ramblings, random musings, fascinations, rants, raves and revelations

Expressing one’s self comes in different forms. I, for one can express it throught my layouts, incessant chatting, out of tune singing and of course - blogging. Writing is a great way for me to vent my feelings, organize my thoughts, become creative, and even opens new opportunities. Health benefits are numerous: psychologically, I release my emotions here, especially in a creative way; expressed emotions help me to lower blood pressure, lower my stress levels, and aiding in digestion and circulation; and I reap the overall rewards of better physical health.

For you guys, to reap the health benefits of writing, since most are afraid that they might not have the perfect words to say, you don’t need need to be a professional wordsmith. There are various ways to put pen to paper [or fingers to keyboard] and start expressing oneself. For those with greater writing ambitions, trying one could prove to be emotionally satisfying as well as lucrative.

Blogging, short for web logging, is a type of writing that introduces a journal to the world wide web. This type of writing is not for the faint of heart: unlike a personal journal, a blog can be found on the internet and be read by millions of people. Oftentimes, women write about issues such as health conditions, parenting, or politics. Blogs can also be more personal in nature. Here I can write whatever I want to say. It acts like my personal “pensieve”, my streamline of thoughts, emotional reservoir, stress reliever and own home. Funny as it is, I started my blog using Friendster, migrated to Blogspot then to WordPress. Now I have my every entry duplicated to Multiply.

So what are you waiting for? Start writing people!

Cocktails and liquor are staples of many meals and social events. While some indulge on a daily basis, others save their sipping for special occasions. No matter how much you know about or enjoy your beverage of choice, there’s always more to learn about the latest news and trends in brewing and consumption.

Since everybody has been affected and feeling deprived of the Oktoberfest Party happening just nearby our workplace, we can’t help but talk about cocktails or liquors being served there. The thought made us all long for a good drinking session. Bailey’s local counterpart Boracay, Mule, San Mig Light, Long Beach Iced Tea, Blue Frog and Mindoro Sling made us crave more.

I was also talking to some friends over YM and the conversation was diverted to how those drinks are being mixed. I mentioned about my old posts here teaching how to create local counterparts of Baileys and the likes.

Puerto Galera has been an annual Holy Week summer getaway for me aside from the fact that I’m from Mindoro. In every visit, I make sure that I get to slurp and hick a Mindoro Sling. In one of my visits, for the love of the drink, even though I’m tipsy [ok... drunk! intoxicated!] I watched a bartender of a famous bar in Puerto Galera. I memorized each and every ingredient she’s adding into the pitcher-as if I’m stealing the ingredient of Coke. And there you go the next day I put in into writing in my little black book, secured on my way back to Manila.

Mindoro Sling

1 Bottle Tanduay Rhum 5 Years [250ml]
1 small can Mango Nectar/Concentrate
1 Jigger Grenadine
1 Jigger orange juice concentrate
1 Jigger lemon juice concentrate
500 ml Sprite
Apple Slices

Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher.
Add ice to fill the pitcher.

If you find the ingredients so maarte, try these instead :

1 big can of Dole Four Seasons Juice
1 bottle of Ginebra GSM

In a pitcher, pour 3 parts of Four Seasons Juice and 1 part gin. Add Ice. Add alcohol for stronger punch

Enjoy!

For whatever reason that urged him, Z invited me earlier to join him sa San Miguel Oktoberfest. I was hesitant at first because I’ve seen how wild the crowd is during such events but he secured me that he’ll have a VIP pass and that he’ll fetch me again. The party has not started yet so he just showed me around and after few bottles of beer I made my way to work. He didn’t want me to leave yet but I insisted.

I just wish I can really stay especially after he told me that this year’s Oktoberfest has four stages - Reggae, Pop and Alternative, The All Girls Stage and where Third Eye Blind is performing. All the stages are along the stretch of San Miguel Avenue. Few steps away from our building.

You heard it right, people. This year’s San Miguel Oktoberfest 120 [siento bente] leg will be opened by an international act - THIRD EYE BLIND. This world renowned rock band, along with Philippine’s top bands will be gracing one of the four stages along San Miguel Avenue. San Miguel is aiming to break two Guiness records with this year’s grand Oktoberfest: the most number of people toasting, and the longest bar. Apart from the copious amounts of beer, participants can also interact with SMB’s personalities, like Efren Bata Reyes and PBA players. The grand opening for 2008’s Oktoberfest have the traditional booze fest and of course fun, fun, fun.

There is also a simultaneous launching from different parts of the Philippines in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Olongapo and Sta. Rosa City.

The bands aren’t the only thing that you should watch out for. San Miguel Pale Pilsen is repackaged with a new Oktoberfest limited edition! It kinda looks like the San Mig Light and the Cerveza Negra bottle combined. Don’t worry guys, this isn’t the weak kind of beer that weak people drink[hihihi]. It’s still 100% malt, full flavored, light bodied and sweet to the taste. We were able to taste it and it’s really good. It’s not that bitter and it’s between a San Mig Pale Pilsen and San Mig Light. The operative word here is that it’s LIMITED so you have to taste this one before it’s too late! I was about to ask him how is he connected with the San Miguel company but later decided to just be mum about it.

This year’s Oktoberfest isn’t free also. Here’s the official release about the Oktoberfest Grand Opening tickets.

Ticket Type: General Admission [Longest Bar] Ticket
Longest Bar Venue: Php 120.00 per head inclusive of 2 San Miguel Pale Pilsens
Note!: A General Admission Ticket gains entrance to the longest beer bar section along San Miguel and Julio Vargas avenues ONLY to be able to watch the events happening in any of the four [4] stages and take part in the numerous booths, games & activities in the main area. Entrances are at the intersection of Julio Vargas Avenue & St. Francis Road and intersection of San Miguel Avenue & Lourdes Drive. Tickets to enter the Special Viewing Section for the Third Eye Blind concert and Special Oktoberfest Marquee sections are sold separately.

Ticket Type: Special Oktoberfest Marquee Ticket
Oktoberfest Beer Marquee: Php 300.00 per head inclusive of 3 San Miguel Oktoberfest Beers & food
Note!: A Special Oktoberfest Marquee Ticket gains entrance to the air-conditioned tent and longest beer bar section along San Miguel and Julio Vargas avenues. The Special Oktoberfest Marquee Section is located at the Open Space Parking Area along San Miguel Avenue beside Metrobank & in front of the main gate of San Miguel Corporation Head Office Complex. Tickets to enter the Special Viewing Section for the ThirdEyeBlind concert are sold separately.

Ticket Type: Gold Ticket
Special Viewing Section: Php 1,500.00 per head inclusive of 2 San Miguel Pale Pilsens at General Admission Section and 3 San Miguel Oktoberfest Beers & food at the Special Oktoberfest Marquee Section.
Note!: A Gold Ticket gives access to the privilege few to a Special Viewing Section to be the closest to watch ThirdEyeBlind perform live. In addition, the Gold Ticket gives access to all other sections specifically the Special Oktoberfest Marquee with three [3] San Miguel Oktoberfest Beers plus food and the General Admission [Longest Bar] Area with two [2] San Miguel Pale Pilsens.

I still feel “inggit” as I write this because I can hear the band playing from here, all the most when I heard my officemates screaming their “wows” by the pantry as they watch in astonishment the oktoberfest’s fireworks display. Hayyyy, the things that you have to give up for work.

Allan will be celebrating his birthday so Mami Abi asked me to do this tarp design to surprise him. Maligayang pagtanda!

I still remember when I was first invited to an art gallery by an artist friend and my instinctive reaction was a feeling of apprehension. It was a strange feeling as I have always loved art especially paintings, so why the anxiety. I thought that maybe I just love art but not seriously loving it. The time I’ll be spending there can still be used to stroll around the mall, binge for food, have fun outside or maybe just to sleep.

I thought that my appreciation of art is when the art will just brought to me or infront of my eye minus the hassle of still going to a place to see them, much more, to spend money just to see them. It dawned on me that I was not worried about experiencing the paintings but how to react to them, what to say and how to converse about them so as to not look like a complete moron to my friends. I know this is very deep and doesn’t look like me or the AL people have known but trust me, art creates a major impact to my life.

This very unusual problem led me to explore and find a simple and down-to-earth approach to art appreciation. The idea is to demystify the process and make it easy to enjoy art.

So when the opportunity knocked last weekend, I grabbed it. The Art Center at Megamall staged “25th Kulay sa Tubig” exhibit. With Ralf, Jc and Kiko in tow, the art appreciation has been appreciated more.

And what would be best to end the day but with a cup coffee at Starbucks.

I first came across Tender Bob’s at Promenade where I’d hang out with my then boyfriend Chris. We both loved the food and the attentiveness of the staff. When we found out that they have a branch at Shangri La, we were more than thrilled. A comfort zone so close to home and work. But that was then… when he was still with me.

The place has become a rest stop in between work where I can sit back, relax and order the usual. My favorite meal is the Chicken Steak, grilled chicken fillet served with gravy, corn, steamed vegetables and choice of side. Options include plain, garlic or java rice, mashed potato or The Bomb which I tried for the first time yesterday. It is a perfect companion to the chicken, sliced baked potato smothered in garlic sauce. A must try. I wish I’ve tried it sooner.

So you can just imagine when I received an SMS from Ralf and Jc inviting me to comeover because they’re having dinner there. It was a dinner full of fun and banterings. With Ralf, Jc and Kiko in tow, it was definitely a perfect day.

Remember though to brush your teeth after the meal so that your breath does not smell garlicky.

Check out Tender Bob’s. You might end up as pleased as I am.

Opa! These words were repeatedly said on KC and Richard’s movie “For The First Time”. I was with Jay [birthday celebrator], Kiko, and Jc then. I kept on thinking where I heard the word. It was only after all the closing credits were gone that Cyma entered my thoughts.

I had the 1st chance to experience the restaurant the last time we went to Bora. So for those who’re frequent to Boracay, Cyma Restaurant may already be familiar to you. It is a restaurant that specializes in Greek and Mediterranean dishes. I wasn’t actually the one who ordered for my food before so it still felt like my first time to dine here, so I was a bit wary when Z invited me to have dinner there, though excited at the same time to try new food.

The place was filled with diners and the atmosphere was bustling with chatter. We had to squeeze between groups of people. The air was contagious and soon my spirits lifted with the excitement akin to festival fever. Z has always been all-knowing on these spots so I made him do all the tasks.

I let him order as I was not about to pretend to be an expert on Greek cuisine. I just read the description of the items he was ordering just to make sure that there wasn’t something there that I did not like.

Saganaki - is – visually and audibly – the flagship dish of Cyma. It is a Greek cheese-based dish that is either fried or grilled. At Cyma it is served at your table with great grandeur by igniting it as all the servers shout “Opa!”. I was literally amazed. It wasn’t my first time there but it surely beats the usual “Happy Birthday” that is usually done in other places. The Saganaki was served with grilled bread that was a perfect partner with the fried greasy cheese appetizer.

Another appetizer, the Dakos or Greek bruschetta, is a watercolor painting of sorts with the errant splotch of wild color. Little towers of bread hold aloft crowns of crushed olives and feta cheese while sitting in a pool of crushed tomatoes, capers, parsley, and olive oil. It’s a meze that has echoes of the Mediterranean.

Large in scale is the Pastitsio, a monstrous baked macaroni, although that term doesn’t do it justice. The Greek form of the Italian word, pasticcio, which means, among other things, hodgepodge, pastitsio is a tri-layer baked pasta dish. A bottom layer of tubular pasta bound with cheese and egg, it’s “piggy-backed” by a layer of ground meat mixed with tomato and cinnamon, and what I distinctly make out as nutmeg. Another layer of pasta, and then it’s topped with béchamel.

The Tonnos Salata is in itself, a salad buffet: mixed greens, feta, baked onions, roasted peppers, olives, marinated potatoes, green beans, and boiled eggs, it boasts of seared Ahi tuna and Gavros, homemade anchovies. Bathed in a summer herb vinaigrette, my family enjoys picking out their desired ingredients to make their own salad, instead of just scooping out large chunk-fulls and dumping it helter-skelter onto a plate. “We ordered the to-share portion for four people last time, and we were so bitin. So good is this salad that even this gigantic family portion is not enough for our party of 12.

My nephew is attracted to the Greek Burger made from Wagu [could this be a menu misspelling?] Brahman beef patties. It comes with peppered feta cheese and tzatziki sauce, a Greek yogurt condiment made from cucumbers and mint leaves. Ordered medium well, I find it tough since I usually like my meat medium rare. Despite the disparity in desired cooking times, the burger smacks of bovine glory with delightful spurts of salt from the feta. I’ll come back for this.

Cyma has an open kitchen and while the main ding room is packed and frenzied, and on a weekend at that, the kitchen maintains its own rhythm. Service is satisfactory, and our waiter, Cayo, is handling the onslaught of orders very well. I can’t complain. The noise level on the other hand, has my nerves on edge but hey, elegant tearoom this is not.

As much as I wanted to eat all of it, it’s just almost impossible because I’ve eaten so much already. And I felt guilty having to leave the plate half-eaten [as I’m used to eating everything placed on my plate] but it’s just physically impossible to stuff all of it in my stomach and expect that I could still in the next 20+ restaurants.