031/365

1:61

The birthday celebrant chose to blow one in lieu of 61 candles. It actually makes perfect sense because they obviously won't into that small cake. Hehehe! Hope you had a great one, maver's maver!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

THE SECRET'S OUT...

I'm glad we have a son and I am thinking of sending him to Don Bosco just so I could have an excuse to eat at Manila's best kept Italian secret everyday. Hehehe!Amici (a-MEE-chee), which means friends, is a cozy little Italian trattoria (you won't miss the digital signage over at Pasong Tamo corner Arnaiz Ave.) serving great pizza, pasta, gelato and a host of other sumptuous dishes at carinderia prices.

Read more...

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAVER'S MAVER!

All that I am or ever hope to be,
I owe to my angel Mother.

~ Abraham Lincoln

It's your turn to blow out the candles today--all 61 of them. Woot! Woot! To the the grooviest and bestest grandmaver in the whole world, no amount of real estate, chattel nor the most expensive diamond rings can ever compare to how precious you are to all of us happy birthday! Happy, happy birthday! Love you always.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

PHOTO TAG

I have been tagged by Plurk, Twitter and blogging buddy, Jo, and here are the rules:

1. Go to your picture files
2. Go to your 6th folder
3. Go to your 6th picture
4. Tell us about it
5. Tag 6 friends to do the same This photo was taken two weekends ago at Bonifacio High Street, located at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. This is a favorite family hangout (fact is, we are going there again this afternoon) because unlike other shopping complexes, BHS boasts of unique playground displays, patches of grass and sand, jogging paths and other outdoor delights. The complex is also pet-friendly, so the parade of furry friends in every shape, size and color are also welcome attractions to BHS patrons.

Our son, the Haligilet, loves hanging out at BHS because of the Lego Land display, and more importantly, because of the newer and bigger Timezone outlet, which is host to a wide array of video games.

I never did understand his and his father's fascination with video arcades. Honestly, I do not enjoy watching gun blasts and gore on Time Crisis, Delta Force and what have you. I also scoff at my nephews' fascination with Warcraft and their willingness to even purchase from those who sell world of warcraft account sets.

Yes, I am a boring maver, plain and simple. Now you know why video games are still taboo at home! But who knows, maybe the regular visits to BHS would lead to my change of heart? We will see.

Now, c'mon and grab this tag!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

030/365

Pen Pushing

To those of you who don't know, I write for a living (and an extra living). This week has been quite hectic, with layouts to churn, articles to complete, and presentations to finalize. But I survived through it all. TENKS GAD!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

COUGAR SIGHTING

Guess which of the popular "cougars" I am following at twitter...To the unfamiliar, the term cougar applies to A-list babes who have been known to hook up with a whole different type of luxury accessory—younger men.

Lemme refresh your memories of those love stories that have been told and retold about men who have found comfort and joy in dating older women. Top of the list is Ashton Kutcher, 30, who fell prey to cougar-poster-child, Demi Moore, who was a sophomore in high school when he was born. Romance blossomed for Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake despite a nine year age difference. Jennifer Aniston hit the headlines with her romance with John Mayer. 41-year-old Halle Berry found love — and a baby — with 31-year-old model Gabriel Aubry.

Susan Sarandon, Sharon Stone, Drew Barrymore, Madonna--the list goes on. It seems like these hot babes have really inspired a new breed of coosome twosomes. And if you are one to be inspired by them, then do not hesitate to check out that cougar sites out there.

Rowrrr!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

029/365

The Comeback

Of my asthma, that is. After a few days reprieve from my attacks, my asthma is back, and with a vengeance at that. So please excuse for being remiss on updates. I hope to catch up with the posts (and my breaths) soon.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

LP #41: LILA

Kulay mo'y pinaghalong pula at bughaw
Dalangin ng marami'y ika'y laging abot-tanaw;
Pinaghihirapan, pinagsisikap at di magkamayaw
Para lamang ika'y makamtan araw-araw.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

028/365

To Oz with Love

Today is the birthday of RAO, my Oz-based bestest best friend in the whole world. And since we cannot be together (it's probably been a decade since we had a joint birthday bash), I did a bit of celebrating on my own. I had both cake and ice cream in just one go. Presenting... Amici's not-so-Fentraphen- friendly, Sans Rival Ice Cream.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

DIY CHICKEN INASAL

I still have Bacolod hangover. And so, I scoured the net for an easy-to-do inasal recipe which I hope I can do at home. I stumbled upon this recipe by Heny Sison, which interestingly, was adapted from one of the cooks at Manokan Country over in Bacolod City.

Ingredients:

ginger
garlic
brown sugar
cane vinegar or coconut vinegar
calamansi
rock salt

achuete oil (To make the achuete oil: Warm enough achuete seeds in lots of cooking oil over moderate heat for one to two minutes. Do not let the oil burn. Set aside and stir until the oil turns orange in color.)

Procedure:

1) Marinate all ingredients for an one hour before grilling.
2) Before grilling, make the achuete oil.
3) Make a slit on each side of the marinated chicken.
4) Baste the chicken with achuete oil while grilling.
4) Serve with sinamak, soy sauce, calamansi and fresh siling labuyo.

Exact measurements of the ingredients are not listed because the inasal experts of Bacolod do it by feeling and tasting. Oido, kumbaga! Market Man suggests that a worthy replacement for achuete oil is Star Margarine. Best eaten with an ice-cold bottle of soda, beer, or even your favorite wine of the month. Bon Apetit!

Whichever basting oil you choose, let's hope all our inasal escapades yield positive results. Let's trade tips and tricks ok?

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

027/365

Go Froth and Multiply

This was taken during my lunch date today. Just like coffee, I cannot live without my best friend, A. And just like how I prefer my hot drinks--A is decaf. She doesn't make me palpitate at all! :)

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

WHAT'S IN YOUR LUNCHBOX #5?

I had an impromtu lunch with my best friend, A, today. So this one has been reserved for my coffee break. Presenting...one of the last "men" standing in my Bacolod loot--Pancit Efuven.Pancit Efuven are Ilonggo flat egg noodles (quite similar to what Italians call the fettucini), cooked the usual pancit guisado way. We mixed our stash with a bit of sotanghon to achieve that bam-i "look-feel". An added bonus for today's merienda are two chicken pies from good ole Conti's. Pasensya na, may halo kami ng semento mamaya. Hahaha!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

026/365

Kung Hei Fat Choi

Feng shui prediction for this year: Everything will be alright kase, Year of the OKS! Hehehe!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

BACONATOR, FTW!

I am maver. And I am a baconator-holic. Yes, folks. Size matters!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

WEEKEND SNAPSHOT #26

I spent the last few days of the week training members of a microfinance institution in the countryside, on the basics of mobile payment transactions. It is our vision to provide the poorest of the poor in the Philippines, with innovative and relevant cellular solutions that will help improve their quality of life. I hope our modest efforts would make a difference in the future of this child.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

LOCKED OUT

I almost didn't make it to work today. You see, I left my company ID at home and that card serves as a keyless lock that allows all employees access to the various work areas in our building. Otherwise, one would have to wait and rely on other people's IDs to get it past the "iron gates" of the office.

Our identification cards also serve us our timekeeping key, which electronically logs the time of our entry into, and exit from our work spaces. Sans an ID, one would have to manually input a unique personal identification code. To someone like me who's endured three (yes, THREE!) epidural shots--me and memory work simply do not mix. Masalimuot!

At times like this, I wish ours was similar to the logging systems showns at axxisbiometrics.com, which utilizes one's fingerprints to automatically open the keyless lock of buildings, security areas and workspaces. Axxisbiometrics.com also has a unique proposition of installing a keyless lock even in one's home.

Nifty huh?

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

La.Pi.S #31: CANDY

Well, what do you know...the advantages of saving this last piece of my favorite See's candy, apparently, is three-fold. Aside from sugar abstinence being a natura acne treatment-slash-deterrent, this tiny See's piece was like a breath of fresh air after two consecutive days of Bacolod inasal and pastries (not that I'm complaining of course!). And finally, it provided me with the perfect subject for this week's La.P.iS.

Have a great week ahead!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

025/365

Bibeng Gandanghari

As loyal churchgoers of the Greenbelt Chapel, we are regularly treated to visions of ducks and fishes at the nearby pond. It is a joy to watch the awkard albeit confused ducklings metamorphose into these graceful white creatures (almost the same way some showbiz figure had his/her own metamorphosis lately, hehehe!).

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

BARAKO BAMA

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

024/365

Detox

After feasting on inasal and every imaginable sweet concoction in Bacolod City, I decided that it was time for a bit of cleansing. And so I had this for brunch today. While I enjoyed my trip to the City of Smiles, there is still no place like home.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

MY BACOLOD TOP 10

Among the many places I have visited in Pinas, Bacolod has now become a favorite. I would love to visit again, hopefully soon. Here are the top then things which made my first trip to Bacolod most memorable.

1) The Accommodations
Lucky for me, my Bacolod trip was company-sponsored. Nonethless, I find that corporate funds were well spent on L'Fisher Hotel, given the quality of the rooms and food (buffet breakfast, yum!) and free wifi. Plus, the location was ideal--just a stone's throw away from dessert haven, Calea and the Negros Occidental Multipurpose Activity Center which played host to the 2009 Smart National Amateur Boxing Championships. Best of all, the staff allowed us to extend our check-out time till 2:00 p.m.

2) Of Pacboys and Pacmen
Save for my aborted love affair with Elorde's Gym, the ABAP Championship was my first time to watch a live boxing match. It was indeed exciting to watch the young boxers of today, fight it out for ring supremacy in the future.

3) The Smiles Bacolod ain't called The City of Smiles for nothing. And it was heartwarming indeed to see genuine smiles from the members of Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, despite the challenging lives they lead.

4) The Sweetness The road to Cadiz City was lined with hectares and hectares of sugar cane plantations. Our team just had to pose for the requisite Facebook shot. Oo na, day off na day off ang dating. Hehehe!

5) Napakasarap na Napoleones
Those sugar cane plantations have been put to good use indeed. These cream-filled, sugar-glazed flaky pastries are a taste of heaven, but could send me directly to hell since I probably won't fit into my corsets anymore! Hehehe! More on these sweet delights soon.

6) Prrrt, Fowl!
A visit to Bacolod would not be complete without a visit to Manokan Country, where one may be treated to a wide array of inasal dishes. I had both the booty and the breast (aka chicken ass and picho). Hayyy, amoy palang ulam na! A review on my Manokan Country experience is in the offing too!

7) Oooh-la-la, Calea
I've seen cheesecakes and I've seen cheesecakes. But nothing prepared me for the sweet deals at Calea--which are delights both to the palette and pocket. Be warned, however. Everything on the menu is best eaten with Abs Bitter Herbs. (Wink!)

8) Bob's, Bob's, Baby!
I will be forever be grateful to Garando for introducing me to Bob's. A cafe known for their Sate Babi and burgers, the dishes reminded me of my barbecue favorites at Manila-based Aristrocrat. I am so looking forward to my next Bob's meal.

9) The Loot Knowing that I would miss Bacolod terribly, I took a part of the City home with me. As you can see, I have more than enough to tide me over till my next visit. :)

10) The Send-off
As a fitting end to my two-day stay, look at who saw us off--no less than Bacolod City Congressman, Monico Puentebella. O ha, matching shirts pa!

I will miss you, Bacolod. Till we meet again.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

023/365

A Face in the Crowd

A masked one. I am back from my very first trip to Bacolod and boy do I have stories to tell! My trip would never be complete without the requisite magnet souvenir which I stumbled upon at a discount furniture store. With my magnet collection growing by the minute, the Haligi tells me that I should either buy a bigger ref to hold my inventory, or refrain from buying magnets entirely. Hehehe! Any suggestions?

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

A REASON TO SMILE IN THE CITY OF SMILES

The first item on our Bacolod itinerary after getting off the first flight from Manila, was a road trip to Cadiz City. Cadiz is a fishing village some 65 kilometers away from Bacolod City, and about two hours away from Silay where Bacolod airport is located.Our mission: To conduct mobile commerce training to the members of Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, a micro finance institution which provides financial aid to the poorest of the poor.

Dubbed as Project Dungganon, the program is patterned after the Grameen banking model of 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunnus. It is driven by the vision that providing relevant and sustainable financial services to the poor, like access to savings and credit instruments, even life insurance coverage, will empower them by improving their skills and productivity, and ultimately their quality of life.My heart bled at the sight of the honorable women who, armed with their borrowed cellphones, braved heat and hunger, to see what we tagalog-speaking folk had to say. While there was an evident language barrier, at the end of the day, the common goal of finding a better and easier way to provide funds to, and collect credit from the Cadiz folk transcended all social and cultural boundaries.We vow to transform the lives of these honorable women and their children. We will do so at whatever cost.

For their future.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

022/365

Bacolod Dreaming

It is the first day of my first visit to Bacolod. We are here to teach fisher folk mobile solutions that would help transform their lives and the lives of their children. I am hoping and praying that our efforts would take off so that this child would never have to walk on this barren land again.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

LP #40: KAHEL

Ito ay isang "night light" na paboritong tingnan ng aming anak bago matulog...

Sa gitna ng dilim

Ilaw mo'y tumataginting;
Sa paligid na nakaririmarim
Ika'y nakakagaan ng damdamin.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

021/365

All Set

After reading Garando's list of must-sees and must-tries in Bacolod, I am extremely excited to set foot on the City of Smiles. And I am hopeful that it will live up to its name.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

KAPUT!

For a coffee chain who made a killing on planners during the Yuletide season, this clearly shows lack of pre-planning...

Kinda disappointing don't you think so? But then again, I am still looking forward to that bag. But I would be happy to settel for a cap or beanie. That's gonna be hot! Pun intended.

Now you know what I will be giving away during my next blog blowout. :)

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

A MAVER'S TOUCH

It seems only like yesterday when I was brainstorming for the ideal for the Haligi over the holidays. And now here I am, shopping around, yet again, for another one--his birthday present this time.

Since he's been really tolerant of my fascination with designer bags, I feel that it is my turn to pay it forward. As I have shared before, my obsession with arm candy is directly proportional to my husband's love affair with gadgets. Case in point, he switches "partner" phones, at the least, semi-annually--a habit which I hope he would not carry over to me, his real "partner." He lives and breathes tech so much so that he prefers wasting away money on tech accessories and gadget magazines at the expense of his clothes and shoes which has seen better days. It's plain to see, the Haligi has to have that new toy!

Lately, he's been courting me to give in to his obsession with gaming consoles, something which I have succeeded to sidestep for the longest time. If you'd ask me, my husband could pass off as a loyal patron of gaming labs, the likes of VidGameTesters, that elite group of gaming afficionados who are updated on the releases, trends, codes, even cheats of the hottest games on videowonderland.

I have yet to give in to his request. But by the looks of it, I think we should agree on a middleground. And so for his birthday, I am thinking of getting him this...

What do you think?

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

020/365

Pop Goes the World

Still (trying to stay) on that road to wellness, my office buddies and I chose this to accompany us during a long work night.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

BE ALL THAT YOU CAN BE-BE

After a three-month stay in the US, The Artist Formerly Known as Rustom has taken his femininity to the next level.

R.I.P. (Rustom Is Papa-no-more)

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

DEATH SENTENCE

First, they send the hunk to prison--to multiple prisons, in fact. Now, he has sentenced to life--off the air.

It has been exactly a week since the cancellation of Prison Break after a four-year run, and not even the most sophisticated term life insurance rates prepared me for this untimely "death." The final season will return April 17.

I am still hoping for a pardon, though. Let us keep vigil.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

WHAT'S IN YOUR LUNCHBOX #4?

We still had leftover curry mix from a friend's trip to Singapore. The thing is, we had no chicken in fridge! We made do with these spicy chicken balls bought from the Magnolia stall which was priced reasonably at P80.00 per pack of twenty. Total peso power of this dish which can serve a party of six? A dazzling P120.00! Currific!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

THE FINAL BOW

Fresh from the MTV-Philippines press conference today, eto ang grasya sa akin ng kaibigan kong si Grasya...I'm still missing signatures from two bandmates. However, I just might get my chance in March....span>
Manila activities will be at a standstill. Parents will leave their children, children will come home late. Attendance at call centers and night-shift medical coding training courses will be at an all time low as Ely Buendia, Marcus Adoro, Buddy Zabala, and Raimund Marasigan come together, for the last time, on one stage.

Dubbed as "The Final Set," the second installment of The Eraserheads reunion concert will be held at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds in Pasay City on March 7, 2009. More E pictures may be found here. Take a bite!

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

019/365

For File

The beginning and end of the week have always been slated as my filing days. Mondays, to clear the cobwebs and spider traps, so to speak; and Fridays, to wrap up the week that was. I prefer my files clearly labeled and clean, with colors, if any, kept to a minimum. That's just me--my usual boring, not to mention OC self.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

WEEKEND SNAPSHOT #25

Capitalizing on the last few days of the cold season, my family and I went on a short stroll at a (quasi) outdoor complex this weekend. This photo shows me at my thinnest. Hehehe... How was your weekend?

EKS-OH-EKS-OH