Paging the Owners and Patrons of Xocolat

A few minutes ago, my husband was fuming mad. A car was parked in front of our gate and the driver was nowhere in sight. This was the nth time around. Months ago we wanted to leave the house and were in a hurry to do so but couldn’t because a car was blocking our driveway. Pray tell, what if there were an emergency? I am in a wheelchair and that compounds the problem.

Intuition must have led me to think of calling Xocolat this time around and I asked the person who answered to ask their customers if one of them owned the car with plate number UJH 352. The maid also went there for the same reason.

Many minutes later, a young lady dressed in what my husband said looked like a daster came out to get her car. She apologized and promised not to repeat the offense. But she’s just one customer. What about the rest of them?

How I wish XOCOLAT would have a parking person or someone who’ll monitor the vehicles of their patrons. It’s their responsibility to be a good neighbor.

L’Fisher and Northwest Inn

The hotel room is a wow. Could compare with the five-star hotels here in Manila – clean, well-maintained, comfortable. Bathroom for disabled doesn’t pose problems at all. But L’Fisher has it flaws.

a) Elevator – doors close too quickly and as there’s no one manning it, one has to be quick. Except that wheeling a wheelchair into an elevator isn’t always a breeze. So the doors always threaten to crush us unless aside from me and whoever’s pushing, there’s another person around to press the button to keep the doors open.

b) Room service takes a while. One has to follow up. In fact when we checked out this a.m., I saw my bill and it didn’t include the charge for pizza and mozza sticks my son ordered for dinner. Front desk called resto and was told they had no record of it. Front desk suggested it may have been paid for but I knew it wasn’t because the money I had given my son to pay the food he ordered with was on the table. We were determined to pay it and so the Front Desk merely computed the charges.

c) Food Quality – yesterday when I joined my friends at a table in the hotel, the sausage seemed to be an issue. I heard “vienna sausage” mentioned and someone’s saying “this is a hotel. They should have cervelat or something like that.” Last night, I asked my son how the pizza was. He said “ok.” He wasn’t enthused. He finished the mozza sticks which weren’t battered but were wrapped in lumpia wrapper instead and fried.

This a.m., after reminding FD of our breakfast which Lynette said would be served in the room (we hoped to leave by 5, resto opens at 5) (breakfast came free with accommodations), I was pleased to see the full plates of food: adobo, sidings of vegetables, fish fillet and what looked like sausage or hot dog. There was juice too and coffee in a pot. Verdict: food was aplenty: could safely serve 4 instead of 2. Eggs were just right but the sausage, ordinary. I said so to my son and he told me that when he took his first bite of the pizza last night, he was surprised. He tasted hot dog. Uh oh, a hotel whose pizza has ordinary hot dog?

d) Van service – they charge P500 per person to bring guests to the airport. Mahal. Across the street they have vans for hire for going to the airport: 500 per van. This a.m., they sent us a Toyota Grandia. How lush/plush.

Will I book again at L’Fisher? Definitely. But how I wish they’d do something about food and elevators. A few pictures of L’Fisher

Northwest Inn is owned by a cousin and his wife who met us at the airport and stayed with us up till the time we went home finally to the hotel last night. She brought us to dine at their hotel and wow, sarap. The baby back ribs and the garlic fried rice and the chocolate cake. Super. Cousin-in-law also ordered pasta but as that would require twirling around the fork, I didn’t try it.

Northwest is clean and modern. One of these days, they’ll have a room on the ground floor for the likes of me. Yippee. Then I’ll try it out for sure. Plus they give free rides to and from the airport. Now, that’s service. Some pictures of Northwest:

Cebu Pacific

I think Cebu Pacific has its pluses and minuses just like any other entity, but which exceeds the other?

Yesterday, when we reached NAIA 3, a man in CP uniform approached us and accompanied us till we boarded the plane, which was fortunate because not only was I in a wheelchair, as usual, but also because it was our first time at the NAIA3. Plus it was the first time son and I traveled by plane in maybe 13 years.

Why the hiatus? Ever since I became paralyzed I’ve flown only thrice: when my son was 3 months old, when he was 3 or 4, and when he was 7. Why?

Each time we flew, husband had to carry me up the stairs of the plane or down the steps, whichever was applicable. And if you’ve seen me, you’d know that’s equivalent to his carrying up maybe 2 sacks of rice at the same time. Each time, the risk was there and as he wasn’t getting any younger, I didn’t want to risk it. Friends and family knew this so while they always would tell me to “puli na bala”, deep down I knew they understood why.

A few years back, the airport in Talisay, oh okay, Silay, opened and that, I was told meant no stairs because a tube would lead me out of and into the terminal, no steps along the way. My this will be a long post, I can see it now. Still I refused to budge, even as the foremost hurdle seemed to have been addressed. Why? Finances. Flying to Bacolod is not cheap if multiplied by 4 plus it would require staying in a hotel. Our house is not wheelchair friendly, right? In the 3 times we  were there son in tow, we stayed in the music room because it was on the ground floor.

Then Papa became progressively sick starting March 21. He refused to eat or would only do so if told he’d be hospitalized or would have an IV inserted. Then it dawned on me, what a pity I hadn’t visited when he was better and malling in his wheelchair. Then we could have malled together ( I thought my shopping genes came from Mama exclusively, but apparently, some are mutants of Papa’s own). But one cannot turn back the hands of time so for a few weeks I vacillated about flying and not.

When I’d call Philippine Airlines 24-hour hotline and get a busy signal for attempts on end, I’d rationalize, “ah, not meant.” But once in a while, I’d go to PAL’s website and CP’s, as well as to websites of hotels in Bacolod.

Finally, Wednesday night, I succeeded in connecting with a human voice in CP after going to its website and trying to book only to encounter gray areas. I had gone to PAL’s (my first choice) too except there weren’t any seats available first flight out this Monday morning.

The CP lady on the other end of the line was gracious and competent. She kept apologizing after I teased her about the MR rather than MS before my name in our e-ticket. Next encounter with CP was the airport experience.

The man was, as I said, competent. Being disabled has its perks, he made me realize, as he went direct to the check-in counter and everywhere else, bypassing the rest of mankind. Being with me, my husband and son enjoyed the same privileges.  It being a Sunday, I asked if there was mass anywhere (sister was able to attend  mass on Holy Thursday at the airport) and he brought us to the floor where mass would be said. He promised to come back when it was time and warned that the mass might not have been finished by then. So there. Our first experience with CP this time around was marvelous if a bit high-strung(?) because the guy was so efficient he wheeled fast etc.

Ok, so we reached the end of the tube. Husband asked the flight attendant where our seats where. Facing the tail of the airport, she pointed to the third row. Correct per the seat I chose when I booked electronically. But she said, 3rd row left side. Now we knew we were 3rd row ABC but she pointed us to DEF. As it didn’t matter, we promptly obeyed her. Then husband thought of telling the stewardess after we were seated and she said “OH, it’s all right.” She’d tell the designated occupants of our seats to just get ours across the aisle. Fine. No big deal there.

Comments re the plane: it’s narrow and tight. So if I extended my arm across the aisle, I could reach the arm rest of the person across the aisle. Leg room wasn’t much. In fact, my husband’s knees were almost behind the seat in front of him. ANd when the person in front of me reclined her seat, we became even closer, as in tight. Again, never mind. No big deal.

Oh yes, the tube. I was told that I was fortunate the exit being used   would be 17 because 16’s tube was kaput. I thanked God for that.

Back to Bacolod. Again, same good service from the person who met me, but at a less frenetic pace. Is that the provincial culture at work? Anyway…

Now to Day 2’s encounter with CP. We left the hotel at 5:08 and were at the airport by 5:24. Sixteen minutes travel, our plane was due to fly at 6:40. Not quite two hours before the flight we were; still, we were there by an hour plus 16 minutes before the plane’s departure.

I waited for my sister to come because she wanted to see us off, so husband checked in by himself. But my, the lines were really long. Offline pala I learned. Later I told son to accompany his father in the line so he could carry some of our luggage as the line moved. He complied. My sister arrived.

As we were waiting, she constantly glanced at where my husband was. She couldn’t find him at first. Then I got this text from son: “Gave reserved seats to people now they’re looking for them to get tickets back.”

I was aghast. Didn’t want to let on to my sister but she must have sensed by the look on my face that something was amiss and asked what. After telling her, I told son to come and get me. I joined them in the ticket counter and learned the following: they were offline since 5:10 pm yesterday. They didn’t know we had reserved seats in Manila. So they gave our seats to people but would call them back. I said “eh baka magalit sila.” Girl said “They’ll understand.” She worked out our boarding passes, etc. By this time it was 6:30. A man approached my son “‘to (lad) ano na tabo, indi kamo ka lupad?” I was taken aback. The man looked burly and while he had an ID, I couldn’t see what it was. Then I saw a familiar face and figure and he asked, “okay na?” I greeted the man: Congressman Kako Lacson of our district. The man who’d spoken to my son was his companion or friend. I introduced him to my son and husband and they shook hands. AFter being reassured everything had been settled, he walked where my sister could see him and gave her the thumbs up.

Apparently my sister had seen him outside or he her and told him about our predicament. Our town, err, city being small, he knows the family and vice versa. It felt so good to have our congressman care enough. Then as we were about to exit that portion where PAL and CP passengers meet, my back was turned when someone called my name. I turned and saw another sister’s classmate. I introduced her to husband and son, announcing, “the first lady of the ex-governor.” She introduced the governor to us along with her good-looking children.

I thought everything would be a breeze afterwards and well, in a sense it was, except that I had a feeling all the passengers were on board and I’d make a grand entrance, in the sense that I’d be carried into the plane to my seat. The CP guy who wheeled me said we wouldn’t be the last to board but I knew he was lying. Arrgh. So it came to pass. Our reserved seats were 3 A, 3 B and 3C. Son asked where, he was pointed to 2D, 2 E and 2F. Promise. So we followed as instructed and sat there. Seats 3A-3C were empty throughout the flight except that one man from 1B transferred to 3C possibly to avoid being sandwiched by 2 guys.

We’re trying to figure out what happened. Could this interpretation be correct? When check-in lady saw our e-ticket with the seats 3A, 3B and 3 C reserved, she panicked. She had issued 3 people our seats. She had no way of finding out she said that the seats had been reserved because off line nga.

But 3 seats were empty in the end. So what happened? She possibly gave them our seats, true, but that didn’t mean the plane was full. There were at least 3 vacant seats from what I could see.

We’ve grown so attached to technology that we or at least she didn’t think. Rather than panic, she should have checked number of passengers against number of seats and then possibly found out that  there were other seats for the 3 she had put on ours to occupy.

And again, the tube business. When the plane landed in Manila (smooth landing by the way), I asked the flight attendant if we’d use the tube. She said “depende saan titigil ang eroplano.” Uh oh, so I rushed and prayed to God and luckily, we deplaned in a tube. Whew. And luckily, the CP guy assigned to me was competent like yesterday’s, but less frenetic/frantic.

Some notes/observations:

1) Food – Twelve or thirteen years ago, we were served juice in tetra pak. This time around, a pair of flight attendants moved down the aisle with a trolley of snacks announcing “snacks for sale” and later “souvenirs for sale”. Snacks were priced at 50, 60, 80 and 100. Choices included Chippy, sandwiches, noodles, coffee, tea, Pepsi Max (no regular), etc.Souvenir choices included a model CP plane, bags, wallets, caps, shades, etc.

2) Games – Thirteen years ago, son won a one-way ticket to Bacolod. It was a bring me or show me game and he won because he was able to show them that he wore a sock with a hole in it. Yesterday’s flight had games, but not today’s. The prices this time were Unilever products.

3) The Pilot – Thirteen years ago the pilot landed ever so smoothly that the passengers applauded. I remember the pilot’s name: Capt. Andrews. Years later, I found out that Bobby Andrews’ dad was a CP pilot. Was it he?

Will I fly CP again? If PAL has a plane that can accommodate me at a good rate plus if it can reassure me it will have tubes ready, then CP not. But for the sake of convenience, CP is ok. Maybe they just have to train their people better. On the alphabet and rows for starters.

Lynette of L’Fisher Hotel Bacolod

If only all hotel people/reservations people were as bright and sunshiny as Lynette, then everyone would be happy. Maybe tourism in the PHilippines would even get a decided boost. Tonight I called L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod to ask about accommodations and Lynette answered me pleasantly and intelligently. She went beyond taking down our names. For example, because she learned we would be getting a flight out on Monday at 6:50 a.m., she said that while breakfast is ready by 5, she’d arrange that we could have it at 4:30. I thanked her and we ended the call. Shortly after, I got a call from her. She said breakfast would be brought to our room and if we needed extras, we could just order room service.  She was not a bit grouchy despite my so many questions. I could see her smile from the way she sounded. Pity I won’t be able to thank her personally tomorrow as it’s her day off. Maybe if it weren’t I’d even take her picture and post it here, caption it as Lynette of the City of Smiles. Corny ba? But really, if she’s an indication of how our trip will progress tomorrow, then I’m looking forward to it.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Letter from the President of Prudentialife

Way back in 1990, when someone offered to sell me an educational plan from Prudential, I called up an uncle who has finance savvy having worked in the corporate world for years, with IBM in particular. This uncle was also our wedding godfather, apparently a person who has my utmost respect for his character, brains, being. So I sought his advice. Parting monthly with a fixed amount for something I wouldn’t see the fruits of until 17 years later was something I thought worth consulting about.

I still remember what my uncle said: “kilala ko na si Alba. He’s a good man.Get the plan.”

So a few days ago, when my husband heard the news on TV and called my attention to it – that the SEC had suspended Prudential’s right to sell, my initial reaction was panic. I wanted to call Enna Catap (see previous posts on Prudential) but it was late, beyond office hours. The next day, I tried to call but the lines were busy. I could understand why. But somehow, I stayed calm, recalling my uncle’s reassurance almost 2 decades ago about Mr. Alba. Yesterday, I decided to email Enna instead and this morning, I got her reply. She reassured me they were still paying and she attached the following letter. I believe Enna, I believe Mr. Alba. I see his point and cannot understand why the SEC is bearing down on Prudential. Why didn’t it on Pacific Plans which obviously had assets but didn’t bother to pay its planholders? The letter:

April 16, 2009

Dear Valued Planholder,

The global economic crisis has affected a number of industries worldwide including the Philippine pre-need industry. The trust funds of the industry have not been earning their projected returns. The local stock market and fixed income investments have performed poorly last year causing trust fund deficits.

Compounding the problem of the industry is the ongoing investigation of the Legacy fraud case. This has dragged down the confidence in our industry whose image has already been tarnished when major preneed firms went down years ago.

To address the situation, the Philippine Federation of Pre-Need Plan Companies, Inc. (PFPPCI) was left with three options to consider for its members:

1.    Option 1 – To raise new capital based on the Multi-Year Capital and Trust Fund Buildup Program approved by the SEC last December 22, 2008 and subsequently revised last February 25, 2009.

2.    Option 2 – To “Orderly Exit” the industry and pay plan benefits as warranted.

3.    Option 3 – To seek corporate rehabilitation that is actually a no-choice situation that could delay the procedure of refunding plan benefits.

We would like to inform you that we have submitted our proposed Multi Year Capital and Trust Fund Build-up Program last February 2, 2009. However, the SEC declined our proposed program because the assets we offered for contribution to the trust fund and capital does not qualify as acceptable assets under the SEC revised program.

Under the revised program, the acceptable assets that can be contributed to the trust fund and capital are  income generating real estate and unlisted shares that are not in any way related to the Preneed company.

The assets we offered are real estate properties that have good values but are not yet income generating. Aside from this, we offered unlisted shares of profitable companies but are affiliates of our preneed company.  The SEC did not accept these assets for contribution to our trust fund and capital.

In view of this, SEC has directed our company to refrain from selling new preneed plans effective April 16, 2009. Nevertheless, we will continue to operate as a servicing pre-need company and pay plan benefits of our planholders as warranted.

Prudentialife Market Resource Corporation (PMRC) will continue to operate and market our other services that include Health Plans, Mutual Funds, and Insurance products among others. Notably, our sales for these products have grown significantly last year.

We hope that these developments will be temporary owing to the prevailing economic environment and government efforts to institute much needed regulatory reforms. We are confident we could pursue new opportunities and build the business of Prudentialife beyond the pre-need industry.

We thank you for your trust and confidence for the past 31 years and hope for your continued understanding and support in these trying times.

Sincerely yours,

Jose Alberto T. Alba
President

Update to the Update on Prudential Educational Plans

In the mail today, I got a certificate of enrollment for my son from Prudential Educational Plans addressed to my son’s school for him to present come enrollment time. Letter was dated 30 March, some 3 weeks before the SEC restrained Prudential from selling plans.

I trust Prudential will honor this… I have faith in Prudential.

Update on Prudential Plans

A friend who knows someone from Prudential said they’ll continue to service existing plans. Whew. What a relief to know that. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Will update you in maybe two to three weeks when my son will have enrolled and I should have claimed his check. Abangan.

Oh no, SEC suspended the right of Prudential Plans

to sell plans.

What will happen to my son’s educational plan? I was hoping, and I still am, that Prudential will uphold its contract not just with me but all its planholders. But if it doesn’t, then we will actually have been treated better by Pacific Plans?

Sigh. I hope tomorrow will bring happier news.

Thai Pomelo Salad by Omay Olizon

This afternoon, as I was wondering what to have prepared for dinner, I saw this recipe in last Thursday’s issue of Philippine Daily Inquirer. If my friends saw this post (they don’t know it exists), they might faint. I am a known carnivore and ambivalent about it. To their face I declare it proudly, but deep inside me, how I wished I ate more vegetables. I try and don’t always succeed. For one, alugbati evokes memories of my yaya feeding her pet pig – should I say pet? She bred pigs for sale when they reached a certain weight. Each afternoon, she’d boil alugbati and I don’t know what else and it had this smell I can still imagine decades later. then she’d walk to the pigpens and I’d watch as she fed her pigs. Anyway, I digress.

The recipe:

For the dressing: 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 c water, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1.5 tbsp patis (fish sauce – in Ilonggo, patis is soy sauce), 1/4 red bell pepper finely diced

For the salad: 250 g small to medium shrimps, 1 small chicken breast cut into strips, 1 medium-size pink pmelo, 1 onion diced and fried in a little oil, 1/c roasted peanuts

Procedure:

In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Simmer until sugar dissolves completely and liquid is clear. Combine the rest of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk in the sugar-water mixture. Let cool.

The salad:

Boil or steam shrimps until they turn pinkish orange. Peel shrimps and remove the heads. Cook chicken breast strips in a nonstick pan. Peel pmelo and slice into bite-size segments.

In a salad bowl, combine shrimps, chicken breast, pomelo, onions and peanuts. POur in salad dressing and toss to coat well. Serve chilled.

My inputs: I hate it when while preparing to make something (whether by my maid or myself), I realize that some ingredients are not available in the kitchen. when such arises, I either scrap the project altogether, or make do with what’s available.

This p.m., because I knew I had pomelo and the rest of the ingredients, I asked the cook to proceed. In lieu of raw shrimps, though, I had her use the Cold Storage breaded shrimps. She was aghast at the thought but I insisted. Also, instead of just the dressing as is, I told her to add 2 tsps of balsamic vinegar.  And I had lettuce added to the salad.

I was pleased with the results. You might want to give it a try.

NINYO pictures

All these tasted as good as they look. Ordered the pork trotters for the first time ever. It came with shanghai rice and foie gras. (a few visits back it was listed in the menu but out of stock). The salmon with wasabe mashed potato is a constant presence at our Ninyo table: if it’s not husband who orders it, it’s son who does. The last is beef salpicao served with quail eggs. Very good.

Nokia E51

has no smileys feature. I am so sad. I am devastated. I shouldn’t have bought it.

That sounds so bratty, no? But really, lower end phones have smileys and an E series phone doesn’t? Okay, so Nokia can always say it’s a business phone. So? Don’t business people have a right to emoticons? they’re human beings too, you know.

EASTWOOD MALL

Though still not a hundred percent occupied (FUlly booked, Gingersnaps, etc have yet to open), it has enough interesting shops open. Where do I start?

It has Steve Madden, Lacoste, Samsonite, The Body Shop, Beauty Bar, The Face Shop, Babyland, Scribe something that sells stationery, ballpens (no silver-inked pens though), Quills (is that what you call pens with a feather – think Rizal writing Mi Ultimo Adios). They have nice wrapping papers and cards too. But there was only one girl attending to the customers and one customer was monopolizing her so I couldn’t get answers to my questions and we left). there’s a Sony store, Samsung, Starbucks, Timezone. And there’s this cute store like Humor Post but not quite that sells things from Thailand. As I type this now I am beside two pillows with black covers. Bought because of Einstein. Yes, Albert Einstein two of whose quotes are printed on it (one each). One quote goes: Imagination is more important than knowledge. ANother goes something like Albert einstein slept only two hours every night. So why did we buy them? Son asked for them so I guess he can flash them to me each time I nag him to “sleep na”. I paid for them and they’re supposed to annoy me. How crazy can I get? There were other pillows there, som mushy for people in a relationship. There were others too for children to give their moms, like “If you weren’t my mom, you’d be my best friend.” I told my son to get me one, he simply smiled.

There were mugs of Mr. P(?) and they were like straight out of a brown joke comic street. Like of Mr P farting and the gas encircling the mug to reach him, his nose, full circle. Like of Mr. P peeing into a whole that looked like it was straight into the mug. Like a fly painted on the inside of the mug. And a lamp with Mr. P as the lamp stand and his head as the bulb. A lamp cover concealed his head because he was embarrassed about the switch. Naughty stuff really but not naman obnoxious. Think barrel man. And this wasn’t maid in Baguio. As I said earlier, thailand is the store’s source. Aha, is there a connection there somewhere? Back in 1980, when I first met my 2 nieces, the teacher who introduced them to me said “daw taga Baguio no? Look at their skin color.” My 2 nieces’ father is a Thai. get the drift?

Hay, it’s so hot. Brain meltdown like Chernobyl? Brain freeze is caused by drinking or taking in something really cold, so brain meltdown, I suggest, is caused by something very hot – like the sun outside. arrgh. It’s so “hot”. That calls to mind an annecdote shared by my husband. Years back, he watched a concert in some house in Makati. High society people who shared his love for music. He was seated beside the namesake of someone big in business. And he said those very words to my husband “It’s so hot” but with a British accent. yes, he’s Filipino.

Oh yes, back to Eastwood Mall, there’s a sale in Arrow. Some things go for 50% off.

And our best discovery: Eastwood Mall’s cinemas are wheelchair friendly, with space for the likes of me on the last row. Very clean. Thing is before one gets into the theater, one’s senses is assailed by flashing lights of different hues. One wonders if one is about to enter a disco (yes, I belong to that era – so what are they called now?). Oh and Cinema 7’s tickets go at P350 a pop. Months back, a tutee told me this. And just like he said, the steep fee comes with bottomless popcorn and a can of soft drinks. How much popcorn can anyone take? The seats are special at Cinema 7.

The night we were in Eastwood Mall, Angelica Panganiban and Jake Cuenca were there to promote The Bar drink. Angelica actually looked shy. She looked sweet and decent even in a mini tube dress.

East Wood Mall redux: Old Vine Grill – the best!

Months back we hied off to Eastwood Mall and it was sparsely populated people and store wise. Restos? Only Starbucks was around.

Tonight we paid it another visit, determined to have a meal there. We were told by elevator lady that Cyma opened only last night, but as son rationalized, why eat there when we can always eat in Cyma Shangrila, which is a regular haunt? So we asked the lady what othere restos were around. She mentioned The Flying Pig, My Thai, etc. She also mentioned Old Wine but I thought it was a wine house. Hahaha – how literal could I get?

When we went to The FLying Pig, it was full. So we went to Mr. Kurosawa, full again. Next stop was Old Vine. Asked son if the place was okay with him. He said it was okay, anywhere was okay because he was famished.

It was a lucky last choice. I too was hungry but wasn’t too eager for grill. I asked if they had steak, waiter said yes. I asked to which restos they were affiliated, the waiter mentioned one in Megamall, another in Atrium with Chef as the first word. My hungry tummy deprived my memory neurons of sufficient power to take in all the info. My husband and son were no better. They couldn’t remember either. The magic word the waiter said was DUO. He said they used to be part of DUO. Yahoo, I had eaten twice in DUO and was always satisfied. The dinner looked promising.

As we scanned the menu, I was surprised and happily so. The prices were very reasonable. A half roast chicken which I eventually ordered was P295. It was stuffed with rice and had vegetables siding. Really, really good. But I’m getting ahead.

Before ordering my main course, I asked the waiter for recommendations for appetizer. He said the pulled pork would be good. I asked for a small order and wow, I could have finished the whole thing. Thin, tender slices of pork served very hot on a hot plate, with tomato salsa with something that made it taste a tad different, and cabbage on a separate small sauce container.  It came with six soft bread bonnets(?). Sarapppppppp. I asked the waiter if they served bread earlier and he said a basket of 6 cost P50. At first I thought there’d be no need for bread because the pork appetizer had it as did the soup, I was told. We ordered two kinds of soup for sharing: french onion and prawn bisque. came with two rosettes of butter and 4 bonnetas(?). Sigh, heavenly. I want to go back to Old Vine if only for the soup. Except that everything else is so good and I want to try their other dishes as well. Son doesn’t like pork too much but it was he who finished the pork appetizer.

As earlier mentioned, I had the yummy roast chicken, husband ordered baby back ribs, son order steak. All so very, very good. They had bottomless iced tea (son’s regular, husband’s Splenda) and we were all shaking our heads in disbelief.

The place was well lit, it wasn’t cramped. Mostly families were around enjoying the night. Waiters were attentive and cordial. The place was nicely decorated. High ceilings with trellises. Took some pictures but not of all the things we ordered. I thing we stopped taking pictures after the bread. The food so excited us.

And the prices – the best. All the food we ordered cost us P1700 plus. Took home most of my roast chicken. Food we ordered could have safely fed 5 or 6. I love Old Vine and will certainly be back. I can hardly wait. It’s been a long time since a resto has so excited me.

I think I’ll just have another post for the rest of Eastwood Mall. OLD VINE GRILL deserves a post all its own.

Some pictures

Nokia E 51

Tonight I bought a new phone, a Nokia E 51 at Power Plant. This is in anticipation of son’s leaving for abroad. I want him to be able to get in touch with me via Skype anytime, that’s why.

A few days ago, we went to Nokia in Power Plant and I was contemplating on which model to buy. I was beginning to like E63 and surfed on it. I read that it was a cheaper version of E71 and while it lacked some features, it was good.

TOnight when we went to Nokia, T convinced me to get the E51 instead. She was very gracious and friendly, very patient and willing to help. She also told me that while E63 was released in January 2009, my phone was released December 2008. She set up Skype and I was quite happy when it worked here at home.

Then lo and behold, I surfed the Net for reviews on E51. And what did I find out? The phone was released in late 2007. Some people had it as early as September 2007 here in the Philippines. Sure, everyone was happy with his phone because it has quite good features, even as some wondered why its price went up from P12k plus to P13 or 14k plus.

So why am I peeved? I hate it when people lie to me or deceive me.And get this, before leaving the store, I saw how dirty the jacket of the box looked. She showed it to me only outside the shop, not while we were in the shop.I called T’s attention to this. She said it came from their head office and was really new. hay. Sigh.

Did she have to lie about when the phone was launched? She looked and sounded so sincere and competent. In fact my decision to buy it yesterday pronto was largely because of her power to convince. Why the deception? Do I call her tomorrow and tell her that I found her out? That she had lied to me? I’ll take a picture of the box and post it tomorrow.

(PS She also said that the color of my phone, black, is rare. I actually wanted the other color but it wasn’t available, she said. In the Internet, guess which color is rare? Not black. All pictures of E51 were of the black model. Next time, I won’t be as easily convinced, no matter how seemingly knowledgeable a sales clerk is. Arrgh.) The picture of the box: di pa ang dumi at luma?

Quick observations, odds and ends

Had a haircut at Fix in Podium. Had a manicure sans polish and I was fortunate to have Celine do this. She is one quiet lady who does the work very well. Light hands, not once did I wince. My skin has been pronounced to be very thin by manicurists in the past and I know this, which is why I am usually tense when manicured. But when Celine was doing it, I was so relaxed because she was very thorough and careful. I’ll be back, Celine. I hope you aren’t transferred.

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As I type this, TV is on to Unang Hirit. The crowd has grown over the past weeks. Paolo Bediones is back and somehow adds pizzazz to the show. There’s something about Paolo. Welcome back. Hope you are here to stay.

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Saw Ted Failon’s daughter issuing a statement on TV last night. Her composure and here censure of anyone and everyone who has cast aspersions on the innocence of her father was a bit of a shock. If my mother had just died, I would not have been able to do what she did. I would have been a mess. And to think the interview came just a few hours after her mother expired. She only broke down when she said that her mom took her life and it is very difficult to admit that to the world. But me, had I been in her place, the mere death of my mother, I wouldn’t have been able to say a sentence without sobbing, breaking down, etc. I guess such composure comes from having a dad in media? One learns to be stoic and poised amidst adversity.

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Have you seen the print ad and TV commercial of Aga and Charlene’s twins? Oops, of Argentina corned beef? They look so cute. Just like Carmina and Zoren’s twins do. Yesterday, Argentina’s commercial was aired, followed by another product’s, then Selecta’s with the twins of Carmina. What beautiful sights to behold.

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Also saw a new commercial of Energizer batteries. As usual, it was very creatively crafted. Like the rabit that drummed on, and on, and on… years back.

Read between the lines or what am I trying to point out?

E. Timor first lady takes bus to Pangasinan
http://derdo.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=2413

By Gabriel Cardinoza
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 02:41:00 04/15/2009

DAGUPAN CITY—Like a typical balikbayan, Jacqueline Aquino Siapno, with 5-year-old son Hadomi in tow, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 10 days ago and was met by her mother.

After exchanging greetings, they took a cab and headed to a bus terminal in Pasay City where they boarded a bus bound for her native Dagupan.

The Friday-night trip took five hours. At the station, they hailed a tricycle and asked to be taken to their house in Barangay Bonuan Gueset.

But Siapno, 41, is no ordinary balikbayan. She is the interim first lady of East Timor and the wife of that country’s national parliament president, Fernando “Lasama” de Araujo.

“It’s a private family visit,” Siapno told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by way of explaining why her arrival in the country was shorn of the ceremony usually accorded a visiting foreign dignitary.

“But if it were an official state visit, then we would be in a very complicated protocol. But also, I don’t really like protocol. That’s why I’m the worst first lady anyone could have,” she said.

Siapno is East Timor’s interim first lady because its president, Jose Ramos-Horta, is unmarried.

(from: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090415-199381/E-Timor-first-lady-takes-bus-to-Pangasinan)

Mar-Korina wedding set!
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo Updated April 16, 2009 12:00 AM

Sen. Mar Roxas and fiancee Korina Sanchez during the post-Christmas party Mar hosted for the movie press last January, together with (from left) Mar’s cousins Veanna Fores and Blades Fores-Legarda, the Fores matriarch Baby Araneta-Fores, Mar’s mom Judy Araneta-Roxas and his sister Ria Roxas-Ojeda, and Gaita Fores.

From : http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=458049&publicationSubCategoryId=70

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As you must have noticed, there’s no question mark in today’s headline, just an exclamation point. Yes, it’s definite: Sen. Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez are getting married before the year is over — yes, very soon!

According to Funfare’s unimpeachable DPA, Mar is being “traditional” with the whole thing, starting with informing the Roxases and the Aranetas about the long-delayed wedding, followed by a pamanhikan with Korina’s siblings (both Korina’s parents are gone) anytime next week.

No date has been set for the wedding which promises to bring together bigwigs from both politics and showbiz, and the business sector as well, since it will, although informally, signal the start of Mar’s march to…Malacañang? In fact, he has already taken the initial bold step as shown by the TV plugs showing him driving a tricycle while encouraging the kids to pursue their dreams. Mar is definitely running for President in 2010, with Korina beside him during the grueling campaign.

Dowell Air Cooler – an Update

My Dowell air cooler used to be in the bedroom. Occasionally I’d turn it on in addition to the aircon. But in this excruciating heat, the two contraptions weren’t enough. So I had the Panasonic electric fan (stand fan) brought in too. All these or go bonkers.

Our room being not too big, I decided to relegate the Dowell air cooler to another room. Ergo only the Panasonic aircon and stand fan now provide me cooling comfort in the room. Enough actually because the fan is tall and rather strong.

Last night, my son used the Dowell air cooler in his room and he came back profusely sweating. Thing with Dowell is it’s too low so it reaches not one’s face when one is seated.

Verdict? A stand fan and an aircon work better than low nice looking coolers.

Why this update? Suddenly I had 15 views of my previous post on the Dowell air cooler. Yes, that is unusual for this blog site. But I guess, everyone is so suffering from this heat, hence the  search for the best alternative to the high energy consuming aircon. My suggestion: just turn on the aircon and shell out what Meralco will charge. Being confined in the hospital will cost more if one gets sick because of the heat.

Michael Schumacher in a Shell Commercial

Just saw this on TV and searched youtube for it. Michael Schumacher is so disarming. Post in youtube dates back to 2007 but is only now shown here in the Philippines. Enjoy…

Register of Deeds in QC and LTO service

It was registration time for the car, but before that, as the amortizations to our car was finished (5 looooooonnnnnnnnnngggggggg years), husband had to go to the register of deeds to have the chattel mortgage canceled or something so he could register the car.

Initially he was told all the signatories were absent and to just come back. I am not sure now but somehow he waited it out and after some time, a signatory had arrived and voila,   he got what he needed.

Next stop: LTO in East Avenue. Husband showed document from Register of Deeds. LTO guy said he had to get the CR from Novaliches because that’s where the bank (Metrobank) registered the car. Sometimes, I can’t figure out why banks register cars financed by them in such distant LTO offices. Anyway, LTO guy also said husband had to go back to head office, okay, to him specifically afterwards. It was a must, he said.

Luckily husband decided to ask a lady in LTO if such was the case and lady said, no need. Husband texted me “The female of the species seem to be more efficient here.” Was that supposed to be a shock? Methinks no.

He then left for Novaliches LTO. He had to have the car emission tested. That done, he proceeded to LTO Novaliches. Though the office closes at 5 and he got there by 3:30, cut-off sign had been put up. Go figure. I can’t.

Day 2: Car is color coded, so husband went to LTO during the window hours. When he got there, lunch break. See, while the day before trip from LTO to the house had taken just 30 minutes, yesterday, he said, there were millions of trucks on the road, yes, trucks, not elephants but just as big. I guess, that was the window for the truck bans too? When he got to LTO it was close to 12 and guess what? lunch break of ALL LTO employees in Novaliches. Okay, an aside here. At QC Hall, in the Real Estate Taxes office, employees take turns to lunch. I cannot fathom why other offices cannot follow suit. Imagine this: if some cannot take time off from work except during their lunch break to register their cars or transact in government offices, what to do? Anyway, back to LTO Nova. There were 3 split type aircons that spewed   air, true, but not cool air. Oh well. Then in the early afternoon, after the lunch break, cashier announced to all that all the computers were down. I was out at lunch as husband updated me all these via text. To vent, I guess. But he added, no one budged. They waited it out and before long things were done. He got the OR for the registration but not the certificate of registration. Why? All signatories were at a seminar. Could he come back tomorrow?

Why oh why isn’t an OIC designated, one who can sign in the absence of the others? Sigh.

Thoughtful Touches in Ninyo

Ninyo’s being in our neighborhood makes it a regular haunt. But that it serves really, really good food makes it our destination for special occasions as well, especially when we are not particularly inclined to travel some distance.

Easter Sunday we didn’t hear mass as we had gone to the Easter Vigil the night before. In the afternoon, son’s friend dropped by and we decided to invite him to join us for dinner at Ninyo some hours later. It is beside the place where he stays, besides.

When we wheeled in we noted some additions to Ninyo, like a fenced area with rabbits. There was an aquarium too. Then as we ate, the mom of the chef said, “Please look around for Easter eggs. We’re giving away free rabbits or dessert, depending on what’s stated in the Easter egg. You may also choose what you prefer.” I glanced up at the split aircon and realized that the egg I had been seeing there was no fluke. Son promptly got it at my bidding and lo and behold, we won a rabbit.

Husband and son discussed whether we should opt for the rabbit or the dessert because with Benjamin around, the rabbit may not survive. But son’s friend seemed to want the rabbit, for a girl he’s courting. SO we chose the rabbit except that friend brought it home rather than to the girl because she wasn’t allowed to keep it.

Some pictures:

And here’s the spoiled Benjamin who wants to be in college: he’s always lying atop son’s school bag

Volare

Two weeks ago, a goddaughter and her twin came to visit. We were partaking of Shakey’s Grand Slam when talk veered to food. They loved eating in Volare, they said, which is in Araneta Coliseum. Chef, they told me, was formerly of Amici’s before the Don Bosco fathers sold it to the owners of Red Ribbon.

I was excited. My love affair with osso buco began there, but it was a one-night stand. In a previous post I mentioned how when we went back, it wasn’t available. I’ve tried the versions of other restos, but nothing came close.

A few days later therefore, we hied off to Cubao which is not exactly a habit for us. Destination: Volare. Without even looking at every item in the menu, I told the food server I’d have osso buco. The rest were chosen by husband and son: pizza, Italian sausage, and seafood pasta.

Verdict: osso buco when I saw it was a let-down. Meat was too dark and I thought either its source was an aged cow or it had been reheated several times over. But the risotto that came along with it was heavenly. The cheese pizza was okay but not very exciting. Italian sausage was okay too, and so with the pasta. Tiramisu was okay.

Overall verdict? Okay. Better than Bellini’s I would say, and prices are reasonable. Huge servings so that resto had a lot of guests.

Will we go back? Sure, if only to give the osso buco another chance.

Some pictures:

A Coffee Shop in Katipunan

Two friends and I met up for lunch in the Katipunan branch. They chose the place and though I’m not a coffee person, I was curious. I checked out its menu in Munch Punch and was a tad frightened when I saw they had nothing I liked: just coffee preparations basically. I imagined that being like its foreign counterparts it might have sandwiches and it did. Except that it was lunch time so the menus brought by my friends to the table were those of 4 pasta choices and breakfast meals . I  wanted to try the mushroom omelette and maybe I should have but I wanted meat. So I ordered the Hungarian sausage with bread and two fried eggs per the picture.

Lo and behold what came was one Hungarian sausage and scrambled eggs and bread. Then we were handed sachets of Del Monte ketchup. I’m not a ketchup person but the plate looked so dry. In some restos, they’d have served the dish with salad, maybe. I asked why the eggs weren’t sunny side, the waiter ignored me. Oh well. (Is Mercury in retrograde? Asked maid to buy 8 oz coke, she came back with sakto). Anyway, back to the coffee shop.

I asked for butter for the bread and was given mounds of it that crumbled when I tried to get some. And it wasn’t butter, it was margarine. Shortly after, friend who ordered pasta asked for cheese. Oh well.

Then I saw one of the security guards lean on the table beside ours, but he was facing the road. Okay, he wasn’t just leaning but almost sitting on it. Then one of my friends said, “look, his foot is on the chair.” One of my friends said, “sabihin natin sa waitress, saan ba ang manager?” I cautioned, “huwag na, may baril”.

Sigh.

Greek Taverna in Tagaytay City

The resto was featured on TV and the host seemed to be enjoying what he was served, so we were determined to eat in the place. And we did.

It’s not aircon, the owner directed us to the portion of the resto near the windows, an electric fan was blowing wind. Luckily for us, though it was around 2 pm, the son wasn’t too hot and a slight drizzle made the air cooler. Ordered the following: a Greek dip with yogurt, feta cheese and cucumber plus bread to go with it; chicken shawarma; grilled pork chops; fried chicken; moussaka. The verdict: the bread smelled of yeast – have you ever tried making Hemin bread supposed to have been started by Padre Pio? The dip wasn’t great at all – Cyma’s is much tastier. Chicken shawarma was ordered by son, he said it had too many veggies so it went to husband. Grilled pork chops – an order had two slices so son and husband shared that. that one was very good. Fried chicken -thigh part went to the maid who gave me the drumstick – that one was very good. Moussaka as promised by the waitress tasted like lasagna with a thick layer of bechamel sauce on top, very little eggplant, much ground beef. That was okay, but do the Greeks really make it that way? A very informal resto, no uniforms for the waitresses. Tshirts and denim pants only. Some pictures:

Punta Fuego in pictures

Pictures herein are of two nice houses in PF, the banana bread (2 slices) they thoughtfully brought to the casitas, free; sunset, the pathway to some places – very difficult if one is in a wheelchair because it’s uneven, the pumpkin soup, the salty pork, plants are of the indoor garden adjacent to the bathroom.