sip ahoy!

my nephew fresh from his recent highschool field trip to manila together with classmates, approached me in my room, as i was about to write some reserve posts for this blog--not so much as asking, but in a rather declarative-exclamatory tone : "Ganun ba talaga ang presyo ng kape sa starbucks?!" [rough translation--is a starbucks coffee really that expensive?!]

i raised my eyebrow thinking to myself, "welwelwel... welcome to the real world, hijo" and said "well thats the way they put a price tag on these things in manila. why, did you order one?", i asked, wishing a lot of luck with the pocket money for the trip his mom gave to him, if in fact he did so. "nope, i just joined a group sip ; one of my classmates ordered a frap", came the reply. " "oh, rich kid", i thought to myself, immediately followed by "i hope my nephew really just took a sip, knowing his capacity--a 'gulp' might actually cover the act". hehehe.

i quite expected his reaction, having been raised in the province myself, where coffee is something you just mix with hot water and some powdered milk; you stir and enjoy that home-made goodness--one foot conveniently sitting side by side your butt cheeks on a dilapidated chair--right in the privacy of your cozy dirty-kitchen. nothing as fancy as enjoying it gourmet style in a posh coffee shop with soft jazz tunes playing on the background. i can just imagine his culture shock, seeing all these people around him ordering coffee with prices which you'd just wanna stab your chest with, and hopefully die in the process. hehehe. that was also my first reaction when i was still working my ass off as paid-slave-cum-G.R.O. in my first job (!) ; happy to report now that i could enjoy in full shining glory the different flavors of iced coffees starbucks could offer; or enjoy that unique full-bodied flavor of a figaro kapeng barako, or coffee bean and tea leaf's addicting frenchroast.

sigh, i miss my cafe societe days, when just lounging in coffee houses immediately gives me a natural high. now i'm way past that episode and can honestly say that a cup of coffee served by way of the vendo machine within the office premises can be as exciting and as rich tasting as the bold flavors of starbucks, figaro and cbtl. you just have to have the mindset of a coffee connoisseur; enjoying the unique subtleties each sip brings to you. i jokingly remarked to my nephew that sure, i'd bring him to starbucks and order one of the fancy coffees when his mom and dad finds time away from their busy scheds to bring him to the bustling metro.. but nah, knowing him, i know he's evenly comfy sipping a P16 hot chocolate bought from 7eleven convenience store, so why bother? hehehe. he's had a sip of the frap anyways--he can proudly say 'i know how a frap tastes like'. :)

photo credits : http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterberry/4171623/

ohmski and the randominatrix

checked my blog late this afternoon to find a pleasant surprise waiting for the green backseat : we were featured by ohmski label to the millions of poor souls who religiously follow his blog like air to their lungs. (!) gosh, what can i say? i didn't expect this kind of treatment, having just stumbled on his blog just a week ago. this is a rather fumbling attempt at duplicating what he did, featuring my blog ; and alas, i have to concede to his greatness and declare that his was a tough act to follow. i lay sprawled to his feet like a slave ready to be fed to the lions. thanks ohmski.
____

lawyers are usually refered to as people in the "legal profession" if so, i'm thinking is there such a thing as an "illegal profession"? imagine nosebleeding your brains out in college only to be tagged as being in the "illegal profession". hehehe.

mel tiangco's public service segment in 24 Oras is titled "Kapusong Totoo". Cue in the voice over saying "Mel Tiangco, ang inyong kapusong totoo". why oh why did they come up with that tagline! its like saying theres a "kapusong peke"! welwelwel.

ever notice the maybank yellow signage (the one with the tiger as logo)? who the hell thought of such?! needless sign if you ask me. of course there's a bank! the yellow of the signage pulls you in only to state the obvious that there is a bank in the vicinity. duh. its exactly like the mayfarm sign i passed by in tarlac, riding the bus going to the province. nosebleed!

swallow me whole

night raven,

you sang me
to sleep
sweetly; i toss
in my bed, restless
wanting
you to want
me, wanting
your song spinning
in my head
always;

night raven,

you flew me dreaming
atop your perch--
your voice smiles,
beguiles;
sing me
your heart song;
and i will leap
without thought
or hesitation
to my welcoming ravine

but your heart song
is my devouring--
i dance, i spin
to your hearty croaks;

ravens do not sing

soon i must wake,
I know I should—
rain down
arrows on you;
tear down
your song’s
supple walls.

in the waking world
i hear
Sanity calling

and i’ll run, I’ll flee
your voice
smiling, beguiling;
in my head,
and heed her call

lest you,
darling night raven

swallow me whole

* a moving-on poem written for a friend.

gentle's all-meat spaghetti

(serves 10-15 spaghetti-hungry family members)

ingredients:

3-5 tablespoons olive oil
onions and garlic, chopped (quantity subject to taste)
½ kg ground beef
½ kg Purefoods Tender Juicy hotdogs, sliced to desired thickness
2 pcs chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
1 kg del Monte Spaghetti
2 packs 750 g Del Monte Italian Style spaghetti sauce
1 pack 750 g Del Monte Filipino Style spaghetti sauce
1 pack 500 g Hunts Parmesan spaghetti sauce
salt and pepper to taste.
Kraft Eden cheese for garnishing

Procedure :

Heat olive oil in the frying pan, then sautee the onions, followed by garlic until golden brown. Put in the ground beef and let it simmer until all its juices come out; let it cook by its juice, with the meat’s reddish shade turning to white first and then to a light to golden brown. Stir in the salt and pepper, making sure the flavor is absorbed thoroughly by the beef. Throw in sliced chorizo and hotdogs into the mix, stirring for another minute until all the flavors congeal. Transfer contents to a saucepan to add up the sauces, let everything simmer for about 3-7 minutes (or 10, whatever… simmer to your heart’s desire).

voila, and its ready to be served. Garnish with cheese before eating.

This is my hearty version of the all-meat spaghetti I came up with some 3 years ago. Its kinda pricey and is certainly not for commercial purposes—if you are cooking for business, I suggest you look for alternatives to the brands I mentioned. :) the first time I served it, my nephew didn’t stand from the dining table until the last drop of spaghetti sauce was licked clean from his plate. Hehehe. So then it was decided that gentle’s all-meat spaghetti was going to be a regular fixture in the family dining table during special occasions.

My nephew specially requested it for this year’s all saints day remembering. playing the house chef, I quickly tossed in the ingredients hoping that everything will fall into place while busily arranging flowers we’re gonna bring to the cemetery on the side. Its good that I have mom to help me out, preparing the onions and garlic…I hate that part. :) Hah! Busy day.

standing by my bedpost

In the thin line dividing wakefulness and sleep I saw her—standing by my bedpost facing my wardrobe cabinet—a short-haired lady aged approximately between mid 50s to early 60s, a bit taller than my mom and frail-bodied. It was past 5:00 in the morning, and I was just about to sleep after having arrived not two hours ago from the big city, to be in town at the start of the festivities for this year’s all saints day.

Ever woke up with a jolt after dozing off—you loose all muscle control as your eyelids go heavy with sleep only to be startled /brought back to the room you previously inhabited in wakefulness? Only this time she’s there, infused with light as if emanating from within her, preventing me to have a good glimpse of her profile. Nope she’s not Virgin Mary, I’m sure of that, just a regular lady I do not know. I wasn’t frightened though, not a bit… I just know deep in my heart that I experienced something that’ll stay with me my whole life.

Eating breakfast some 3 hours later, I blurted out my twilight zone episode with mom and sis. Both of them confirmed by my description that its inang ayong, grandma on dad’s side. Somehow I knew she was a relative, just needed confirmation. Wherever you are, inang, this one’s for you. Thanks for the visit.

beware : killer on the loose

pictures don't lie. :)

sitaw, bataw...

patani!

i thank myself for not being a sucker for television, so i dont see her everyday. from unang hirit to susan tayo, the lass who made a name in survivor philippines is here, there and everywhere; busily hosting television segments patani-style that never fail to make me squirm in... uhm..i dont know.

the few times i switched on the tely, her eternally pouting lips (only, angelina jolie never looked this exotic, hehehe) never failed to leave me breathless (uhm.. in heart attack?). i cant say i hate her, it takes far more personal feelings for that kind of emotion. and i wont have personal feelings for patani, i tell you early on. hehehehe.

patani, who was in survivor philippines only for the "exfowsyur" confidently flirts with the camera side by side drew arellano; or hugs the limelight for one long segment in susan tayo, breezing through different beauty regimens. beauty regimens! the shows' segment producers must have had a grand time seeing patani deliver the lines.

even the blogs i come across talk about her incessantly, unearthing her now-famous friendster profile. hell, why cant they talk about me!! hehehe. (ayun naman pala!) ok, i'll admit it, its personal.

i hate you patani! :)

note : patani picture taken from http://www.celebritypeeps.com/patani-dano-survivor-philippines-castaway/