BUSTER JETSON / DECEMBER 2,2009 =D

Hay, stress! And people think having pets is a sure-fire way to de-stress.

Buster J, to be fair, is a bundle of joy. The moment I walk through the door, he runs to and fro. He jumps up and down. If I do not attempt to hold him down, he would probably be on the verge of a serious heart attack every night from over-excitement. Happy, happy. Joy, joy!

Which made it more difficult for me to hear that he was being particularly gloomy the entire time Hubby Sweet and I were in Marinduque (the Hubby’s home province) for a 4-day “long weekend” trip. We usually bring them with us, but decided to take the plane (instead of the roro) this time so the pups had to stay behind at House Better.

Every night, we’d check on them. Every night, my mom would tell us that Banzo was being his usual disaster-generating self, but that Buster J seemed to be missing us terribly and that he has hardly eaten anything since we left. In an act of desperation, Ate Inday had actually taken to spoon-feeding him just so he’d eat. Even then, he'd walk away after a few bites. No mas, no mas.

You can therefore imagine my excitement when we finally got back to Manila, Monday morning. You can also imagine Buster J’s excitement when he saw us again. Hala! Happy, happy. Joy, joy! =D

The excitement was pretty shortlived. On the way home to House Pioneer that night, we passed by the Vet for Banzo’s 5-in-1 shot. I decided to just stay in the car with Buster J (because he pretty much tries to entice every single dog that he sees to play, and most dogs in the vet’s clinic are not exactly up to playing). As he watched Hubby Sweet walk in with Banzo, Buster J started to whimper. He doesn’t like being left out.

“It’s OK, Sweetheart,” I reassured him as I reached out, “They’ll be back.”

I reached out to stroke his ear. He likes it when I stroke his ear; it calms him down. Thing is, as soon as I held his ear, I realized instantly that something was wrong. It was swollen. I put on the car light, trying to check if Banzo accidentally bit or scratched him during one of their rough plays, but there were no bruises. I tried to check if maybe a bee stung him while he was prancing around in Mother’s garden, but there were no bite marks. I decided to follow Hubby Sweet and Banzo inside to have Buster J checked.

The diagnosis was quick; the solution dire. Ear Hematoma. Buster J had a mild case of earmites and because he has big ears, every time he scratches his ear and shakes his head, his ears flop around a lot. It’s probable, Doc Dennis said, that the small veins in his ear burst which led to the almost instant swelling of his ear. Think Manny Pacquiao, post-Cotto. Hay……It’s not life-threatening nor is it painful. It is, however, uncomfortable and Buster J would feel like he has something heavy hanging on his ear—which, in turn, would make him scratch his ear even more. We can either wait for it to subside, but the recommendation is surgery to drain the blood out. Otherwise, the swelling may just get bigger. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

“Bring him back Wednesday evening,” Doc Dennis said, as he gave us temporary meds to relieve the earmite problem. “If it gets worse, we operate then.” WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

Wednesday came with no improvement. The hematoma on his left ear was bigger; a small one had started on the right. I went through the entire day—meeting after meeting—with a heavy heart. I just wanted to stay home with Buster that day, but work awaits and so I must go. I texted Mother. I texted Sister Pusjing. By 5:00 p.m., I was out of the office. We need to give Buster a bath before we bring him to the Vet at 9:00 p.m. (it was a 24-hour clinic). Goodness knows how long it would take before he is finally allowed to take a bath again.

I got home and walked through the door with Buster J being his usual self. He ran to and fro. He jumped up and down. He did not even know what was in store for him that night.

“We would have to sedate him,” Doc Dennis explained, “and he would have to stay here until he wakes up.” Hubby Sweet wanted to take him home after the procedure, but Buster J would have to stay with the Vets until he wakes up.

“I’ll call you as soon as he wakes up,” Doc Dennis said. It was way past midnight when we left the clinic. We stayed with Buster J until he was asleep.

We received a call at 2:30 a.m. The operation was done. It went well. “Buster’s still groggy,” Doc Dennis said, “It would be best to just pick him up in the morning.”

Banzo slept on Buster J’s pillow instead of his that night. Hubby Sweet and I barely slept.

What if he does not wake up? What if he ends up maimed for life? What if he wakes up without us there…..What if……..I tried my best to push all the “what-ifs” from my mind. It would do me no good, I reminded myself. I was not too successful.

By 5:00 a.m., Hubby Sweet and I were at the clinic’s door to pick Buster J up.

He was awake! Thankfully, except for the fact that he looked like an alien dog with his bandage and protective cone, he did not seem the worse for wear. He rushed over when he saw us. He ran to and fro. He jumped up and down. I guess he was too happy to see us to even remember that he ought to be mad at us for leaving him with strangers in a strange place for an entire night.

Happy, happy. Joy, joy!

It’s been a long two weeks since filled with ear cleaning, bandage fixing, trips to the vet for check-ups and stitch removals. Oh, yes. It’s also been a long two weeks filled with efforts to stop Banzo from playfully swatting and biting Buster’s ear. We have been pretty successful for the most part. Except for one time I had to go down to lobby, only to come back up to find Buster’s protective come with bite marks all around the perimeter. It’s a conspiracy, I tell you. From Day One, Banzo has made it his life’s mission to help Buster J get rid of the darn plastic cone. Haha! =D

Buster J still wears his cone to this day, but the bandages have finally come off last night, and his wounds have almost healed. From long gashes, they’re now very short, scratch-like shallow wounds. He has learned to maneuver with the cone as well—except for a few comic takes when the door opening is smaller than the diameter of his cone and he just stands there “stuck” until someone notices. Haha.

We’re all looking forward to the day we can finally get rid of his protective cone. Maybe we’ll celebrate by burning it. =)

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P.S. – It just occurred to me that I have not written about Banzo yet! Naku! Next post. =)

COUGH SEASON =(

Around this time of the year, the inevitable happens.

As the temperature drops to a cool breeze at night, even as it scales the heights of scorching heat mid-day, my system goes out of wack and triggers some sort of mechanism in my lungs. As October gives way to November and December, every single year (I kid you not), I end up with a really bad, debilitating cough. The kind that leaves me wheezing after walking short distances. The kind that leaves me (and unfortunately, everyone else within hearing distance) wide awake at night.

Just last week, I struggled with this, my annual visitor. By Sunday, every cough that struggled to get out of my lungs seemed to trigger a switch that tells my head it wants to explode as well. I was sleepy. I was tired. I had a splitting headache from being sleepy and tired.

Regular cough syrups don't do it for me. Usually, the only thing strong enough to aid me through this unfortunate curse is Ventolin (which is really bordering on anti-asthma medicine when you think about it).

Sunday evening (after a week long battle with the cough without me looking like I was going to emerge as the winner anytime soon), Hubby Sweet took one look at me and declared that he was going off to Mercury to get me Ascof. Weh? I've heard of it from a radio commercial once--something about Lucy Torres giving Juliana only the safest and most natural ingredients. Ascof made from Lagundi leaves....followed by the usual caveat in the end "No Approved Therapeutic Claims". Ngyar.

"It's organic, Tweet. Made from herbs and leaves," he said as he tried to convince me who grew up with commercial cough syrups.

I was admittedly wary ("No Approved Therapeutic Claims" flashing like a neon light in my brain), but I did not really have the strength to argue with the Hubby. My head was throbbing enough as it is. At that point, I was willing to take anything.


I poured. Green-bordering-on-black liquid. True, it did look like one of those yucky concoctions that Sister Pusjing, Cousin Tur and I used to prepare out of gumamela leaves from Noni's garden (back in the day when we did not have high-tech cooking "utensils" to play with). It was dark green, almost like water in consistency. It didn't look promising. What the heck, I took a swig.

I felt instant relief. True, it wasn't the best-tasting thing in the world, but the cool menthol flavor immediately soothed my throat. I felt better already and it wasn't even working yet!

Did it? Work, I mean?

Let's just say, that night, I slept soundly--interrupted only by very short cough episodes where I almost instantly coughed out yuck (try NOT to imagine =)). No long, drawn-out coughing episodes where I struggled to get the yuck out with not much success.

No approved therapeutic claims said the mandatory end-tag in the commercial.

Never mind. I know now that it works. =D

Makes me think there must be something to all these "herb & nature" supplements with no approved therapeutic claims.

Hmmnnnnn.....maybe I should try Fitrum next. Haha! =D

PIK-TYUR DIS! =D

Back in the day, when were all still in good old CSA, trips to....uh....QUAD and Northmall (before they all got connected into what is now collectively called as Glorietta), would inevitably start or end with a trip to any of the smatterings of Foto-Me stalls. Actually, sometimes, we end up inside every single Foto-Me that we pass by! This set belongs to me, next set belongs to Gnet, next set belongs to Jen V...etc., etc. As I type this post, I wish I had all the Foto-Me shots of the different permutations of the HS barkada (sometimes, with up to 10 people desperately trying to squeeze into a 2x2' enclosed booth). The one below was actually taken during the college years (with Gnet in DLSU and me in ADMU, what the heck), and was actually shamelessly lifted off one of Net's blog posts about the good, old high school days. HAHAHA!


CSA '89 recently celebrated our 20th reunion at Heirarchy in the Fort Strip with a party fund-raising of sorts for the GK Village. Old friends, good conversation, free food, flowing drinks, and woopee! A metamorphosis of the old Foto-Me's. This is us, 20 years later. =D


Apparently, despite the fact that we were all X pounds heavier, a gazillion brain cells wiser, and hopefully, at least a few pesos richer, not much has really changed. Haha! ;p

A few months ago, after several trips back and forth from LA to Manila for his cousins' different weddings, cousin Dooders finally came home to take his vows before God and man that he will have and hold--for better for worse, in sickness and in health--Special Girl MJ till death do them part. WOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Well, what do you know? A photo booth! Yey! Haha. =D

During the reception, we were all concerned because we were about to start the program and half the tables were empty. Cousin Rae (who flew in from LA for her brother's wedding) actually asked if RSVP is unheard of in these parts. The mystery was solved when the coordinator went out to ask Dooders and MJ if they're OK to march in already even if the reception hall wasn't full yet. Lo and behold, half the guests were apparently all outside, lined up, waiting for their turn at the photo booth! Ngyah! Haha. =D

Sige na nga, because it IS their wedding, Dooders and MJ get top billing in this post (although, in reality, they also had to wait in line. Haha!). =D


Me and Hubby Sweet. =)


Bro-in-Law G-Genius with Sister Pusjing. =)


This time with Patita.....=) The last photo, BTW, was not a posed shot. She, apparently, did not want to be kissed in the previous shot. Haha! =D


A saner set of pics from Bro I-gue, Sis-in-Law Momsy, Adorable Ray*-B and Siob-siob. =D


Even Yaya Do got to test the equipment! =D


After which Sister Pusjing and I posed with our baby cousin Rae. (We used to baby sit her before they moved to LA! Now, she's all grown-up. =))

Cousins and nieces/nephews on my Mom's side got in on the action....Ko, Ate Anne, Tur, AJ, Letlet and Kuykuy. =)


Photos of cousins from my Dad's side started simple enough with Cousin Day and Joey. =)

And then, the Pioquintos stepped up to the plate and decided to explore the bounds of....uh....their sanity. Haha! There are two lawyers in this set....promise. Hahaha! =D

While this set (cousin Trix and V with The Gabster and Ray*B) supposedly have day jobs as respectable corporate bankers. ;p


Now even the titas got curious enough to try and see what all the fuss was about. Left on their own though, they did not really seem to know what to do. We understand. During their time, ID photos were taken by professional photographers. Hahaha! (They are sooooooo going to kill me for that comment, hahaha.) We tried to coach them. Really! We tried. We told them, "Just pose as we will direct you to do!" First shot: Happy! Second shot: Sad! Third shot: Angry! Fourth Shot: Crazy! After much coaching, this is how their set turned out....ngyah! Hahaha! 'D


And finally, the next generation showed that they are naturals at this thing--which pretty much guarantees that this won't be the last version of the Foto-Me that we will be encountering in this lifetime.


Sabi nga ng operator, "O, ridi....git sit....tingin ditu.....wan....tu....si chiiiiiiiiiisssssss!!!!" =D

THE KEBAB FACTORY =D

Despite our self-imposed major tipid-tips period (in preparation for what would have been the big turnover this month), Hubby Sweet and I have been eating out a lot lately. Work stress and other factors, aggravated by turnover issues (looks like it ain't going to happen as planned, but we're hoping it will actually turn out to be one of those serendipitous events where things don't go your way, but you, quite unexpectedly, end up with what you really want). Am I talking in riddles? Never mind. In time, I suppose, I will explain.

In the meantime, all these seem to have converged into a perfect storm that has reduced Hubby Sweet and me into snapping turtles. Hay....times like these, we need to eat out. That's our way of de-stressing. Our own version of happiness fairy dust. Haha. =)

One of those nights brought us to the latest dining destination @ The Fort, Burgos Circle. Without anyone noticing and without so much as a peep, the area has evolved into a cubihole where mini-versions of Manila's best restaurants seem to have taken root. Good Earth. Cantinetta. Cafe Juanita. UCC. Mile High. Etc., etc. I wasn't in the mood for Good Earth. Hubby Sweet was not in the mood for Italian. We live in the same neighborhood as the original Cafe Juanita so we decided to pass up on that to. In the end, one of the relative unknowns drew both the Hubby and me to it.

The Kebab Factory. We have always liked Mid-Eastern cuisine and it has been a while since we visited Hossein's so the choice was pretty unanimous.

Hubby Sweet asked for fried oxbrain (yesssssssss.....=D), but it was unfortunately not on the menu. I decided to start with Hummus served with a side serving of pita instead. Hummus, in and by itself, is already something I love, although the version at The Kebab Factory was a bit bland for my taste.

Fortunately, alongside the hummus, the waiter also brought some sort of yoghurt-garlic sauce and a ramekin of what I soon found out was their version of (very hot) chili sauce. (I suspect it was really meant for the kebabs that we ordered.) I decided to experiment and scooped a spoonful of each dip onto my plate. I wiped the hummus with my pita, dipped it next in the yoghurt-garlic sauce and finally onto the chili sauce. One bite. It was magic. *Wide eyes with big, big grin. =D*

Now, Hubby Sweet usually goes for the Beef Kebabs, but the version that they have were made from minced meat (as opposed to real cubes). I have learned from so many visits to Hossein's that if you want the real cubed meat, you order the Shish Kebab version. The Shish Kebab version @ the factory was lamb (which was perfect for me because I like lamb and I like my kebabs in actual cubes). I was quite surprised to find the Hubby ordering the same (as he is not really a fan of lamb). 'Twas a pleasant surprise for me, nonetheless, as it was another manifestation for me that Hubby Sweet is sloooooowly turning into a creature of foodie adventure (as opposed to being the creature of habit that he was of old). Two thumbs up! Woohoooooooooooo!!! =D

Our Shish Kebabs arrived soon enough, and without even tasting it, I knew it was going to be good. My goodness! The smell, the smell! Wow. =D If I had to imagine lamb being roasted in some middle eastern dessert, I would imagine it smelling that way. It was unlike any of the smells of the various "authentic kebabs" I've tried. Never mind the rest, THIS smelled authentic!

At first bite, I was rendered speechless. It was soooooooooo good, I had to close my eyes as I savored every single flavor dimension. The taste was wonderfully complicated with the game-iness of the lamb being complemented beautifully by an unknown mix of spices.

At first bite, I thought I just about died and went to kebab heaven. ^_^

I looked over to Hubby Sweet. He looked like he just about died right along with me. Haha!

*Sprinkling Happiness Fairy Dust all around....*

WOW. =D

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The Kebab Factory is on Burgos Circle inside the Bonifacio Global City. If you're coming from the Buendia overpass, turn right on the street with Jollibee at the corner. Two street corners down, you will already find yourself at the Burgos circle. Ask the guard for directions to the parking area. =D

Good vegetarian restaurants are hard to find in Manila (as I found out recently). We had visiting consultants from India and one of them was vegetarian. I had to feed the poor thing the exact same veggie sandwich everyday because it was the only veggie option accessible to the office! Naku! Good to know that The Kebab Factory has an extensive list of vegetarian dish options. If he ever comes back (he has since proposed only tele- and web-based conferences, I wonder why, haha) I would at least have some other option for him. =)

P.S. - I also noticed that my pics have been on the yellow side lately. It's because I pressed some stupid setting on my phone (yes, all my pics are taken with a cell cam, haha). I suppose this means the "yellowness" will persist over a few more blogs. ACK! =D

FRIDAY THE 13TH BLUES =(

I took this pic during one of Buster J's grooming visits in Tiendesitas. I couldn't help myself. I thought the bulldog in the petshop looked absolutely adorable.

There are days, however, when I realize that I feel EXACTLY like this.

Wrinkled. Chubby. Dead-tired. Dead to the world.

Yup. Today is one of those days.

Bah. =(

OLD FRIENDS & CARDIAC DELIGHTS =D

We have not seen Lee in a while. Heck, even BFF Apes and I have not seen each other in quite a while! During The Wander Years, we used to be a regular dinner group. We'd work late in the office, not really minding that it was waaaaaaaaaaay past dinner time, with only funny stories and witty retorts to tide us over in between working on recos and next day PO's. They were in Sales; I was in Marketing.

Back then, we'd agree to work until we finish (no matter how late), and then we'd hie off to some place for a really late dinner. Back then, Fort Bonifacio was still a ghost town, but I remember us regularly driving all the way to the Boni Stop (beside Shell) from our old Citibank office because Apes insists on eating in the Japanese place there (which has since closed shop), and because Lee needs to satisfy his day-long craving for Ice Monster (it was still a relatively new franchise then). Occasionally, we'd find ourselves in Katipunan because Lee lives on Katipunan, while Apes lives in Marikina. Katips. World Topps. Usually Katips.

Sometimes, we'd be joined by Tatong and Marc. But Marc has a girlfriend (who is now his wife), and Tatong...well, we don't know where Tatong goes, really. We're really just happy when either show up. For the most part, it was Apes, Lee and me.

Apes and I have since gotten married (to other people, not to each other, haha). A few years ago, Lee went to Abu Dhabi on a great career adventure. We have barely seen him since, but would touch base occasionally. (Thank God for Facebook!) Always, we'd talk about meeting up and eating out when he finally comes home to visit.

Well...he was home recently, which started the flurry of back-&-forth text messages. For about a month, we tried to schedule lunch/dinner/lunch/dinner--none of which pushed through for one reason or another, until...well, apparently, until the Monday before he was scheduled to fly out again. Gr. =(

In any case, by hook or by crook, we were going to meet up that Monday. Bawal na mag-cancel. Bawal mag-flake out. Sya!

We were supposed to eat in Pepper Lunch because preggers Apes was craving, but Lee and I separately arrived @ The Powerplant earlier than she did, and Lee decided he'd rather eat in some other place instead. (It just occurred to me that I never really get to vote. I just pretty much go where they want. Hmmmmmnnnnn....OK....I don't really mind. Let's move on. =))

That's how we found ourselves in C2. Classic Cuisine. Over the phone line, Apes protested, but by then it was too late. We had already ordered what should be outlawed because it is a definite health hazard if I ever saw one.

CRISPY KAREKARE--the restaurant's take on the classic karekare (which is sinful enough). Crispy, fatty pata served on a bed of perfectly cooked veggies with a side dish of wonderfully flavored peanut sauce and a generous serving of bagoong. I did not realize it while we were ordering, but this is actually one mean Crispy Pata--served with karekare sauce instead of the million and one version of the traditional soy-vinegar dip! My goodness. I want to meet the person who thought of this dish. He is either brilliant or super fat. Either way, hopefully, he is also still alive. =)


Now preggers Apes had a panic attack about trying to eat healthy so she ordered some crispy fish dish that I forgot to take a picture of. But she paired it with this salad which was a pretty interesting mix of seaweed (lato, in the local dialect), pomelo and nearly-ripe-but-not-quite mangoes. I LOVED. ^_^ That said, it was really more dessert for me than side dish because the mangoes and the pomelos were at the right level of sweetness and tartness, and the light combination was countered only by the slight saltiness that bursts with every bite of the lato. Refreshing. Wonderful. ^_^


Now, Lee and I, not being preggers (he is male, whereas I am just chubby) had no such qualms about healthy eating. Having ordered the killer Crispy Karekare, you'd think we'd leave well enough alone and just order plain, old, boring steamed rice. Nope. We decided to go for gold! We should have really said our final prayers right before digging in.

Everyone, meet SISIG RICE! *Burp* Enough said. Haha. ^_^


Of course, dinner would not be complete without dessert, and because Apes only agreed to eat in C2 because of this particular dessert, it was the one concession we gave to her that evening. Truth be told, we didn't really mind. The BIBINGKA SOUFFLE was divine. Melt in your mouth; sinful with the light cream-caramel sauce. Heaven help us. Haha! (I wonder to this day why they called it bibingka though. It was less rice cake and more canonigo. Oh, well. =))


All throughout dinner, we, of course, traded stories and tried to catch up with everything else that's going on in our lives. We laughed. Traded barbs. Guffawed ourselves silly. Like we used to during those long, late nights in the old Citibank office.

One dinner, of course, would never be enough to cover everything, but for now, it will have to do. Lee is back in the desert; Apes now lives in fear that her unborn daughter will have the same birthday as mine (haha!).

Until next time, dearies.

And next time, we're going for the Aligue Rice!

Nakuuuuuuuuuu........ =D

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P.S. - You know what we forgot to do? Take a pic! Gr. =(

BATTLE OF THE PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS! =D

I'm celebrating the return of the Travel & Living Channel on Destiny (the only cable wiring available in House Pioneer, and so....=( ). Ever since I moved in, it has always been my default channel--up until it disappeared after Starworld and AXN. Bah. In any case, while Hubby Sweet was channel surfing mindlessly one evening, I heard the distinct voice of Anthony Bourdain ("I'm here, what's holding you up?", followed by a distinct la-la-la-la-la, what a beautiful life...) I recognized the sound emanating from the TV to be the Travel & Living "Station ID". I did a secret dance. Woohoo!!! (I adore Anthony Bourdain and Ian Wright, and during the Wander Years, actually wished I had their jobs instead of mine. Haha.)

Long after Hubby Sweet turned in for the night, I was still plopped on the sofa, digesting one T&L show after another. Then this show came up about Philly and the two landmark Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich stalls that stood at the center of town. "This is the best," the loyalists of one declared, even as the loyalists of the other declared, "The one from that other restaurant just does not compare." Aaaaaaahhhhh....I like places like those. It makes for good food discoveries--and good local chismis. Haha.

That said, this post is about Philly Cheesesteak. Might as well. I've had the good fortune of actually coming across three in recent months. I love steak. I love cheese. I especially love Philly cream cheese. Therefore....I should love Philly Cheesesteak, right?

Right. =D

First off, Elbert's Cheesesteak Sandwiches, right smack in the middle of the Powerplant food court. I have long been intrigued by it, but have been put off by the.....uh....oh, fine, I admit it. PRICE. I mean, who pays for P350.00 five-inch hoagies in the middle of the food court (even if it is the Powerplant food court)?! Then again, since this is the little brother of the pricey Elbert's Steak Room (where Angus Beef and Wagyu reign supreme), I figured maybe (just maybe!) these hoagies would be worth every single centavo we would plunk down for it.

It just so happens that the Hubby and I were trying to get out of somber mood at that time, and trying new restaurants always give us a quick pepper-upper, so we thought, price-be-damned, we will go for it! =)

At Elbert's, they prepare your cheese steak right before your eyes. =)

We decided to go for the Whole Wheat American Cheese Steak Hoagie. It was literally quite a mouthful. When we got it, Hubby Sweet and I had to take a moment to try and figure out how on earth we were going to eat it. Haha! =)

We decided that eating it burrito-style was the only way we could bite into it without everything dripping and dropping all over us. =) Still, the cross-section shows that while Elbert's streak strips is good meat, my hoagie was really more veggies than cheese steak....and well...for the price, I really expected more meat. =( So while it was good all around, I don't think I'd be back. I suppose, better value for money could be had elsewhere.

And it could be had here. Charlie's Grind and Grill, long spoken about in hushed tones among the residents of Bo. Kapitolyo as the burger joint beside the neighborhood carwash. Harking on the chance to have a decent meal with an ice-cold bottle of beer while waiting for your car to be washed and waxed, Charlie's has since evolved from being the tambayan of the boys out on their weekend carwash errand to being a meal destination of choice (with the entire barkada/family in tow).

The lines are long and the wait could be even longer. Make sure you have time to spare when you go. Oh, and make sure you are NOT super-hungry yet when you go because Charlie's is not a fastfood joint. They cook everything only after you order. Nothing is pre-prepared. Even when there are no lines, prepare to wait. The locals have gotten wiser. They call ahead so they can just pick-up once the goods are ready. In the meantime, you in the joint would have to wait for your turn.

Is it worth it? =)

Charlie's first came to prominence because of its burger. Hand-crafted burgers, they say (like it's a big deal). 100% Angus Beef. =D Hubby Sweet, therefore, had to order to see (and taste!) for himself.

As soon as he took his first bite, I had to ask, "How is it?"

Wearing a perplexed look, he declared, "Lasang sausage."

"Weh? What do you mean?" I asked as I reached out for a bite.

"Taste it," he said as he brought the burger closer to me.

I had to laugh as soon as I took my first bite. OO nga! Haha. =D It's the way it was seasoned. Smoke. Some familiar spice I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was good, great even! But once again, the Hubby's penchant for weird comments on the food we're trying was on-point. Haha. =D

Still, I did not go to Charlie's for the burger. I went for the Philly Cheese Steak. I've heard people in the office talk about it with reverence. I must see for myself. I must try. This is what they set before me.

So far, so good. Properly sloppy sandwich. More meat. More cheese. Just the way I like it. =) It was also more consistent with the "original" Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich as I found out in that T&L show. The original used nothing but heated Chiz Whiz. Yes. =D

I bit into it. Definitely classifies as one of those things that make you go "hmmmmmnnnnn....". ^_^ And this is not even high-falluting Angus Beef. It is just "Angas Beef" (Batangas Grade A Sirloin, haha), but it was still tasty. The Jalapeno Peppers also provided a surprising twist and kick. My only beef (pun intended) was that the meat and the Jalapeno peppers were not evenly distributed. See, at a certain point, I was too full to continue and decided to leave the bread and just pick on the meat and jalapeno, but I opened the remaining third of my sandwich to find, uh, only bell pepper and cheese. Ngyar. =(

Still, I wouldn't mind going back to Charlie's. One of these darn days when I finally have time to spare. =)

Oh, and for the boys, the other siren-call is the availability of imported beer (typically the best selling beers in other countries). They are displayed side-by-side with all variants of San Miguel. (And all of a sudden, a bulb lights up in all of my male readers' heads, "Now, this (!) makes it worth visiting..." Haha. =))

Now, Bro-in-Law G-Genius also vouched for the new Greenwich Philly Cheesesteak Pizza. It was part of the recently-launched "pang-men" line-up of Greenwich (which is affiliated with the company he works for), and he promised that during one weekend in House Better, he will treat everyone for merienda. One night, however, while the Hubby was out late, I found myself at home with nothing to eat. I had a lightbulb moment and did what I have not done in a long time. I ordered food for delivery. Haha. Yes, it's been a while because Hubby Sweet cooks--whether it's for the sheer love for cooking or it's a matter of survival (since I don't, haha) is something that is still out for the jury to decide. =D

This greeted me when I opened the box. Strips of beef and bell peppers on a thin, crispy crust, topped by cream cheese. Truth be told, when I first tasted it, I thought it was pretty bland. I was used to the sharp salty note of quickmelt cheese on Pinoy pizza, so I literally covered my dinner slices with hot sauce. I downed everything with ice, cold Coke Light. Pwede na. Classifies as comfort food for a night alone at home (which, BTW, soooooooo goes against Greenwich's barkada bonding theme, ngyarks, haha).

The real delish dish-covery, however, is that it actually tasted MUCH, MUCH (!) BETTER the following day. I don't know if the time in the ref allowed more of the flavor to settle or seep through, but one thing is sure, eating my pizza leftovers for breakfast the day after provided a happy boost to start my day. Yey! ^_^

Lesson learned: I must order it the night before and eat it the day after. Haha. =D

Now, the next one is technically not a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, but I'll include it anyway because it's a particularly damn good steak sandwich. =) Many working lunch meetings saw me devouring one of these. Haha. If you ever find yourself @ The Stock Market on Bonifacio High Street, order this. Roast Beef Sandwich. I think in the entire menu, this one provides the best value for money. Make sure you say the "sandwich" word when you order though. I made the mistake of not saying it once and ended up with an entire slab of pricey roast beef on my plate. Naku! =( It is usually served on foccacia, but if you're into healthy stuff, Hubby Sweet once asked them to use wheat bread instead, and the kitchen gladly accommodated. (BTW, the pic below is only half of it. I had already eaten the other half before I remembered to take the pic, haha.)

So there! Four-posts-in-one. Haha. Done. =)

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Elbert's Cheese Steak is on the lower level of the Powerplant Mall. In the middle of the food court.

To get to Charlie's, go to Pioneer St. (from EDSA). Turn right on the street after Jollibee (you'll see the gate of Bo. Kapitolyo). Just keep on going straight on that street until you see Charlie's on your right.

To order Greenwich Philly Cheese Steak, call 5-55-55. ;p

For really good Roast Beef Sandwich, go to The Stock Market @ Bonifacio High Street. B3.

Go. =D

POINT B: A TRIBUTE TO MOTHER =)

I found it fitting to end the “Baguio series” with a tribute to my mom through this piece. It was actually forwarded by Sister Pusjing (I forget now why or for what occasion, but I’m pretty sure it had something to do with Patita). Now, whereas the piece “spoke” to the mom in my sister, I had a totally different appreciation for it. It “spoke” to me as the daughter who grew up with a Mother who resisted the (I can only imagine) basic maternal instinct to protect her child from all things “bad”—so she can be better prepared for the future she will most likely spend without her mom fawning all over her.

By the time I finished listening to this piece, I had tears in my eyes because as I recognized myself in the little girl she spoke about, I realized just how special my Mother really was. Beyond the million and one meals that she prepared for us, and the million and one tutoring hours, and the million and one reprimands and advices, and the million and one celebrations and cheers, she made sure we grew up with an entire set of memories that we can go back to every single time we hit a crossroad and have to decide one way or another. She continues to be my moral compass. And, her greatest gift to us (and her life’s greatest achievement, I suppose) was the kind of human beings we all turned out to be—simply because of the kind of Mother she was to us.

Happy Birthday, Mother!


Love, love, love (!!!!! to infinity),
Toyang =)


P.S. – Now for some strange reason, video posts do not show up in my FB links even though they show up with absolutely no problem in my Multiply and Blogspot sites. For those who may not be able to see the video, following is a transcript. But, really, you ought to hear Sarah Kay deliver it. (Look for “Sarah K Performs B” in You Tube.)

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B
As Performed by Sarah Kay
@ the Bowery Poetry Club
Summer, 2008


Instead of Mom, she’s gonna call me Point B,
Because that way she knows that no matter what happens,
At least she can always find her way to me.

And I’m going to paint the solar system on the back of her hands,
So she would have to learn the entire universe before she could say,
“Oh, I know that like the back of my hand.”

She’s gonna learn that this life will hit you, hard, in the face,
Wait for you to get back up so it can kick you in the stomach,
But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

There is hurt, here, that cannot be fixed by band-aids or poetry.
So the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn’t coming,
I’ll make sure she knows she doesn’t have to wear the cape all by herself,
‘Cause no matter how wide you stretch your fingers,
Your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal.

Believe me. I’ve tried.

And, “Baby,” I’ll tell her, “Don’t keep your nose up in the air like that; I know that trick.
You’re just smelling for smoke so you can follow the trail back to a burning house,
So you can find the boy who lost everything in the fire to see if you can save him,
Or else find the boy who lit the fire in the first place to see if you can change him.”

But I know that she will anyway.
So instead, I’ll always keep an extra supply of chocolates and rain boots nearby,
‘Cause there’s no heartbreak that chocolate can’t fix.
OK. There’s a few heartbreaks that chocolates can’t fix,
But that’s what the rain boots are for,
Because rain will wash away everything if you let it.

I want her to see the world through the underside of a glass-bottom boat,
To look through a magnifying glass at the galaxies that exist on the pinpoint of a human mind,
Because that’s the way my mom taught me,
That there’ll be days like this.

“There’ll be days like this,” my Mama said,
When you open your hands to catch, and wind up only with blisters and bruises,
When you step out of the phone booth and try to fly,
And the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape,
When your boots will fill with rain, and you’ll be up to your knees in disappointment,

And those are the very days you have all the more reason to say “thank you”.
‘Cause there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline,
No matter how many times it's sent away.

You will put the wind in win some, lose some.
You will put the star in starting over and over.
No matter how many landmines are up to the minute,
Be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny thing called life.

And, yes, on a scale from one to over-trusting,
I am pretty fucking naïve,
But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar.
It can crumble so easily,
But don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.

“Baby,” I’ll tell her, “Remember your Mama is a worrier, but your Papa is a warrior,
And you are the girl with small hands and big eyes who never stops asking for more.
Remember that good things come in three’s, and…so do bad things, and
Always apologize when you’ve done something wrong,
But don’t you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining.
Your voice is small, but don’t ever stop singing.
And when they finally hand you heartbreak,
Slip hatred and war under your doorstep,
And hand you handouts on street corners of cynicism and defeat,
You tell them,
That they really ought to meet your mother.”

CAFE BY THE RUINS / MAY 25,2009

A huge part of any trip for me are the meals I take while I'm there. That said, I should've written this post a few weeks ago, but got side-tracked by my...uh...farming activities. Haha. Damn, that FB Farmville! =) Since I finished my blueberry planting early today, I finally find myself with enough time to finish this post before I run off to the world of excel sheets and statistical analysis. =)

The BCC cottage was so cozy at night (and, besides, our day activities usually left us too tired to do anything elaborate) so dinners were usually about Yellow Cab (New York's Finest Pizza where Patita gets first crack at the pepperonis while Ray*-B hoards all the mushrooms that can fit in her slice. The adults have Charlie Chicken Pasta to bridge whatever topping is left on the now less-than-New-York's-Finest Pizza, haha). One time, Mother, Sister Pusjing and Patita were soooooooo tired, they decided to skip dinner. The rest of us decided we were tired, but also hungry so we took the chance to take the 5 minute ride to The Manor to eat at...well....I'm not sure what it's called anymore, but I'm pretty sure it's the Baguio equivalent of Le Souffle. One lunch was spent at the BCC Lunch Buffet, another we took as the pre-requisite stop at Mario's.

Mother's birthday lunch at Cafe by the Ruins, therefore, was special. It was the only meal we had in Baguio that we couldn't otherwise have in Metro Manila. Haha! =D

Now, I've been there before. C&G, our old ad agency, sponsored a dinner for their clients during the Baguio Ad Congress way back in 1995. It was pitch-dark and I mistakenly remembered it being off some cliff. Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I asked for directions to Cafe by the Ruins from some of the locals in Burnham Park, only to have them point up to the street toward the munisipyo. "That can't be right," I thought, and decided to repeat my question in case they misunderstood me.

"Manang, sa Cafe by the Ruins po. Yung restaurant..."

"OO nga.," she nodded, "Akyat kayo dun sa kalyeng yun, tapos...." she continued, launching into a fairly simple turn-right-turn-left version that made it clear that Cafe by the Ruins is within the city proper and not in the off-city limits cliff location of my dreams. Haha. Apparently, the "ruins" they were referring to where the ruins of an old theater that was later converted into the home of the first civil governor of Benguet. Ngyar. =)

Aside from the Cafe being a landmark (which automatically classified it as a must-visit), we chose Cafe by the Ruins because it was, after all, Mother's birthday and we might as well go where healthy food is supposedly available. The restaurant prides itself with concocting a menu that features and highlights crops and ingredients grown in the region. Mountain rice, muscovado, carabao's milk, upland coffee, etc., etc. Sounds about right. =)

We started our meal with this. Salad Topped with Cheese Made from Carabao's Milk. The cheese was wonderfully toasted on the outside, but still soft-chewy on the inside. The mild flavor of the cheese, the toasted note of the sesame seeds and the lightly sweet-sour vinaigrette were a good complement for the fresh greens. A light but satisfying way to start off the meal.

Father chose this from the appetizer menu because he was intrigued by the idea of Tinapa Rolls. It tasted like...uh...lumpiang shanghai made with tinapa. Haha. Good, but no surprises here. =)

I'm actually confused right now because I have this other pic in my phone archive and I'm thinking now if this was the tinapa thing, and if it was, what then is the pic above? HAHA. Whatever....=) Maybe Sister Pusjing or Bro I-gue can help me remember. Haha. =)


We also ordered the Pinikpikan which is a traditional chicken dish from the Cordilleras. It was also a declared specialty in the cafe. Most lowlanders (us included) only vaguely know of Pinikpikan as a flavorful chicken dish that is made from native chicken that is subjected to a certain Cordilleran religious rituals. Most people order it not fully aware of what the chicken is subjected to prior to cooking. Apparently, "pikpik" is the local dialect's term for light beating as the chicken is......uh....I don't want to continue. Research on your own if you want to know how it's prepared. Suffice it to say that now that I know better, this is probably the last time I will let anyone else order the dish while I am in their company. I respect the reasons for the religious rituals that results in the chicken used for this dish, but also think that to subject the chicken to the process just for the pure enjoyment of eating a flavorful chicken dish in a restaurant is a bit much. Naku! =( Truth be told, it was actually just OK for me. Maybe my expectations were heightened by the seeming exotic-ness that emanates from the description, but it really just tasted like another version of tinola. The more savory taste of native chicken and the supposed roasted note was lost on me.

Father and I also deliberated between ordering the Sardines and the Crispy Tapa because the descriptions for both seemed so "romanticized" on the menu.

After careful deliberation, I declared that I wanted the Crispy Tapa.

Father declared that that was what he wanted, so maybe I should just get the Sardines so we can taste both.

I told him, I said I wanted the Tapa first so maybe he should get the Sardines.

"But I want the Tapa, and just want to taste the Sardines," he retorted, apparently secretly thinking that despite the romantic description, the sardines will just taste like the bottled Spanish sardines that one can get from the supermarket shelves.

"Eh, I also want the tapa, and just want to taste the Sardines," I answered, as I was beginning to have visions that it would be quite similar to the Crispy Tadyang that we used order in the old Bistro Remedios in Malate.

"Basta, I'll order the tapa," Father said.

"Ako din."

End of discussion. (And, yes, this is how we sometimes converse over meals. And, yes, this is also how we ended up with two Crispy Tapa dishes. Hahaha!)




The verdict?

"This is so not what I expected," I voiced out, after taking my first bite.

"Adobo flakes naman 'to, hindi tapa," Father said, apparently also expecting the tapa to be more similar to the Cafe Remedios Crispy Tadyang.

"Oo nga. Slightly dry and matabang," I sighed. (For the record though, I'm a "salty eater". =))

"Sabi na kase sa'yo yung Sardines na lang orderin mo, eh!" Father exclaimed.

"OO nga..." I agreed, "Eh, yun din naman ang sabi ko sa'yo ah!"

"OO nga," he grinned.

End of discussion. Haha! =D

The other dishes were pretty uneventful as the kids ordered pasta (if memory serves me right), and Mother opted to spend her birthday lunch eating...uh...Mami. =D This was not special Cordillera mami. It was just mami--which, I suppose, is just made with really fresh veggies. =)

Dessert was something else. The kids were enticed by the idea of ordering Strawberry Sorbet. They're actually enamored by anything strawberry, and actually declared they wanted some before they could even go through their main meals. It was light, as expected, but the tartness that broke through the very slight sweetness was slightly jarring. Our collective experience with strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake, and even fresh strawberries sprinkled with sugar has taught our brain cells (quite falsely) that strawberries are naturally sweet when they are really not. Well, they are, but not syrupy, sugary sweet. =) I liked it. The kids....well...I will let the fact that they did not finish it speak for itself. Still, don't you think this is really pretty strawberry sorbet? =)

Still, there has to be something said about my penchant for sour desserts. (Just ask Mrs. Smith and Cheffy re: our Starlight Express experience @ The Pen, and Cousin Day re: the Lemon Torte Birthday Cake, haha!). So, I figured, what the heck. I will go where my adventurous taste buds want to take me. Against all appeals to good reason, I ordered this. Tamarind Sorbet. Ang asim! Haha. =D Still, I at least now know that Tamarind Sorbet is too.....uh....sour. I mean, even for me. =)

This, however, is the one thing that made the Cafe by the Ruins worth it for me. I have long been intrigued by it, but never really found a decent venue to try it out. Civet Cat Coffee. Yes, coffee that is made from beans that are picked out from the Civet Cat's poop. Yes, poop. Supposedly, the Civet Cat is very fond of eating coffee berries, but they cannot really fully digest it so the coffee bean still comes out of their poop pretty much intact. Still, the gastric juice processing that it goes through while inside the Civet Cat's digestive tract supposedly gives the beans a unique note. Now, how anybody (in his right mind) actually thought of scooping up some wild cat's poop and picking it apart to look for flavorful coffee berries is beyond my comprehension, but what the heck. Somebody discovered it. I must try. =) Father and Bro I-gue were also intrigued enough to give it a go.

I usually take my coffee with cream these days. This time, I decided, only the slightest hint of sugar will get between me and my pure Civet Cat Coffee experience. First sip. Divine. Bitter sweet with a slight wine-y note. Perfection in a cup. ^_^

Now, I deliberated about buying me more to take home as I surveyed the shop outside the Ruins (where they sell practically everything that they serve in the cafe in its raw form), but I decided against it. Not only was it not cheap (P500+ for a small pack), I also didn't want to get used to the idea of enjoying this divine coffee on a daily basis. What if I run out? How will I learn to live with the supermarket-variety coffee beans? No. Civet Cat Coffee will be reserved for special occasions.

Good thing too, because soon after, in the middle of Baguio, despite a very cold mountain breeze, I started sweating profusely! My heart started palpitating; fire seemed to be running through my veins. There was no doubt about it. It was the Civet Cat Coffee working its magic.

Wow! =D

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Cafe by the Ruins is along Chuntug Street--which is really not much help if you're not a local. Haha. My tip: go to Burnham Park and ask for directions from there. =)