Masterchef Pinoy Edition: Celebrating Filipino Food And The PinoyPalette

I started following Masterchef Pinoy Edition some two weeks ago and today, they just completed their roster of top 16 Pinoy home cooks.  The Junior Edition got me hooked so I really have high expectations for this one.  Being a foodie and trying hard home cook, I am interested to see how we fair compared to the likes of Whitney, Jennifer and Christine of Masterchef US and Julie, Adam, Kate and Andy of the Australian edition.

The Junior Edition had its finale showdown early this year and I must say, I was really impressed with how good the young chefs were.  I was also happy with how ABS-CBN made the show really close to home.  I think this is what they are trying to achieve with the grown ups, only in full throttle.

During the audition, we see people from all walks of life.  Some obviously have a taste for the finer things in life.  Some have lived simple lives but are filled with interesting stories about  food.  I was really hoping to see the usual French, Italian and Asian dishes that are often served in Masterchef US and Australia.  So seeing my usual comfort food: Sinigang, Lugaw and Kare-kare surprised me a lot.  Then I realised, Masterchef Pinoy Edition is a celebration of Filipino food and the Pinoy palette.  Most Pinoys do not eat risotto but most Pinoys (if not all) have tasted lugaw.  Only a few of us can appreciate ceviche but we are accustomed to eating Kinilaw.

At first I was worried that if they decide to include a soufflé challenge a lot of those who got through the top 16 would not keep up.  But I guess the show is trying to portray food as a great equalizer.  You do not have to be at the upper echelons of our society in order to experience or even make good food.  It would not be realistic to have a soufflé or a creme brûlée challenge.  A leche flan challenge would make more sense.

Masterchef Pinoy Edition is also dubbed as a Kusinaserye (there goes our penchant for drama) so don't be shocked to see sob stories here and there.  I think they are trying to show that for every amazing home cook, there is an interesting story behind their love and passion for food.  Just like the story of a single mom who used food to cope with the breakdown of her marriage.  I am just a little concerned that the competition will become a charity event and the one with the best story wins the title.

At the end of the day, it should be all about the food.  And it should elevate Filipino Cuisine and make it know internationally.  I am really excited to see how this show will progress.

What Would You Do If Tomorrow Is The End Of The World?

24/7 In Love posted a really intriguing question.  Say the world sees its end tomorrow, what will you do?  Would I find the hottest guy and lay in bed with him for the last time?  Or look for the one person I hurt most and ask forgiveness?  Perhaps spend it with loved ones and be at their side waiting for the inevitable?

I honestly do not know.  I might end up doing all of the above.  But I guess the bigger question is "does it really matter?"  Because when its the end, it IS THE END!  Of course, we can invoke a theological discussion but that would be a serious party pooper.

If I get laid for the last time, find peace of mind, and feel security in the company of loved ones, how will that change the experience of seeing the world's demise?  I guess it does not.  But what I do know is I surely do not want the world to end tomorrow.

Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve... End Of The World?

Remember Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve?  Star Cinema's 24/7 In Love hoped to be like these films.  Unfortunately, their new love anthology movie is no Valentine's Day and most certainly no New Year's Eve (my favorite of the two).  Fortunately, it succeeded in one thing, it was top billed by the biggest, most brillant actors of our generation.

But that is not to say 24/7 In Love is not worth your time of day.  I actually find it really entertaining.  There are stories and premises that will struck a chord.  The episode of Angelica and John Lloyd is the best out of the 7 stories (SPOILER ALERT).  It was about a woman who took a break from her marriage after finding out that her husband cheated on her.  Aside from the John Lloyd's charm and believable acting, his chemistry with Angelica was just magical.  This episode shows love that is ever enduring amidst mistakes and imperfection.

I also liked Bea and Zanjo's episode.  Like the earlier couple, this real life sweethearts displayed awesome chemistry.  Bea never fails to amaze me with her acting prowess and Zanjo did not leave me wanting at all.  (And those lips, argh!)  Their story I think is surprisingly realistic.

Perhaps Piolo's role as a mentally challenged orphan is his most challenging to date and he did not disappoint.  Zijan and Xyriel were also effective in their roles as kids experiencing the pains of puppy love.

The other stories were ok.  I felt that they were rushed up and contrived.  They were more suited to be full length movies to give these stories more justice.  What saved the day for them were the actors who were believable and endearing in their roles.  And who could forget Sam's abs, Diether's ass and Gerald's undies!

Overall, I think 24/7 In Love is a fairly nice try to copy the magic Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve gave us.  It did not quite succeed but it certainly has some gems that made it worth my time.  Its "End of the world, what would you do" premise is quite interesting.  But it did little to tie things together.  For people who are suckers for love, hopeless romantics (and those who wants to feast on Gerald Anderson and Sam Milby), you would definitely enjoy this.

Of Weddings, Dream Guy, And Zoren

I just finished watching Zoren and Carmina's wedding and as always, it made me teary eyed.  The romantic in me just can't help it.  I have witnessed a few weddings and the emotions brought by two people showing the whole world how they love each other and vow to stay in love forever overwhelm my tear ducts to the point of going ballistic.  Right now, Carmina becomes the envy of all single ladies (and gays) for having Zoren as her husband.  Normally, weddings are considered a "girl thing" but Zoren just showed how far a man head over heels in love would go to make her woman happy.  He just became everyone's dream guy.

All of us are looking for our own "Zoren" and we may have different ways of defining who our "Zoren" is.  I recalled a conversation over Facebook with a good friend a few days back about the qualities we are looking for in a man.  He hinted that I am the type who almost always go for the looks first.  Guilty as charged!  Well, I will not deny that I like a guy that is easy on the eyes.  Who does not?  But I would like to believe that the looks department is the one that entices me try a dish but what would me want to keep eating it and even ask for a second serving is something skin deep.

I want a man who is wise, who would offer a different perspective on life and would influence me to see the world the way he sees it.  Most of the time, I can not help but speak my mind.  I want a man who is bold enough to disagree with me and even win the argument.

I want a man who shares my interests.  Or even if he does not, he would still make an effort to show that he values those that I consider important.  I want a man who beats me in Tekken and even has the guts to tease me about it.  Someone who would ask me to teach him how to play badminton even if the only thing he does that comes close to a sport is "movie marathon."

I want a man who is supportive.  Someone who is still willing to be seen beside me after I have made a fool of myself.  I made a lot of stupid decisions in my life and I think I am bound to make more.  He should be ready to support my decisions and still be there as I face the consequences of my stupidity.  I consider myself fragile and I need a man who would be my "bubble-wrap."

I want a man who never fails to make me smile.  Someone who would understand my terrible mood swings, when I hate the world, when I hate everyone.  Someone who knows that only a tub of gummy bears would save the day.

My friend also has his own Zoren.  In the end we both agreed that our Zoren should be head over heels in love with us and that he should be very fond of us and it starts there.

Two years ago, I ended a three year relationship with a guy who I thought would be my forever.  He remains to be my greatest love though.  A man beautiful outside with a big warm heart.  A man who makes me happy not only in bed but also during times when the world tests my resolve.  A man so proud to have me by his side.  A man who would want nothing but to be with me forever.  But it did not work out.  Perhaps it just was not meant to be.  The decision to part ways broke my heart just as much as it broke his and it took time to gather the pieces and fix it.

That experience made me very cautious with the men I meet.  At my age, I want to find "the one" and the slightest hint that a person would not hit the mark makes me run the opposite direction.  I know it will not be easy to find what I am looking for but I know it is not impossible.  I found him once I know I will find him again.  The one person who will make me happy, the one person I would want to share forever with is just out there, waiting for me to find him.  My Zoren.

When You Are Halfway Up, You Are Also Half Way Down

I've been meaning to write about Paula Jaime Salvosa and the incident that earned her the ire of social media.  Unfortunately, I'm so distracted and can seem to gather my thoughts to create one coherent post.

Today was such a bad day for me.  I feel so down.  The other day, I was in Eastwood for an interview.  It went really well.  Those were the times when you can confidently say, "I nailed it!"  The interviewer gave me positive feedback that kept my hopes high.  So I showed up again for the final interview.  I really thought I'll be back in the game soon.

All my hopes went down the drain when the interviewer asked me, "you do know that you are over qualified for this, right?" That question made me confused until I told her the expectation that I have based both on their job advertisement and my first interview.  As it turns out, they were not looking for the position I was applying for.  Not that they were no longer looking for it, the position never existed in the first place.  Moreover, the specialisation that I was looking for was also not a match.  How can this happen?  I applied and got interviewed for an opening that does not exist.  Words cannot describe what I just felt: embarrassment, range, disappointment, pity all rolled into one.

Now I'm back to zero.  I know I should stay positive but it's just so hard to after all that's been happening to me lately.  Right now, I can only hope that things start to pick up soon.

No, The Yamashita Treasure Is Not In The Philippines!

Impressed with the move The Raid: Redemption, HBO Asia's first full length original film became a must see for me.  After finishing a productive meeting in Eastwood, I braved the incredible Ortigas traffic and headed to Megamall.  Apparently, the movie is shown only in select SM Cinemas.

I thought it is such a shame only a few people came to see it (for my screening time we were less than 10).  But as the movie progresses I started to understand why.  The movie is about a group of treasure hunters with their hired guns lured by the legend of Yamashita's Treasure.  Their search lead them to a remote Indonesian jungle.  Encountering a group of pirates, they sought refuge inside a dead mine but were unfortunately trapped when the mouth of the mine collapsed.  They realised the only way out is to journey further into the mine.  Aside from the words, Yamashita Treasure, the plot seems to be a cliche.  Treasure hunt and Murphy's law in effect.

The make up is quite good.  The costumes aren't so bad either.  I also think that it offered a very Hollywoody cinematography.  Unfortunately, those are the only good things I can say about the movie.  It's your typical treasure hunt movie where the proponents of the expedition kept secrets from the whole party, the hired guns get mad as they start to lose men and demand answers.  Of course there's more to it that what the greedy proponents are willing to share. They find monsters instead of gold and they all die.

I would have liked it if other elements of the movie were good.  The casting is poor.  The group of hired soldiers seem to not know how to use their guns (Spoiler Alert).  The pirates who ambushed them were not even using any cover and yet they cant seem to hit them.  They also dont possess any skill in hand to hand combat.  The leader of the hired guns Ario Bayu (Capt Tino) I think can be better played by Joe Talsim (Djoko).  Joe was kiss ass in The Raid and Ario is just so lame.  Les Loveday (Price) was also a let down as he fails to be the rich but obnoxious leader of the hunt.  And same can be said to her love interest Carmen Soo (Su-ling) who tried so hard to be over bearing.  The narrative also needs some work.  The pacing is so slow.  Lastly, the scientific research, human-testing of bio weapons angle can be interesting only if it was supported by the production design.

I really had high hopes for the film considering its an HBO Original movie.  But unfortunately, it failed to deliver.

Keep Calm and Call Your Friends

Sometimes you think the universe is conspiring against you.  I'm in a dark place right now.  Perhaps, this is what you call midlife crisis.  Right now, I'm not sure I know what I want to do in life.  I'm lost, trying to find direction.  After years of living a driven and focused life, a "career man" so to speak, now here I am trying to waste all of that because I just don't want to deal with all the BS that I'm used to facing head on anymore.  I just want to take a break and be lazy for once.

Yesterday, I finally mustered the courage to let my friends know about my latest ordeal.  I have to admit that I hardly open up to people, even to the closest of friends so this is really tough for me.  With the four of us sitting at a round table, cups of coffee infront, a sea of people as our backdrop, I dropped the bomb. As expected, they were all in shock as they never thought I would be in that kind of situation.  They were so amazed at how clever I made it look to them that I'm still going to work (two of them are actually my housemates).  I told them how much I wanted to have a break and not worry about work but I cant help but crave for monotony and routine and it pains me.  For the first time, I did something without a back up plan.  I told them how unsure I was of what to pursue.  Perhaps its the time I start chasing my dream and go the creative route.  Or suck it up and just continue where I left off.  The confession is an ordeal in itself, specially when people would often seek me out for career advice.  Looks like the tables have turned and now, I'm the one in need of it.

After they have said their piece, I still dont know what to do.  I'm still confused.  I still have this problem sticking under my nose.  But then, I realised that I knew better than that.  I was not looking for a solution to my issues.  That was never the intention.  Friends will not always be able to take you out of your misery.  At the end of the day, only I would have the solution.

However, friends exist to be there with you when you need them.  To be the shoulders you can cry on.  To be the ears who will listen when you think no one hears you.  To be your warm bodies when you feel you're alone in the cold.  I appreciate being able to tell them my problem when I know other people would have judged me.  I cherished having them on my side when the world seem to gang up on me.

At the end of it all I just want to know that I'm not alone, and it was very liberating to be able to tell them my story.  I almost chocked but I had to trust them to be the awesome friends that they are.  I should start trusting them more with the things that plague me, I owe to them.  And I'm glad I did.

A Beautiful Affair

Have you ever seen a person, in your eyes so devine, so perfect, you fell in love in an instant?  In that chanced meeting of the eyes, yours locked on to his and his does the same and you held back.  After a while, you held on to that feeling.  In your heart there will never be a moment more precious than that.  You became a stalker overnight.  Thinking that you've found the man of your dreams, the one who will make your cold nights steamy.  Then, in a strange turn of events, you realised you will never see him again.  The man who made you change the way you look at other men for the rest of your life.  All gone.

But you still held on.  Nobody has ever replaced him in your heart.  Every night you would dream about meeting him at the same exact place, your eyes locking onto each other.  That special moment is not only yours but his as well.  This time you dont hold back and seized the moment.  Now your greatest love is holding your hand.  You are laughing at the same jokes, sharing stories of how the two of you longed for each other over a cup of coffee.  In the morning, you talk about plans after work, while having breakfast that you prepared.  He raves about your cooking, your number one fan.

Unfortunately, the even the best dreams come to an end.

Meet Mr. Stewart

If there is anything that would hinder me from seeing the world, that is definitely is Mr. Stewart!  He is very needy.  Won't last a day without buggin' me.  There are times he would pull my hand and wake me up, just to prepare his food.  And even after long hours at work, he still have the gall to scream at me asking me to clean up his mess.  Despite all that, I still can't leave him.  He's just so cute!  He's just so sweet.  And the killer footsies that he gives... I just can't get enough of that.  If only I can take him whenever I travel.

Oh don't get me wrong, he's not some badass stay at home couch potato of a boyfriend.  Mr Stewart happens to be my 1 year old Persian kitty.  That mokong (crazy) of a cat just gives my day the color that it needs.  He's definitely a handful but he makes up for it with his sweetness and affection.  I got him last year from the pet shop and it was an easy choice for me.  When I opened his cage, he was the only one who excitedly climbed up my arms and held onto my neck while the others just snobbed me.  Clearly it was love at first sight.

One of his favorite spots is at the foot of the stand fan.  I dont understand why, perhaps because the vibration it makes can mimic a cat's purring.

Stewie also gives a killer footsie which is his way of saying its "pet me time."

When he was little, he would embrace my arms and just fall asleep.  Sweetness overload.

When I was still working, he would sense when I was about to leave.  He'd climb on top of my bag and would not let it go as if he wanted me to bring him to work.

He also has his moments.  There are times I would just wake up with scratches on my legs because he was trying to squeeze himself in between them.

But more than that, he's still my furry bundle of joy.  Who say's cats can't be sweet?

Care For A-Gantea Party?

My bummed out feet took me to Robinsons Place Manila today.  I have not visited this mall for quite some time now so I wanted to know what's new.  Naturally, I went to look for a tea place.  Serenitea was my obvious choice but since I had to walk around, it surprised me that they have lots of tea shops already.  In fact they have all the major ones: Serenitea, GongCha, ChaTime and even Happy Lemon plus more.  I was pulling my hair (what's left of it) because there were so many choices and I can't make up my mind.  Then I realised my feet are tired so I had to choose one that appears to be cozy.

A familiar name caught my eye and guess what?  They have sofas!  So Qoola it is.  Wait a minute, I thought I wanted tea, why go to a froyo place.  Well, Qoola happen to have another label inside its store, A-Gan Tea.  Think Jollibee and Red Ribbon in G4, I'm not sure how to describe the relationship.



 

So I fell in line, browsed their menu and since I can't find the usual, Okinawa, Nagoya, Oolong or Earl Grey, I chose Vanilla Milk Tea with Black Pearls.  They have a massive menu which they organised into Milk, Herbal, Fruit, Original Brew.  They also have a Milk-Lid selection which I think is somewhat similar to GongCha's house specialty where the tea is topped with milk.  They also serve, coffee, yogurt and smoothie.  And yes, there's more.  They have chicken, pork chop and rice boxes!  Talk about having it all (well almost).  That's something you don't see in other labels.  And I think it's so Filipino to have a "pambara" with your "panulak."



We all fell in love with those black round stuff that lights up and vibrates when its time for you to pick up your order.  Sorry to disappoint but they dont have any of that.  But, check out what they have to offer.



 

Definitely not shabby!  A refreshing site indeed.

When my huge cup of joy came, another thing surprised me.  I've never seen black pearls that are small.  It's like the street sago that you store inside your mouth and turn them into darts with the plastic straw only they were black.  It made me sceptical and nervous at the same time.

The tea was okay.  Reminds me of the tea stand in my old work place that I would frequent.  So that's a good thing.  Then there goes my first sip of their pearl.  To my delight the pearl is actually tasty.  I'm not sure what the equivalent of al dente for pearls is but it is exactly like that!  Tender and chewy but a hint of resistance when you bite into it.  And it's not bland.  They also serve it with the right amount of ice so you dont have to worry about drinking all the tea and you're still left with the ice on top of your hard to get pearls.   That made me a happy camper.

It was a great first time for me.  Will definitely visit them again and try out their drinks, and their rice box!  Right now, they only have 3 branches: Greenbelt 2, Robinsons Place Manila and the new one in Ayala Triangle.  I hope they get to open more.  For more info about their menu, you can visit their official website, or like Facebook page.

 

I Smell Christmas

It's about 50 days till Christmas and I can already smell it.

Decided to go to Market Market for dinner and a little chillin' before my week ends.  The street that leads to it coming from my place is still closed so I had to pass by Serendra first to get to my destination.  While walking I noticed a crowd of people taking pictures building up at the center.  So I rushed to find out what it was all about and as I get nearer, the site of a gigantic Christmas tree all lit and bright welcomed me.

I wanted to join the people and take a picture of it but the crowd was just to big at that time so I said, I might just catch it later.  And on my way home that's what I just did.

I had some difficulties capturing the entire tree at its foot so I had to crop out a good portion of it.  Yes, that's how tall it was (for an outdoor Christmas tree).  One thing I didn't notice earlier is that Serendra also has smaller versions of this tree around the area.



I have not noticed other malls put up their holiday trees so it's nice to see one this early.  According to SM Mall Of Asia, they will unveil their grand Christmas tree on November 11.  I'm certainly looking forward to that.

Christmas, you can definitely smell it already!

Oh, oh! Since I passed by Serendra, I just have to bring home my favorite treats!  Cupcake heaven!





 

What a way to cap of the weekend!

 

 

 

Filipinos And Chaos

It is true that the Filipino is the Filipino's biggest enemy.  This photo proves it!



My family and I went to the cemetery this morning to visit my dad.  We decided to come after the holiday because I'm allergic to the chaos brought about by crowds.  Since we are in a private memorial park, I was expecting people to be more mindful of their actions.  I get that it can be pretty messy as it is tradition to bring food and other stuff in cemeteries during All Souls' Day, but I also expect them to clean up their mess.  This is of course despite the fact that there is a barrage of garbage bins and a loud "NO LITTERING" (with Tagalog translation) sign posted at every corner.

I Love You Daddy

[caption id="attachment_211" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Photo Credits goes to this site[/caption]

My dad died four years ago.  He had a tumor in his brain removed the year before and after that, his condition only took a turn for the worse.  Those were really the hardest years for the family.  While making sure we had enough money to take care of dad's needs, we also had to prepare ourselves for what's inevitable.

When he died, I cant help but feel relieved not for me but for my mom who had to give up more than my brother and I.  She never showed signs of weakness even for her age.  And for that I'm so proud to have the strongest woman on earth as my mother.  But most of all, I'm glad that my dad's battle came to a close and it is time for him to rest.

It has been four years but it still feels like yesterday.  I miss him so bad that even the thought of him would make me cry. There are times I would wake up in tears because I dreamt of him.  Oh how I wish those nights would come more often.

Even if I grew up to be a pain in the neck, I know he never stopped loving me.  I have disappointed him so many times.  Just being who I am and what I chose to be disappointed him.  But he was a very loving man.  That's how his siblings and friends remember him.  He would still give even if he ran out of stuff to give.  Despite his bad ass action star looks, he's such a softie when it comes to me.  I remember my mom alerting him of my presence in his hospital bed, nandyan na paborito mong anak (here comes your favorite son).

Perhaps if he's still with us right now, he would never allow me to leave the house and experience freedom.  He would still accompany me whenever I'm about to go somewhere for the first time, for fear that I'd get myself lost.  Maybe he'll still fix my shoe when it gives up on me or patch my shorts when I wreck it.  Maybe he still wont give me my own keys so if ever I need to come home late, I have no choice but to wake him so he knows I'm safe and sound.  I could only hope for those things.

I hope I was able to make him proud.  I'm not sure I did.  He never get to tell me that.  But what I know is that he never stopped loving us, loving me, and that's enough.  Even if I never got to tell him how much I appreciate him, I know he knew.