Para Kay Pangulong Benigno Simeon Aquino III

Sabi ko may tamang hinala ako sayo. Sana mabago mo ang pananaw kong ito sa iyo. Nung sumumpa ka kahapon sa harap naming mga Pilipino at mga dayuhan mong panauhin, sana ay tuparin mo ang iyong mga pangako na ipinahayag mo sa iyong kauna-unahang talumpati.

Kung kami ang boss mo, sana nga ay sundin mo kami, pakinggan ang aming mga hiling at isinisigaw. Isang madilim na 9 na taon ang aming naranasan sa natapos na administrasyon, sana nga ikaw ang magdadala sa amin sa liwanag at sa bagong Pilipinas. Alam kong hindi ka Diyos, at maaaring hindi mo magawa lahat ng iyong nasabi. Ngunit sana marami kang mabago sa ating bansa.

Sa totoo lang, hindi ang bilog na hugis itlog na katabi ng iyong pangalan ang aking minarkahan noong nakaraang halalan. Sana ay mapaniwala mo rin ako sa iyong kakayahan. Sana nga ang iyong pagiging Aquino ay may kabuluhan.

Sa susunod na 6 na taon, ika'y aking mamatiyagan ng maigi. Sana nga mabago mo ang PIlipinas. Sana nga maiahon mo sa kahirapan ang ating naghihikahos na bansa.

Catching the Last Rays of the Summer Sun

I am now finally able to post pictures of our huling summer hirit! :) This has been one grueling week for me, and seriously, I've been quite delirious. So blogging has been totally brushed aside. So now, here's my chance to share these few pictures of our Batangas escapade.

I already gave a detailed blog about this adventure (click here to brush up on that account), and despite a few roadblocks - from Trency leaving her wallet at her Katipunan condo to the super mega traffic jams we encountered - we had a blast!!

And since everybody seemed to be escaping the Metro and sharing the same thought of catching the last few summer rays, the Batangas resorts were brimming with people. We had a bitch of a time finding a nice sort-of private resort to stay in for the day. And just when all hope was gone, we found a shimmering ray of hope in Taramindu Beach Garden Inn in San Juan.

This is their restaurant, with a view of the inn. There was one client who left their room door open, so I was able to take a peak inside. It was small but comfortable. The room I saw had two beds, and looked really, really homey. Not bad! :)


Their beach wasn't bad either. It wasn't sandy, so I loved it. The beach had small stones instead of the powdery sand. So the water was clear and you wouldn't have problems with the sand going in areas where it's not supposed to. Trency and I had fun swimming in the cool waters and soaking under the sun!


And of course, what is a beach vacation without getting SLOSHED!! While sun bathing we saw this vendor walking past us, and we saw CHICHARON! Trency called out Manong and we bought, at first, one pack of chicharon. Then, with the chicharon, came my much-loved SAN MIGUEL BEER!


From one bottle, came another round. I didn't care if there was no ice, I just wanted to drink. I can't help it! It's the alcoholic in me! After 3 packs of chicharon and 2 rounds of beer (the two unfinished beer bottles are Trency's, I am the proud owner of the two EMPTIED beer bottles HA!), we were done for the day!


It was short but definitely SWEET! Trency and I had a lot of fun in San Juan. Next time we go back to San Juan, we're definitely staying at Virgin Beach. But we didn't have a bad experience in this resort, so it was the perfect HULING HIRIT, and a place I would totally recommend. The staff was also great and very accommodating! So Trency and I couldn't have asked for more! :)

I just checked, Taramindu's website is up and running. If you guys are planning on a simple vacation, check out their website by hitting this.

Happy Fother's Day Dinner @ LU

Yep! You read it right. Fother's Day. You see, to those who know me, I only have a Mom. But if I write down the whole story, it'll take up most of the blog entry. So to make the long story short, I have a Mom who is both a mother and father to me. And I couldn't ask for more! :)

So last June 20, I decided to treat her to LU, the restaurant she's been wanting to eat in for quite some time now. She heard Ricky Carandang rave about LU's porkchops on ANC. And I've also read some reviews about this place. So it was a perfect excuse to spend. :)

I've blogged about me spending money on food, and I must tell you every single peso I paid was freaking worth it at LU! Here's what we ordered:

Lamb Bolognese on Rigatoni. I must say that that week I had the misfortune of eating great tasting pasta with UNDERCOOKED noodles. The noodles were again a bit tough, Mom commented that they might have been scared to overcook the noodles. Either way, it was delicious! It was a bit maasim, but the LAMB was yummy! No malansa taste for this lamb dish! :) A must try! :D

LU's Ultimate Porkchops. And oh. my. was it ULTIMATE! ULTIMATELY TO-DIE-FOR! We understood at once, make that at first bite, why Ricky Carandang just can't get enough of this! The porkchop was HUGE! And super duper tender! YUMMY!!

That would be my Mother, or should I say, Fother, cutting up the porkchops! :p

Mom and I aren't really heavy eaters, but we finished every single thing on our plates! It was yummy! And right now, I dream about going back to LU just to eat! I have to order those damn porkchops again, and the famous Truffled Mac & Cheese! :)

I wanted dessert to go, because Mom wanted to have coffee. So I ordered this gem of a dessert. Presenting the PB&J Tart! :)

I am on a constant diet, because if I don't watch what I eat, I'd be as big as the globe! Seriously! But this damn thing did me in! Mom's not into sweets either, but she loved this! I have a love affair with peanut butter, I don't and will not ever get tired of it, so this was the ultimate treat for me. Good Lord in Heaven Above! If you guys are planning on eating at LU, please leave space for dessert, because you will miss out on a WHOLE FREAKING LOT when you don't order this one! AND WITH COFFEE, Diyos ko PATAYAN NA TALAGA!

But like any restaurant, LU has it's flaws. Despite it being high-end, the staff seemed to be a bit negligent. I've heard stories about long waiting periods, and it was sad to have seen it. The family beside us was not thrilled after waiting for some time for their FLOUNDER to arrive. And I noticed there were several tables still without food even when they ordered before we did.

But still, I would highly recommed LU because of the GOOD FOOD. They say it's Moroccan, but they have other things on the menu. When I go back, I'd have to try their cocktails especially the Diab-LU. :)

It was a lovely way to celebrate Father's Day. I love treating Mom to fancy shmancy stuff once in a while because I know she appreciates the gesture. So to my beloved Mama, Happy Fother's Day. I love you!! :)


So if in Rockwell, pass by LU and you won't be sorry! Reservations are a must because the place really fills up! :)
Lu Restaurant, Rockwell
G/F Joya Bldg., Joya Drive, Rockwell
Makati City, Metro Manila
To reserve: please call (+632) 403-3991

Soho Feel @ Marciano's

Last Friday, Trency and I decided to eat out for lunch. She was resigning that day, and so she wanted to pig-out before handing over her resignation. Our growling tummies lead us to Greenbelt. At first we wanted Japanese, John and Yoko came to mind. But we were disappointed because they didn't have any seats outside. Other choices were Chili's, Mr. Jones, and Fish&Co.

After much fiasco, we ended up eating at MARCIANO'S. A restaurant in Greenbelt 3 co-owned by actor-turned-restaurant guru, Marvin Agustin. I've passed by this place a hundred times but never got a chance to try it out.


Trency and I opted to stay outside, but I still couldn't help but be amazed with the inside. It had cute chandeliers on the right side. It's like an intimate date place because they had curtains which you can pull down to give you and your date your privacy. It had a very Soho-feel to it. It's like an Upper East Side restaurant in the heart of Greenbelt.

Trency told me that they show old black-and-white movies here. Too bad they weren't showing that afternoon.

We were both so hungry since we got there at around 2pm. Upon our server's recommendation, Trency ordered their lunch special: Pork Ragout with salad and iced tea. (P228)

It took some time before it came. But the long wait was worth it as it was really, really good. Their pork was tender, really easy to chew. The sauce, gravy-like, was really tasty and totally complemented the pork and mashed potatoes. It was a great meal, and how I wish I ordered that as well. Totally recommended. :D

Here's mine: Legally Blonde pasta (penne noodles in tomato sauce, P268) and ripe mango juice (P148).



The pasta was good, with authentic tomato sauce, but the penne was undercooked, still a bit tough. But, I loved the mushrooms, and kept picking on them. And the cheese was mmmhhhmmm good!! :D The ripe mango was LOVE. It was a hot day, and it was really refreshing. A must-try.

A bit expensive for lunch. But like I said, our barkada spends a lot on food. Since I was with a great friend, I think it was all worth it! :D And it was my treat for myself after a grueling, hectic, Thursday! Great way to end the week. Thanks Trency!! :D

Marciano's
2nd Level, Greenbelt 3
729-0467

I Believe in Love :)

It's such a cynical world. And I admit to adding up to the cynicism in this world! But despite that, I will always, always believe in love and marriage despite what others say about it. Love or marriage will NEVER be perfect. What is perfect in this world to begin with? But it will always be up to the two of you to make it perfect. :)

It's actually funny to hear stories about the marrying type who aren't married yet. And there are those who aren't the marrying type but are already married or about to get married. It's cool how the world could sometimes play tricks on people. And this is the story of my cousin. My cousin the intelligent one, the cardiologist, the heartthrob/heartbreaker and the NOT-SO marrying type. But in the end, fate finally lead him to his match. :) This was his Cebu wedding through the lens of my camera.

The blushing bride. :)

The bride walked down the aisle by her Mom and Dad.

Saying their "I-do's" :)

My favorite pic. I love the spontaneity of this pic and how I captured their happy moment. :D

Sealing it with a kiss :*

Having their cake and eating it too. Although the eating part not shown hehe. But they did eat the cake! :p


Isn't it nice to see happy endings? I posted this not just to share the happy ending for my heartthrob cousin, but also because it's June and it's supposed to be the "wedding month". I swear when I get married it's going to be as romantic as possible! :)

Congrats Kuya Jay and Ate Maam! Definitely thrilled to have shared that special moment with you guys!! :D

Date: May 20, 2010
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
Reception: Clubhouse of Maria Luisa

Twice's the Charm

There's this saying that goes, "Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me." Well, it seemed that for 8065 Bagnet, the 2nd time seemed to have worked wonders, and it didn't make a FOOL out of ME! Last Sunday, my good friend Mariko and her HS barkada, passed by our village to eat at the now-popular bagnet place. Alas, it was still closed when they came over.

So the next day, still very adamant in eating at 8065, she came back, now with Tita Mavic, her Mom. And this was where things turned around (for me, anyway). Since it was hot out, we opted to stay inside. It really had this nice, relaxed, homey feel to it. With the dimmed lights and the cool air, it's almost like a nice spot for an intimate dinner. :)

The cool thing was there were books neatly stacked on a bookshelf, and that the walls and tables were free for everyone to WRITE ON! There's Mariko and Tita Mavic having the time of their lives scratching/etching stuff on the table. :)




Apparently, there was also Quiz Night in this small place. Trency, Gladys, Amanda, and I used to head on over to 121 at Allegro, Pasong Tamo Ext., for Quiz Night. And that board reminded me of how fun it was. I miss quiz nights!

We also found out that Kitchie Nadal's sister owned the place. Tita Mavic snooped around because she saw the awards of Kitchie displayed on the shelves. But it seemed that the waiters and waitresses didn't want to tell us the name of the sister. Weird! Or they didn't know her name? Even more weird!


But the salvation was really in the food. I said in my first blog about 8065 Bagnet that if and when I come back I'd go for the original bagnet. And thank you Lord God did I order that this time around. It was great! Consistency wise, it was perfect. The melt-in-your-mouth type of meat. I would definitely recommend it to first time bagnet-eaters.

8065 Bagnet, you saved your selves! Twice's the charm! The Ilokana in me just gave all of you a two-thumbs up!

There's another bagnet place near our former Alma Maters. When we passed by it, the name was STOOPS. Gotta try that one, just so I could compare which one's better! :)

Edible Mouse! :D

My childhood friend turned current officemate had a little treat with her yesterday. Although the treat wasn't for me (sad!), I was smitten by the sight of the treat IMMEDIATELY! On top of her table was a plastic bag from Go Nuts Donuts, seen below.


I didn't take much interest in it until I saw what was inside, obviously donuts (duh!:p). But the shape of the donut grabbed my attention. It was my favorite character: MICKEY MOUSE!! Oh my gosh! I just had to take a picture of it and share it with you guys! It looked way too cute to eat!


Yes, the mouse is now edible! :)

Although I must say that my loyalty is still with Dunkin Donuts and their brewed coffee, but this is just too hard to pass up! Come on! How cute are those Mickey Mouse-shaped donuts, right?

So I went to the Go Nuts Donuts website and found out that they have Disney Magical Treats. They also have Piglet, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger-shaped donuts! How cool! The 5 year old kid in me just jumped for joy!

I am gonna get me a Mickey Mouse-shaped donut later! Paired with brewed coffee, I can just imagine my taste buds exploding with delight! :)

So run to the nearest Go Nuts Donuts and get yourself one of these cool treats. Click here to find out more about these lovely donuts, and where you can find them! :D

ENJOY!!!