Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The success of Catching Fire is proof that when a film adaptation of a book is followed according to how the story was written many will be pleased. I may not have read the book, but my friends did and they loved the movie as much as I did. Not only was it a good adaptation, it was also a good movie. After leaving the theatre I wanted to run back and watch it the second time if only we weren’t so hungry since we skipped lunch for the 1pm screening. Prior to the meeting I received a text asking me if the movie date was a go. I immediately replied, “Yes, let’s meet an hour earlier so we can watch the movie ASAP. Watching the movie is an urgent matter.” That is because most of my friends watched the premier and so we were missing out as the hours ticked by. And in the words of my friend’s justification towards our fasting, “Dahil Hunger games panunorin natin kelangan hungry din tayong manunuod.” Because the movie was 1pm and we were there by 12nn and wanted nothing else but watch, we ended up eating lunch at 4pm in Brickfire which by the way served terrible steaks but satisfied my jalapeno stick craving.

I suppose what got me so much into the movie was that it reminded me of Final Fantasy VIII with the whole armies and artillery and military vibes and marching beats and costumes and the train—oh yes the train…just like Timber. They transported me into a world that I really liked staring at visually but dread to be a part of. It is because of this movie that I became a Jennifer Lawrence fan…and ended up watching hours of her interviews on YouTube. Now I know why Hollywood is in such buzz stalking her all over. She may talk a lot but she’s darn funny. You may get annoyed with her constant jabber but then she says sorry and then you’re back to loving her again. This is the first time I saw a Jennifer Lawrence movie wherein I watched it from start to end since I didn’t watch X-Men First Class, watched Hunger Games only on its last 30-mins, and chose to skip Silver Linings Playbook. After Catching Fire I scrambled to watch the movies and all her interviews. Now, I’ve watched two out of three and find nothing but admiration for the actress who seem to space out and include a gross topic in every show—she even talks about her uneven breasts! If Johnny Depp fits the role of Jack Sparrow like a glove, then J.Law fits the role of Katniss Everdeen like a pantyhose. Plus this is actually one of the few occasions that I am fangirling about the whole Peniss (Peeta-Katniss) romance because of Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson’s undeniable chemistry onscreen. If Bella had chosen Jason over Edward I’d probably just roll my eyes thinking, “that bitch!” But the thought of Katniss ending up with Gale would cause me to cry out, “injustice!” I used to find Josh irritating as he often lands the role of a whiney little brat and use his voice to annoy me, now we’re okay because I can watch him act and not roll my eyes. Liam…well…I’ve always found his big brother the hotter hunk so I won’t talk about him. Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth were awesome as Haymitch and Effie. Jena Malone made for a cool Johanna. Francis Lawrence…thank you! And the soundtrack was also spot-on.

I suppose I finally got the idea that the trilogy is a violent romantic tragedy destined to have a bittersweet ending as the plot of the bigger story is being laid out in this movie. I want to narrate the movie in the best way possible because I liked it so much but I don’t know how because I didn’t read the book and I was so engrossed in the film that I just want to watch it over and over again because I now have a girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence because of her performance…so here I go:

Catching Fire is the continuation of Hunger Games, although this movie had gotten so much better and the though I am keeping myself together because Mockingjay Part 1 is still 300+ days from now—and since Catching Fire had such an abrupt ending I will too—The End.

The anticipation of the next two instalments is making me want to scream Katniss-style (when she found out she will be a tribute the second time.) It was such a terrible cliff-hanger that I actually thought about reading Mockingjay…but of course I don’t read novels so I ended up reading wikia instead. The only thing missing now is to watch the narrative on the big screen since I trust the team can do the book justice this time. I shall end this with a suggestion from Josh Hutcherson on what to do while waiting for the next instalment, “Improve upon yourself, become a better person.”

*photos were from Hunger Game's Facebook page

Libera Concert 2013

Growing up to the music of Josh Groban, Charlotte Church (before she became a pop-rock mom), Enya, Sarah Brightman, Andrea Brocelli, Gregorian, Celtic Women…you get the picture…it’s only proper that I get excited about this concert as Libera is the closest I can have to experiencing the voices of the Vienna Boys Choir. I mean, it’s basically the same concept of young boys being recruited to sing before their voices get to their awkward phase and they start talking in baritone voices. Libera may have been formed not too long ago as compared to the Vienna Boys Choir, but at least their group reaches our shores for concerts.  

Last October 29, I was mortified when my brother forgot to insert the SD card in his cam…but thank God for internal memory I managed to take a few photos. It took a while before I figured out how to transfer those photos to my laptop...thus the late post. You see I’ve been pretty excited about going to the Libera concert for the longest time, so long in fact that I’ve forgotten about the concert until a week before the date. It could've been chaos had no one reminded me. The first Libera concert I went to was last 2011, and this year I saw the kids grow a little older and they even have new recruits. Let me tell you, this is the only concert I’ve been to that gave me goose bumps in almost all of their songs.

They’ve been coming to do concerts for the past six years I think…and this is mostly because of the Philippine-British friendship month. I tell you, if you have not heard angels sing, then this is your best bet to hearing them. Their music plays mostly to the soul, uplifting your spirits as they raise their voices higher and higher. It’s like listening to a violin sing, swaying from one string to another, making sounds of elation. At times they would sing in unison, reaching for the top notes, but then out on the corner a single boy does his solo and you’re blown away at the height of his echoes. Some songs such as Voca Me and Sanctus leaves you with a haunting feel, like walking on an old misty pavement with the ghost of a little boy following you with his voice that seem to bellow from beyond our world. It makes you wonder where they get the power to reach these notes because taking it from their stomachs seems insufficient from what I was hearing. To say it simply, the music they produce with their voices is without doubt ethereal.

It saddens me that of the two concerts I’ve been to, it wasn’t a full house…I suppose that’s because this kind of music is followed by a small niche, but that doesn’t stop them from coming back; a fact that I am genuinely glad about. The next time they do a concert, do yourself a favour and experience this kind of concert at least once in your life because this is something I plan on doing on a yearly basis…that is, if they do the concert here again. For a Php520 ticket, it’s like you give your soul a two-hour journey into the heavens to hear a choir of angels serenade you with songs of soul-stirring jubilation. Also, I love the play of instruments in their In Dulci Jubilo piece--kudos to they guy who played the flute!

Desk Update 2013

This is my new more-cluttered-bigger-table-bigger-mess work table now. I've been using it for a couple of months now and I absolutely adore big desks...one of my dreams is having a work room where I can have a HUGE table to do my drawings, crafts, writing, and other art stuff. Anyway, it's been a year and just a comparison from my first post, this was my desk back then:

Almost everything has changed, even my laptop and my mouse...the only thing that remained is my cork board, mouse pad and the wall which I had planned on repainting but changed my mind when I saw the decals the other day--OHHH--and of course Sheepig is still there! 

Now here's a detailed description of-sort of my new work area in lieu of what I did on my first ever blog post: 

My First Year Blogsary Fail!

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL!!! That's all I can say after planning a really nice blog post for my first year anniversary of running this blog. I started about two weeks ago, thinking of an article to write about...but then I lost track of time, things happened in between, and before I knew it I had missed the day. Crappy crap crap! >:[

Oh well...87 blog posts and one year later I'm still a mess, but I still manage to update this blog...so not bad for someone who has commitment issues.

I haven't come up with anything yet so here's a yummy photo of Häagen-Dazs' apple something (that is no longer available because they're gone) instead. I rushed out in search of a cake for 
the anniversary photo this afternoon, but I wasn't craving for a cake today...so I used an old photo dating back last 2008 instead. 

But I am preparing a better entry for a more worthy blogsary post...but maybe I'll do that this long weekend. So...many...pending...posts.

Pre-Christmas Shopping

Before I knew it Christmas songs are playing, a few weeks more and we'll start the Simbang Gabi (which I attend only on the last day...because I am never going to be a morning person.) As what I now consider a personal Christmas tradition, the first gift I will be buying for the season is mine. A well deserved annual compensation on top of my weekly compensation. This year one of my self-presents is a Herschel backpack for Php4990.00 but I got a 500-peso discount from a promo that they were having. If you buy a 5K worth of Herschel products you get a Php500 discount coupon. I asked the guy who sold it to me to grant me the discount since it's a ten-peso difference from 5K. He called his boss and bwahahahaha! I got it for Php4490.00 at Bratpack, Greenbelt 5. The store there is bigger than other locations, thus the selection is more diverse than other branches. 

I have a thing with the blue-brown combination since last year...except now I'm more into the aqua-teal-ash blue kinda hue and the one on the left was love at first sight...but I also love the darker one on the right. So I sorta figured a way to trick my brother into buying it so I get to borrow the bag. Bwahaha! I've been eyeing on that Herschel bag for a long time now. Finally, I got "two".

Then I bought a M&S canvas bag for Php325.00 (if I recall correctly) then got a 95-peso discount at the counter. Marks & Spencer has this thing about surprising you with discounts only when you pay them at the counter despite being marked with a regular price on the rack...this isn't the first time it happened to me. The chocolates were also discounted by a few pesos, like 15-25 I think. Cost me about Php65 (red) and Php85 (brown). I like M&S chocolates, especially the one with the biscuits attached. The bag though, I'm thinking of giving it to my aunt who seems fit the bag with her fashion sense.

The lamp and the light bulb are also part of the weekend purchase. The lamp and light bulb were bought at Home Depot in BGC. I love the whole modern-industrial-cafe-like look of it so I bought the piece for our kitchen light. Cost of the bulb was around Php400.00, and the lamp for about Php1800.00 because of the 20% discount. The bulb is the 40-Watt with the cute squiggly filament seen inside. The lamp is a drop-light with a nice grey-tint glass and a classic shapely curve. I love it with all of my heart...for now.

  

QLC Moment #14

Balkan: Yugoslavian Home Cooking

When you enter a restaurant for the first time to try a dish for the first time you really cannot set standards, just expectations. In this case the only basis I have is service, price, ambiance, and personal taste. I am absolutely clueless with anything-Yugoslavian. I wanted to order something I couldn’t pronounce, and I was also in the mood for crepes. So I ordered crepe which name they fancied up as Palacinke claiming that it’s a traditional Serbian crepe filled with chocolate. The server guy said they used Goya chocolate…not a fan. Then they call their creampuff Princes Krofne, which we also ordered. Apparently it’s simply the Serbian translations for crepe and creampuff. The price was as average as their fillings, but I did like their crepe though because they were chewy and porously good.

I like the big light bulbs and the simple white-washed setup with splashes of colors from knickknacks.

Coffee is good, drink it!

Gravity

Gravity has intrigued me with its trailers since I first saw it. Effective teaser. Then I found even more reason to watch it because it's Sandra Bullock, then George Clooney. Yes, Sandra Bullock played more interesting roles than Mr. Clooney whose character is one-dimensional more often than not. One sad fact about watching this movie is that I didn't get to watch it in 3D. It could have gone from a 9 to an 11 out of 10 had I seen it in 3D...oh regret, I feel you.

It's one of the very few 2013 movies that actually got a 97% critic approval rating in Rotten Tomatoes...and those guys are vicious. They also got pretty high grades in other movie websites.

The setting may be out there, but Sandra's in-your-face acting was controlled enough not to set you off the edge. The story gives you a different perspective on a glimpse of man's nature represented through Ryan. If it wasn't such a big budget film with big screen names, I could have mistaken it for an indie film with how it was presented. The movie scared me more than Insidious 2 because the fear I felt was raw. Although the possibility of me being in the same situation as Ryan is as remote as me going to space, it made me feel glad I didn't pursue on my dream of becoming an astronaut. I've never seen space more up-close than this, and it is beautiful as it is dangerous. 

Note to self: Don't go to space.

The camera at times would shift into a first-person view that will either amaze you or freak you out. But mostly it's otherworldly. There's a lot of buzz from critics, all for a simple reason...it's a good watch. They did good. Nuff said. Watch it. 

The Goose Station's Memory

It’s the grand finale of my seven-part birthday celebration, and a fitting end to my passing. What? I dunno, I’m so elated that I make even wronger grammar. When food this good is taken in perfect proportion, it does tend to uplift the mood unlike an eat-all-you-can buffet which often leaves you with a heavy feeling in the end. The meal I had in The Goose Station was different in a way that it fills not only your stomach but also your senses. They say eating involves all five senses, The Goose Station makes sure you will experience just that. It took a long time and a whole lot of longing before the universe found a way to make it happen. This is where I say, thank you Lord for the giving me generous friends!!!  Despite being in business for a few years now it’s still being raved about. Finally, I know why.

To describe the experience, a friend summed it up for me: It’s like sitting on the judge’s panel of Master Chef, getting served with a carefully thought-out dish creatively plated, explained to you what it is the moment it is served, and having the servers stare at you, timing you when you will be done so that they can serve the next dish for you to critique. Of course we’re unqualified judges, but dreams need to start somewhere.

Being a genius, I didn't take a photo of the menu because I thought I would have the knowledge to recall what the servers would be saying. Unfortunately, after our server’s explanation I would go, “what did she just say?” and then she would be gone by then, and my friends would be clueless as well. A friend would just say, “It’s asparagus something” or “It has truffle oil!” So I ended up having to research for this article. Oh well, bear with me as this is all I can come up with.

Shoe Problems

I need new shoes. Three new shoes later, I still need new shoes...WHY!?!?! I'm not into stilettos because I curse heels as my feet hate them, and I'd rather be stuck with my meager height than having to go through with the pain of aching toes, sole, ankles, and spirit. I go for comfy rubber shoes instead since I do tend to walk a lot...it wasn't until a few months ago that I got to experience the wonders of chucks. 

I was so happy with them Muji shoes, so light and bendable...until I saw its edges start to crack after six months of constant use...like twice to thrice a week, walking an average of 2kms per use. Although it cost Php1500.00 for a pair of teal-colored chucks...I didn't get to roughen it up enough before it started falling apart. And they do tend to have bad friction as I get recurring fears of falling on my butt every time I walk on wet tiles with them. No photo of the Muji shoes, they're quite dirty now.

It wasn't until last week that it occurred to me, I need new shoes as I felt a pain on the balls of my ankles, so I bought the Sketcher's Go Walk for Php3,200+ and they feel awesome because it feels like your feet don't touch the ground. When I first walked on it, I almost felt like jumping, sprinting, frolic on them...a week later my right toe has this huge kalyo (callus)...but I love the shoes so much that I'm keeping my kalyo. Plus, it's also waterproof! The very reason why I bought them in the first place! Now I can run and jump on puddles without wetting my feet! A perfect pair for this rainy season...so I use them to work everyday and walk on paddles with ease.

Then I bought Ellesse simply because they were on sale for only Php800.00 at ResToeRun...that's a 70% discount! So I bought it because I want the brand...although I'm not so much into the color. True enough, I wore it out once and I can already spot stains on it. At least it's comfortable enough to walk in. There is nice friction, but a little risky to walk on wet tiles.

And my newest addition to my growing shoe collection, the Reebok Slimtone which I haven't used yet since I bought them on sale just this morning. It cost me Php1,300.00 from it's original Php3,995.00. I'm soooo in love with the color! <3 <3 <3 Aqua and teal with a combination of either brown, grey, or white is my favorite pretty-thing-to-look-at right now. So I'm basically looking for items with those tones, and this one hit me right on the sweet spot. Nice! I'm gonna take it out for a walk tomorrow. <3

But I still need new shoes...

Insidious 2

At a time when I was in need of a serious scare, I ended up laughing. Not necessarily a comedy, but when a friend suddenly yells, "si Ms.Minchin!" after the ghost slaps a little kid wearing a wig and growls, "Don't you dare!" it does tend to be funny.

I never got to watch Part 1, but I think I get Part 2 without having to see it. There are several parts intertwining the two movies, and it impressed my friends who watched the first movie. Me? It was okay. 

There are a couple of scary scenes, this one in particular:

Dragons of Atlantis

If I have an excuse for not getting anything done since last week, it's because of this game. It takes up so much of my time especially at night that I'm seriously considering of giving up on the game soon...but not before I could march into battle with my dragon. Maybe by next week or so...

This is a real-time strategy RPG that involves different races, building an army of several thousands, fortifying your castle, expanding your empire, finding allies within your realm, going into strategic battles, and raising your dragons to be the ultimate conqueror. It starts out pretty quick with building houses and farms within a couple of seconds to eventually leveling them up that can take you days to accomplish. 

Sun Wah Panciteria Restaurant

I discovered Sun Wah Panciteria back when I was in college and it was only a few months ago that I got to know the name of the place. Before that I only knew three things: they have a black pig outside their resto, they serve an awesome kick-ass pancit canton, and that a single serving is impossible to consume alone. When I chanced by the area last July, I made sure I read the name this time. It turns our to be:

Crickets Are Good!

Surprisingly tasty, chewy, juicy, and strangely addicting! And I once said I was never putting a bug in my mouth. It tastes like adobo flakes...you know, shredded chicken adobo deep fried in garlic oil after the meat is soft enough to fall off the bones. I ate a bowlful from Abe restaurant for Php230.00 I think. It's good with beer! 

The Croods VS Epic

Both movies premiered around the same time, so I missed both. It wasn’t until last week that I finally got to watch them.

Here’s a quick narration of the movies:

The Croods is about getting from Point A to Point B with life-lessons to be learned in between. Point A is the cave, Point B is paradise.

Epic is about a skeptical girl who is forced to believe when she suddenly becomes the 'chosen one' to protect a very special bud from dying or turning into evil. 

Cafe de Seoul in Taft

I went to Cafe de Seoul two months ago and I was planning to go for another visit for better photos since there was a shoot going on back then. Well, I pretty much haven't gone back to the place since it's quite far from where I'm at. So, after coming across several articles and films featuring the cafe, I decided to create this post before everyone else does. Because I'm competitive like this. 

Da Vinci The Genius at The Mind Museum

The Mona Lisa at The Mind Museum

Every art student should at least pay homage to Leonardo Da Vinci for being the genius artist and inspiration that he is. When I first saw ads about an exhibit of his works at The Mind Museum I dismissed it for obvious reasons, the top being disappointed with paying a Php250.00 entrance fee to see fake reproductions. I had to think long and hard about keeping my money or missing the opportunity to see up-close the reproduced works of thee Leonardo. When I read an article claiming that the reproduced pieces were done by expert Italian artists, applying the same materials he used back then and mimicking the brushstrokes Leonardo did, I immediately scheduled for a visit. The experience was a bit disappointing…

GK Enchanted Farm in Bulacan

GK Enchanted Farm is the second phase of GK2024 wherein the communities built by Gawad Kalinga are now formed into centers of social innovation. They are developing a system that can train global entrepreneurs who will produce global products that will sustain chosen communities and lift their social statuses to middle-class citizens. Once a field of kugon, the land was transformed and is slowly making itself known to the public as a learning hub for social entrepreneurs. I remember Tito Tony saying that he wants to train only the best because they are the ones who can conceptualize and manage competitive global brands that is up to par with western products. His theory proves effective with the products developed and being produced in the farm including Golden Eggs, Bayani Brew, Café de Sug, their artisan chocolates etc. Those volunteers come from our top universities, as well as other foreign students who too come from some of the best universities of their respective countries. He says that a lot of prominent French families send their children here to train and know what it’s like to toil for a cause. Usually, when he gives lectures abroad and students speak of ideas he invites them to the farm. Apparently he has grown tired of words and want actions done to prove a point. True enough, I saw a lot of young foreign people staying in the farm. He says part of his plan is improving our gene pool in the hopes that these people find their life partners in our country. Imagine our future generations living in a farm and looking like hunky models!? That I gotta see!

Their pretty cafe made out of bamboo and recycled materials.

My 25th Weekend Birthday Bash

My Orange Cheesecake birthday cake with 25 candles! Thanks Petunias! Photo c/o Francis

I celebrated my 24^th birthday with my family at Shangri-la’s HEAT. The price I had to pay the rest of the year was the price my parents had to pay for our meal that night, really really expensive. On my 25th, to celebrate the year ahead and compensate as reward for the terrible year I had to endure, I made it a point to really maximize the long weekend I was granted in the best way I know how, eat. In a span of four days I managed to eat in seven different places (Sa Kanto, The Village Tavern, The Cake Club, of course my lovely CBTL, Mercato, Slice, and Yakimix respectively.) And just so you know, we paid a lot more for a single meal at Heat than the seven places I ate in last week. This year, I’m celebrating my silver year, my quarter-life, my year of recuperation, and my incubation period before finally deciding where in life I should be. I've made my choice, but right now it’s still in the maturing process, thus I’m silent about the matter. The fact that if I live long enough, I will be thirty soon, and the pressure to make it in life is a struggle for someone under the process of experiencing a self-assessed quarter-life-crisis. Yes, I’m still working on that article.

QLC Moment #09

Here's the thing about having a set of friends who are the same age as you are...you basically experience the same things in life. I've gone around speaking to high school friends and college friends, they are encountering the same fears and doubts and frustrations and confusion as I am. To make the story short, we are in the same point in our lives and so we all have plans but basically don't know what to do about it right now. Oh the irony!

Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

I kinda-sorta liked Mortal Instruments the movie since I wasn't able to read the book. I'm not crazy about it, but I do like the whole concept of involving angels and demons and other folkloric characters...I'm not so giddy about werewolves and vampires though, but they'll work as extras...so fine! To my friends who read the book though, they felt betrayed as the movie confused them in a way that they didn't know what was going on since the movie did its own version of combining books 1 and 2 while deleting scenes in between. Can't relate!

7th International Silent Film

I got to watch my first silent film last night thanks my friend Mar and Elma who were kind enough to give me the extra ticket. Going there, I had no idea what I was gonna see nor hear. I was expecting to sit in a dark room, watch a black and white film, and hear my blood sloshing at sheer silence of the experience. Seeing what I saw and hearing what I heard made me so wrong...my expectations were quite naive, but the festival made my week. It was that awesome!

Suikoden Series

I  miss playing good videogames, I seriously do. One of my most favoritestestest videogame series of all time is Suikoden. It's one of those that I found the reason to stay home for up to five days or so...and I never do that since my feet itches after a day of staying indoors. It's one of those games that offer a beautiful storyline and characters that you will grow to care about by the end of the game. They mostly tackle political themes. I don't remember if I teared up for Suikoden II's ending, but I do remember being emotional somewhere along the game on Suikoden V. WAAAAH! I miss Suikoden...and it's been years since the last one came up. I wish there will be another one released someday, I'd surely play it.

I wanted to reminisce so much that I ended up scanning the net for forums and artworks that at the end of the day I wounded dreaming about the game. SUIKODEN VI when are you coming out!?!?! Calling all Konami people!!! I'm not the only one waiting ya know!!!! We need more of Suikoden love!


https://www.facebook.com/SuikodenRevival

Lusso by Margarita Forés

When my friend asked me where we could dine at Greenbelt I made a couple of recommendations, but then she dared me to make the call and choose a restaurant I haven't eaten in, and Lusso caught my attention after some quick research. Then I remembered that I've passed by Lusso a couple of times but I never seem to find the perfect dining buddy for the place until she agreed to treat me here. Turns out Lusso is also under the culinary team of Margarita Forés (CIBO!!!!) Perfect!

QLC Moment # 4

I get scared every day with the possibility that things might not work out the way I have always hoped for...Having to settle with Plan B isn't an option as there is no Plan B...yet...and if there will be, I don't want it! There's a spoiled brat in me that agitates me at the thought of having to settle for the next best thing. I've put up with a lot of shenanigans, trying to accept what I don't truly like for the sake of compromise, and I have regretted doing so most often than not...like 98% of the time. And so the nagging fear that I might disappoint myself in the end is something truly terrifying to think about.

Pet Peeve # 523 and # 274

On my way home last night, while riding the jeepney on a rush hour, several men attempted to skip the idea of lining up and waiting for one's turn to hitch a ride home and simply grab on the jeep's back without thought. This is a typical scene every night, men jumping on the backs of jeeps and clinging on like monkeys. It just so happened that I was in the front seat and the driver kept screaming at them to get off, but they insist on doing the stunt to get home early and possibly die along the way. The driver told me that not too long ago, five men were grabbing onto the bar when it snapped causing all five to fall off the jeep. Good thing no one died, but if anything gruesome happened to them the driver is the one to blame when it's those men who chose to be stupid. I know this practice has been banned in some parts of the country, but apparently it's fine in Taguig...and those freakin' kids also mimic what these stupid men do. Seriously, I've also heard a driver once stating that one of his fellow driver was not aware that one of the men making sabit on the back of his jeep had fallen off and died. I'm not saying good riddance, but I am also saying that stupid actions result to stupid deaths. I'm glad drivers are more strict when it rains because the steel bar becomes slippery and chances of an accident is assured. 

With my Pet Peeve # 523 said, comes the reason why it is so is because of my Pet Peeve # 274. Although I love the fact that jeepenys are known the world over as this exotic Pinoy vehicle, riding it on a daily basis has allowed me to experience the flaw of its design. It has elements that cause injuries on occasion...I for one have had a number of self-inflicted pains in the process of getting on and off the jeep. The top injury I have is bumping my head on those lights bulging off the center of ceiling...and I'm not the only one as I've seen/heard people painfully hit their bunbunan more often than not. There was even one event wherein a man smashed the light bulb with his head. 

Another hazard are those bars that allows passengers to make sabit at the back. Some are specifically designed for maximum abuse. If the jeeps don't have such elements, then stupid men would have nothing to hold on to, so the sabitan would cease. 

So why do they keep making them? We live in a democracy.

I wish there would be a company that could standardize the designs of jeepeneys and make them something cooler than just random whatevers being stuck together until--TAH-DA!

QLC Moment # 5

There are days when you wake up and ask yourself, "WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE!?"

Spätzle: Euro Market Cafe

Roast Chicken Sausage (Php 295.00)

Since I take the Shangri-la route to get to the MRT, I pass by Spätzle 90% of the time, and it has always been on my radar to dine in the resto because I've been seeing it almost every day for the past few months. I calls itself Spätzle: Euro Market Cafe...not sure why, but I saw spätzle on their menu...so I gave it a go. Turns out I'm not a big fan of spätzle, the dish, the cafe was fine. 

WOFEX 2013

I had been planning to go to WOFEX for this year as it has been two years since I last went. I've been meaning to go with my college friends, but with friends like them, I know the surest way to be on schedule is not to wait for them. It was the best decision I did that day as they arrived two hours late, just in time to see the event end. I took my brother and got there around 3:30 pm only to see that a lot of the event participants are either gone, fixing up, or not interested in dealing with people any more. They were not shy to admit that their priority were the guests who showed up the first three days and that the paying public on the last day will only have to make do with what's left of their products. Oh well, true enough most people who went there were only interested in the free food samples, including me. 

Juk: Korean Rice Porridge

This is a pretty product that soothes your tummy. It's only 140 calories for 288g of porridge, but it's enough to fill you up. I had this for lunch because I wasn't in the mood to cook nor did I want to eat an overpowering meal. No, I don't do diets. It has chunks of real sliced abalone (I think,) but I only found four pieces of abalone since it isn't cheap unlike the seaweed which they happily packed in abundance. 

QLC Moment #3

I'm currently in the process of piecing together an article on my take about how I define a Quarter Life Crisis or QLC since this is what my blog is all about. In my effort do so, I've come to realize that I don't know where to begin nor how to end it...it's maybe because I'm in the middle of it all that's getting me all blanked out. So, as a solution, I've come up with my QLC Moments segment. These are random thoughts  that happen to fall off my head whenever I space out or stare at a blank wall. Although some applies to my current state of paranoia, some are just exaggerated representations of what a typical 20-something-old might actually think about during those reality-check moments. 

To those who don't know, it's my birthday month and I'm closing in to turning 25 years old. Ack! I never imagined myself to be in this situation when I was in high school ..well...I didn't care what I was going to be back then. And then this happens!!! ARGGGHHHHH! 

My actual fear is turning 30 years old and being in a situation that I deem far from what I envisioned myself to be when I was younger. You know, like a millionaire-boss-awesome state kinda thing. Although 40 seem like a distant future, turning 30 is just around the corner and I get a real dread whenever I get a chance to reflect about it. NOOOOOOOO!

Lana Del Rey's Album Recording Scene

It was a monumental achievement to have finished the whole album of Lana Del Rey without shuffling to an upbeat tune after every song or yawning between every stanza. The coffee I drank must have been so potent that I managed to remain alert after the whole album. 

The photo above is a perfect representation of what my friends assumed happened during the recording of her album.

"Lana please! Wag kang matulog! Isang song na lang!" the producer begs as he nudges Lana on the studio floor. "Please! Tapusin na natin yung album! Lana...LANAAAA!" (Lana please! Don't fall asleep! There's one song left!" the producer begs as he nudges Lana on the studio floor. "Please! Let's finish the album! Lana...LANAAAA!"

We were forming six-packs from laughing at how we imagined the scene in the recording studio as she sang Born to Die. We all agreed that she was lying on the floor of the studio as she was singing her songs, apparently fatigued and half-asleep from getting the album done in three days flat. She wasn't allowed to sleep until they recorded all the songs, thus her voice sounds so tired and on the brink of slumber in all her tracks. 

"Feet don't fail me now...zzzz...take me to the finish line...zzzzZZ" 

"Lana gumising ka, please!!!" ("Lana wake up, please!!!)

What's with the Cookie Butter?

With the dawn of the Speculoos Cookie Butter so did the invention of anything-involving-the-cookie-butter-flavor. I've seen it turn into cupcakes, gelato, lattes, waffles, crepes, and even cookies! So, why the sudden fame? Go figure...

Commune at Salcedo

My brother asked me to come with him to Salcedo Village to shop at the weekend market last Saturday, so I thought I'd search for an interesting cafe while I'm at it since I don't come to the area often. This is what I found, an interestingly small cafe that's fairly new named Commune. Based on their Facebook page, they opened last April 22 of this year. As a word, "commune" means communicate intimately; but as a noun, it means "a place where you have great coffee." 

Dissecting Chronos

After realizing the intricate process of dismantling a wrist watch in my effort to create a Steampunk inspired accessory, I now realize how painstakingly accurate each gear fits to make that tiny machine work. It's amazing! And inspiring! And irritating!

Pet Peeve #038

Holy crap! Some people just don't know how to sit in public restrooms nor flush after their crap! At some point in my life I've seen a lot of horrible things in a toilet seat. Either floating, on the rims of the bowl, or on the floor. Not necessarily digested food, but nasty things nonetheless. It affects your appetite that day, and your impression on the world in the long run. So people, the toilet was invented for you to sit on and not step on. It was designed in such a way that your waste is contained in a receptacle so that it gets flushed in the septic tank. HOhsjbdkjasbkd...the visions still haunt me at times.

My Sweet Sweet Bella What Happened!?

There came a time when I went to Burgos Circle every weekend to buy a piece of rose flavored macaron. It was a time when the place was fairly new and the milktea craze was still on a high. I'd go for a pair or three of Sweet Bella's luscious french macarons whenever the line a Serenitea was far too long for my patience. It was my go-to place on that side of the Fort since other restos are more "restaurant-like" than a cafe. 

BONO Artisanal Gelato

Bono means "really good really yummy gelato" as defined by a personal experience, since the accurate translation "good" or "yummy" seem like an understatement. Claiming itself as an artisanal gelato, I have no argument based on the flavors presented and the taste extracted out of them magical tubs. 

Pet Peeve #11

Of course I blame the government for many things, depriving us from the comforts that industrial countries experience, but I know my misery is not their fault. If anything, I have every right to blame myself for my self-inflicted bitterness. I hate people who point their fingers at the government for their unemployment, when in fact incompetence or real effort could be the true factor. A man screams, "I'm poor because the government doesn't give me money or a job or a house or food or education or healthcare or clothing for free!" Tragically, this is the very man who sits on the streets scratching his head and gambles the day away, then drinks until pathetic come nightfall. Of course we can blame the government for a lousy urban planning and terrible benefits, but we can't just keep on pointing at them until our hair turns grey. After all, if you yourself know that this country is a little more on the hopeless side and know that the government is mostly to blame, you can just sit and die waiting or do something since you're part of the society that comprises this bittersweet country.