Setting the Premise (as early as now)

If you are going to fall in love with me, for justice sake, it is only fair that you know WHAT you are falling in love with. You are falling in love with my complexity, indecisiveness, my out of this world kind of maturity and into the black hole child-likeness. You will fall in love with a girl who stomps her feet and pulls her hair when things do not go her way. You will fall in love with a mouth that never runs out of things to say, a mouth that mangles innocent languages and a mouth that constantly invents/innovates words that you are required to use daily. You will have to put up with a person who crosses her eyes and makes faces while you two are in the middle of a conversation. You are falling in love with the person who turns-off the car radio only for you to listen to her as she raps songs (you’ll never ever imagine “rappable”). You are falling in love with my hyperactive tear ducts, my high tendencies to overthink, over react and over analyse. You have to put up with my monthly PMS that may cause me to either want to see you every minute of everyday or not want to see you at all.  You are going to put up with my crazy thoughts and wild ideas of wanting to shave your legs, pluck your eye browse, do you a facial and put make up on you or worse, tell you to eat paper.

Photo courtesy of: Ciarky's FB :)

You will have to fall in love with my “non-negotiables”. My family whom I love more than life itself, my nieces and nephews whom I love like they are my own. My sisters who are a part of my whole being as much as I am a part of them;  (they are the people whom I love beyond the bounds of sisterhood.) My secret guy best friend who will intimidate and taunt you every now and then, my bubble (Kitel, Juju, Ciek) who I will forever claim mine and mine alone. You will fall in love with my obsession on trying to be there for loved ones most of the time and my constant need to keep things together for all of them all the time as well. My need to call family and friends different terms of endearment (girl or boy) and how I find satisfaction in giving myself to almost everyone I come close with.

You will have to fall in love with my not so perfect past that made me who I am, my life frustrations, my unwavering hopes and non-stop chasing of dreams. 

If you can bear, swallow, stomach falling in love with such, then you will also be falling in love with the way my eyes would smile whenever I’m with you or while talking about you. My ears who’d sincerely listen to all the things you have to say. My lips that will kiss away your worries and tears will be the same lips that will be at its sweetest whenever it says your name. You will fall in love with my shoulders whom you can lean on when life becomes too difficult, my hands that will hold yours as we walk around (even in circles), my arms that will embrace you both in moments of bliss and defeat, my feet that will walk a thousand steps to be with you.  You will fall in love with the hugs I randomly give, the sweet nothings I will surprise you with. You are falling in love with the witty, humour-filled (w/o a doubt and w/o effort) out of the blue antics I make.  You will fall in love with the way I blush (or turn purple-because I’m dark) when I’m given the chance to talk about you endlessly and when people ask about you.  You are falling in love with someone who will make you feel loved each moment of everyday, even when I’m mad or at least say I am. I promise to think of ways each day to make you happy so you can also fall in love with the promise that you won’t be unhappy with me. :)

Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Padre Pio Church

12.08.2011

Pola and I decided to hear mass in Padre Pio today for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This is the church along Libis that has been my sanctuary for quite some time now.

Check out the photo below.

I like going to Padre Pio especially during alone or quiet times. After hearing mass, I usually stay at the garden or the prayer room for hours talking to Him and trying to listen to what He’s trying to tell me.  The place gives me a kind of calm I can’t explain.  Plus the fact that I rarely see people I know there, which makes it a good hibernation and thinking place. J

Basically, what the priest said in his homily was how great and loving Mama Mary was. I totally agree! In times of trouble, when He seems to be busy attending to the more important needs of others, I tell Mama Mary to whisper to Jesus and say that I need him too. How can Jesus possibly neglect His Mother’s request, right? On other occasions, I go directly to her for requests and pleas. Mama Mary has truly been an instrument of Jesus love to mankind because He did not only give himself to us but also shared His Mother as well.

After the Mass, I wrote a letter thanking Him for all the blessings and the graces he continues to shower me with. I also wrote my apologies for my wrongdoings and inadequacies and for my lack of faith at times. I know I am not perfect and most of the time I fall short of what a real Christian-Catholic should be. This is why I seldom talk about how I am as a Christian-Catholic and only talk about how He has remained faithful and loyal to me despite my shortcomings. God is indeed loving and merciful!  Pola and I also attended the healing ceremony held after the mass. I prayed for my mom’s good health, Pola’s aunt’s healing, Ysa’s emotional healing as well as Pola and mine. As for my last request, I appealed to God through Padre Pio’s intercession to grant the wishes and prayers of my family and loved ones and to grant me peace within, in preparation for Christmas.

I told Pola to bring Tita (her aunt), who currently has cancer and the rest of the family to Padre Pio so they can pray for fast healing and recovery. Yes, I believe in miracles and I believe that faith is a great body immunity booster.

After the Mass celebration, Pola and I went to Banapple to celebrate some more. After a nourishing food for the soul, a “YUMMY” food for the stomach awaits! I was excited! J

03.07.2012

03.07.2012

I apologize for the cyberspace hiatus. Although I have not posted entries since time immemorial, I’ve still been active in facebook and twitter. I also have a number of entries that have not been posted, which I will be posting now. It’s March! And March marks the beginning of the end of the first quarter of the year. J All in all everything’s good. Of course from time to time life happens, but at the end of the day we count only the blessings and the lessons learned.

<3 <3 <3 

In Memory of CORON

For quiet time tonight (which was while I was driving on my way home), I was thinking about what the priest had said during homily today. “Choose courage over fear.” And as I got off the car, I got the chance to look at the moon and night sky. I felt a familiar feeling of anxiety. FEAR. And all thoughts about today’s homily drifted away.

I remembered CORON.

I remembered how 365 days ago I said it was our make or break vacation. It almost broke us, but we survived and managed to emerge victorious. In fact, it was blissful-- the feeling of being with you and the feeling of being inside our exclusive bubble. There were just us and strangers in an unfamiliar place. Everything was wonderful since then. Or so I thought it was. Too bad we do not exist in a vacuum. And ours was a bubble popped by external challenges.

For the past months I have been rushing into life with the hopes of getting back on my feet. I have been running through busy days, cramming everything before an arbitrary cut-off date. I suppose I was successful. That is until now. I wonder why the universe has been really playful this year? A muddled up situation together with life’s complexities on top of things that were left unsaid. I wonder why things get warped and why did it have to be us with it?

And then some lingering thoughts appear in my mind. Thoughts I expect that would haunt me again tonight. Tonight, I will embrace them like they were a part of me. Come to think of it, yes, they are a part of me. Tonight I will allow the hopelessness and helplessness to linger. But I will be praying for blue skies ahead of us again tomorrow. Together or apart.

Coron. One day, I will appreciate your beauty once again. One day I will have the courage to go back. One day, I will be able to smile as I look back and remember. Maybe one day, I won’t have to try so hard to forget. 

I miss you 

Because Something Good Always Happens :) Nomnomnom

This was painted on their walls

So again, during our regular after Sunday Mass dinners, my batchmate suggested we go to Nomnomnom. A vegan restaurant along E. Rodriguez corner Tomas Morato. She had been there a couple of days ago with the kids from school to cook. She was raving about the ravioli and tinapa pizza. The owners were parents from the school where she works. Actually, we’ve been through quite a number of restaurants where her students’ parents are the owners. :P She also told me that Tomato Kick and Nomnomnom have the same owners only that TK is a matu (drinking) place and Nomnomnom is a lot different.

Since I’ve always liked the food in TK and my batchmate has been raving about Nomnomnom for the past days we’ve been together, I said yes. J haha! Talk about a very wise decision.

Nomnomnom is very different from TK. Pola and I agreed that it would be a very nice date place. J haha! Well for one, I like privacy and my first statement was “ok dito ah. Tago, hindi madaling ma-spottan.” But that’s just me kidding. :P Seriously, I am never really fond of crowds, as much as possible I avoid jam-packed areas. They give me a headache and it makes me nauseous. (Yeah, only God knows why I don’t get sick to my stomach whenever my friends and I hit attica every Friday! This is probably one of the reasons why I rarely go to clubs.) Going back, they have a warm, close to home ambience. It was a feel good place. J No wonder it’s called “Nomnomnom Happy Food”.

By definition “nom nom nom” according to my fifth grade teacher is a figure of speech called onomatopoeia. It is when sounds are used as words to describe an action. According to the Urban Dictionary, it represents a sound made when someone is eating or chewing something and is really enjoying it. It also refers to the sound of cookie monster while munching on his cookies. All three definitions refer to enjoying delicious food. Nomnomnom got me raving! Pola and I ordered Enchilada, which according to the menu was a “Mexican version of Lasagna, made with flour, tortilla, filled with Kangkong cream & cheese topped with enchilada sauce”. We also ordered Malinomnom, a bestseller! It had tinapa, kesong puti, red egg and shallots. It was really good.

Why?

I’m a carnivore. I like meat. Period. But our meal tonight didn’t have any hint of meat at all but I enjoyed it. The Enchilada was kangkong filled. And my story of the kangkong also known as the cabbage swamp go way back 3^rd year high school. You see, my chemistry teacher, for reasons I forgot, told us that water convolvulus or swamp cabbages also grew in rivers or in damp areas where informal settlers without a “normal” toilet bowl lived. So there, I won’t even elaborate anymore. I have stopped eating kangkong since then. It was only in college when I started eating kangkong again but only when it was the following:

1. Crispy kangkong with dip cooked by someone I know,

2. Dencio’s Adobong Kangkong,

3. Mom’s kangkong in her sinigang.

In all these instances I would always ask where they bought the plant and how many times they washed and boiled it for cooking. Fine. I’m weird like that. And I couldn’t tell Pola my food issues because she’d tease me and call me “Madam” once again.   So going back to tonight’s meal, just the smell whetted my appetite. And with the first bite, I forgot all my unresolved issues with the swamp cabbage. Haha! I just kept on saying “batch! Ang yummy! Omg! I have to learn how to do this.” :P

Then the Malinomnom arrived. And yes, I don’t eat tinapa and red egg, and I have no mother freakin idea what shallots are. The only topping I was actually looking forward to was the kesong puti, which smelled, well, awful but still yummy because it’s cheese.  :P haha! People say, I’m maarte and pihikan when it comes to food. My mom would give sermons on how I refuse to eat food served on the table. For the longest time, I have never agreed with this, because clearly, my body fats prove otherwise, right? Anyway, I don’t know why I don’t eat tinapa but I do know why red/salted egg has been a no-no for me. Its’ texture is kinda weird and it smells weird too. It’s not fish related but it’s “malansa” for me. I just don’t like the smell and maybe it’s an acquired taste. (And I can’t believe why a lot of people actually, like it.) But moving forward, Malinomnom was divine! The tinapa, the red egg, the kesong puti, and the shallots were a perfect fit. What a great pizza innovation. J It was sapid, piquant and I loved it with their chilli oil. And there wasn’t any sign of the red egg’s awful smell. Yey! Nomnomnom, you got me to eat food I didn't like! Kuddos for you!!!!

  

Since Pola and I were full, due to the carbo loading we just did, we decided not to get dessert anymore. I also figured, since we came from Moonleaf before hearing mass and we had sweets there, not getting dessert was ok. The meals were still perfect. J

Because something good always happens. Thanks Nomnomnom!

too bad i don't eat talong :P

the ravioli Pola was craving for

P.S

And I now know what shallots are. :P They are commonly mistaken as onions but they are actually species of their own kind. They have a mild taste that combines the flavor of a sweet onion with a touch of garlic. (thanks Magic Valley Growers)

P.P.S

This is nothing compared to other food blogs and food reviews. These are just food as described by my taste buds in coordination with my “happy tummy”. J

          Unit 2, Lower Groundfloor, GYY Bldg.,

         1 Tomas Morato Cor. E. Rodriguez Ave.,

                                  Quezon City

http://nomhappyfood.wordpress.com/

facebook: Nomnomnom Happy Food

multiply: Nom Happy Food

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

I confess...

That there were times when I would mentally delete you from family photos.

I wish you weren’t as weird and as old and as sungit as you are.

I planned to creep in from the terrace while you’re sleeping and scare the hell out of you.

I prayed for that weird boy that would come marry you and take you away.

I thought it was heavenly not having you around and that big sisters are really just..well...nothing.

I wanted to shave your eye browse while you were sleeping or burn all your clothes.

I thought it would be funny to put sand on your sinigang sa bayabas and cockroach inside your shoes. Haha!

And so on and so forth.

Today I shall cease playing God.

I confess... That during those times when...

I would mentally delete you from family photos, I would then find it incomplete and click the undo button.

I wish you weren’t as weird and as old and as sungit as you are but it’s your weirdness that actually makes me seem normal, and you being old makes me look young, and you being masungit makes people think I’m warm.

I planned to creep in from the terrace while you’re sleeping and scare the hell out of you i would then realize that  you’d beat the crap out of me after.

I prayed for that weird boy that would come marry you and take you away, I would then find myself wishing you’d take me with you.

I thought it was heavenly not having you around and that big sisters are really just...good for nothing. I ask myself who will I fight with when you’re gone? And I come to my senses and realize that it is through Ates, particularly you that I get a glimpse of adulthood and that one day I will (have to) be one too.

I wanted to shave your hair and eyebrows while you were sleeping or burn all your clothes, I’d know it’s futile  since your hair will grow back and you’d simply buy new clothes. You'd still be beautiful anyway. :)

I thought it would be funny to put sand on your sinigang sa bayabas and a cockroach inside your shoes was just because I never liked the food, and the cockroach was just to make you loosen up a little. :P

But despite all the angst and fury and all the imaginations I do, when my day comes to an end, I still find myself talking to God, asking him to keep you safe all the time. After all, I still trust that what he has given me is what he knows best and to lose you would mean losing the best. The truth is, no matter how often I deny it, I'm beyond lucky  to have you around.  And this still holds true despite instances when I just want to strangle you with a microphone chord or the tv cable’s thick wires. J  I am thankful to him for giving me an Ate like you. For one, it was because of you, (and my other older siblings) that I was able to experience what it is being a child fully. From hand me down clothes to hand me down parents’ UTOS-es. I’ve experienced it all.J And it is also because of older siblings that I am able to go back to being a child once in a while even if I am an adult now and the world expects me to act like one.

Despite all the heartbreaks, mishaps and misunderstandings I still wind up loving you unconditionally. And despite those times when we ourselves are in war with each other and I close my eyes and wish to not see you for a long-long time, I still find myself looking at you with so much awe wondering how a person can be so amazing. (Don’t push it. These are just random times, ok?) 


I guess all the wrath, hatred and fury has always been temporary. (Well either that or I’m just bipolar.J) After a while or no matter how long, even if we've never come close to understanding whatever pain we’ve caused each other, there always comes a time when it simply won’t matter anymore.Of course every now and then, Anarahath will still ring the bell on our doorstep or just come in unwanted. And I may say and act like I’ve never forgiven you from the shenanigans way back when I was ten (and you were twenty –how mature :P) or  I’d say that I’ll never ever forgive you for whatever misgiving until I’m eighty (you’ll be ninety by then), but the truth is, my heart will always find comfort with the thought that we will and always will be until forever and ever sisters.

Happy Birthday, Ate! I love you! 

Manang's Chicken vs. Bon Chon Chicken

11.13.2011

Pola and I tried the newly opened Manang’s Chicken in Katipunan after hearing Mass in UP. I have actually heard a lot of praises about it. Manang’s Chicken was also being compared to Bon Chon chicken (my favorite), so I had to try it.

I got the four pieces wings, original, which was similar to my staple(soy garlic)  order in Bon Chon; except that in the latter, the minimum is six pieces wings for a small order. In terms of food price, Manang’s chicken is a real buy compared to Bon Chon. My four pieces wings only cost me ninety-nine pesos. (And YES, believe it or not –I was on a NO RICE DIET that night. Haha)

Manang’s Chicken’s original, has a soy dredged coating. Something that I would usually like except that there were sesame seeds on it. (Too bad, I never really liked sesame seeds.)  It was good. But there was nothing really special about the chicken and I figured, it wasn’t something I would crave for. The chicken was not crunchy, in fact I found it stone hard. Maybe I should try their other chicken flavors. I have a thing for spicy food so I guess I’ll enjoy the mild spicy or extra spicy more than the original.

I read (from Our Awesome Planet) that Manang’s chicken traces its’ beginnings in the food stall of Mercato Centrale. And since foodies were craving for it due to its’ uniquely Filipino taste they were able to open their first branch in Garnet Road, Ortigas. They next opened in Burgundy, Katipunan, then Mega Mall food court. Strategic places, if you ask me. :)

Both Manang’s and Bon Chon’s chickens are bland inside. Maybe because the outside flavoring would be ruined once a salty taste is injected. But I think I would still love for them to do that.  Both serve small parts too, nothing compared to chicken joy or kfc. :P haha!

On the other hand, I have always loved Bon Chon chicken. I first tried it almost a year ago in one of the New Year’s party I have with my sorority sisters. It was potluck so Ria brought a medium box. She said, she bought it in Greenbelt 1. That was the only Bon Chon restaurant here in the Philippines back then. I have craved for it on random moments since then. One time, while I was in Makati with my other sorority sisters (mommies Audie & Ave), I satisfied my craving. J I was actually happy that they started to branch out in different places, particularly in QC. Thank God it would no longer entail long drives just to get it!

Although both Manang’s  and Bon Chon’s coating are soy based in general, there is something different about Bon Chon I find more delectable. “More” being the operative word.  I think the soy is mixed with a different kind of seasoning. Is it ginseng?  For me, it is an almost but not quite buffaloed recipe of chicken. And its’ crunchiness is just right. The spicy mayo, which is also a staple order together with the six pieces wings, answers for the bland taste inside. In terms of price, yes it is a bit pricey but I think the satisfaction I get after eating it makes up for the price. 

Oh and I love their chicken sandwich too! (Also with their spicy mayo. Haha!)

So in this case, Bon Chon still has my vote. J

P.S. This is nothing compared to other food blogs and food reviews. These are just food as described by my taste buds in coordination with my “happy tummy”. J

 

facebook: Manang's Chicken

Katipunan Branch: G/F One Burgundy Plaza, Katipunan QC

 921-0935, 400-4673, 0922-8164271

http://www.bonchon.com.ph

facebook: Bon Chon Chicken Phillippines

Katipunan Branch: 2/F Regic Center Bldg.,

Katipunan Ave. Quezon City

4421818/9900934

Libis Branch: 80 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., 

Libis Quezon City