MY PROUDEST MOMENT as a FILIPINO:

25 years ago, on the 25th of February.



True, we continue to be a work in progress,
but guess what? It's finally starting to work!!!



Hallucinating Revisionists and Hipster Cynics
may rant and rail all they want, but their brand of passé
thinking is exactly what will keep us from moving forward...

I prefer optimism. I choose hope. I'll never lose faith in the Filipino.

BINONDO TRICOLOR

Walking around Manila's Chinatown during
an overcast, breezy afternoon,





on a day when the streets (and estero!)
are free and clear of debris,






is almost like strolling along
a Farmer's Market.





Nice. Very nice!

The Week in FOODIE DISCOVERIES

The Return of DOMINO'S!!!

I thought Yellow Cab had killed you and you'd become an Angel...
this "Shrimpus" thin crust deluxe sounds spectacular:
shrimp, bacon flakes, horseradish, and paprika.











The Anytime, Anywhere ENSAYMADA!!!

These crackers really have that "essence of ensaymada";
all you'll need is a cup of steaming hot Tsokolate Eh
to complete the ensaymada experience.

FIZZY-licious!!!

This is probably the most revolutionary beverage
since C2 introduced the country to Green Tea in 2005.
Iced Tea with less sugar and more sparkle. Apple flavor too!

FLEUR DE SEL is the new Dulce de Leche!!!

This is the most uniquely, unforgettably scrumptious Wonka-tastic
chocolate bar since the original Bar None 25 years ago!

Sea Salt Crystals embedded in chocolate. Who would've thought?!?!

WATERMELON-SPRITE and Vanilla Ice Cream!!!

This really floats by boat.
Perfect for the long, hot summer ahead.

Speaking of which, are the Tuna Pies back, 'Bee?

And finally, the perfect AFTER-DINNER MINT!!!

‎"MR. PACQUIAO goes to WASHINGTON"

The New York Times profiles Congresspacman

(and future President of the Philippines?!?!)

a day before his lunch with President Obama:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/sports/16pacquiao.html?_r=1&ref=sports

AMAZING!!!

Loving this new movie version of Spider-Man!!!

Loving the fact that it doesn't stray from

my favorite comicbook ever...

check out the mechanical, non-organic

press-to-play web-shooters!

GMA-7, YOU SUCK!!!

is this network run by

bigots and racists?

please explain this telenovela:

Where did you leave your brains, you numbskulls?

In the year 1959?

An African-American has been

President of the United States since 2008,

and here you go propagating the most negative of stereotypes?!?!

Kapuso?

KASUKA!

MEGA PHOTOSHOP??!?!

What do YOU think?

Truth in Advertising

or

Digital Manipulating?

OT HAIR!!!

Float Away

with my Cabalens this

V-Day (Valloon) Weekend!!!

The Shakespearean Tragedy of ANGELO REYES

Exactly ten years ago, right after EDSA II,



Gen. Angie Reyes
was the most beloved, most admired man in the land,
second only perhaps to then Chief Justice Hilario Davide.

The Chief of Staff
seemed to be the epitome of an Officer and a Gentleman.

I still remember how Gen. Reyes fought back tears
when he had to escort Erap out of Malacanang a decade ago.




I pray that something good
will come out of the General's tragic passing.

I would like to think of him as he was in 2001, a hero and a patriot,
rather than the broken, defeated man he was in his final days.

How does GMA figure in all this?

It seems Gen. Reyes's fall
coincided with her rise.



He was Hamlet, and
GMA, his Queen.




And something
still rots the state...

BEST NEW PIZZA I've had since the Original Panizza from C' Italian!!!

ARUGULA + KESONG PUTI:

one of the prettiest pies ever,

and

Proof that Pizza Perfection

need not be overloaded.

Welcome to

GINO'S BRICK OVEN PIZZA!!!

They don't do deliveries

and don't encourage take-out,

because this spectacular pizza is best enjoyed

on-site, with the sensational aromas wafting

from the 800-degree brick oven.

Not Your Usual Pepperoni:

chunks rather than circles,

with flavors that somehow combine

Italian sausage with Spanish chorizos.

That's not Gino...

that's his dad, Jutes,

spreading the love.

After obliterating the savory pizzas,

we saw the friendliest, most cheerful,

most irresistible, most inviting

chalkboard sign ever...

wooohooo!!!

NUTELLA PIZZA?

"Resistance is Futile"

The perfect complement to this addicting dessert,

a freshly brewed cup of coffee, of course;

and conveniently, just a wall away from Gino's,

we found the new site of Cello's,

home of the best darn doughnuts

on Katipunan (and on Taft).

I used to go to Cello's original branch

down the road near Aurora,

they recently moved to this brighter, better location

right across Miriam College, on the second floor

of the new Mercury Drug on Katipunan,

best of all, right beside Gino's!

The Signature Doughnut,

absolutely one of the best in the city,

easily as good (better!) as any Krispy Kreme treat,

CELLO'S CHEESE:

it's like a doughnut shaped ensaymada!

Jutes is dad,

Cello is mom,

Gino is their son,

and we are all fans!

The Menu:

Margherita

(Tomato Sauce, Kesong Puti, Basil)

Bianca Verde

(Kesong Puti, Parmesan, Ricotta, Arugula, Basil)

Four Cheese

(Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Blue Cheese, Ricotta)

Pepperoni

(Tomato Sauce, Kesong Puti, Parmesan, Red Onion, Basil, Pepperoni)

Buffalo Chicken

(Tomato Sauce, Buffalo Chicken, Mozzarella, Blue Cheese)

Prosciutto

(Tomato Sauce, Kesong Puti, Parmesan, Prosciutto, Arugula)

‎"THE GIRL WHO PUT HER FOOT IN HER MOUTH"

Two weeks ago, Margaux Salcedo wrote a controversial

"blind item" about a certain "BBB"

that effectively put into question every food blogger's motives.

A good friend of mine got pilloried,

yet in her ff-up, Ms. Salcedo conveniently ignores this fact.

At the very least,

she should have made clarifications and

cleared the bloggers who were unfairly accused.

Isn't that what real journalists are supposed to do,

present both sides of the story?

Instead, in her follow-up column today, Margaux

"spins" her cutesy expose' into a pompous declaration.

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/sim/sim/view/20110205-318599/From-the-Girl-Who-Kicked-a-Hornets-Nest

Justifications after the fact

sound just incoherent mumbling.

HERO

It's almost impossible to find a real hero

in our country these days; when one surfaces,

that person deserves nothing less than our full support.

Our soldiers, specially those out in the frontlines,

those in the field, in constant danger from insurgents

and terrorists; the same soldiers who barely have enough

food to survive day to day; the same soldiers who would gladly

sacrifice their lives for the nation, yet aren't even provided with

the basic necessities like medicines, uniforms and boots, and bullets.

It seems that many of their top commanders,

have been playing a most sinister game: much of the AFP funds

is not spent for the troops' needs, but rather,

is saved for the Games of the Generals.

Game Over.

One lady, singlehandedly, with zero fear,

armed only with an unswerving dedication

to expose the corruption that rots our military,

has come forward to document the general graft.

Her extreme personal and professional sacrifice is epic.

Like our soldiers out in the war zones, she is truly heroic.

Thank You, Heidi.

The heroic volunteers of NAMFREL from 1986

had a motto which they lived up to during the

last dark, desperate days of the dictatorship:

"It's better to light a candle

than to curse the darkness."

Let's light up Facebook and show support

for our new hero~ please join this group:

"WE SUPPORT YOU, HEIDI MENDOZA"

please click here:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_197399430275484&ap=1

She shined a light on the hidden corruption in the AFP;

it's up to us to help her make this light burn even brighter:

show some love for Mrs. Mendoza

along with many concerned Pinoys,

and make this your profile picture:

恭喜發財!!!