Because Of The Cake

Listening to people talk about resto's and cafe's you would be asking yourself and companions when will you go there to try their best seller? 

One of the most talked-about cakes were from Contis. My friends and I paid a little visit after a long day of work.


Environment is great. Not too crowded. Not too noisy. Maybe because the location is a little bit isolated from the most visited part of Greenbelt.


Since cakes are the most talked about specialty, we decided to try different produce as well.


There is nothing special about their palabok. Red Ribbon's is better than this. Cost-wise, expensive for a small serving. 


Spaghetti meatballs and other pastas are nothing but ordinary. 



Carbonara is creamy with additional water settled below. I think it was not drained too well.


Of course a cake to complete the meal. 


Serving time: Terrible... That means more than 30 minutes of waiting. 

But one reason to go back: The cakes!

Where The Good Guys are Connecting People

In a world where Napoles, Tuason, Estrada and Enrile stars the TV screen, we maybe wandering, 

"Where are the hell now are the good guys?"

When SMDC posters are around..

I would always ask myself, "where?"

In a Pinoy setting, we'll ask: "Asan? San banda?"

Last week, my friend Johnievic lost his wallet along with his passport and visa along Ilocos Sur. With the turn of events it was returned to him in no time. 

His trip may have been impossible if these valuables were not recovered. His work would have been spent travelling from one office to another to replace what was lost. 

On his way to Manila this morning, he found a phone inside the bus along where he was seated. Everyone's norm would be to keep such trinket. Fortunately, he was not "everyone". He went the extra mile to send messages to people in the contact list until someone replied introduced himself as the father of the owner of the phone. Since he has a plane to catch, yours truly was asked to deliver it to the rightful owner. 

My place is near where the family is staying. We agreed to meet halfway at a certain mall to return the phone. 

I met a very adorable family. Introduced himself as Mr. Collado, along with his wife and two pretty daughters. The phone was a gift from an aunt to one of her daughters. The family went all the way from Mindanao to visit the North, experience the cold nights of Baguio and attend a church annual conference. 

As we say, sentimental gifts are respected and treated as treasures. 

I left with a smile on my face and the experience: PRICELESS

And so there are OUR GOOD GUYS.. It's not returning a favor per'se.. It's doing the right thing...
...and the phone lived by it's slogan: Connecting People.. 

The King of Burgers

Things you would love about Burger King..

1. Whooper - I love it heavy pickled
2. Fries - Not too salty
3. Float - with lots of sundae
4. Free WiFi - password is available from the counter
5. Free charging of your gears - just be on the look-out
6. Free massage!

A Light, Satisfying Indian Meal

After two hours of seminar, a newly met friend, Jenny, and I decided to take a walk while waiting for our next session. With the time available, we decided to take a snack at the nearest Indian restaurant. 

New Bombay just around the corner of HV Dela Costa in Makati was our stop. Having been exhausted, we truly enjoyed it's ambiance thus, we took the middle dining table of the resto. Most of the time, in a place like Makati, one would enjoy less crowded place like this. I will be one of the people who enjoys a quite place to eat. 

Being my first time, and not familiar with the dishes, my friend took care of our order and we agreed ordering a a light meal for the two of us. We ordered only one dish, Chicken Masala paired with naan.

Chicken Masala, which is new to my taste is terrific. At first glance, it looks like an orange version of chicken curry. With first taste, creamy, a little bit spicy and still creamy. The topped onion leaks and cheese added flavor to the stew.

On the menu, the naan was presented with different flavors but I was the one who requested it to be plain. Naan looks a bit like the bread used by Jesus during the last supper. It may look just a plain and simple bread but this seemed to be heavier than a cup of rice. 

This combination of food makes a great pair!

Pastas and Cakes Can Never Go Wrong

Before going to church, me and my friends agreed to meet for lunch. Reasonable enough since some of us will be coming from the office dissmissed at 1PM. Market Market is the meeting area near the church thus, we agreed to dine out at our fave resto Banapple. There are only two franchise we've tried so far. Banapple located at Ayala Triangle Gardens and Banapple Market Market. We've been here several times but and dining experience has never let us down

During lunch, expect the place to be full-packed of hungry munchers. Outside the store are two small lounge where you are given a number and you have to wait until a table is un-occupied for you. Thumbs down for the space. Both branches, Ayala Triangle and Market Market has very limited space that can only accommodate certain number. Renting out a more spacious area may be advisable. 

The Fries..







Unlike the regular fries ordered from fastfood restaurants, this one was seasoned with spices and comes with garlic cheese dip.

The Pasta

Trio of Sausage Fettuccine

Though it is said that their best seller is Baked Creamy Cheesy Penne, I would strongly recommend Trio of Sausage Fettuccine which is topped with  chorizo, garlic longganisa, and Hungarian sausage and cheesy, creamy sauce. 

The Entrees

Hickory Smoked Barbecued Country Ribs

Chicken Breast Parmigiano

  

Salpicao Rafael

 The cakes

Tiramisu

Banofee pie

 Don't ever leave the store without a taste of their delicious pies and cakes. 

The Sandwicheese

Crunchy Chicken Fillet and Bell Pepper Sandwich

Moments via Collage

Bannaple is open every day! If you want to call them, you can reach their different branches with the contact details below:

Katipunan Branches:
Address: 206 and 225 Katipunan Ave., Blue Ridge, Quezon City
Telephone Numbers: (02)439.2675 and (02)438.2675

Tomas Morato Branch:
Address: 2nd. Level, Il Terazzo, Tomas Morato cor. Sct. Madrinan, 

South Triangle, Quezon City
Telephone Numbers: (02)413.2675

Ayala Branch:
Address: Ayala Triangle Gardens, Ayala Ave., Makati City
Telephone Numbers: (02)756.2675

San Juan Branch:
Address: Connecticut St., Northeast Grenhills, San Juan City
Telephone Numbers: (02)477.2675

Market Market Fort Branch:
Address: Market! Market!, BGC, Taguig City
Telephone Numbers: (02)413.2675


You can also visit their website at www.banapplekitchen.com or send them an email at banapple@banapplekitchen.com.

A Trust Mistrusted - Bride For Rent Review

From Market Market Taguig to Glorietta Cinemas, we were a bit disappointed that the fourth day of Bride For Rent in the cinemas still shows long lines (and I mean looonnngg lines) and full-packed movie theaters. We ended up watching the film the next day at SM Megamall instead.

My initial impression of the movie would be romantic comedy. It turns out to be combination of romantic - comedy plus drama.
The story started with Rocco (Xian Lim) a playboy who does not believe in commitment, was indebted and needed the release of his trust fund to finance an advertising project and to pay a debt from the casino. Unfortunately, the said fund can only be released if this bachelor will get married hence, hired Rocky/Raquelita (Kim Chiu) to pose as bride. 
The plot heats up when the bogus wedding that they arranged was supplemented with true feelings of love.

Xian's character maybe a bit exaggerated at the start of the movie especially with the comedy part where he tends to put some extra effort to be funny but tended to be a great acting when it comes to drama and romance. 

Kim Chiu on the other hand was consistent with her acting to her past projects. Her acting on this film maybe 90% compared to her "My Binondo Girl" project. Hilarious but poised Kim Chiu did well on this movie. 

Though the finale was rushed. There should have been more spice during the forgiveness and courtship before real wedding took place. But all in all, the movie was well presented in a manner that touched every movie goer's heart to tears.

Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy - An Official Entry to the Manila Film Festival 2013

My first share of MMFF2013 movie was Direk Wenn Deramas' Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy starring Vice Ganda. When it was anticipated that the latter will be doing Sisterakas sequel, with Kris Aquino and Ai-ai delas Alas similar to last year, a solo movie with four different characters was offered to him. 

According to showbiz news, the role was initially offered to Sweet Lapus but eventually given to Vice Ganda. 

Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy maybe one of Direk Wenn Deramas' signature uplifting the gay/LGBT community to another level after doing Bekikangs. 



I would say that this movie was similar to Bromance with a twist of four characters instead of two. While Bromance was a rivalry between two brothers separated and got back together, this movie quadrupled the story with four different sexual preferences. 

Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy is a story of betrayal, forgiveness and moving on. A loving mother (Maricel Soriano), a cowardly father (Joey Marquez) and the quadruplets (Vice Ganda) who portrays a girl who claims to be a model, a boy who claims to be a racer with Hepatitis, a bakla (gay) who's bitter since their father left them, and a tomboy (lesbian) who claims to be a singer with anemia. 

Four of them were separated the moment their grandmother (Joy Viado) flew to the states with the two babies who apparently were raised to be girl and boy. The other two were left behind with their mom, grew up in the farm and became bakla and the other a tomboy. 

The reunion was staged when Peter (boy), needs a liver transplant and Mark (tomboy) was the only compatible twin.

The plot heated when unsettled differences and issues were raised, and their parents' unresolved issue was added.




In case the movie was starred by Sweet Lapus, will it have the same impact to the viewers? I, personally would say YES! The fact that Direk Wenn Deramas can wave his wand to make an experimental movie to a blockbuster. No doubt the ratings would still be the same. He already did it when Zanjoe Marudo takes on Bromance. 

Meeting and Greeting someone (Pagsalubong at Pagbati)

English translation:
Everyday we meet and greet someone. Be it a person we bump along the sidewalk, people we ride along inside a jeepney, the train or bus. Of course we also do it within our family, friends and work area. Filipinos style of meet and greet starts with a simple smile, a handshake, cheek kiss and a bless (which is unusual to other cultures). These are usually the initial contact to place our best foot forward. 

A smile and handshake maybe the most common form of greeting and meeting someone along with the phrase "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you." In a more  familiar circle, a cheek kiss is more common within group of friends and a bless is a routine within the family where a younger generation will bless to older ones as a sign or respect.

Tagalog translation:
Araw-araw, may nakikilala at binabati tayo. Maging yan man ay taong nakabangga natin sa gilid ng daan, mga nakasakayan natin sa jeep, tren at bus. Tiyak ginagawa din natin sa ating pamilya, kaibigan at katrabaho. Ang stilo ng mga Pilipino nang pagkakilala at pagbati ay nagsisimula sa simpleng ngiti, pakikipagkamay, beso-beso, at pagmamano (na hindi karaniwan sa ibang kultura).

Ang ngiti at pakikipagkamay ay ang pinaka karaniwan kasama nang mga katagang "Kumusta ka?, o di kaya'y "Nagagalak akong makilala ka." Sa mas pamilyar na pangkat, ang beso beso ay nakaugalian sa mga magkakaibigan at ang pagmamano ay karaniwan sa pamilya kung saan ang mga mas bata ay magmamano sa mga nakakatanda bilang respeto. //

Typhoon Yolanda Gave Me Reason To Celebrate Life

One of the things I maybe thankful for is my life. Earlier this year, my friends and I planned to travel some cities in the country. We started up North within the bounds of Ilocos. T'was a time when I finally was able to check several places in a couple of days.

A month after, I was hitting the waves of San Juan with another batch of friends. My first time didn't hurt. Tiring but satisfactory. The waves and the board taught me that persistence is not about falling and standing up but doing better with every next try.

The chilly lakes of Laguna didn't escape our out of town experience. A bond of several people who have something in common. To enjoy nature.. 

Our next stop should have been Cebu. September. I really cannot forget that month. We've been planning on Cebu and Bohol for couple of months only to be cancelled at the end. That was before the earthquake paid a visit.

Last place for this year was the Romualdez Mansion in Leyte. Our plan was November. There are instances when you would be just human to be pissed off when you think it may have been important. Our case includes a schedule not released earlier so we could plot out vacation (for some reason). 

These, though at one point in time, would turn out blessings in disguise. I was thinking of it within the past week. If in case we were there where typhoon Yolanda strike, we maybe one of the ... 

I shed tears thinking we were at least spared. Spared money and time and life. 

Then I stopped and think.. " When was the last time I thanked God?" 

The answer came ubruptly in my mind.. " When I burp.."

Where my thank you Lord is a simple slip of the tounge not even sincere... 

Now, I have life to celebrate..

On The Job: A Disturbing Philippine Power-Cycle

A friend of mine had a chance to watch On The Job on its premier and gathered praise. I was asked to watch it since the film as he quoted: 

"Its-so-you.."

Finally, a rainy Sunday still unable to get out of Glorietta, we decided to take a peek.

On The Job begins with clips of recent news going on in the Philippines. As the movie gets timely, it holds an aura of not being sensational. With the issues confronting the country the film’s significance is impossible to notice. It illustrates how the politicians and criminals work hand in hand to achieve power, position and money.

Director Erik Matti gave in to a political underground story this time dealing with authority, politicians and position but his signature with how the Filipino family bond has never changed. Thanks to our corrupt penal system they’re regularly let out of prison to act as contract killers with the perfect alibis.

Though the film was slow at first, it maneuvers to cover each and every aspect of the story. Tatang (Joel Torre), a prisoner-hitman who eventually turned insecure when his boss Thelma informed that he can’t work full time due to his age portrays more than the murder. The darkness in his eyes conveyed more about his character than the conversations did. His assistant Daniel (Gerald Anderson) played a very talkative rookie following Tatang's footsteps. His character was more of a naïve prisoner who has a bit of an attitude. These two characters played major role as prisoners who gets out from jail time to time killing. As inmates, they share the father and son relationship.

The film was widely arranged where jail wardens also act as accomplices.

The cast of SPO1 Acosta (Joey Marquez) was played brilliantly. An SPO1 with 35 years of service stayed as SPO1 since he turned out to have the cleanest conscience. Integrity was challenged when he became the aid of Francis Colonel Jr. (Piolo Pascual) who takes part by being an NBI agent who’s entrapped by being an excellent cop, compromised by being a son-in-law of a politician (Michael Demesa) indirectly involved with the killings masterminded by Gen. Pacheco (Leo Martinez).

The love scenes portrayed were also timely and sensible still; the story remains intact despite the diversions. Angel Aquino, Rayver Cruz and Lito Pimentel also delivered well.

"On the Job" is a cynical, realistic portrait of PHL politics and crime.

Be warned: the film does not end on a hopeful note. It may even make you rather sad and ashamed at how real the film feels, especially in light of the country's current events.

But when people urge you to watch On the Job, do it. A film like this, an uncompromised commercial success, hasn't happened in a long time, though now that it has, our standards are irrevocably raised. - Adobo

All we need to do now is to wait for the film's international version.

The Man of Steel Turns Disaster-Porn

Clark Kent, Smallville, Krypton, Lex Luthor, Superman. 
These names ring a bell in a certain world of Superman. Once evolved cartoonic series to movies. Now he is the man of steel. 
As my company's employee appreciation day, they treated their employees to watch The Man Of Steel franchise. 

This new Snyder-Nolan team up came with a totally different perspective and story line of the said Superman series. Say goodbye to Lana Lang as love interest and Lex Luthor as villain. In this movie, we've got the Clark Kent against people from his own planet, Krypton. 

Though the movie was more of a disappointment, I highlighted some of the points I did not miss. 

The story itself was fast-forwarded to answer the question, What becomes of Superman after Luthor and after Jonathan Kent?

Though it highlights several main points about the difficulty of discovering oneself, his love life, his struggles and his earthly-father's desire to keep his ability a secret, this movie has been more of Clark discovering Krypton. 

When we say EPIC-FAIL, I think this was what the movie was all about.

• The presence of giant ships, and Jor-el's trench coat allows you to enter "The Matrix". Hey Keanu Reeves... 
• Where Jor-El's presence is called "a shadow" from an "S"-shaped USB that the people from Krypton use also to maneuver the ship. 
• Where the codex is not even an item that they are looking for but the codex it Clark Kent itself. 
• Where the letter S is portrayed as a symbol for "hope". 
• Where Lois Lane was asked by the aliens inside the ship for no reason at all.
• Where  Martha Kent survived after being thrown by Zod and Zods men never did anything else than to disappear after he was taken by Superman in the city for more act of violence. 
• Where New York was one block away from a farm without any sky-scrappers. 
• Where Metropolis came into crumble but Superman never intended to help the people buried underneath the rubble.
• Where Zod was programmed to save Krypton even without the existence of Kryptonians.
• Where Lois Lane is an award winning Pulitzer journalist and I don't even have a clue why was that mentioned.
• Where moral-issue was highlighted but was unable to save his earthly father, standing helpless in front of a tornado. 
• Where "you're not my real dad" script comes out of the context.
• Where Metropolis watch many people die when the man of steel was in nowhere but comes back in time to rescue Lois Lane.
• Where after snapping Zod's neck, Lois Lane appears for some reason. 
• Where contrary to the Superman everyone knows of, this man of steel does not care about the people's safety and welfare. 
• Where his weakness is not on Kryptonite but on killing (moral issue). 

Though the movie was a THUMBS-DOWN on my viewpoint, I still highlighted some quotes from the movie that struck me.

Just because you can't control me doesn't mean I'm your enemy.

Faith comes first, trust will follow.

You are my son. But somewhere out there you have another father, and he sent you here for a reason. And even if it takes you the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is.

What if child dream of becoming something other than what society intended? What if a child aspire to something greater.

Superman was once portrayed as a person from Krypton to save the people. In this movie, he was there to protect people. To save and protect are two different frames which were not highlighted in the movie. Maybe it was but it sucks.

The only part I love was how the two fathers, provided love, care and assistance to Clark. 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY EVERYONE!

Lunching Japanese: Hana Restaurant

Japanese food has been one of my addictions. Tempura, gyudon, misono, teriyaki, you name it. I was invited by a friend for lunch and we found ourselves lost in a mazeatic Little Tokyo.

 

 Don't judge a book by its cover.
Inside these nearly-remnants facade are authentic look of Japanese life. From the airing television in Nihongo to menus, everything in Japanese.

This place offers authentic Japanese setting.

 

One turn on for a restaurant is for the crew to know very well of their product. One of the servers offered and suggested the best of the house.

Our orders include the most-spoken specialty, the Takoyaki. Compared to the takoyaki served over the mall's kiosk, this one is one of the best and flavorful takoyaki I ever tasted. Topped with garlic thin strips, mayonnaise and mouth-watering sauce.

Don't miss out the Bento meals. We grabbed a bento meal good for sharing.

Talk about gyudon, sashimi, tempura, karaage, and their own version of vegetable salad.

Along with it is a bowlette of miso soup and slices of fruits.

Dining experience is not enough without their kakigori (shaved ice)on a hot sunny afternoon.

Before we left, we were given a complimentary card for the next visit.

Hana Restaurant Chino Roces
Unit 1. 2277 Little Tokyo 

Chino Roces Ave. Makati City
Hours:
Mon - Fri: 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Sat - Sun: 11:30 am - 11:00 pm
Telephone Number: (02)828-8471