Savored: New Orleans

Bourbon Street, New Orleans

We love to eat and we always eat out on Saturday nights after attending anticipated mass.  My mother suggested that we eat at the recently opened restaurant at the 4th level of Ayala Center Cebu Expansion, New Orleans, featuring Creole cooking. She saw one of her friends post it in Facebook and her friend attested that the food was good.

Sorry, the meals don't come with this guy

So here's the 411...

The interior

Location: 4th level of Ayala Center Cebu Expansion, establishments nearby are Starbucks, The Social, and adjacent to Island Seafood Grill (as mother would put it, beside where the boodle-boodle is)

Ambiance: Cozy but not noise-free because it's near The Social, music played inside is...jazz. I just have a hard time reconciling the large screen TV while the jazz band was still playing. The singers were really good though.

Crowd: I don't think 20 somethings would dig this place. Lots of foreigners though.

Interior: It would be dark if you're here for lunch. Lighting inside had a good dose of UV-ish rays (see photo on the food we had). Area is not that big with small tables, ideal for plated dishes. 

Service: Attentive staff, not pretentious, accommodating to both local and foreign patrons.  Cute and sexy uniforms (carnival-ish themed) without being gaudy.

Food/menu: With selections of salads, pasta, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, rice meals. I'm not that familiar with Creole cooking except for the Jambalaya.

Price: Php 65-1,000+

Voodobo rice (up close), tenderloin steak (almost done, to the left), Jambalaya

What we had: Voodobo rice, rice dish with adobo topping, mussels and pickled okra which is tasty and good if you're cautious in trying out Creole cuisine, good to share between 2-3 persons. Jambalaya which was good and spicy, also good to share between 2-3 persons. My father wasn't happy with how small the tenderloin steak was but at least he didn't complain of the taste, and it doesn't come with rice or mashed potato or any other side dish.

Would I eat there again? Certainly. I haven't tried their pasta and sandwiches which looked a lot compared to the tenderloin steak. And not to forget, dessert.

Overall, do give it a try because I personally haven't seen a similar menu to this one. But I think they should seriously consider the size of their tables to prevent accidents. Like for us, our meals were served on hot plates and we had to make sure that we didn't knock off our drinks. Maybe a happy-hour can draw in the younger set and dig in on their steaks and burgers. Bon appetit!

Savored: Circa 1900

I've eaten at this quaint restaurant twice and it's a unique experience every time. The service is at par or may be even better than that of the premier hotels in Cebu City with a homey feel. The structure of Circa 1900 is that of an old white house with simple grounds, ample parking space, wooden interior with subtle elegance. There's always a seating host/hostess to greet and accomodate you. Whether you are dressed casually or for cocktails, this place would make you feel right at ease.

Courtesy of Circa 1900 Facebook page

My first venture was a dinner for a friend who just finished internship. We had the soup and appetizer, gnocchi, chicken bringhe, and pork chop.

Boneless Loin Pork chop

Garlic prawns, Spanish chorizo and chilli tomato
olive oil with crusty bread (left), soup of the day (right)

Gnocchi

Chicken Bringhe

I would not even dare describe in detail the ingredients of these dishes but suffice it to say that they were in harmony and there was certainly a soiree going on inside of my mouth. And a happy tummy in the end even if there was no more room for dessert.

I gave my sister a treat of Circa 1900's hospitality and she was indeed impressed. She had the crunchy slow roast pork belly while I had the braised Moroccan lamb. I apologize for having omitted the photos of the said dishes. I actually misplaced the file.  I was expecting some after taste coming from the braised lamb but there was none, not even a hint.  The pork belly is a unique twist to the lechon kawali that we can't help but indulge in.  Again, no room for dessert for a happy and full tummy.

I know what some people say about food that you cannot pronounce are better left uneaten, well in this case, I encourage you to eat it. The place can be conducive to family gatherings, intimate dinners, romantic dates and such.  All you have to do is ask and they will arrange it with gusto. If you want a detailed tour of the house, they will gladly accommodate you.  With all the staff that has been waiting on us, I haven't encountered one who is not adept at answering any question about the food.

Circa 1900 is located in Sanjercasvil Road, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City.  Where is that to be exact? That's the same question I asked. Even if I drive and was born and raised in the Sugbo, I rely on landmarks (don't we all, girls?). La Vie Parisienne is hard to miss which is right along the road en route to JY Square.  Just before reaching JY Square, be on the lookout for a branch of Metrobank, where there are numerous signs and one of those belong to Circa 1900. Turn right by that post (Sanjercasvil Road) and just follow the signs all the way to the end and a white house will be in sight. Easy peasy. They can be reached via landline (032-2396265) and mobile (0923-2795916) for reservations.

Savored: La Creperie Paris

Trying to lose weight is a battle with every meal. There are new good places to eat, hole-in-the-wall-friendly-to-the-pocket restos and what nots that it's becoming hard to keep up with my Foursquare to eat list without pooching out.

My dear sister just came back from Hamilton, New Zealand and I got hungry after an afternoon of walking around the mall. I've been eyeing Creperie Paris ever since my mother's friend gave it her seal of approval.

It's located in Unit 1 Sonrisa Suites, Juana Osmeña St., Capitol, Cebu City. If it's such a brainer to get there with the aforementioned adress, then it's right before Miss Carrie Santiago's boutique and other notable establishments along this street are Big Tom's, Penong's Chicken and with Best Western Lex Hotel Cebu in sight at the end.

The crepes that I'm used to comes with whipped cream and fruits. But watching Streetfood Around the World on Nat Geo educated me that crepes come with different fillings and it's just not dessert.

La Classique

Seeing this is a chef's specialty crepe that's meant for breakfast and it's got ham, eggs and cheese in it. And the crepe's made of buckwheat flour. Healthy!

The homemade salted caramel crepe

My sister had the homemade salted caramel crepe and she really liked it a lot. We paired it with lemon and lime infused tea. The ambience is nice with French music in the background, simple and homey decor and furniture that is simple and unassuming. Hope we could come back soon and try the rest of the crepes. You could get 2 at 285 pesos with 1 buckwheat crepe and the other of the sweet kind. You could also make your own crepe which is amazing.

So you could head down there with your friends and hang out and have a great time. Bon appetit!

FIFA World Cup 2014: Could Team Columbia Be It?

I got easily swept by the football (or soccer) fever with all the hype it's getting. Never mind the various protests Brazilians have staged but I agree that it's time to show the world who we are and that we are one as Pitbull energetically belts out.

Yes, I've been staying up late, studying, and hottie spotting. Did some visual check on the different teams and voila! Hello Team Columbia! So far they have been performing well with James (and no, it's pronounced Hames) Rodriguez and Juan Quintero scoring some goals. What sets this team apart is that if you look at their photos, they are actually grinning. Try browsing the different teams and their FIFA roster photos and often they would look as if they're having their passport photo taken, frontal mugshots or their most intimidating look.

Perhaps their team roster photo is a victorious portent, with the happy smiles that they all sport. Spain really sucked (probably they were thinking about their problems at home such as high unemployment rate, deploring GDP, abdication of their king and ascension of the crown prince, or their games were spot on siesta time). And what the hell, Portugal? Cristiano Ronaldo is such an underachiever and looks so unmotivated that we might want to smack his Ballon D'Or trophy on his head. If Portugal loses to USA then they might as well pack it up.

Is it just me? Or is it just that Pitbull's crotch area looks a bit tight? Couldn't help but notice since the video of this year's theme song gets played during half time. Just sayin'.

Belated Fathers' Day Post: To Dad, My Hero (Because Your Daughter is Clueless)

This is my belated Fathers' Day post. This incident happened a couple months back as I got in my car to head home...

I got to pop the hood of my car... for the first time (uh-huh, coz I don't know what goes under there and as long as it runs, that's all that matters to me)...

Dad: Where are your tools?

Me: Er... what tools?

Dad: Like for changing the tires

Me: I don't think I have any

Dad: It's in your trunk... that's how we fixed your problem before

Me: I wasn't there when you had it fixed

Dad opens the trunk and my yellow "tutu" from my PRACE christmas party waved at him (and he tries to hide his er, surprised look).

I'm all for Girl Power, etc., but I'm happy to leave car troubles to the guys. Thanks Dad for being my hero. What would I do when the meter doesn't show that the car doesn't have enough water or there's something wrong with the oil? (Yeah, I'm clueless like that, when it comes to car maintenance.)

Movie: Maleficent

Well, well...if it isn't the mistress of evil. They could not go wrong with Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. I know it's supposed to be the story of how Maleficent came to be the purveyor of despair, but her character in this movie couldn't measure up to the seething malevolence that Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent was.

Had it been in our local setting, there's no other actress who can pull it off to haute couture perfection (and no, it's not Bella Flores) other than Miss Celia Rodriguez.

Just like in the blueprints for Wicked, this movie is the story behind how Maleficent came to be, since we had no idea why she became the malicious, devious diva that she is in Sleeping Beauty. As the story goes, everyone had been invited except for her, to Princess Aurora's christening. Since nobody thought her to be of import, she decided to gatecrash the said party and bestow a "gift". I was really expecting her to utter "Back you, dogs!", as the king ordered his men to seize her and I wasn't expecting the three fairies to be such ninnies at all. In the animated movie, you could see how downright evil and mean she was bestowing her curse and doling out agony and despair to king. You'd know as she vanished  in the putrid green smoke that she wouldn't give a rat's ass what happened to the princess. Of course she kept tabs as to where she lived with the help of her spying crow, to ensure the fulfillment of the curse. There's absolutely no way she would be nanny to the beastie.

So you could see from the movie that she wasn't abused during her childhood in the moors, we learned that her parents were killed but she was no witness to it. Not enough to jack up the Evil Meter, don't you think? Being disillusioned by your wimpy, ambitious swain, who chopped off your wings named Stefan is substantial reason for revenge, but still lacking to sap all the goodness and allow the evil to fester inside and consume her. She could have just rebounded with the crow in human form who looked hotter than King Stefan or one of King Stefan's buffed knights. Had she witnessed the murder of her parents, been an outcast and bullied in the moor (ergo sad childhood), mutilated and betrayed by a hunky Stefan...now that would be a recipe for psychopathic evil. Ursula from The Little Mermaid was in fact more devious, cunning and evil, who pulled out all the stops for her plan, is more evil than this version of Maleficent.

The true love's kiss part...enters Prince Philip who looks like he's a member of 1D. I know the adolescents would totally dig his looks. But his "pakipot" attitude and the awkwardness of his kiss, nobody would wake up to that, buddy! Had he used some tongue (which I think was what the 3 imbeciles meant when they told her to kiss the princess properly), it would have done the job.

And why didn't Maleficent transform into a dragon. Why????!!! The valiant Prince Philip killed the dragon in the animated movie and in this story, Maleficent is shown to be not really evil and that's why she gets to live happily ever after too. And do you think the Prince Philip who looks like a member of 1D could wield a knight's broad sword? His best weapon would be a rendition of Best Song Ever!

As the credits rolled in the end, my ears were assaulted by the awfully morose version of Once Upon A Dream, sung by the queen of summertime (or should I say perpetual) sadness, Lana Del Rey (lighten up, will you?). She sould seriously give it a go singing the warped and grotesque version of Que Sera Sera which could be heard at the end of the horror flick Dead Silence and probably add it to her next album.

So there you have it, my take on Maleficent. Had it not been for Angelina Jolie and the innocence of Vivienne (who played the little Beastie/Aurora), then this movie's a dud.

Movie: The Other Woman

For some obscure reason, this movie was released without so much hype. Well maybe except for Nicki Minaj looking normal for a change. Had Kate Upton gone out with the kid from high school who asked her to the prom (after a very hyped proposal on YouTube), then she would have gotten into my good graces and expedited my watching of this movie. I got a text message from a very good friend who asked me to watch it with her. I asked "Is it any good?". "I dunno, Cameron Diaz is in it" , she said. Yeah, what about Cameron Diaz in this movie? She already had mommy roles, sexy girlfriend roles, cheating girlfriend roles, so what haven't we seen?

It was nice to see Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (name's a mouthful and I'm not sure I could pronounce it either) in a suit and looking oh so debonaire. Last time I saw this guy in a movie was in Wimbledon with Paul Bettany. Apparently he also was in Kingdom of Heaven with Orlando Bloom, but of course with the popularity of "Legolas" and "The Pirates of the Carribean" franchise, we wouldn't bother looking at those guys in minor roles. Recently, he was in Oblivion and the horror flick Mama, both movies I didn't bother to watch. This dear sir, is most famously known as the sister-fornicating-one-handed-kingslayer, a.k.a. Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones.

The storyline is simple, with Cameron Diaz playing the role of the other woman, who had no idea that Nikolaj's character has a wife in the suburbs, played by Leslie Mann, who somehow plays the naive (and boring) suburban wife down to a T. Eventually she finds out about the illicit affair, confronts Cameron and annoyingly and pathetically befriends the other woman. During the course of the movie, Nikolaj does some more philandering and stumbles upon the voluptuous Kate Upton who now happens to be the current flavor. So as the story unfolds from one confrontation between the naive wife and the other women, they all agree to get even on the philandering husband. The storyline now shifts parallel to that of the First Wives' Club as they plotted and schemed to bring down the husband.

Just like any story, there are lessons to be learned and these are what I think they are:

1. Nobody wants to see you doing your business, as in NOBODY. You might think that it's okay to have a conversation with your other half because of all the years you've been together while doing your business on the potty, well this movie shows that it ain't pretty. Could be the reason why hubby went to another hottie.
2. Cry on the inside, like a winner. Definitely a yes! Whatever happens, you have to suck it all up, just like a winner.
3. Don't get mad, get even and leave the cheating dick broke.
4. Look out for the hot brother.

Yes, Gaga, you are one really lucky lady to bag this hunka-burning-love. But seriously, in the Philippine setting, can mistresses be friends with the legal wife? I think not. From other movie references such as Separada and A Love Story where Maricel Soriano plays the wife in the former and the other woman in the latter and both movies spanned at least 10 years apart, it certainly didn't happen. The later references would be No Other Woman wherein the wife (Christine Reyes) and the mistress (Anne Curtis) tried to outdo each other. And of course the soon to end teleserye The Legal Wife which grossed high ratings due to the brazen confrontations and cat fights that will do Jerry Springer proud. Or perhaps such occurrence has yet to be reported. If a kitten can suckle from a dog, then there's no reason why the wife and mistress couldn't be friends...at the bitter end.

So definitely look out for the hot brother. Haha!

Got Myself Back

The day started off so wrong. Been battling with insomnia since I got my period as well as the God-awful munchies. I missed the 8:30 am fast craft to Tagbilaran so I bought another ticket for the 11am trip. So I made port at 12:45pm and did some waiting before my folks picked me up. And I thank my lucky stars that I didn't wilt from the heat. Apparently, they've been having better weather than Cebu.

Tagbilaran Pier

The moment I disembarked, the air that filled my lungs was different. It had less lead content. And I was happy that tourists were being protected from getting scalped by drivers, both taxi and pedicabs alike, from cab fares that would be worthy of Kim Henares's attention. They have huge tarpaulines stating how much is the standard fare and to report any driver who refuses to transport you to your destination (Sweet!).

I had to give in to an afternoon nap. Then I woke up to my mother's summons to watch the sambat (waterway procession) of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of Loboc, Bohol. Each year the sambat takes place at the Loboc River where several floating vessels are decorated with flowers and hymns being sung. After the river cruise, the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be brought back to church. This year, it was devoid of the usual fanfare and fireworks due to the recent earthquake that decimated the church.

The last time I visited this place, it wasn't ravaged with calamities. I only had to dealt with the heat and ongoing "repair" of the roads. My mother told me to prepare myself for what the church looks like now. On our way to Loboc, we passed by Baclayon church but it wasn't that bad. Just a section was being repaired now and mass can be held inside. And this is now what remains of the Loboc church.

The section seen above is where baptisms were performed. I haven't ventured to the front but much of the place has been secured for safety and undergoing reconstruction and restoration. According to the heritage society, it might take a whopping 20 years (I fervently pray that this time frame is unstained of corruption). I have yet to see the temporary area where the mass is held. I was looking forward to relive my awe each year as I attend the mass on the day of the fiesta. It's being conducted in the dialect and unfortunately I'm not proficient with the appropriate response. I always end up craning my fat neck and gawk at the splendor of the paintings on the ceiling with their captions in Latin (Domus aureus, etc.). So this year I have nothing to gawk at and will be forcing my brain to recall who  Santiago is among the 12 apostles of Christ. Sometimes Spanish names have way too different English equivalents (Santiago=James, not Jaime=James!).

In spite of it all, I'm happy that the roads were so much better than the last time I was here and tourists have come back which would really help Bohol. And the rice fields have remained verdant so I'm hoping that this would be a good year for harvest. Viva Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe!

Bet I'm Not the Only One

I bet I'm not the only one who has ever felt the "anywhere but here" syndrome. These are the supposedly warm, elated and glad-to-be-here Kodak moments but instead it feels awkward and you wished that you stayed home but can't, so you wished that you smoked so you could excuse yourself. Alas, we all know too well how futile it is to hope that the earth will open up and swallow us whole.

I once attended a christening and expected it to be an intimate and family-only affair only to have the reality wash over me like a bucket of ice. There's no such thing as an intimate and family-only affair in the Filipino setting. RSVPs get botched up all the time here. But this is not THE part when I wished that I smoked. It's the part when I get introduced to the rest of the "family", with a small narrative of what I do for a living and my age and somebody would blurt out "When are you getting married?" (This is the part when I cut off the tip of a Cuban cigar, light it up, take a huge puff, and cock a rifle.)

Oh and the weddings! Those lovely gowns, flowers, the ambience so permeated with love. Then comes the part of the games. It's a chance to oggle and improve one's prospects. So off I go to the ladies' room and take my sweet time primping, retouching and gossiping to deliberately miss the games (I'm not that competitive). Since the wedded couple are deliriously high on their love, they have diligently come up with the list of all their single friends and handed it to the over-enthusiastic emcee, with the intent of finding a love match amongst their friends. Much to my chagrin, somebody ratted out where I was. And I could hear my name being called again and again. I summon up my courage and decided to get it over with. Improve my prospects, huh? So which is it going to be? The guy with the balding and shiny pate? The one who picked his nose at the buffet line? Or the one who's sputters saliva as he speaks? (Since this incident, I don't so weddings anymore, unless we're uber close.)

Such is the plight of a single thirty-something. You're expected to get a man, earn well and start having the 2.5 kids. Frankly, I think it's too much to have on my plate right now. But then again, nobody was born ready with life's instructional book.

What's A Single Girl to Do?

Who would have thought that I'd be asking this question out loud to myself? Yes, by all that's holy, I did blurt this out while looking at myself in the mirror. Kinda feel like crappy today, must be PMS (excuses, excuses)!  So a light bulb moment occurred and it gave birth to the idea of blogging the second time around.

I missed writing and I've been toying with the idea of getting at it. I've taken stock of all the things I've been through (a break-up, pediatric residency, being diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and endometrial hyperplasia, obesity...er, trying to get through with the latter though), and I realized that I'm grateful for all that has happened. It may sound so cliche but I wouldn't be me if it weren't for those happy-sad rollercoasters and multiple-branched forks at the road. 

For a thirty-something like me, life's recipe boils down to this:

1. A daily dose of family

2. A handful of genuine friends

3. Endless positivity and skimming the negativity

4. A sprinkle of tears

5. A bagful of happiness

6. 30-minute exercise (daily if you can)

7. At least 6 hours of sleep

8. Wearing sunscreen

9. Hydration, hydration, hydration!

10. Some boys on the side for a healthy dose of "vitamin A" for the eyes.

Just like any recipe, feel free to exclude whatever you don't want in your life or tweak it and add whatever you want to suit your taste. After all, it's important that you can take what you have just dished out. 

My conscience is now telling me to stop my musings for today and get on with some studying. Til my next post....