I wish...

Here is your horoscope
for Wednesday, October 15:

You need to check what's going on in your life against your value system. It might be time for you to make a few changes or walk away from something that's just not that good for you.

I wish I can. I wish I have a way. I wish I know another way so I can walk away. I can walk away if I know where to go. I will walk away if I have another choice.

Until then... I can only...well... wish for that day to come.

It's about time

Updating the Filipiniana

The Indians have their sari. The Chinese have the cheongsam. The Vietnamese have the ao dai...Koreans the hanbok and Japanese the kimono. I think its about time that the Filipiniana be updated a little bit and look more modern so that more and more Filipinas will be inclined to wear it outside of formal events or worse as costumes when its a Filipiniana themed event.

A couple of friends and I have discussed how essential and important it is that every Filipina should have a terno in their closet. It is not only the perfect "go-to" dress for formal events but its a representation of who and what we are, something that we should be proud of. The terno is for the formal ones. There should also be choices when its more casual events, even day to day wear. I saw a host of a show on TFC once that she had this greenish Maria Clara type bolero jacket paired with a white tank top and jeans and it looked so cool. This is what I am talking about. We wear a certain clothing that is representative of us being Filipinas and still keep it modern and fresh and not look like we are going to some party. There have been innovations to the Barong why not do the same thing for the Filipiniana.

They still got it!

The voices...the moves..the choreography...the charms

Even after 15 years!

I was at their concert last night and I am still feeling high. It was a really fun and awesome concert. Chrissie and I didn't realize that two hours have gone by and it was so well spent. They sang cuts from their new album and of course their classic songs which don't seem to get old. Once I heard the intro notes, it brings back so many memories.

It was a fulfillment of a childhood wish and yes I am not ashamed to let the whole world know that.

Wishful thinking

Here is your horoscope
for Wednesday, October 1:

You need to relax as much as you can -- though it might be tough! Things aren't as smooth as usual and you might have to endure a bit more discomfort with friends or coworkers before they return to normal.

Soon. Very soon.

Green & White

After finding out who won Game 2, I still wore Green & White today. I have never been more proud to wear these colors than today.

It is how its should be.

This was a Finals appearance that not a lot of people expected, doubted even but the team proved people wrong. Now that's a feat!

Congratulations to the De La Salle Green Archers!!

Congratulations to the Ateneo Blue Eagles!

And here's a proof...

My family loves to eat. Needless to say we also love to eat out and try different kinds of cuisine - Filipino - all regions, Asian, American, Italian, everything. It was a cultural lesson that my parents tried to instill in us. Traveling to other countries was too much and too far in between so the next option to immerse us in different cultures was through food. I think the reason why I am this open to try different kinds of food is because our parents exposed us to them and urged us to try and not to be afraid. Sure, I don't like each and everything that they have exposed us to but at least I can say that "I've tried it, not to my liking".

It doesn't necessarily have to be a special occasion for us to eat out. Even on normal days we do but of course, its extra special when we are celebrating a birthday, an anniversary even Valentines. With just the four of them (Papa, Mama, bro and sis) left back home, with bro and sis being in Manila, my parents opted to fly to Manila to celebrate my mother's birthday early this month. They went to eat at Cafe Juanita. They were describing to me where they ate but I couldn't picture it I don't know if they took pictures that day but I sure haven't seen a single one. ( Camille).

Then just this morning, I was reading Anton's blog - Our Awesome Planet, and coincidence of all coincidence, his most recent entry was about Cafe Juanita. I was about to leave a comment that this was the restaurant where my family ate and then I saw it! One of the photos have my family on it!! It was surreal. It was only Papa who was visible to the camera. Then I saw the rest of my family, well parts of them - my sister's back, my brother's arm and Mama's arm. LOL Its the fourth picture. It cannot be denied that its Papa and I think I know what my sister was tinkering with.

The restaurant looks very nice. It has this homey, provincial feeling which reminds me of meals at my grandparents house.

More than a game

IT'S ON!!

LA SALLE - ATENEO Men's Basketball Finals!!

Coach Pumaren said it. My cousin said it. I think it is what a lot of people think as well. I thought of it but I chose to believe otherwise. We are the underdogs in this finals. The Blue team is really playing well. They are hungry. ChrisTiu is definitely hungry, well with his opting to still be a student and hoping and wishing to give Ateneo a championship before he leaves.

BUT...

We have always been underdogs, whether people want to believe that or not. I think its good to be tagged as underdogs and to feel like one. Its better to feel like you don't have everything laid out in front of you because you strive to be better, to do better, be better. I believe in the team like I have always did.

If you are a La Sallian, playing against Ateneo is never just a game. Its more than that. Its pride, its prestige, its name. Just thinking about it is giving me goosebumps.

Finals here we come. First game of the best of 3 is this Sunday, September 21!

ANIMO LA SALLE!!!

Leave me alone, earworm!

Earworm, you said? You are probably asking. Yes, earworm. It is what we have longed called as "LSS" or Last Song Syndrome. That particular instance when a particular song is on constant repeat in your ear and try as you might, its hard to get rid of.

Kaytee wrote that there was an actual Washington Post article about it. It seems researchers have given this phenomenon a name...earworm. I think earworm is more appropriate than LSS because for some strange reason it "worms" its way to you ear constantly whether it was the last song you heard or not. LSS only refers to as its name suggests "last song" but with an earworm, you could have heard a different song after and yet a few lines from another songs keeps on resonating in your brain.

In the research it said "The first study on earworms showed that the kind of music most likely to get stuck in your head is simple and repetitive. In addition, the lyrics are usually unexpected." True enough because my earworm is really something simple. Its actually from a song sang by a priest whose cd my aunt plays constantly in her car on the way to work after we are done praying the rosary. The line is simple "my soul proclaims the goodness of the Lord." Its a good message, a pretty good song but it has this odd tempo. Like it sounds Aztec or Mayan or something. If you have seen this group of people that looked like Indians with wooden (or is it bamboo) pipes selling their wares and their music at a mall, it sounds like that. So with that line and that tempo and try hearing that in your ear in a constant loop, it can make anyone go insane. I know I am on a brink of it. Its giving me a headache. I had it yesterday after hearing the song for the first time and now I am hearing it again. Its annoying. I am not humming to it or even thinking about it but it manages to still get into my mind. Ugh!

The report went on to say that it can last for a few hours to a few days. Great! I don't want my whole weekend spent being stuck with this song in my head. I can manage when its on the way to and from work. I obviously cannot tell my aunt to change the cd that we will listen to, its her car anyway. I wish I can plug into my Zune on the way home but that's rude considering its just the two of us and its just wrong that we will be in two separate worlds while in the car. So I guess I will just have to endure it for the time being. I really hope she changes the cd soon. I gave her a JoshGroban cd before, why don't we listen to him instead. I don't mind hearing "you raise me up" constantly.

The article offered some remedies which I might just try later if this keeps on. Or I might actually peruse this University of Cincinnati website that has all these information on earworm. Imagine that, a whole website on earworms.

All too familiar and yet not so

I am not voting this November so I really shouldn't be all riled up about this issue that involves the daughter of Republican VP Nominee SarahPalin (SP). The VP Nominee's 17 year old daughter is pregnant and unmarried. Nothing wrong with that, its her life, its her choice. But I do have an issue with it being almost front and center during this week. I think, its a personal, family matter. Something that shouldn't be paraded not because its something to hide but I have this sinking feeling that her daughter's delicate condition is being used by her, her party and just about everyone else. I am hoping that people will just let her be. I don't think it was also a good idea to include the father of the baby that shes carrying to be front and center as well. He should have been at the announcement, days ago and not now. He is visible now because his identity was known even if SP only referred to him as the "young man and my daughter are getting married". If those were not made to the world, he would still be anonymous. Sure, its going to come out eventually but does it have to be announced a few days after she was picked? and Was it necessary for her, the mother to make that announcement? Sure, its beating the news but then it becomes what everyone else is talking about. What happened to you being the candidate? And especially if you as a politician opposes to teach other than abstinence in schools and finding your own daughter not heeding that advice. Just a lot of inconsistencies. "Sell" your platform not what happens in your family. All these just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I think and feel her daughter should have been spared from all these media scrutiny and talk. She as her mother should have been the very first person to shield her from such. But I think she was the one who not only brought it into the open but magnified it. So to tell people to lay off on her daughter is such a hypocrisy when you yourself was the one who brought her into the spotlight. Everyone else is telling the media to lay off from Palin's daughter, that's true but then in some ways SP has brought it upon herself, her family, her daughter all these talks. There was an article on YahooNews about Politicians kids in the public eye and where does the line lie? There was a quote there that said:

"When the offspring of politicians interact with the public, things can get dicey. And understandably so: There's no human issue more personal, more natural than the parental instinct of "Leave my children alone."

Yet sometimes politicians have invited us in, deliberately or otherwise."

I, along with my siblings lived a life of that of a politician's family and still live it. Papa may no longer be in politics but he is still in government so the same situation applies. He was in politics for 12 years and during our most formative years at that. So I know what the children of Palin and Obama feel to be thrust into that spotlight. The children of other candidates are older and I believe better equipped to be able to handle it but the younger ones have it tougher. I know it because I lived it. Sure, ours was so much smaller in scale but I believe not at all less significant. Its a tough life. Contrary to belief, its not at all rosy. We live our lives under people's watchful eyes, under a fishbowl. We didn't ask for it but it came with the territory.

But one thing great about Papa is, he never put us front and center. We didn't interact much with the public. I think until now not a lot of people know that we are his children or that he is married to my mom. Papa and Mama tried to shield us as much as they can. Papa made sure not to hold meetings in our house or if he had to, it will be in the area of our house that is not easily accessible to us. He also didn't hold interviews there and if by chance we are all together, he steps away and allows us time to keep a safe distance. During campaigns, Mama, my siblings and I were either inside the car or behind the stage, away from people's eyes. Sometimes even in the dark. It was fun to still maintain that anonymity because when we would give out fliers wherein our names are listed, and some people would ask what our name was, we can give another name. They had no clue that they were talking to one of those names listed under "children". People may be familiar with the names but they wont be able to match it to the faces. There was only one time that we were visible when Papa decided to hand out calendars one Christmas with the family picture on it. That was the first and last time because the following year we told him not to anymore.

Being faceless with the public gave us a sense of freedom to be able to move around and also to hear people's comments like asking for money along with the paper. They were asking for money with no idea that it was his children that they were talking to. Imagine when they do know. Hearing things like that make you jaded and yet stronger and more realistic. It can sure pop anyone's idealistic bubble.

Papa and Mama really made sure that yes this is our life at that particular time but we must not forget still that we are still THEIR children not that of a politician. With us, Papa was not the board member or the Vice-Governor, he is just Papa. He made a joke once while polishing my younger sister's shoes for CAT that "halagad, the one polishing your shoes is the Vice Governor". Which my sister replied "no, the one polishing my shoes is not the Vice Governor but my father." This has been the case and always will be. When we do join him during campaign, we are not seen together, well for safety as well. I think the only one really visible is my brother. The three of us girls along with Mama stay in the shadow and I liked it that way. Up until now I cringe when my relatives add the tag "anak ng dating Vice-Governor" when they introduce me. Nothing to be ashamed of but I think and feel and believe that my parents have raised me to be more than just the daughter of the Board Member, Vice Governor etc.

Not to brag but we are good kids. We have not brought anything into the table that Papa had to be asked about or he had to answer to. We have not done anything that he had to do "damage control" over and definitely not going to start now. I think its because we don't have that added pressure to act differently than what we are or be boxed into what people think we should be. We were allowed to still live our lives the way we want to but keeping the fact that we are watched by people at the back of our minds. BristolPalin, five months pregnant should have been allowed to be pregnant without all these additional pressure and scrutiny and offensive comments surrounding her and following her around. Being a child of a politician is already hard as it is, why add to it. Thank goodness that Papa and Mama though aware that a life of a politician's family was our new "normal" still made sure that we are first and foremost their children. Yes, it means "leave my children alone!"

And it has started..

After Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals in Beijing, the most by an athlete in a single Olympic Games, I knew that he will on the cover of every magazine imaginable. I knew it and was bracing myself for it. I was already making a mental list of which magazine I think he will gracing the cover of - Sports Illustrated, TIME, Newsweek and these are the ones I know and read on a regular basis, not counting the other publications. True enough it has started even when the Olympics is still on its 2nd week and the closing is not until the 24th.

The cover is reminiscent of a Mark Spitz cover back in 1972. The rest of the story can be read here. The magazine will be out on Wednesday.

I dont think its in the magazine but this photo is just so cool.

Baby, come back

It has been brought to my attention that Haloscan has been moody lately. The only reason I got Haloscan as my commenting system before was because of the "pop up" option but Blogger has it now too. So I want to revert to my Blogger commenting system. Haloscan doest allow me to know when a comment is left or if a reply was made. To know if there are comments, I have to check my blog all of the time and see for myself. Geez!

So, I want to go back to Blogger commenting system, my problem is I don't know how or I don't remember. The Blogger Help isn't much of a help either. I know I didn't totally delete Blogger commenting because some of my Blogger friends leave comments using it. Its just not visible with the post unless you click on "post a comment" which brings you to the Blogger commenting system. That's a lot of work for those who read my blog and time consuming. I just want it to appear and make it easier for everyone.

It was a long time since I installed Haloscan and made Blogger commenting invisible so now I don't know what to do. I am getting cross-eyed looking at all those html codes in the "edit html" tab. Can someone tell me an easier way of doing it? Other than being cross-eyed, I am scared to mess up the codes because I wouldn't know how to put them back.

Help anyone??

I really, really, really love this dress

I really, really, really love the dress that the name bearers wore. Its so simple and yet so elegant. It looks formal enough but not too much. The details and embroidery are so intricate and so beautiful. No words.

Other Olympic Fashions

The fever has begun, Olympic fever that is

Ugh I hate that we are not able to see the Opening Ceremonies live. It will be broadcasted later this evening when the rest of the world has already seen it. I know I have. I have seen the first photos because frankly I am used to waking up early to catch the ceremony when I would watch it back home. But this time, Beijing and Manila belong to the same time zone so imagine that you are really watching it as live as it can be. Yahoo has uploaded 186 photos from the 75 a minute ago. But even if I have seen the photos, there's really nothing like watching everything move. Based on pictures it looks really extravagant and colorful as China's history. Its really something when you have a certain culture to share unlike some of the other hosts. *ahem*

The Olympic Stadium called "Bird's Nest" looks so cool. Other than the dances, the lights, the sounds, I also like looking at the uniform that athletes from each country wear as they march in. So far, I like what the athletes from Spain are wearing, so bright and loud - red and yellow. The women in yellow and the men in red. Rafael Nadal in red. I love, love, love what the name bearers are wearing. Its in my favorite color too. I actually want to have one made for me.

I wish I can call this liveblogging but its not because I am not watching live, not even streaming so I will just call this as an ongoing update.

ETA:

- I like what the US team is wearing - khaki or white pants and dark blue blazers. Its so preppy but cool. They also wore white berets. Very nice. hmm no wonder, its by Ralph Lauren. Look at that very famous polo player on Kobe's jacket.

- Poland's is so chic. The women wore ombre like dresses. Cute.

- Okay..no Lenny. No Ian. No Paul and Morgan Hamm. But, there's Mark and Steven Lopez of Tae Kwon Do.

- Great Britain looks so cool too. Black shirt and pants then white jacket then black & white belt.

- There seems to be a scroll like thing in the middle of the stadium where all the performances take place.


Photos: Yahoo, Getty Images & Reuters

I am jumping in...

08/08/08 at 8:08PM

Very clever.

The Summer Olympics is on everyone's lips it seems. The Opening Ceremony is tomorrow and I am making sure that I am sitting comfortably in front of the tv. I always look forward to the Opening Ceremony and also the Closing Ceremony. The days in between are just okay. If I catch some, good if not still good. But its really hard to miss because basing on previous broadcasts of it, its going to be extensive.

I always make sure to catch the Opening Ceremony. Its an introduction to the culture through pageantry, dances, music, sights and all. Its always exciting to wait for the Philippine contingent as they make their way into the Olympic Stadium although they have this "blink or you will miss it" coverage from NBC which makes you wonder why when I am sure they have all these cameras to catch all the countries. Its always entertaining to know a little bit of trivia about each nation that joins and also to discover countries that I didn't even know existed. I am also overcame with pride when I see one-member contingents and yet they walk tall and proud. My favorite Opening Ceremony has got to be 1992 Barcelona. The way that archer fired that fiery arrow to light the Olympic torch still leaves me breathless the same way that year when I first saw it. Also a favorite was 2004 Athens because of the history and pageantry of it all. It went back to where modern Olympics started.

What I like about the Closing ceremony is how everyone is just scattered all over the Olympic Stadium ground compared to when they were in lines during the Opening. Its an exhibition that for one night, all nations come together and are one transcending beyond race, gender, ethnicity and everything else. Its always fun to see athletes from different countries smiling and having fun regardless if they performed well or not. Its one big party.

In between I like the medal ceremonies. I am curious to see how the medals look like and what other stuff do they award the athletes with. During Summer Olympics the only events I really look forward too are swimming, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and basketball. I am not going to pretend that I know what the other games are when I don't have a clue what it is about or how it is played but if it piques my interest I would watch it.

I am really looking forward to Beijing 2008. But then No Lenny Krayzelburg. No Ian Thorpe. No Apolo Anton Ohno. Oh wait, he really doesn't belong here anyway. Just wanted to slip his name in. And now No Hamm brothers. Both pulled out due to injuries. So who do I look for then?

No day but TODAY indeed

You Live in the Present

You take things one day at a time. And it turns out, that's a pretty great way to live. You aren't consumed by the past, and you're aren't obsessed with the future. You live in the now, and you enjoy each moment. While most people don't live in the present enough, make sure you don't live in it too much. It would be a mistake to forget your past or neglect to plan for the future.

Do You Live in the Past, Present, or Future?

My name is...

I got an idea from Gail's post of listing down names that I like to either name my future children or just names that I like the sound of.

I think my parents did a good job in giving me my name. When I was a kid, I really felt so special that I was the only one with my name. I had schoolmates whose names were pronounced the same as mine but the spelling was still different. As far as I know, I was the only Raissa in school and I think in the whole of Tacloban. It was only in college that I found other people with the same name as I do. Same spelling and all. I think it was even accidental. I was looking at a list in one of my classes and I saw a 'Maria Raissa". Still, she had a "Maria" and I didn't. Actually, my dad didn't agree on me having a "Maria" when I was baptized which made me glad again. Here in the US, you are called by your first name so imagine a whole building full of "Marias". I am glad that I found out about other people having the same name as I do when I have already established my identity and my self-esteem pretty stable. That's why now, it doesn't bother me when I find out about other people having the same name as I do. I am actually amused like we belong into this whole society of "Raissas".

A lot of people think I am Russian when I tell them my name. Nope far from it but it does have some Russian connection since Mikhail Gorbachev's wife's name was Raisa. I think Papa got my name from an issue of Time Magazine. At least that's what I am told. I think its actually French in origin which means "thinker".

I am glad my parents gave me the name that I have. I think parents should really think far ahead if the child will like their name once they get older. Nothing wrong in giving your child a unique name but giving them something that makes people scratch their head is different. To name your child, "Talula does the Hula from Hawaii" is just plain cruelty. The child was embarrassed and a New Zealand judge thought the same and the parents lost custody of their daughter. Give your child a name that they will proud to carry not something to make them change it into something else when they are able to.

Some of the names I like: Sofia, Emma, Anya, Rania, Raina for girls. For boys - Enzo, Marco, Tristan, Pocholo. No more Justin. Its a very nice name but we have enough Justins in my family. As of last count there's 7 or 8 in my one side of the family alone. That's a lot that we have to add something after to tell them apart.

What names do you like?

The "last lecture" its not

Prof. Randy Pausch may have lost his battle with cancer Friday but I think, no I believe his legacy will live on. I know his speech has resonated so much with me that one of which has become almost like my mantra. It was about the "brickwall" that its there to test how much we want something. When I meet obstacles and challenges along my way, I think about what he said and it changes my perspective. Instead of being "defeated" by the obstacles, they become my motivation to survive through it. If after doing everything I can and yet the result is still the same so its either I don't want it badly enough or its really not for me. Which ever it is at least I know I did what I could and tried my best.

I cried upon hearing the speech that he did at Carnegie-Mellon. I cried and yet was inspired by everything he said. His topics were simple, practical and most of all things or aspects about life that made him happy or his source of happiness. His lecture was not meant for the whole worlds but for his three young children who after today will only have memories of him. But boy what memories those are. His last lecture will linger on in the hearts of those who were touched by him. But most of all his lecture will linger in the hearts of those who really knew him. Those who will be given the task and the responsibility to let his children know what a good man their father was for giving not only them this amazing gift but everyone else who were able to listen to him speak and whose lives were touched by him.

After the meal....before you leave

There is nothing better but to end a meal with delicious dessert. But sometimes, we are too full to have dessert right after the meal. Another option is taking it home and sharing it with other people. This is how I view pasalubongs. I love pasalubongs.

After sating ourselves with the food secrets of Tacloban shared with us by Anton of Our Awesome Planet, he takes us on a sweet journey of the desserts that we have grown up with. His post about Leyte Pasalubong is enough to make my mouth water. Good thing, my relatives just came back so at least I am able to satisfy my craving.

I like my binagol warm and I turn it upside down so I go to the sweet part first before everything else. Or sometimes I eat all the "talyan" part first and save the sweet part with peanuts last much like how some people save the skin of the chicken for later. I didn't use to like moron when I was a kid. They just looked odd to me but after having my first taste of it, I have grown to love it. But I still love binagol more.

But the best dessert of all is the pastillas from Carigara and nothing else. Much like how my cousins and I are such leche flan snobs because we will only eat leche flan made by our family, I am the same way with my pastillas. It has to come from Carigara and nowhere else. All other pastillas just pale in comparison. I have been able to finish a pack by myself. Its one of those things that one or two or three is never enough. Before you know it, you have consumed an entire pack of 100 I believe. I also hoard it when my parents would send me. That's how much I love it. Papa only gets the pastillas from two suppliers in Carigara which escapes me at this point. They have retained the quality of the pastillas since its beginning. It is made from pure carabao milk not camouflaged with sugar or what have you. Others are lumpy and made of condensed milk. These are smooth and they have a snap to it. Its not melt in your mouth goodness but heaven in every chew kind of way. Each chew is a sensation that makes you want to discover it more and more. Yes, its THAT good!

Waray Foodies

The foodie scene in Tacloban City is underrated.

Not a lot of people know that Warays are foodies. I was really surprised about the diversity of food in Leyte. - Anton, Our Awesome Planet

I didn't know either and I was born and raised there. I guess because it was just our lives and living it. I have not looked at it from another perspective since it was just part of our daily lives. Now that I am away from that life, I am seeing it with new set of eyes. Through Anton's, I have come to a better appreciation of what a charmed life we Warays live and we don't even know it.

When Anton first posted about his trip to Tacloban and looking for secret places to eat and all, I left a comment in his blog, a rather mouthful one per Mano Gerry. I guess I got so excited that Anton was going to Tacloban. I have seen how he had discovered foodie secrets from other places and read how enthusiastic he becomes talking about them with pictures to boot. I couldn't wait for him to have a taste of what Leyte has to offer. I thought my comment was to introduce him to the foods of Leyte but looking back I think it was also because I was hoping he would feature the places of my childhood, that I miss so much. He sure did and more because I also got to read about the places that I hope to try when I go home. In some sense, he brought me along and it felt like I was home.

So many have changed since I left and so many have stayed the same. Nostalgia and excitement all at the same time. I am glad to know that our lechon is still the best ever with vinegar and garlic. The barbecue stands that I grew up with is still standing and the same family runs it. Boy, do I remember those days when I would look after the bakery and I would smell like smoke because these stands were literally right outside our door. I can actually still smell it when I remember. Their barbecue and our hot pan de sal = perfection. We live far from the city proper but when Papa would have a craving for native chicken, no matter how late into the night it was, we would all pile up in our car and drive to the downtown to eat some barbecue native chicken.

If Papa wanted "tinola nga isda" for breakfast, the only place to go was Yolanda's. Its the perfect place - you are inside a hut, near the beach, actually on the shore. I remember us sitting in our table and buckets and buckets of the freshest seafood would be placed in front of us and we get to picked which ones we want. Its as fresh as fresh can be - the fish is still moving, the shrimps are jumping, the crabs walking along the shore. Its cooked according to how we want it and breakfast is ready. Oh for clarification - our tinola is the same as the sinigang towards the sour kind. Now I shouldn't be surprised that my cousins had shrimps and prawns for breakfast the entire time they were in Tacloban. We were the same when we were growing up. No dress codes at Yolanda's and yup it means you can go there in your pajamas like we usually did since we were most of time roused from our sleep to go there.

Afternoon snack was either barbecue or pancit from Royal Seafood. I still don't know what the lure of these noodles is but it seems there's is no other pancit to eat but from there. Once again, this noodle dish and hot pan de sal = perfection. Another afternoon snack staple was the bibingka along T. Claudio. Anton wasn't able to try the bibingka but I am glad to know that its still in operation and prepared still the same. I will say it again, nothing comes close to it for me. The only bibingka I will eat with so much gusto will be the one coming from here. Its real rice, no shortcuts (I hope so) and none of those added flavors like salted eggs or cheese or sugar. Its plain and simple - rice cooked in banana leaves. Its best eaten fresh from the "pugon" (oven) and butter smeared all over it and watch it melt away. Its only available at a certain time and it is usually gone so fast. I wonder how much the recipe would cost or if they are even willing to sell it. I am willing to buy it, that's how much I love this bibingka. Or learn how to make it at least.

There are a lot of new restaurants in Tacloban now, a very diverse group at that. It seems they can already meet whatever you fancy and I am glad. I can already see and expect to gain weight when I go home. Calle Z for the bulalo. The "purbidang kangkong" from Ocho. I have heard so many good things about Ocho and I know the owner. Rafael Farms too, my family was just there. Jose Karlos, I think my sister Camille is always there.

I am such a foodie. I thought its only now but reading Anton's posts, I realized I have always been a foodie which I have to credit my parents, especially Papa for. We ate out a lot even before and we were not afraid to try new dishes. My parents enriched us about our culture through food which is so not a bad thing at all.

There are so much more so..here it is, discover the foodie secrets of Tacloban.

Our Awesome Planet: Tacloban City - - Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 1)
Our Awesome Planet: Tacloban City - - Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 2)

Anton walked the San Juanico Bridge from one end to the other. I grew up there and I have never done that. I am not sure I would want to either. Just made me realize how much we don't value the things and places around us because we think it or we will always be there. Or sometimes we seek those that are far and wide not realizing that what we had all along and all these times was the real beauty, the real gem. Reading other people's views, a stranger even, changes our perspective about the things we have but take for granted. But its not too late to change that.

Low octane

I am running on three hours of sleep only. Not to mention that the past 2 days I have only been averaging of 3 hours sleep as well. Monday, my relatives arrived from Philippines. Tuesday, there was a get-together at my uncle's house. Last night? Blame Denny's super slow service but credit an amazing concert of Journey. Yup, I was one of 15,000 people there. That is not an exaggeration because there was not an empty seat in house even the lawn was packed.

First the low points..as expected there was a long line to the women's bathroom. Really, there should be 2 women's bathrooms for every one men's bathroom. It was just crazy. Due to this is my low point #1 of the night was missing the opening song of Journey. The same reason brings me to low point #2, on my way to find the end of the line to the bathroom, I got burned by someone's cigarette. I couldn't believe that it didn't enter her mind that it was packed and I mean packed, she was bound to hurt someone if she held her cigarette as if she was in a middle of a massive space. She should have held it up in the air so that it didn't hurt anyone. I now have this red dot on my forearm. She apologized and even if I wanted to get mad, what good would it do. Another one is I wished I had my camera but my brother has it all the way in Manila but I had my sister, Jehann's camera and there were 3 massive screens there so it worked out fine.

I am bad with song titles so I am not even going to attempt to mention the repertoire. But I will do mention the songs that I know and remember:

Don't Stop Believing - I think Arnel singing it just gives it so much more meaning because he is the perfect example of it. He didn't stop believing and look where he is now. Open Arms - Still gives me goosebumps; After All These Years - love the song; Separate Lives; of course Faithfully.

The concert started at 7 with Cheap Trick and Heart but I missed it since there was a massive traffic going to the venue. Journey came in at 9 until past 11. The crowd was a good mix of different ages. There was a father with 2 or 3 young children who were still probably bubbles in the air when Journey came to life and yet they knew the songs.

Arnel is really good, amazing even. His voice range is really something. He was jumping all over the place. His energy seemed boundless and endless. You watch him with a mix of awe, disbelief and pride. Awe because he is really good and he seems to have established a good rapport with the rest of the band. It seems he has adjusted well. They were just enjoying every moment of it and it showed in their faces, in their performance. Disbelief that I was watching the concert of the band that gave me "Open Arms" and "Faithfully". Also disbelief with a mix of pride but more of pride that a Filipino is the lead singer of this band. He acknowledged his "kababayans" and someone was waving the Philippine flag. He is the epitome of dreams coming true....a feature in People and Time and a spread in GQ and these are just the start.

It was a really good show and Arnel wowed the crowd. Just read this review of the concert from the OC Register.

I am such a bad reviewer but then again I am writing this with my mind drifting in and out of the stages of sleep. Besides, I don't think I will give it the justice that it deserves. But one thing, it was a show well worth the money.