Game Night in Ascott

I have a few different sets of friends who enjoy playing tabletop and board games, many of whom I hadn't played with in a long time. As such, I decided to book a room in Ascott Makati and host a game night there. Ascott is quite expensive but I hadn't been there in ages so I thought game night was a good excuse to spend a night here. I also love its location which is in Glorietta, making it easy to park and easy to eat and buy stuff if and when needed. (I also loved the fact that Ascott has CBTL

I brought several games with me, including all the games I own: 7 Wonders, Settlers of Catan, Race for the Galaxy, Ticket to Ride, and my newly acquired Istanbul and Kodama. I also borrowed a few games: Lords of Waterdeep, Forbidden Desert, and Sushi Go! Party. (I actually also ordered a Sushi Go! Party from Amazon but it hadn't arrived yet when we had our game night). A few of the people I invited that night also have their own games and they brought a few with them.

A total of 8 friends joined us that night: Denise, Zaza, Kat, Melody, Jez, Pao, Doms and Yuan although Doms and Yuan were there just for the company and not for the gaming. The rest of us went through a lot of games that were played over several hours: Potion Explosion (twice), Kodama, Istanbul, Sushi Go! Part (twice), Battle Sheep (twice), and Tsuro (I didn't realize that there were two Tsuros; I had played Tsuro of the Seas before and while this Tsuro works on the same game mechanics, there is no dragon. :)) Everyone that night got to play at least one game for the first time. I am also getting pretty handy at explaining more and more games now. I think our game of the night was Potion Explosion which my friend Kat brought with her. It is quite easy to play and even to teach and after playing it only once, I was able to explain it to my other friends who joined later that night and who weren't able to play it earlier. I am now planning to get a copy of that game for myself since my friends enjoyed it a lot.

Small Wonders Exhibit by Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan

This was a new experience for me. I attended the opening of the Small Wonders Exhibit of Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang-INK) and Globe Telecom held at the basement of the Globe Tower in BGC. My friend is an artist of Ang-INK and she invited us to join her. I've been to museums and galleries before but never to an exhibit opening. It was a simple event and the gallery showcased maybe 30 pieces from the many artists of Ang-INK so I had time to look at and appreciate each artwork in detail.

My friend Jovan's piece is called Indayon, which apparently means swing. (I didn't know that so that was something new I learned that night.)

Indayon

One of my favorites in the exhibit is this piece called Dog Mail Express. I have been thinking about getting this since I saw it but I'm just not quite sure where I can display it at home.

Dog Mail Express

You can contact Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan if you are interested in their art.You can also read more about Ang-INK here.

Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan
http://ang-ink.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngINK.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hello_INK/
Email: hello@ang-ink.org

My Favorite Animated Films (Part 2 of 2)

I was talking to someone recently about why and how I feel that, mainly in recent years, I tend to like animated films on average better than live action ones. After thinking about it, I felt that this is because the creators of animated films have to make films that cater to children but that adults can enjoy as well. As such, the creators of these movies tend to focus more on story-building, character development, and strong and positive conflict resolution. When I put together a list of films that made an impact to me, a couple of them were animated. It made me wonder what my favorite animated films are. And since I had just seen Beauty and the Beast, I decided to take that question a step further and list down my top 10 favorite animated films.

Note that these are my personal favorites. A lot of great animated films, such as Toy Story 3, Wall-E, and The Lion King are not on this list, despite the fact that I love those movies. It also doesn't include some films that I think I would love but haven't seen yet, such as My Neighbor Totoro or Spirited Away. This list contains movies that had stories, themes, and/or characters that resonated with me.

Warning: there are a lot of spoilers here so read at your own risk.

Read Part 1 here.

5. How to Train Your Dragon

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon_(film)

What I love about How to Train Your Dragon is that it is the about seeing things differently and making up your mind based on what you observe and what has been proven to be true rather than by what others have said or claimed to be true. When Hiccup discovers and understands that, despite what every other Viking believes, dragons will not "always, always go for the kill", he changes his mind about them and sets out to learn more about them instead of figuring out ways to kill them. He establishes a special bond with Toothless, the Night Fury and it is this special bond that ends up saving the day. The people of Berk initially refuse to believe that dragons are not as vicious and destructive as they have been believed to be, but when they see the Berk kids working together with dragons, they change their minds as well. The scene where Stoick saves Toothless and acknowledges his mistaken judgment to Hiccup is powerful and I wish more people in real life were like Stoick.

4. The Incredibles

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredibles

This is probably the only film in my list that doesn't have any of the strong, overarching themes that the others in this list have. However, what The Incredibles does is paint a lively yet relatable portrait of what families are like. It shows the concerns and insecurities people have and what their aches and aspirations are. The interaction between the family members is all too real. I love that part when Elastagirl tells her daughter that the people on the island aren't like the bad guys in the movie who will show restraint because they are children; these people will kill them. That they are all superheroes struggling with these real life situations somehow makes it more relatable. The script is solid, the animation is great, and even the theme about being special - or not special - does provide some food for thought.

3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunchback_of_Notre_Dame_(1996_film)

This is surely the biggest shocker in my list. A scant few people will talk about this one as one of the best animated films ever. This might also be due to the fact that it is based on Victor Hugo's classic novel and people who have read the book will naturally compare the two and the book will always trump the animated movie. The thing to remember of course is that none of the Disney cartoons have ever been 100% accurate. If they were, Ariel should have turned into sea foam at the end of her movie and there would not have been any dancing teapots and candelabras in Beauty and the Beast. What I love about The Hunchback of Notre Dame is how much of a departure it is from what previous Disney films used to be. Bambi and The Lion King showed us some pretty shocking deaths of important characters, so seeing Quasimodo's mother killed at the steps of Notre Dame within the first few minutes of the film is probably not all that new. But it also delves into a lot of other darker and more daring themes. I've never seen a Disney cartoon talk about eternal damnation and,  shockingly, even lust. This movie even devotes one chilling song to lust - Hellfire - and with a line like "it's not my fault if in God's plan he made the devil so much stronger than a man", it definitely blew my expectations out of the water.

Then of course, there is that natural theme about outer beauty and about being accepted. This isn't just an issue that the deformed Quasimodo has to deal with. It is also something that the beautiful Esmeralda struggles with. That scene of Quasimodo's public humiliation was heartbreaking (watch that scene here) and Esmeralda releasing Quasimodo from his cruel torment and standing up to Frollo was very powerful (watch that scene here). She wasn't the only one standing up to a tyrannical leader; when Frollo commands his guard to burn down the village to find Esmeralda, Captain Phoebus defies him and is consequently sentenced to death. What I also loved about it is it's painful realism. As critic Roger Ebert said, there hadn't been a Disney film where two good guys - Quasimodo and Phoebus - were both interested in the lead female (Esmeralda). In the end, Esmeralda goes with Phoebus, the good-looking guy with a good heart. It's a very real situation and somehow I would have found it too patronizing if she ended up with Quasmido in the end. That said, that triumphant ending when Quasimodo is reintroduced to the city folk and is finally accepted is just truly moving. Seriously, there is a lot of powerful stuff in this movie. Oh, and the music and the animation (for its time) are also breathtaking. I really, truly believe that this is one of the most underrated animated films ever. Looking at the comments on the links I've shared here prove that I am not the only one who thinks so.

2. Zootopia

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zootopia

I have written in detail about how much I love Zootopia. Not only does it create a beautifully imagined and artistically designed world, it shows us how easy it is for even good people to discriminate and make judgments and hasty generalizations about others even if they don't mean to and even if they themselves have been victims of discrimination. It also shows us that when we do make that mistake, we need to acknowledge it, learn from it, and become a better person. The fact that the film is easy to watch despite such a heavy theme makes it even better. Read more about why i love this movie here.

1. Up

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_(2009_film)

As I have stated before, Up is my favorite animated film. This movie talks about grief, loss, and loneliness in such a real, human way. It talks about how dreams might not always come true, and that if they don't, we shouldn't feel as if our lives are any less valuable or beautiful. Dreams can change because life happens. What is important is that our lives are filled with love and are shared with the people who matter to us. Read more about my thoughts on Up here and here.

My Favorite Animated Films (Part 1 of 2)

I was talking to someone recently about why and how I feel that, mainly in recent years, I tend to like animated films on average better than live action ones. After thinking about it, I felt that this is because the creators of animated films have to make films that cater to children but that adults can enjoy as well. As such, the creators of these movies tend to focus more on story-building, character development, and strong and positive conflict resolution. When I put together a list of films that made an impact to me, a couple of them were animated. It made me wonder what my favorite animated films are. And since I had just seen Beauty and the Beast, I decided to take that question a step further and list down my top 10 favorite animated films.

Note that these are my personal favorites. A lot of great animated films, such as Toy Story 3, Wall-E, and The Lion King are not on this list, despite the fact that I love those movies. It also doesn't include some films that I think I would love but haven't seen yet, such as My Neighbor Totoro or Spirited Away. This list contains movies that had stories, themes, and/or characters that resonated with me.

Warning: there are a lot of spoilers here so read at your own risk.

10. Chicken Run

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Run

I loved this stop-motion film for a few reasons. First, I loved its humor. Second, I had just mentioned how I love movies that end up with a strong positive resolution in the end and Chicken Run is very a good example of that. For a majority of the film, the chickens were depending on an American rooster Rocky to save them all. And if he did teach them to fly and escape the farm, that would have been okay. But in the end, the chickens, under the leadership of Ginger, work together to save themselves, which I found to be a much more satisfying conclusion.

9. Horton Hears a Who!

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton_Hears_a_Who!_(film)

I'm thinking that everyone coming together for a common cause is a theme that I relate to deeply. The same is true for people going against all odds to fight for something that they is true. Horton Hears a Who! tackles both these themes quite well. Both Horton and the Mayor of Whoville had to face ridicule and even personal injury That scene with the entire Whoville chanting "We are here, we are here, we are here!" to try and get the animals of the jungle to hear them and spare them from annihilation gave me chills. You can see the scene I am talking about here. Even that moment when everyone in Whoville somehow loses hope when their loud sounds still cannot be heard was sobering. I also loved how the Sour Kangaroo changed her mind once she was proven wrong. Read more about why I love this movie here.

8. The Last Unicorn

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Unicorn_(film)

I had written about this before since this movie is part of my list of films that will stay with me forever. The quality of the animation of this early 1980s Rankin Bass movie is not good, and the pacing is a bit slow. But it was the first cartoon I had seen that had a very deep theme about regret, sacrifice and love that other cartoons at that time didn't have. Read more about why I love this movie here.

7. Big Hero 6

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hero_6_(film)

Everyone else that year was talking about how the Lego Movie and How to Train Your Dragon 2 were the best animated films, but I had seen all three and I was rooting for Big Hero 6 to win the Oscar for Best Animated film despite the odds (it did). Part of it was because I am always a sucker for superhero movies. The other is that themes of loss and mourning tend to affect me more deeply. (Yes, I know that Hiccup loses his Dad Stoick in How to Train Your Dragon 2, but somehow his death there didn't seem to have as much impact on me; I guess I didn't connect with him as much as I did with Tadashi in Big Hero 6.) Read more about why I love this movie here.

6. Beauty and the Beast

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(1991_film)

This was the first animated film to be nominated for Oscar Best Picture. Two other animated films were nominated later on - Up and Toy Story 3 - but what makes the nomination of the 1991 version of Beauty and the Beast even more impressive is that it was nominated at a time that there were only five Oscar best picture nominees whereas Up and Toy Story 3 were nominated when up to 10 films could be nominated for the top Oscar plum. It also won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. This film is magical, with incredible music that elevates the inventiveness of the story and of the characters. However, it is the theme of doing the right thing even if it is difficult that made me a fan. I have always thought that Belle was a very strong female lead character. She is intelligent, imaginative, and hopeful. She sacrificed herself to save her father. Despite being imprisoned by the beast, she was able to see the good in him and change her mind about him, which is rare in real life because people often latch on to their first impressions despite evidence to the contrary. She makes adjustments so that other people are comfortable around her. When her father and the beast were in trouble, she came to their rescue. I think the fact that the lead character was so well-written made this film stand out.

Read Part 2 here.

Beauty and the Beast

I finally got to see a movie at the cinema for the first time this year. As a huge fan of the Disney animated movie that came out in 1991, I was definitely very interested to see the live action version of Beauty and the Beast.

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(2017_film)

What did I think of it? I found it enjoyable but I still think the animated version is better. I love the fact that the new version allows us to hear the same wonderful songs but it adds a couple of new songs that help add layers to the story. I love that it maintains the overall flow and feel of the original story but adds a few twists and makes a few adjustments that help make the viewing experience feel fresh and new. It's actually good that the Beast is now well-read, as you would expect a prince to be, and that there is some explanation as to how the he became "spoiled, selfish and unkind". The visual effects are absolutely stunning and they transport the audience to a wonderful new world. I also think it's cool that the movie also incorporates a bit more of the original fairy tale into it by having Belle ask Maurice for a rose and that the Beast actually throws Maurice in the dungeon for "stealing" a rose from his garden.

For the most part, the acting and the singing were solid. I think the revelation here was Luke Evans who for me stole the show as Gaston. I also thought that Kevin Kline was very good as Maurice and he portrayed the character more like a quirky inventor that the rest of the villagers couldn't relate to rather than a loony old man. I have to say though that as good as most of the cast was, the original voice cast - Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts, Jerry Orbach as Lumiere, and David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth - can never be equalled. As one commenter on youtube said, Angela Lansbury's voice just has so much character that it's hard to come close to how much life she brings to Mrs. Potts and how beautifully she sings Beauty and the Beast. The animated version also has the more stunning ballroom scene. I was also a bit disappointed in Emma Watson's performance. Given how good she was in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I thought that the cartoon Belle was actually a lot more expressive than her. I guess she was going for a more understated delivery but given how much Belle wants "more than this provincial life" and how much she wants to "have adventure in the great, wide somewhere", I found that Emma's low-key approach didn't quite work in portraying the emotions that Belle should have been feeling inside.

Since I started talking about the original voice cast, here's a fun fact: did you know that the same person - David Ogden Stiers - provides the voice for both Cogsworth and the narrator of the Prologue? I was shocked when I first found out because the voices of these two are so strikingly different. To remind you, this is the original prologue.


video uploaded by xiᴍᴀɢiɴᴀʀʏʀᴏsᴇ ❤

Another fun fact about the animated film: did you know that Lumiere is voiced by Jerry Orbach who also played tough detective Lennie Brisco for 12 seasons, from 1992 to 2004.

While I absolutely love the original movie and I enjoyed this new one, there has always been one thing that bothered me about it. I always though that the enchantress who cast a spell on the castle and all who lived there was mean and a bit of a bully. It was the prince who cast her away and yet she turned everyone in the castle into household items. I guess they try to address that in the new movie, with Mrs. Potts telling Belle that everyone in the castle allowed the prince to become the way he was so they were being punished for it as well. But come on, you can't really stand up to royalty in the olden days and expect not to get punished. (Think Game of Thrones LOL.) But I will just allow this movie that one flaw and enjoy everything else about it.

Awesome Liberos

Over the last couple of years, Dawn Macandili has established herself as a premiere libero in the country. She started out as one of two liberos in DLSU - sharing the role with Cienne Cruz - before taking on the role fully when Cienne left the team. It was at that point that her skill improved by leaps and bounds. Literally. Dawn has now gained recognition and praise for her amazing dolphin dives to save the ball, even if it means throwing her body and hitting the floor time after time. Her athleticism, speed, control, and commitment got her the best receiver and best digger awards in last season's UAAP (and she's on track to be awarded best receiver this season too). And to highlight just how amazing she is, she was also awarded best libero at the most recent Philippine Superliga (PSL) reinforced tournament and also the best libero and MVP - yes, MVP - at the PSL all-Filipino tournament. Wow.

This rally, in the second round match between DLSU and UST showcases Dawn's remarkable skills. Not only where the commentators at awe, even the court announcer credited Dawn for the point (even if it was Des Cheng who scored).

Yup, THAT rally. #UAAPSeason79 pic.twitter.com/o5OcXjsgY6

— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) March 29, 2017

This rally reminded me of what might possibly be the best display of ground defense I've seen from both teams in one rally. It was in the middle of the final set of the NCAA men's volleyball finals between CSB and UPHSD (UPHSD won this point and had a massive lead but CSB prevailed in the end). There were about a dozen amazing saves, a few of them just absolutely sensational. Check it out here:


video uploaded in youtube by ABS-CBN Sports And Action

*****

Of course, Dawn isn't the only libero to have been awarded as league or tournament MVP.  Japanese women's volleyball player Yuko Sano was awarded MVP at the 2014 FIVB World Grand Prix. Even more impressive was Brazilian men's volleyball player Serginho, who was awarded MVP at the Rio Olympics in 2016. While liberos used to have thankless jobs because the glory often goes to the players with the killer spikes or deadly blocks, it is good that more and more people all around the world are giving them recognition and credit for the fantastic and very difficult work they do.

Star Wars 40th Anniversary: Force for Change

This is really cool. For their 40th anniversary, Star Wars teamed up with Omaze to raise funds for UNICEF and the Starlight Children's Foundation and they are offering fans a chance to win three epic experiences:

• an overnight stay at Skywalker Ranch
• a chance to appear in the upcoming Han Solo movie
• a trip to LA to join the cast at the premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi 

Wow, wow, wow!!

A US$10 donation, the smallest amount you can donate, gets you 100 entries. Higher amounts get you more entries and other bonuses, including shirts, a 40th Anniversary coin, and even access to very exclusive private screenings.

Check out the Omaze site to learn more about his campaign: https://www.omaze.com/experiences/Star-Wars-40th.

You can also check out this cool and funny video of Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley talking about it.


video uploaded by Star Wars

The E-Waste Project

I've known for a while that ideally, you shouldn't throw used batteries along with regular trash because they contain heavy metals that can contaminate the environment. I had always wanted to find out where in the Philippines I can properly dispose of used batteries but I hadn't really put in the requisite research effort to figure this out. I also somehow decided not to throw used or busted light bulbs along with regular trash just because I wasn't sure whether you could. Because of this, I've kept all my used batteries and light bulbs at home.

Thankfully, my friend shared The E-Waste Project Facebook page with me recently. They were collecting old e-waste from April 4 to 7 at the ASCAL Walk in UP Diliman (which was then extended to April 21). I messaged their Facebook page to ask if their e-waste collection included used batteries and light bulbs and they said it did. As such, I made my way to UP on what originally was their last day of e-waste collection to drop off my stash.

I didn't have enough time to go through some of my other stuff at home, or even some broken electronics we have at my family's house. (I know for sure we have some broken cameras and DVD players, among other things.) I will start gathering these items and maybe put them in a box at my family's house so I can be ready if and when there is another e-waste collection effort.

Coldplay in Manila!

I can finally tick this one off my bucket list. I joined 35,000 people at the SM Mall of Asia grounds on April 4 to watch Coldplay perform during the Manila leg of their "A Head Full of Dreams" tour. (Was the crowd just really 35,000? It felt like there were a lot more people!) I was in line at 3pm, the earliest I have ever fallen in line at a concert. Since there were no seats at the grounds, I wanted to make sure I got as close to the front of my section as possible. Despite queuing up early, there were still hordes of people in front of me. Luckily though, I was able to make it to the front of my section. We were also very fortunate that the weather was great - it was neither too hot nor was it raining.

#ColdplayManila 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/4gokMU59cD

— Coldplay Philippines (@Coldplay_PH) April 5, 2017

It was around 9pm when Coldplay finally appeared on stage. The moment the lights came on and the screens lit up, the energy of a crowd that was tired from being on their feet for hours was significantly boosted and wild cheers erupted from everyone, including myself. I couldn't believe I was there amidst a crowd watching a band whose music I had loved for years and that I desperately wanted to see live. It was incredible!

only one of two photos I got to take that night before my phone battery died

They played music from all their albums, making it a truly magical night for all their fans. The show was made even more spectacular by the incredible lights and fireworks display and the bursts of confetti. They played many of my favorites, including Fix You, Yellow, The Scientist, and Viva La Vida. Probably my favorite moment was when Chris Martin asked everyone to send love and positive energy to a part of the world that needed it, such as Syria, before he put on a powerfully moving performance of Everglow. The fans also loved the fact that he performed a short made-up song specially for the Philippines (Chris said that he was just making it on the spot but I have this feeling that it was prepared beforehand. :))


video uploaded by 316jet

He also asked people to send love to one of his fans, Ken, who couldn't be in the concert that night because he was battling stage 4 cancer. Chris actually visited Ken before the concert and performed Ink, which Ken had requested. Read more about this touching story here.

Chris Martin, you are an angel!!! Thank you for making Ken very happy!! #youKENdoit#HymnfortheweeKENd pic.twitter.com/HfApn6hSs4

— Rhiza Pascua (@itsarpee) April 4, 2017

Amidst all of this, there were many challenges that conspired to make that evening miserable for me. I wasn't allowed to bring my point-and-shoot camera inside (even if the policy said that only pro cameras were not allowed) so I had to leave it in the baggage claim which meant additional queuing before I could head home. The very bad phone signal resulted in my phone battery getting drained just as the concert started, meaning that without a phone and a camera, I was only able to take one photo right at the start of the show. The audience sections were also changed, with the VIP section being enlarged and pushing everyone else further back so it wasn't good for all of us who weren't in the VIP section. Also, my xyloband very sadly didn't work so I somehow felt just a little left out when the xylobands were changing colors to fit the music and add to the amazing light show.

Filipino Xylobrytes 💜 such a heavenly view. Until next time, @coldplay! #ColdplayManila pic.twitter.com/O3sTBGgGka

— Coldplay Philippines (@Coldplay_PH) April 4, 2017

My plan to hitch a ride home with my friend who was in a different section also failed because my phone went dead. With thousands of people trying to get taxis or Uber and Grab rides to get home, I decided to walk all the way to Solaire resort where I had a very late dinner before queuing for a taxi. It was 2AM when I got home and after being on my feet for about 10 hours, I had a couple of blisters. Still, the concert was worth all the difficulties. Coldplay is one of my favorite musical artists and they have written some of my favorite songs. Watching them perform live is an experience I won't ever forget.

Belief by Gavin De Graw

I have loved Gavin DeGraw's song Belief for more than a decade and when I discovered this live version, I have come to love it even more than the record. It is just so raw and emotional and Gavin's voice is superb. The video is grainy but despite this, you still hear how beautiful the music is.

Gavin performs a bit of his number one hit I Don't Want To Be and he gets interviewed at the start of this video so you can click on this link to watch the full video but I'm embedding it at the 2:16 mark which is when he starts performing Belief.


video uploaded by dramione85

Segovia's Cakes and Recipes

I recently brought my grandmother some ensaymada that I purchased from some random place and I asked her how they were. She said they were just okay. She went on to say that her favorite ensaymada is from some place in San Juan and that it was along "M. Reyes" street, near Xavier school. I decided to do an online search for "ensaymada M Reyes" and the first few hits I got were for Segovia's Cakes and Recipes. When I checked it on the map, it was along M.A. Reyes Street and was really close to Xavier. I figured that this must be it. I decided to get some ensaymada from Segovia's to bring to my grandmother (and a few more to bring to my family).

Segovia's Cakes and Recipes is not open on Sunday which is when I normally visit my grandmother so on one free Saturday afternoon in March, I decided to head over to Little Baguio in San Juan to make my purchase. Apparently, Segovia's used to be like a cafe where you can have a sit-down meal with sandwiches but they have done away with that set-up; now they only just sell baked items to go. I decided to get ensaymada, ube ensaymada, and mamon. (I would have tried their cheese rolls as well but they were out of stock when I was there.)

I have to say that when I tried the ensaymada, it lived it up the hype. It was fluffy and not too sweet. It's also not to expensive. (Unfortunately, I can't recall how much they cost; I think the ensaymada was P45 and the mamon was P40.) My grandmother confirmed that this was indeed the right ensaymada place she told me about. Cool! I now plan to visit Segovia's again to get more ensaymada and other baked items (hopefully including the cheese rolls).

Segovia's Cakes and Recipes
https://www.facebook.com/SegoviasCakesRecipes/
# 7 M.A. Reyes St. Little Baguio San Juan
725-2849 / 727-4616

March Hodgepodge

My aunt, Tita Susan, has been living abroad for many years now. I think the last time I saw her was during Mama's 90th birthday four years ago. As luck would have it, my cousin Fr. John was also in town. Since both of them were in Manila, our family decided to have a reunion at Tito Erwin's place. It was potluck so I volunteered to bring dessert. Since I wasn't sure how many people would be there, I decided to bring a variety of desserts from S&R. The party started at lunch time and there was a whole lot of food which meant that we were eating practically the entire time. We also had live musicians and a lot of song hits so the afternoon turned into a karaoke celebration. We stayed until the early evening before saying fond farewells to each other. Tita Susan left a few days later so I'm glad we were able to catch up while she was here. Fr. John will be here for a few more months so I need to set up a lunch or dinner with him before he returns to Europe.

Speaking of family time, I took my grandmother shopping one Sunday evening. Her birthday was coming up and we were planning a dinner for her so she wanted to have a new blouse to wear. We went to a few shops before finding a nice navy blue blouse that had the right look and fit. We also saw another peach blouse at another shop that my grandmother also liked. She wasn't sure which blouse to get so I decided to get both for her. I'm really happy that I can do these kinds of things for my grandmother.

I also lucked out during a random trip to Maitre Chocolatier along Jupiter Street in Makati. I had a late lunch at Whistlestop Jupiter before meeting my mom along Buendia but she told me she was still some distance away. I had time to have coffee so after my lunch, I decided to check out Maitre Chocolatier which was right next to Whistlestop to see if they served coffee. I had seen this place many times before but I never went in. I used to think it was only a chocolate shop but apparently it is more like a cafe that also serves food and drinks. I was too full for dessert so I just ordered coffee but I also looked around the shop and saw that they had some chocolates on sale at 50% discount, including Ferrero Rocher. Their big box of 24 cost less than P300 and the small box of 12 cost less than P150. Wow!! They were on sale because they were all best before April 1. I decided to get six big containers - 1 for myself, 3 for my family, 1 for my grandmother, and 1 to bring to my game night in March. Needless to say, none of the chocolates really lasted beyond the best-before date. :) (I also want to go back to this place since they have more than a few items on their menu that I want to try.)

Speaking of game night, this month didn't involve any new games. Instead, I got to play games that I had already played before, including The Village, Carcassonne, Kodama, and Roll for It. The most memorable repeat game was Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization. While this game lasted "only" 5 hours (as opposed to the 5 1/2 hours it took me the first time), we started playing at 1 AM and finished at 6AM. We had to clean up my friend's place first before leaving and by the time we we were done, it was past 7AM and the sun was up and it was already hot. That was the latest (or more appropriately, the earliest) game night I've ever had! What also made that Through the Ages game memorable apart from the time we finished playing was the final score. Rocky and Mai were tied with 174 points, I had 173, and Myna had 172. Only 2 points separated first from the last. Wow! That has never happened in any other game I've played! I am just happy that I played this game much better than the first time I played it.

The Inspirational Lewis Hine

This video recently went viral. This video was created to celebrate Lewis Hine's 16th birthday last March 17 but beyond that, it celebrates the power of the human spirit and the incomparable value of life. At 17 months old, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and over the course of his life, he's had 13 brain surgeries already. As if that wasn't enough, he regularly has seizures. Despite all this, Lewis has maintained a positive yet realistic outlook in life. He knows he's drawn the short straw but, as he says in his video, he has coping mechanisms to help him deal with his situation. To top it all off, he even founded Friend Finder. This project aims to help kids who miss a lot of school and can't form relationships with other kids their age form friendships with other kids in similar situations. I have to say I am so inspired by Lewis that I felt compelled to share this.



Of all the lines he says in this video, the one that I found most powerful was this: "My illness may define the length of my life, but it won't define how I live it." It is extremely sad to know that he understands that his illness may not allow him to live the average human lifespan and his maturity to accept this mortality is sobering and humbling.

It is fantastic that throughout this lifelong ordeal, he has found a voice and continues to make a difference through social innovation by creating Friend Finder. You can learn more about it at http://www.lewishine.co.uk/. You can also check out this video:


video uploaded in youtube by Lily Freeston

I wish Lewis a belated happy birthday and I wish him and his project more power and more success.

Powerful Video by Danish Broadcaster TV2: All That We Share

This is an amazing video. It demonstrates that despite some glaring differences, if we go below the surface and take the time to know others better, there are really many things that we all have in common with each other.


video uploaded by TV2Danmark

Crazy Oscars

I cannot believe it, the Oscars had a Steve Harvey moment! The award for Best Picture was incorrectly given first to La La Land before this major faux pas was chaotically addressed and the award was then given to the correct winner, Moonlight. The crazy thing was that this mistake was only made clear after all the speeches were completed. Wow. I am impressed at how positively La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz took it. You could sense he was really upset by this major flub and yet he had the maturity to say that he would be "really proud to hand this to my friends from Moonlight", referring to the trophy. And here you thought that the world had learned from that major Miss Universe blunder. Some people might just get fired for this major snafu.

BREAKING UPDATE: Following incorrect announcement, 'Moonlight' has won 'Best Picture' at the #Oscars. https://t.co/esmdczoPpT pic.twitter.com/9KWTsLlzrH

— ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2017

Another gaffe happened in one of the most poignant moments of the show, the In Memoriam segment, which paid tribute to artists we've lost in the last year. The incomparable Sara Bareilles sang an emotionally stirring rendition of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. However, as it turned out, a mistake was made when the photo of a living woman, Jan Chapman, was shown to represent Janet Patterson. Oh dear. Looks like more heads will roll.

On a more positive note, Meryl Streep was recognized for her 20th Oscar nomination in a humor-injected tribute (check out the twitter post and video below). After Jimmy Kimmel asked Meryl to stand up, she received a standing ovation from the star-studded audience. Amazing!

The crowd gives "underrated actress" Meryl Streep a standing ovation at the #Oscars. pic.twitter.com/18yGDNKoW3

— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 27, 2017

I am also really happy that Zootopia, which is quite possibly my second favorite animated film of all time, received the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.

*****

While we are on the topic of animated films, I also really loved Kubo and the Two Strings so I am happy that this animated film from LAIKA has gotten its fair share of accolades, including the BAFTA award for Best Animated Film. Cool!

New month, new games

I joined two game nights this month, and both times involved playing new games. I spent one Saturday with Denise, Zaza and Drew at Denise's house and I brought a few games with me, including Forbidden Desert and Lords of Waterdeep which I borrowed from my friend Myna. Forbidden Desert was created by the same maker of Pandemic and the premise of this cooperative game is that you are stranded in a desert and you need to find a Flying Machine to take your entire group to safety. The way that this game is designed makes it feel like you are actually trying to survive dehydration, being swept away by the sandstorm, and being buried under the sand. I think on average, players win only 1 out of 4 or 5 times playing Forbidden Desert and on this first attempt, we didn't win (we were close though). However, the mood and the vibe while playing this game makes it quite exciting. My friends actually said they want to play it again.

Forbidden Desert

I spent another Saturday playing with my other board gaming friends. The first new game I played that night was Roll For It. This is a quick and fun game and while luck plays a large part, there is also some strategizing involved because you need to make decisions based on probability and card layout. Another new game I played was Kodama. The objective of this game is to grow your tree by placing branch cards in clever arrangements to maximize your score per round and your Kodama card bonus at the end of each season. Finally, I played Through The Ages: A New Story of Civilization. I won't even go into trying to explain how to play this as it is really complex. However, it is very good. It did take us 5 1/2 hours to complete the game but if you have the time and the energy, I do recommend playing it. (Just make sure you read the instructions very well. Thankfully, we had the benefit of having an expert game master who is very knowledgeable and explains the game very well.

On a sadder note for gaming aficionados, DyceNDyne officially closed at the end of January. One of my friends is part of the DyceNDyne network and, as such, had access to the pre-sale. She shared the list of games being sold with us. I wanted to get both the good-condition Istanbul and the like-new Fresco but I was strapped for cash - I was still feeling the sting of the Christmas expenses due to credit card payments I've had to make LOL - so I ended up getting only one of them, Istanbul. (Once the pre-sale was over, I kinda regretted not getting the like-new Fresco). So while DyceNDyne isn't around anymore, I at least still have a piece of it with me.

February Hodgepodge

Wicked had another run in Manila, this time at the Theatre at Solaire. My nephew wanted to see it and I certainly didn't mind seeing it again so I decided to take him. As it turned out, the traffic that day was tremendously bad and we almost didn't make it. We were still stuck along Roxas Boulevard 30 minutes before our show was supposed to start and I was telling my nephew we wouldn't be able to eat anymore and we would need to run once we got there. Indeed, as soon as I parked at almost 8pm, we ran to the Theatre and thankfully, the doors hadn't been closed yet. A few minutes after we got settled in our seats, Wicked started. Whew! Even on this second viewing, it was still amazing and I still got goosebumps when Defying Gravity was being performed. (Side note: thankfully, during the break between Acts I and II, we stepped out of the theater really quickly and were the first in line to get sandwiches at the food bar outside the theater. By the time we paid for our order, there was a really long line behind us.)

We were almost late was because I came from Tagaytay that day. I left Tagaytay shortly before 1pm and it somehow took me 7 hours to drive home from Tagaytay, pick up my nephew, then drive to Solaire. Even after the show at 11pm, the traffic along Roxas Boulevard was still very bad. I ended up driving for about 9 hours the day. It was exhausting!

The reason I was in Tagaytay was because I attended the wedding of my friends Eman and Mia the night before and my friends and I decided to just stay in an airbnb place in Tagaytay after the wedding. Before heading back to Manila, my friends and I had lunch at Bag of Beans in Twin Lakes. I had never been to Twin Lakes before and it's a pretty cool complex to hang out in.

Some time after that, I took my family to UP Town Center to celebrate my brother's birthday. The original plan was for us to eat in Shrimp Bucket - most of my family hadn't eaten there yet - but the place was full and there already was a waitlist so we moved to our favorite and standard restaurant here, Pinac.  After dinner, we decided to go around the mall since my nephew was looking to get headphones and my grandmother wanted to get a new blouse. I also swung by the supermarket - Mercado - to get Dolce Gusto capsules because my friend told me that Dolce Gusto is cheaper here than in most other places. As I was walking towards the coffee section, I passed by the wine section and I randomly decided to see if they carried my favorite cheap wine: Santa Carolina Premio. (Rustan's Supermarket used to carry it but I don't think they still do). As luck would have it, they did! Since I don't often go to UP Town Center, I decided to get a couple of bottles.

I also realized in that trip that a lot of changes have been made to UP Town Center since early 2016, with a lot of new shops and restos, I almost want to find another excuse to bring my family here again. And maybe then we can get a table in Shrimp Bucket without having to wait. :)

Movie-watching at home

I realized that I haven't been able to go to the movie theaters yet this year but I have managed to find time to catch up on a lot of the DVDs I have at home. My recent movie-watching at home has revolved around Academy award nominees, animated films, and young adult (or maybe even kiddie) thrillers. If I exclude the two Oscar nominees in this list, the movies I've seen recently all seem to be for kids or young people. I'm not sure whether that is some kind of indicator of my current state of mind...

Captain Phillips, which stars Tom Hanks, is tense and riveting, and the way it is filmed makes you feel like you are actually on a cargo ship being attacked by pirates. The fact that it is based on a true story makes me wonder what it must've been like to be under attack by pirates. The Martian was also a best picture nominee and I found it to be quite a unique and interesting movie. The premise is that Matt's character Mark Watney is presumed dead during a mission to Mars and as such, is left behind. To survive, he decides he has to "science the sh*t out of this" as he actually says in the film. While it is exhilarating and has its fair share of intense moments, I found it to be a relatively easy watch. It's a brilliant movie and I definitely recommend it.

Recently, I have felt that most animated films tend to be some of my favorites. That isn't the case with the recent set of animated movies I saw. The Peanuts Movie was pleasant enough to watch but it really caters to kids and not exactly to adults. Still, I'm quite happy that for a change, Charlie Brown has a bit of a happy ending in this. The 2015 version of The Little Prince got pretty good reviews online and I am such a big fan of the book so I had to watch it. Personally, though, I thought it didn't quite live up to the hype. This film actually takes place years after the book so it's not the exact same story. While it still showcases some of the most important messages that the book conveys, I thought that it lost some (or a lot?) of the magic of the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry classic novel. I also finally got to see the 80's Disney film The Black Cauldron. While I was intrigued by the fact that this cartoon has a much darker tone compared to other Disney films, I thought that it was just okay. Maybe if I saw it back in the day as a kid, I would have enjoyed it more. For me, these three films were not great but were not bad either. The movie that I really didn't like, however was The Good Dinosaur. Considering that this is a Pixar film, I was very surprised at the fact that I absolutely didn't enjoy it. I think it's mainly because I didn't appreciate how the little boy in the film was portrayed like a dog. It just rubbed me completely the wrong way.

Goosebumps was the kiddie thriller I more or less expected it to be, with a group of kids working with mysterious author R.L. Stine (played by Jack Black) to battle monsters that have magically come out of the pages of Stine's Goosebumps children's books. I somehow thought that Krampus would have the same light approach but it was actually a lot darker than I expected. Krampus as I found out is like the demonic version of Santa Claus. I was surprised at how the story unfolded and how menacing the creatures in this film were.

I also got to see a couple of other movies that don't fit any of these three themes. One of them was Warcraft. Based on video game series, this film was not received well by critics but it did seem to get generally positive reviews from audiences. I actually quite enjoyed it. I also got to see The Banquet (released in other territories as Ye Yan or Legend of the Black Scorpion). It stars Zhang Ziyi and I thought it would enjoy it as much as Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, all of which stars her as well. Somehow, though, this film didn't meet my lofty expectations

Mika Reyes is Ms. Volleyball 2016

Wow, this really is Mika Reyes' time. In the last 12 months, she won the UAAP women's volleyball championship with DLSU on her graduating year, won another championship with F2 Logistics at the all-Filipino conference of the Philippine Superliga, played with the world's best during the FIVB Club Championships, and was named Philippine Superliga ambassador. Now, she has another feather on her cap as she is awarded Ms. Volleyball at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards.

Mika Aereen Reyes is the Philippine Sportswriters Association's Ms. Volleyball 2016. #MikaReyesMsVball2016 pic.twitter.com/MgwWwrAKr2

— Mika Aereen Reyes (@Yeyelovers) February 13, 2017

In other news, Mika also surprised the Philippine volleyball world by signing with Petron. This move means she leaves the comfort of playing with her DLSU teammates and Coach Ramil to join Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Rhea Dimaculangan, Carmela Tunay, and Bang Pineda under the coaching of Shaq Delos Santos. While it's a move I didn't see coming, I hope that it's something that will allow her to grow even further as an athlete.

Congrats, Mika!

RIP, Al Jarreau

Very sad news. Jazz and music legend Al Jarreau has passed away at the age of 76.

Al Jarreau, Singer Who Spanned Jazz, Pop and R&B Worlds, Dies at 76 https://t.co/xnkmG0WLsa

— Al Jarreau (@AlJarreau) February 12, 2017

Al, who won 7 Grammy Awards during a career that spanned decades, is possibly known most for his song After All and for the Moonlighting Theme. While those songs showcased his the elegant silky side of his voice, it was his amazing ability to do vocal acrobatics that made me a fan. I had blogged previously about his live performance of Take Five that left me in utter awe and amazement after seeing it.

This may bring a tear, but it also we hope brings a smile, as we know, life is both. #AlJarreau on the eve of @IntlJazzDay 2015 pic.twitter.com/ugQ5gLlyrj

— Al Jarreau (@AlJarreau) February 15, 2017

Al had actually retired from touring and he had to cancel the remainder of his shows in 2017. It is sad that just about a week after announcing his retirement from touring, he retired from this world.

Rest in peace, Al Jarreau! You will be missed.