with his win in the final, he becomes the first person to win the first three masters tournaments of the year. He is now on a 17-match winning streak and has lost only two matches this year, winning 30. Novak looks to be head and shoulders above everyone else at this point in the tennis calendar so it will be interesting to see what he achieves the rest of this year.
In the meantime, Novak Djokovic continues to rack up records. He recently passed Rafa in terms of number of weeks at #1 (he has now been at the top of the rankings for 143 weeks; Nadal stopped at 141 when Novak took over from him). And with his win in the final, he becomes the first person to win the first three masters tournaments of the year. He is now on a 17-match winning streak and has lost only two matches this year, winning 30. Novak looks to be head and shoulders above everyone else at this point in the tennis calendar so it will be interesting to see what he achieves the rest of this year.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
College reunion dinner
Talk about a blast from the past. One of my college friends, Dino, is in Manila and we decided to meet up over dinner. A few dozen of our college org mates were invited but while only about 8 of us made it, it was an incredible night of catching up. Probably half of the people in our dinner group I hadn't seen since college! After graduation, the only folks I got to see on a regular basis were people from my batch; I never really got to see my friends from other batches anymore.
Our dinner was Village Tavern in Bonifacio High Street and once we were all there, it was loud and fun and full of energy. We talked about what was going on in our lives and we shared stories about the people we regularly get to see to those who haven't seen them in a while. Of course, a college reunion wouldn't be anywhere near complete without a trip down memory lane. We remembered the outings, the parties, the school events, and the crazy adventures back when we were still young. :)
We realized at some point that we were the only people left in Village Tavern so we had stayed there until closing. And why not? There was a lot to talk about it. As we said our goodbyes to each other, we thought it would be good for us to meet again at some point soon. Hopefully that does happen, and hopefully more of our college friends can also join us next time.
Our dinner was Village Tavern in Bonifacio High Street and once we were all there, it was loud and fun and full of energy. We talked about what was going on in our lives and we shared stories about the people we regularly get to see to those who haven't seen them in a while. Of course, a college reunion wouldn't be anywhere near complete without a trip down memory lane. We remembered the outings, the parties, the school events, and the crazy adventures back when we were still young. :)
We realized at some point that we were the only people left in Village Tavern so we had stayed there until closing. And why not? There was a lot to talk about it. As we said our goodbyes to each other, we thought it would be good for us to meet again at some point soon. Hopefully that does happen, and hopefully more of our college friends can also join us next time.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Celebration at Lemuria
This is a bit of a late post but a few weeks ago, my uncle and aunt, Tito Erwin and Tita Maritie. celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary at Lemuria.
I hadn't heard of this place before so I had to go online to figure out how to get there. It's a fine-dining restaurant and events venue that is perfect for relatively smaller gatherings; there were about 40 to 50 of us in our group. I'm not sure if this is one of those places that used to be someone's house that was later converted into a restaurant or a party venue but it does have a very warm and cozy ambience.
There are also a few rooms here so there can be a few dinners or celebrations going on at the same time. It also has a large open area that can probably serve as an open-air ballroom.
My mom and I got there a bit late and once we arrived, Tito Erwin was giving a welcome speech. Dinner was then served buffet-style and the food was pretty good. Afterwards, random people started giving speeches. In our table, we were discussing who would give a speech and I ended up volunteering. I kept my speech short and sweet but I talked about how Tita Maritie and Tito Erwin have been very important in helping our family get through tough times over the last few years and how they are blessed because they continue to bless others.
It was around 9:30 when the wedding anniversary celebration ended. Tito Erwin and Tita Maritie thanked everyone for coming and the wine glass we used during dinner also served as the party souvenir.
Of course, there was a lot of photo taking before we finally left. This was the last time I saw my grandmother Mama so I'm just thankful I got to spend quality time with her before she passed away. I'm also really happy that I got to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of Tita Maritie and Tito Erwin with them and with other members of our extended family. Congratulations to them and I look forward to their golden wedding anniversary in ten years.
Lemuria
http://www.lemuria.com.ph/
5 Julieta Circle, Horseshoe Village, Quezon City
email: lemuria@brumms.com.ph
mobile: +63.927.428.4202
landline: +63.2.724.5211, +63.2.722.2185
Operating Hours: Lunch by exclusive booking only; Dinner Tuesday-Sunday 6:00 pm-11:00 pm
I hadn't heard of this place before so I had to go online to figure out how to get there. It's a fine-dining restaurant and events venue that is perfect for relatively smaller gatherings; there were about 40 to 50 of us in our group. I'm not sure if this is one of those places that used to be someone's house that was later converted into a restaurant or a party venue but it does have a very warm and cozy ambience.
There are also a few rooms here so there can be a few dinners or celebrations going on at the same time. It also has a large open area that can probably serve as an open-air ballroom.
My mom and I got there a bit late and once we arrived, Tito Erwin was giving a welcome speech. Dinner was then served buffet-style and the food was pretty good. Afterwards, random people started giving speeches. In our table, we were discussing who would give a speech and I ended up volunteering. I kept my speech short and sweet but I talked about how Tita Maritie and Tito Erwin have been very important in helping our family get through tough times over the last few years and how they are blessed because they continue to bless others.
It was around 9:30 when the wedding anniversary celebration ended. Tito Erwin and Tita Maritie thanked everyone for coming and the wine glass we used during dinner also served as the party souvenir.
Of course, there was a lot of photo taking before we finally left. This was the last time I saw my grandmother Mama so I'm just thankful I got to spend quality time with her before she passed away. I'm also really happy that I got to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of Tita Maritie and Tito Erwin with them and with other members of our extended family. Congratulations to them and I look forward to their golden wedding anniversary in ten years.
Lemuria
http://www.lemuria.com.ph/
5 Julieta Circle, Horseshoe Village, Quezon City
email: lemuria@brumms.com.ph
mobile: +63.927.428.4202
landline: +63.2.724.5211, +63.2.722.2185
Operating Hours: Lunch by exclusive booking only; Dinner Tuesday-Sunday 6:00 pm-11:00 pm
Friday, April 10, 2015
Gerphil Flores gets the Golden Buzzer on Asia's Got Talent
What a wonderful way to make it through to the semifinals of the first-ever season of Asia's Got Talent. Gerphil Flores from the Philippines sings a flawless classical rendition of Speak Softly, Love (the theme from The Godfather). Not only does she get a stand ovation and a yes from all four judges, she also gets a Golden Buzzer from her idol, David Foster. Cool!
video uploaded in youtube by Asia's Got Talent
video uploaded in youtube by Asia's Got Talent
Thursday, April 09, 2015
Birthday dinner celebration
My friend Anna turned a year older a while back but as she's based abroad, we didn't get to celebrate until earlier this week when she was in Manila. We had dinner at Chef Jessie in Rockwell. I had never eaten here before and the set menu was very enticing - almost everyone else at our table ordered this - but when I saw that there were many cheese soufflé options in the menu, I decided to have one of them instead. I opted for the Bacon and Cheese Soufflé and oh wow it was so incredibly good! Anna told me that Chef Jessie used to be the chef of Le Soufflé and said I made a good choice. Brilliant! I also ordered the Aglio Olio pasta with Prawns and that was a quality dish as well. Lala couldn't finish all of her set menu so I ate all her leftover main course and dessert. While this restaurants is on the expensive side, the food is tremendously good!
It was the first time I saw the gang in a few months so there was of course a lot of catching up to do. I finally got to give my photobook gifts to my friends Michele and Joyce (Iona normally makes her own books - she finds it almost therapeutic and enjoyable - so I just give her vouchers as a gift). I also lent Joyce my DVD of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel since she recently watched the second one and enjoyed it she but didn't see this first one. I also gave Anna my spare commemorative P10 coin.
It was close to close to 11PM when we finally called it a night. I still owe Anna a proper birthday gift. I was supposed to make a photobook of her recent travels but she still hasn't been able to give me her photos. I think after seeing the other books I passed around that night, she feels a bit more compelled to put together her photos and send them to me. Happy birthday Anna and thanks for the wonderful dinner!
It was the first time I saw the gang in a few months so there was of course a lot of catching up to do. I finally got to give my photobook gifts to my friends Michele and Joyce (Iona normally makes her own books - she finds it almost therapeutic and enjoyable - so I just give her vouchers as a gift). I also lent Joyce my DVD of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel since she recently watched the second one and enjoyed it she but didn't see this first one. I also gave Anna my spare commemorative P10 coin.
It was close to close to 11PM when we finally called it a night. I still owe Anna a proper birthday gift. I was supposed to make a photobook of her recent travels but she still hasn't been able to give me her photos. I think after seeing the other books I passed around that night, she feels a bit more compelled to put together her photos and send them to me. Happy birthday Anna and thanks for the wonderful dinner!
Sunday, April 05, 2015
Rest in Peace, Mama
Last week, my grandmother on my dad's side, whom we affectionately call Mama, passed away at the great age of 91. She thankfully survived a few health scares over the last few years
but she suffered a heart attack last weekend and when my cousin called
me to tell me about it, the prognosis was grim. Apparently, the
doctors were saying Mama could go at any time soon so I decided to pass
by the next evening. (Thankfully, visitors were allowed in the ICU even
late at night.) There were several of us there when I arrived and
several more came after; I guess we were all expecting the worst and
wanted to spend some time with Mama while she was still alive. Most of
us started out talking to her and telling her that we love her. I also
prayed with her. After a while, I wasn't sure what to talk about anymore
so I started humming (I'm not good with lyrics so I figured I would
just hum the tunes instead). I went on that way for a couple of hours
and while I was there, I was noticing the figures on the monitor slowly
dropping. I left at close to 2am and I was told when I woke up that Mama had already passed away early in the morning.
We laid her to rest on Good Friday and everyone in our Manila-based extended family and our family friends were there to say goodbye. As luck would have it, it was my cousin's birthday that day. So it was decided during the funeral that we would all head to my uncle's house afterwards to celebrate. After all, while we were all very sad, Mama did have a great life and we wanted to celebrate that as well.
The last time I got to spend time with Mama while she was conscious was a few weeks ago during my uncle and aunt's 40th wedding anniversary. I'm just glad that I got to see her in very joyful circumstances shortly before she passed away.
I'm also happy that in Mama's twilight years, I got to spend some quality time with her. There was her amazing 90th birthday and I will never forget the time I took her and Tito Raul to Aristocrat as a post-Christmas celebration. She had difficulty moving in her final years so it was not easy taking her to different places but whenever she was at a party, she always still had the energy to dance. :) Mama will definitely be missed.
Eternal rest, grant unto Prudencia Pobre, O Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace. Amen.
We laid her to rest on Good Friday and everyone in our Manila-based extended family and our family friends were there to say goodbye. As luck would have it, it was my cousin's birthday that day. So it was decided during the funeral that we would all head to my uncle's house afterwards to celebrate. After all, while we were all very sad, Mama did have a great life and we wanted to celebrate that as well.
The last time I got to spend time with Mama while she was conscious was a few weeks ago during my uncle and aunt's 40th wedding anniversary. I'm just glad that I got to see her in very joyful circumstances shortly before she passed away.
I'm also happy that in Mama's twilight years, I got to spend some quality time with her. There was her amazing 90th birthday and I will never forget the time I took her and Tito Raul to Aristocrat as a post-Christmas celebration. She had difficulty moving in her final years so it was not easy taking her to different places but whenever she was at a party, she always still had the energy to dance. :) Mama will definitely be missed.
Eternal rest, grant unto Prudencia Pobre, O Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace. Amen.
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