Food Favorites

Just today I bought two loaves of Le Coeur's latest concoctions: one cheese loaf and one coconut loaf. I have yet to try the cheese loaf which I principally bought for my son. But I've eaten two slices of the coconut loaf and it's so yummy. Reminds me of the panso we used to buy from the town bakery in Talisay way back 40 or so years ago, and more recently, years ago too, actually, but not more than ten, of the pan de coco a sister sent me, possibly because she remembered our childhood days. While those of yore were basically candied coconut in bread, the version of Le Coeur's more high class -- it's butter with coconut. Sinful, no?

A few months back, on the other hand, I tried the Yoku Moku brand of a take on lengua de gato with filling and it was so special I asked a professor I work for who's Japanese if she knew of it. She said they were high-end cookies and so I decided that was the first I tried those special cookies was the last as well. Then my sister said she was going to Japan, so I took the chance of asking her to buy me some. She did. She got the double chocolate flavor and though I'd promised I'd just get one, I had to break that promise and get two. Some months back, I got what must be a clone, branded D'asses. Quite good too, and luckily for me, they were half price each time I got them in Unimart. Lucky. Also tried their barquillos type of cookies and it's very good.

Another recent discovery is the All Natural Dolcetto wafer rolls. Bought the vanilla flavored one and it's a wow. A bit costly at Php88 plus pesos in Rustan's but it's a definite treat.


Then there's Neapolitan Kisses. It's not available in the Philippines yet, I think, but my son's friend gave him a pack from the States and it's such a treat. It's strawberry, white chocolate, and milk chocolate in one. Reminds me of the Silver Bell ice cream I used to eat in a cone (drumstick) in high school. Almost everyday, when we were dismissed from school, I was in high school then, I'd drop by this shop of a friend of my mom's to buy Silver Bell in half gallon cans, or the drumstick. Wonder where that brand went. It was more special than Magnolia, definitely. The tin cans where in royal blue with the brand Silver Bell printed in, you guessed it, silver.

Speaking of ice cream, I miss Magnolia's cafe blanco, coffee mangosteen and I forgot the name of one variant which had pineapple, cherry and something green. Now I remember the flavor: rainbow pineapple. What a pity they're no longer available.

And speaking of things no longer available, I still recall Miladay butter toffees that came in cans with cross-stitch patterns. And Nestle Cracker Milk chocolate. Those were bliss.

So with Mrs. Roig's birthday cakes. And Vir's paella, baked macaroni, escabeche, beefsteak, chicken tinola, brazos, date loaf, relleno, embutido, morcon -- wow Vir was a real talent in the kitchen. Oh no, I nearly forgot her siomai and siopao too. I guess when we see each other in the next life, hopefully heaven, she'll cook all those for me again and I can just eat and eat and eat with mama and Jun, Lolo and Nene, without fearing I'd gain so many pounds and inches. A classmate who passed away years ago can join us. How she loved Vir's brazo de mercedes and cheese pimiento sandwich. I miss Mama's orange cake too.

Unang Hirit

Locally, it has been my favorite early morning show ever since it started and Lyn Ching somehow explained why I prefer it to all the different permutations that have challenged it care of the Kapamilya Channel -- the camaraderie of the hosts. Their friendships are real, no contrived ones there, thank you. So real in fact that they are the godparents of each other's children. Such fun. There are times they get carried away with their teasing but those are very rare instances.

On the minus side, when one has a headache or woke up on the wrong side of the bed, listening to Love Anover giving updates on traffic can be annoying. When I am in such a mood, I turn the TV on to mute when Love is doing her thing.

tristan is so cute. He has the charm of his dad, the late Jun Encarnacion who must be very proud of him. He's very respectful too!

Drew is so childlike he can be anyone's favorite son. Such charm.

Eagle - I think the one who most understands him is Suzi. I may be wrong but somehow I think Eagle is sensitive and Suzi knows this so she's always careful to include him in the conversation or to give him some importance.

Arnold - I'm glad he hasn't joined politics. While sometimes he can be self-righteous, he is less so than his counterparts in Channel 2, thank God.

Regine - she can dance up a storm but I am not too enamored with her dancing. I don't know if it's excessive or lacking in something but I've seen better.

Suzi - I love this lady. Once inside the theater in Power Plant, the lights had just been turned on when I saw her up there. She saw that I was looking and gave me a smile. She's real.

Lyn Ching - I saw her too in Megamall, and while she didn't turn to smile, she was smiling all the time and not sulking or snobbing anyone. I think she's ok though she's from La Salle. Ooops...

Rhea - She is just so pretty. But there are words she doesn't pronounce well. Like she pronounces international as though it were -enter national.

Certainly Channel 2 has better sets but it's like a plush house in a rich subdivision where the people aren't blessed with happy relationships.

A Different Bookstore -- Kudos

Following is a letter I wrote to the management (owner of Different Bookstore):

Hello. My experiences in your various outlets (ink and stone, Different Bookstore) have always been happy ones. Your personnel are gracious, efficient and competent. For example, just a few minutes ago, I called your branch in Podium in search of Perfume by Patrick Suskind. I was promptly told that they no longer had it in stock (that's product knowledge for you) and when I asked about the other branches, the man in Podium asked where I was nearest. I asked for the numbers in Serendra and Eastwood, and was promptly given them.

I called Serendra first and luckily, Manette said they had one copy left. As we live in Loyola Heights and my husband had just arrived from school (he teaches at the Ateneo Grade School) feeling rather tired, I asked if they could hold the copy for me till tomorrow. Manette concurred.

Hoping Eastwood would have a copy as it would be nearer, I also decided to call Eastwood. Conrad said he didn't have any left but asked if I wanted to reserve. He'd call the other branches, he volunteered. When I confessed that I had reserved a copy in Serendra, he said he'd just get it for me so we could just pick up the book from Eastwood. How kind of him. I called Serendra to apologize and inform them of the arrangement and Manette assured me it was perfectly fine.

Though my family and I don't get to visit your stores as often as we'd like to because your locations aren't in the malls we frequent (Shangrila and Power Plant), we feel most welcome each time we do drop by. Plus your staff's efficiency and graciousness are tops. I guess that's a reflection of management too.

Congratulations. Here's wishing you more success and branches to come.

*************************************************************************************

The owner promptly replied, saying, among other things: Please do note that if we do not carry a particular title that you are interested in, you can always order it through our prepaid book order service.

Amici 2

Last Saturday, my husband and I hied off to Amici after dropping of our son at Pier 1. I was so looking forward to having risotto osso buco which I thoroughly enjoyed the first time we went to Amici and thought our getting a good parking slot was an indication of better things to come.

The place wasn't at all full and I was truly excited. My husband ordered and paid for a pasta dish and my osso buco and as we looked forward to partaking of these, a waitress came to say they had run out of osso buco. I was dismayed to say the least. Had I known earlier that osso buco was unavailable, we could have transferred to a different restaurant. Oh well, I opted to order a pasta dish as well. It had cubes of ham and chicken, green pasta and a light orange sauce -- possibly tomato sauce with some cream. there were parmesan slices and grated portions as well. It was not bad but I felt so let down.

Ironicallly that night, my cousin who first introduced me to Amici called. When I told him of my sorry experience, he said that it had changed owners. It was now owned by the former owners of Red Ribbon.

On another note, our table in Amici was close to the entrance of Amici from either Pasay Road or Pasong Tamo. Regardless, beside the foot of the stairs stood an old woman, hair neatly tucked in a bun, legs as thin as bamboo poles. She clutched several strands of sampaguita in one hand and drew my attention.

As I looked at her and smiled, she too looked at me and smiled back. If only I could walk, I would have gone down to her to chat. As my husband was ordering stuff at the counter, I talked to the security guard by the door, instead. I asked, "How much is she selling those sampaguitas?" Actually, what I really wanted to determine was whether the guard was compassionate toward the old woman or was annoyed by her presence. He immediately asked me if I wanted him to find out, but i restrained him. I said I'd ask my husband to do so later. I was happy to see that the guard was a compassionate person, not only to the old woman down there but also to me, a disabled customer.

At any rate, after paying our bill, I asked my husband to buy me a hundred pesos worth of what the old woman was selling. I wanted to help her go home soonest (by buying not just one strand but more) because at her age, she shouldn't have been standing there for hours, trying to earn money, i thought. Instead, she should have been at home, warmed by the embrace of her grandchildren and by a bowl of hot soup.

But perhaps her being there wasn't such a bad deal after all, as between intervals, people approached her. At least I saw one couple buying sampaguita from her, as well as a group of young men giving her a plastic bag of food. Seeing those gestures of kindness brought tears to my eyes as they reassured me that there remain several big-hearted people around.

Mortality and God's mission for each one of us

Tonight, an 80-year old man asked me, "Take care of the foundation ha?" As his question caught me off-guard, I immediately nodded my assent, while all the time wondering and wishing to ask him, "How sure are you that I'll outlive you?"

Only last March, the board of the foundation met and one of the members, a 58-year old, was present, hale and hearty. April 28, a few days beyond a month after the meeting, he was gone. The 80-year old, on the other hand, underwent an angioplasty last December and he's doing very well, thank God, giving talks left and right, traveling to Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, and wherever he's called. His thinking is that it's God calling him to be there, so he goes wherever, whenever. His thinking has so influenced me that when someone calls to ask for tutoring, I find myself accepting. No, it's not the money because there are tutees I don't charge. Rather, it's the feeling that God has sent me this child to tutor because He thinks I can be of help. I then trust God to give me the energy and wisdom to fulfill the mission he has tasked me with, and more often than not, maybe even every time, things have worked out somehow.

Points for Reflection from the Homily of Fr. Arevalo

This afternoon, an anticipated mass to celebrate the 80th birthday of Mr. Pagsi was offered with Fr. Arevalo as the main celebrant. He came up with five sentences to describe the man that Mr. Pagsi is. As I wasn't able to catch everything verbatim, I sent him a text message asking for one of them. He sent me two. They were as follows:

1. "A man's greatness is not measured by the buildings he has built or the wealth he has left in his bank accounts but in what others have become because of him."

2. "I know of nothing more worthy of a man's ambition than that his son will be the best of men."

Guardian Angels, Prudentialife Plans

Yesterday, we were supposed to be in Prudentialife in the Galleria Corporate Center before 5 pm, but my husband came to pick me up past 4 and it was a Friday. As we drove off, I had very grave doubts we'd get there in time. The route he took had some traffic and everything seemed to be going wrong. I watched as the minutes ticked by. We made a wrong turn but were in the parking lot some 10 minutes before 5. My husband laid me on the wheelchair and we tried to look for the elevator. We were in level 2 of the basement parking lot.

We asked a group of men were the elevator was and they looked clueless. Luckily we saw a guard who however told us there was no elevator on the level we were in. he pointed to stairs. omigosh. And we had only 10 minutes to get to another adjoining building's 8th floor. My husband hastily asked the guard if he could help us negotiate the stairs. Meanwhile, there were two men by the doorway looking at us. without any prodding, one of them descended the stairs to help. So did his companion. we quickly went through the 7 or so steps and reached the next level. (I prayed that God bless all 3 men with good fortune like Lotto winnings, for example?) Any elevator in sight? Nahhh. There was an escalator though.

It was a first for us. To go up the escalator with my husband pushing my wheelchair. boog, thudded the wheelchair as he laid it down one step. I thought I heard some screws reacting there. He assured me the wheelchair was intact.

After the escalator, saw steps in the next level again but fortunately,we also saw a ramp. So to the ramp we went.

Next we looked for the elevator. As soon as we got in, I told the elevator lady, "4th floor" then hastily asked, "is it at the fourth floor where there's a tube leading to the corporate center?" She said, "3rd" and pressed number 3. But a man in corporate attire said, "4th". He smiled at us as we thanked him.

when we went out the elevator, we wondered whether we were on the right track. The elevator girl had pointed the direction to us but after her error in identifying the floor where we should go down, I was skeptical. All along, the man in a corporate get-up was behind us. He kindly asked, "where are you headed?" when we said, "Prudentialife" he said, "follow me. That's where I'm going too."

He proceeded to give us his card and asked us to call should we have any problems. he asked what we were there for and when we said we were going to get a check but weren't sure we'd still be allowed in, he reassured us we would be. My husband said, "Guardian angel ka namin".

On the eighth floor, he went out the elevator with us, pointed to the doors where we should go and stayed to wait for the elevator. Apparently it wasn't the floor he needed to go to. He was just so gracious he accompanied us. His name, Rafael U Gonzales, Division Sales Manager of Prudentialife Plans, Inc.

As we approached the guard beyond the doors, we noticed that some lights had been turned off. It was past 5 but luckily, the guard let us through. Perhaps, he noticed Mr. Gonzales's accompanying us.

Then when we reached the room where the checks were being disbursed, a lady gave us folder number 23. The person being served was number 19. We didn't have long to wait and the man disbursing the checks was very professional. Though he wasn't outrageously friendly, neither was he aloof. He was just right and doing right. When a young lady asked for her check, he asked if she had her course curriculum with her. When she said no, he firmly told her to please bring it next time as he couldn't release the check without it. when it was our turn, I asked questions which he patiently answered. What a professional!

I'm glad I decided to get a Prudentialife educational plan for my son. With people like Mr. Gonzales, Enna Catap and the man disbursing the checks yesterday, what more could I ask for?

Mangan in Galleria

Yesterday, we were in Galleria after an absence of several years. While a number of stores and restaurants were as we last remembered them, there were quite a few that were new. One of them was Mangan, of which I read about only this week although in reference to a different branch.

Before we ordered, I noticed the set up. The plates weren't the usual flat ones. They were almost like soup bowls thought not too deep in that they were somehow elevated. Each set of utensils was placed atop a folded table napkin that lined a blue plastic container--one container per customer. Apparently the restaurant wanted to be different and to create an impression.

The wall I faced had broken pieces of stone which had portraits of Filipino heroes - distinguished and otherwise. there was one of Jose Rizal, another of Fidel Ramos, Cory Aquino and a young girl. Initially, when I saw Cory's I thought it was because she was Kapampangan (which mangan is). But then come to think of it she is of Tarlac vintage, Ramos of Pangasinan, and Rizal of Laguna. Who was the young girl who had a portrait? If the waiters and waitresses looked more approachable, I would have asked. Thing is they looked bored or uncaring. So I was too scared(?) to ask.

Shortly after we ordered, we were given a small oval plate with string-like food. Think Piknik potato strings. I asked the waiter what it was (now, when it comes to food, I don't hesitate to ask because that has something to do with my health/tummy) and was told these were camote strips. Cute. Taste was okay, nothing spectacular.

My husband eventually ordered bangus a la pobre even though the waiter said that their only boneless bangus was the bangus belly. I asked for suggestions and the girl said umba, a sweetish pork dish, she said. I don't exactly relish sweetish meat dishes so I asked about the adobo. Which was better, that or the chicken barbecue? I was told chicken barbecue so I ordered that. When I looked again at the menu, I saw okoy. I wasn't sure if it was in Mangan where okoy was recommended so I called the waiter. He said it was infrequently ordered and suggested the fresh lumpia. Okay, I ordered that. I wanted to eat healthy. Waiter asked me what type of rice I wanted. I asked back, doesn't my chicken have java rice? He said no. I said but it's here. Then he absently said, "siya pala," pointing to my husband. So my husband said, "garlic rice."

The food took very long to come to the table. It wasn't as though there were lots of customers as there were only 3 or 4 tables that were occupied. It wasn't as though there were only a few personnel as there were plenty. As we waited patiently, my husband joked, "maybe that's why they served the sweet potato strings. we're supposed to each one string at a time." I gave him a wry smile.

When the food was finally served, the chicken was oh so good. perfectly cooked, no signs of blood even near the bones. The skin was crispy and it wasn't burnt. The sweetness was just right. Not too cloying. Better than Reyes or Serye barbecue chicken which has burnt skin.

The lumpia was disappointing. Its egg wrap didn't look fresh and parts of the wrap had an orange hue (think atsuete) that was dried up. There was a peanut sauce which my husband thought was for his bangus that was as things were, swimming in sauce. Why the error? The small bowl of sauce wasn't placed beside the lumpia. When I asked my husband how the bangus was, he said, "ok pero matinik". Oh well, so much for eating healthy. Oh back to the lumpia. THe waiter told me it was a best-seller, but after I ate it, I wondered why.

As my husband was finishing his fish, I decided to ask for the bill and for my leftovers to be prepared for take out. The bill came quickly enough but the food took so long to be wrapped that I was able to notice my surroundings' details. The menu was painted (etched) on a panel of mirrors. The entrees were listed but not their prices. Beyond the wall but visible through the rectangular opening for food from the kitchen to come through was a sign that read "Authorized liquor dealer" or something to that effect. As the door to the kitchen swung on the other hand, I saw the BIR permit.

As we waited on and on for the take out, reminding two food servers, maybe even three or four, I changed my mind about Mangan. Earlier, I was rationalizing the long time it took them to serve our food thus: "maybe they cook everything from scratch so the food will be fresh when it comes to our table". But the food that finally came then was not sizzling hot. The lumpia especially looked jaded. benefit of the doubt there but to wrap food for take out and take more than ten minutes to do that -- beats me. As we prepared to leave, I told my husband, "i won't leave a tip. I've no plans of eating here again." He didn't demur.

As we left, I saw the waiter glance at the small dish for tips. He looked incredulous when he saw that it was empty. Another waiter looked as well.

I guess they'll think we're such cheapskates, but I don't care. If service is lousy, why should I bother about a tip?

Movies: Streetcar Named Desire, The Notebook

Was watching Streetcar Named Desire on VCD and dozed off before I was suddenly awakened by the ruckus created by Stanley Kowalski who was throwing things around including his sister-in-law's radio. Marlon Brando looks so good here! What a far cry from The Godfather so many years later. But I guess that's the prerogative of any human being -- to grow old and big in time. Very intense actor.

Vivien Leigh -- her role was very irksome. So cloying and simpering. I have yet to finish the first disc, though. I guess watching old movies takes some effort because first of all, it's black and white and the pacing is a tad slow. I'm sure many will disagree with me here.

Also the movie reminds me very much of Lino Brocka's works. Dark and heavy. Dingy setting. In that sense, I guess, it's not entertainment, at least for me, as I prefer movies to be light and breezy, brightly lit and clean.

last night I watched The Notebook. It was fine although there were some dragging moments. The story line was not anything new and reminded me of some movies I watched in the past. It was touching nonetheless as it had twists and turns that were totally unexpected/unusual. Like the letters -- all 365 of them.

mata pobre part 2

Years ago, I was in a beauty salon. There was this gay hair dresser whom I chose to cut my hair because he seemed competent. Again I got a condescending look. As he cut my hair, I told him I was friends with the governor of a northern province whom I also knew was his customer. He suddenly warmed up. boyoboyoboy.

Mata pobre?

last night, my husband and I went to this optical shop in Shangrila. It has become our suki these past years but when we got there last night, there were no familiar faces, only hostile-looking ones. Sure the clerk who attended to us initially was smiling, but one could sense a smirk behind that smile. She refracted my husband ever so briefly and as we were on our way out she said the doctor was back.

My husband proceeded to the check up room while the doctor was unloading her things behind a counter. I told her my husband was there ever so gently but her reply floored me. Something to the effect that "can you wait?"

I kept my peace but knew I didn't like her. Then when she was trying to convince my husband to get progressive lenses, I was telling my husband I wouldn't recommend it but she just kept yakking on as if she were deaf where i was concerned and blind. Ok, I didn't care so I just kept talking to my husband. When my husband said he wanted to use my old frame for his glasses (and it was at home), she kept letting him try on new ones and said mine might be too small. I told my husband, "don't be cowed by her, don't be bamboozled." Luckily he didn't. When she started saying my glasses would be too small, I said, check your records. I got them from here. Maybe you can appreciate how they look.

Then I saw her assistant looking at a bundle of index cards, tied together by a rubber band. I said, "ay hindi pa computerized." She said, "hindi". Her assistant asked for my name and after I said it, she found my card and handed it to the doctor (actually an optometrist) who exclaimed, "11 thousand pala ang glasses mo noong 2005 mo pa binili." Then she smiled warmly. Aha so that was what it was all about. All along she had been showing us glasses costing less than 5 thousand and was very haughty because she thought we were too poor to afford more costly frames. She was so different suddenly. Earlier I actually wanted to wheel out (yes, I can't walk) but as it wasn't because of me that we were there in the first place, I held my peace.

Bully for those who don't treat customers who aren't dressed in designer clothes or who aren't rich-looking well. Chances are they end up shocked and apoplectic, err apologetic without saying as much. Their seemingly poor customers are better off than they look. mwahaha.

some irksome Filipino ways

A number of people will undoubtedly take issue with some of the points I'll make, but everyone is entitled to one's opinion, just as I am. So here goes.

Years back, an executive in a graduate institution emailed everyone, "Don't call me tita or Mommy, because you are not my relative." I found that funny because as early as then, it was the fashion to call people thus, though I never did. Later, though, I saw her point when a coparent called me "mommy." I wanted to tell her, "hey, we're just as old as each other." I somehow resented the tag.

Then there's the matter of "pag mano." It's funny because where I come from (the Visayas), a kiss on the check is more de rigeuer than a "mano". So when the friends of my son take my hand I continue to be taken aback and if I'm close to the boy, I say, in jest, "Ay ayoko!" I thought I was the only one who did that but I've noted a number of other mothers saying as much or even demanding "Kiss na lang."

A few minutes ago, I called up a tenant of my sister's and she started talking about her problems to me as though we had been friends for ages. She was talking so fast and I couldn't even figure out most of what she was saying. It was just so absurd. Plus she used cuss words very easily and though I alone could hear her plus I was alone in the room, I visibly balked when I heard her utterances.