My best.

My favorite person, my co-voyager, my perpetual date, my puzzle, my answer, my best. I bring you in my thoughts wherever I go, no matter how far or for how long and even in your most distant dreams I am with you.

I love you more...

When in Rome...

...do what the Romans do. And when you're in Pampanga do what the Kapampangans do--EAT!! That's exactly what Ruy and I did during our impromptu Pampanga trip, not exactly a surprise considering that was the purpose of that trip from the very start.

Going to Pampanga from Manila has never been easier. The NLEX development project has ensured that the roads are straightened out guaranteeing that your travel will be fast and speedy. Now, while it's true that travelling has never been easier, it has also never been as expensive. The price of gas alone is enough to make you sweat pair that up with the exorbitant toll fees and it's enough to convince people to stay in Manila.

Luckily, our temporary moment of insanity over the weekend did not take the price of gasoline or toll into consideration. We marched err drove onto Pampanga despite the cost. When your tummy's voice takes precedence over your logic...you know you're in trouble.

We (by "we" here of course I mean Ruy) drove all the way to Pampanga, braved the repairs peppered all over NLEX and found ourselves extremely hungry. We went around Pampanga and guess what we found?

The answer to this will follow soon. =) (I'm annoying I know)

A Pampanga Kaldereta

I just want to share a recent favorite from Pampanga while Liv finishes our impromptu food trip story.
Being a person who enjoy's strong flavors and home style cooking, I was pleasantly surprised with Teresita Razon's Kaldereta. The meat is slow cooked to a tenderness that seems to crumble in the mouth as its juices thicken with tomatoes and spices into an intensely rich sauce. The flavor just explodes.
The serving is quite small at P75 for a dish that is just plopped on a bowl with a small scoop of plain rice but I'm happy enough with it to remedy it with an additional order of Chicharong Bulaklak Rice (when I'm super hungry).
The branches I frequent are the ones in San Fernando a few meters after the flyover heading towards the direction of Bataan along the main highway and at the relatively new Caltex station at the manila-bound lane of the NLEX after the San Fernando exit.

To All Victims of the Libis U Turn Slot

I feel for all you people who have to put up with the lone u-turn slot from hell in Libis.

Having to go to Ortigas in order to get to Eastwood coming from Katipunan... Damn that's just insane. That's around 2.5 kilometers more than necessary. As it is, the u-turn slot forces you to pass your destination (Eastwood) to make your u-turn over a kilometer away. That's around P15 more worth of gas consumed considering the detour distance alone and I would assume more than P15 if you're taking a cab and can't cross the street..
The sadder fact of reality however (which I'm forced to recall teary eyed right now as I empathize), is that the forced trip to Tiendesitas doesn't seem to serve any practical purpose at all! So far, all I've noticed is that this costly, environment-polluting and time consuming exercise forces everyone to clog the area around the Ortigas Flyover (which causes more congestion and adds another P15 to the gas consumption) where the whimsical gods of traffic have seen fit to put the cursed u-turn slot which serves as the lone recourse to get from the right side of the road to the left. From Gerry's Grill to the Pizza Hut across the street...

Now, with my recently discovered love for Pho Hoa, the thought of this obstacle that comes between me and the vermicelli bowl (eaten with Liv of course) just fills me with despair and wrath...

Who's fault is this really? Who do we curse for this madness? Anyone here make voodoo dolls?

Interview

A little questionaire for my wife.

Please comment on the following restaurants which have played a part in your life. What moods do they evoke and under what circumstances would you like to go back (if still open). Other insights would be appreciated.

Angelino's

Liv: This was our first date!!! I still remember you staring me down while we were eating. That was annoying...I wasn't used to men being able to stare back at me. I don't know if I would still like to go back, I guess if I would, it would just be for old time's sake.

Country Waffles

Liv: I loved their Monte Cristo sandwiches. The servings were great but the
service then wasn't. It brings me back to the time when we first went out with
Carmi (my bestfriend) and Cyril (your bestfriend)...Carmi was so shocked at how
much Cyril ate...heheheh. I wouldn't mind going there but I think the food's
over priced.

Kublai's

Liv: Mongolian!! I loved our impromptu competitions (when you would create your own bowl and I would make mine, then we'll taste each other's creations. Somehow I would always win cause yours are always dry). So to answer your question, this place evokes a sense of victory...nyahahahah. I actully really like Kublai's and I'd love to go back as soon as we find our Kublai's card.

Sweet Inspirations

Liv: This is when I found out that I can't trust you. You kissed me here
and I can't believe it. How can you take advantage of my innocence that way Ruy? How could you!!! wahahaha. I've never really liked the food here, what I always go back for are the desserts and the mango daiquiri. Wooohoo. So no I wouldn't want to go back unless it's for dessert.

Chili's

Liv: HOT!!! It involves a lot of spicy memories...wahahaha. I ADORE Chili's. I'd
go back again and again and again.

Dulcinea

Liv: Valentine's Day. You actually took me here one Valentine's Day. What a
surprise cause we usually don't celebrate that. I love the food here and of
course I love the Fruit Shake even more. I remember even carrying a huge
tupperware, going to Dulcinea, buying the shake for take-out and bringing it to
your house cause you weren't feeling well. Hmmm sweet pala ako eh

Gerry's Grill

Liv: I don't mind eating here on ordinary days in Manila. I would hate to
go back here if we were in Bora, Tagaytay...Gerry's Grill is practically 2
notches higher than Jollibee...thus it's just as addicting.

Hizon's

Liv: Oh wow, if you want anything to be special for me (and my family as well)
just take us to Hizon's. I love love love this place. This has to be my top
restaurant not just because of the food but because of how cozy it is. The fact
that we had our pamamanhikan there makes it even better.

Szechuan (The one in Roxas Blvd)

Liv:It was a great discovery for us but I wouldn't go looking for it anymore.
There are just too many chinese restaurants out there. This post I wrote
over a year ago would show you why it's a good place to visit every once in a
while BUT it's not high up there on my list

Bellini's

Liv: Woohoo...I'd kill for some orange cake right now. I love Bellini's but it's
this visit-only-once-in-a-quarter kind of place.

Leslie's (Tagaytay)

Liv: Wahahah, one brilliant memory. Going to EK with my cousins, driving up to
Tagaytay at 10pm then going home with a take home of an order of Bulalo...only
to find 3 days later that no one brought the Bulalo down and that's why the car
stinks. No reason for me to go back, I'm sure I can eat that kind of food else
where.

Taal Vista Lodge lounge

Liv: I don't see the point of going back here unless it's with Andrea and
Andrea's going to be playing out in their gardens...otherwise there are better
places in Tagaytay

Josephine's (Tagaytay)

Liv: Nada...no memories come to mind except that of us eating here every once in
a while. Nothing special

Delifrance

Liv: I don't get why this is on the list. I like it but you don't. I love the
Almond Croissant and their pastries. Their juices and shakes are also
great...but once again it's something I personally like and doesn't hold any special memories for us as a couple.

Pho Hoa

Liv: Another thing I like but Ruy doesnt...UNTIL -- the Vermicelli Bowls.
YUM!! Ruy was finally converted after tasting this dish. I like so many things
in their menu, all 3 of their salads, their hot and sour soup, vermicelli bowls
(all 3 kinds); their Tofu Steak; their drinks; their Grilled Pork and Shrimp
Combo...I'm drooling right now. I swear it's a real challenge for me every day
not to eat in Pho Hoa

North Park

Liv: Lechon Macau!! I used to hate North Park until
Ruy turned me into a convert by bringing me to North Park (and YamCha). Their
Crispy Garlic Squids is what legends are made off. Wooohooo I just had dinner
and I'm getting hungry again.

McDonald's

Liv: My vivid memory of Mc. Donald's is that of you and I sitting there
for 5 hours while we were still students. Every hour we would try a different
flavor of their Mc. Flurry....wahahaha. Ah to be young and poor...necessity
truly is the mother of invention. Imagine coming up with a date in Mc. Donald's.
A close second with be of us meeting in Mc. Donald's the first time we ever went
out together.

What is your ideal day?

Liv: It depends, with or without Andrea? Without Andrea it
would entail a whole lot of sleeping, waking up late, watching my shows and then
going to eat somewhere and staying out till around 2 with my officemates then
sleeping again.

If we were going to have a free day together to adventure as we please, where would you want to go?

Liv: I have absolutely no idea.

How does a husband make his wife fall in love with him over and over again?

Liv: Hmmm....Treat her like your girlfriend...don't stop
courting her. I guess...oh and help or at least be ready to do so even if it
seems like it's not needed.

Are We There Yet?

Ruy and I are going to...Pampanga!!! When? Today! Until when? This afternoon!! Why? Wala lang, road trip and to eat. Woohoo

Are we there yet?

In Search of Herc's

Would anyone know whatever happened to the nice little restaurant my ex girlfriend and I used to go to in Greenhills called Herc's? It was a quiet place where we enjoyed the three cheese pizza, baked lasagna and my favorite onion rings dipped in their special dressing. It's nothing fancy or extraordinary, it' just one of those restaurants which serves food simply the way you LOVE it. Where you always leave with a smile.

It's also the restaurant where my ex girlfriend and future wife learned to eat pizza and actually loved it... A sure sign of a special place.

Does anyone know where Herc's is now? Does Herc's still exist somewhere?

Buko Pie

A good place to stop for a quick
merienda or pasalubong in Nueva Vizcaya
would be
G&B
Special Buko Pie.

From the outside, a visibly overworked oven's endless churning of
the
golden
crusted
buko pies along with the people scrambling to usher them out and pack them into boxes sort of give me a vision of Santa's little helpers hustling tirelessly in the toy factory to meet the Christmas Eve deadline.

G&B brings a
different twist to the
usual buko
pie. It uses thin
layers of soft
buko with a creamy filling
in between the
buko layers that tastes
like custard (it's kind of like
having macapuno and
leche flan
inside a pie).

Best eaten as soon as it
is bought, the golden crust
adds a final touch of a distinct
buttery taste to complete the
G&B buko pie experience. Its richness overwhelms as the
soft shell
leads to the warm
oozing
cream and soft buko.

Should you
plan on taking some home
for
pasalubong (3 for P110 makes this pasalubong
inexpensive but special),
simply let the
salespeople know and
they'll give
you the cooled down pies which are
better for
storage
and long travel. I
regularly buy pies here
which are taken to
Bicol by land. No problem.
G&B is located at the
main highway
along Bagabag
Nueva Vizcaya. If
you're coming from Solano
just look
for their sign on your
right. It comes
before the road forks
to
Ifugao Province and Isabela (if you've gotten that far then you'll most probably know what I'm talking about). =)

Best Nights of My Life

1. North Luzon Business/Road trip with Liv. That was the one and only time so far that I had everything I needed with me in the province.
2. World Pyro Olympics. Contrary to what Liv remembers, I recall that we had a pretty long and leisurely chat at the hotel lounge over cocktails and liquor (which got me dizzy and sick later that evening) while we watched the awesome display.
   I guess it was a good night for me cause i was eventually at the receiving end of Olivia's nanny/Ruysitting services. First class!!!
3. Boracay with Liv, Cyril and officemates. Nothing like a summer evening in Boracay bingeing on Gastof's ribs and barbecues then lounging by the beach, legs comfortably stretched on the sand with a bottomless iced tea shake in hand. Of course as a perfect conclusion to an entire day of adventuring, snorkling and holding hands... Yikee!!!!
4. Discovery Weekend evenings when we'd wrap up the day's important lessons and discussions after a dinner of Nani's adobo which Liv insisted on bringing (and became a hit among the people who were lucky enough to be our tablemates). Though the entire weekend experience was priceless, I hold the evening where we had confession as the most special for me. It just felt right.
5. World premiere of Star Wars Episode I in Glorietta. After decades of waiting, I was once again one with the Force... with a Wendy's Big Bacon Classic Double. Wooohooo!!!!

On Cafe Mary Grace's Fili Beef Steak Sandwich

I have to say I loved this. The meat was simply tender and the sauce had a punchy zing to it. One, two, three bites... four, fi---where'd it go?

Oh well.. its either its too yummy, I was too hungry or it could use some BEEFing up. Get it? Hahaha.