Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Received good news today. Totally unexpected but totally welcome.
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Yes, today is a good day. Had good lunch, the peking duck was excellent! (and based on the reaction from my boss' face, i presume it's also very expensive.)
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Storyboard was approved, and it means we'll be shooting soon. Two shootings in the next two months. Two more nice films on air, which is extremely gratifying.
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Yup, today is a happy day!
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Happy... Happy... Joy... Joy... Joy...
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Baktong
My superfriendster Madzie introduced me to this term a year back:
Baktong (n): The unexpected appearance of one's nipples from one's shirt. In Tagalog: Bakat Utong.
I'm having a Baktong day today. It was warm and sunny outside, so I figured it would be safe to wear my regular summer polo shirt. But of course, I forgot that little factoid that it's spring, and the temperature drops in a matter of hours. So here I am, out in the cold, with only a flimsy shirt to cover me. And since it's cold, i am definitely having a "baktong" moment now.
I was hoping that no one would notice. I've been arching my back so that my shirt would loosen up a bit in front. And for a while there, I thought it was working.
But one of my colleagues suddenly walked up to me and said: "So what is it? Is it cold? Or are you just excited?"
Yup, it's definitely a baktong moment.
Ugh!
Baktong (n): The unexpected appearance of one's nipples from one's shirt. In Tagalog: Bakat Utong.
I'm having a Baktong day today. It was warm and sunny outside, so I figured it would be safe to wear my regular summer polo shirt. But of course, I forgot that little factoid that it's spring, and the temperature drops in a matter of hours. So here I am, out in the cold, with only a flimsy shirt to cover me. And since it's cold, i am definitely having a "baktong" moment now.
I was hoping that no one would notice. I've been arching my back so that my shirt would loosen up a bit in front. And for a while there, I thought it was working.
But one of my colleagues suddenly walked up to me and said: "So what is it? Is it cold? Or are you just excited?"
Yup, it's definitely a baktong moment.
Ugh!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Hac Sa
Hac Sa Beach is in Coloane Island in Macau. It's one of the few public beaches in Macau and it would be commonplace to see people having picnics and barbecues near the shore. It's not often that you see swimmers around the area, nor in the water, since the water itself is chocolate brown in color.
Melvin and I went here to eat at Fernando's, which is a tres popular Portugese Restaurant and an institution in Macau. (Think Aristocrat in Manila.) But since we didn't have a reservation, and we couldn't wait 3 hours to get a table, we chose to go and eat elsewhere.
Here's a kid trying to draw in the sand. It's instinct for anyone to doodle on the sand whenever we see it. Much like how people love making snow angels whenever they see snow.
Here's a big kid writing in the sand. Actually, he's venting out his frustration of not being able to eat his favorite bacalao.
The writing on the sand... which i wrote far away from the water as possible so it won't be washed off that easily. It's my protest sign.
Hac Sa is so popular, even the dogs love visiting it.
I'll be back next time when the crowds aren't too big, the water isn't too chocolatey and Fernando's has seats.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Inside Information
I watched "The Inside Man" for one reason. I wanted to know if Spike Jonze sold out to Hollywood commercialism. He's been one of my favorite auteurs since he was just doing shorts and MTVs. Hands down, my favorite Spike Jonze creation was the "Weapon of Choice" video from Fatboy Slim. This video featured Christopher Walken dancing and floating around a hotel lobby, and i've never looked at "The Walker" the same way ever since.
The movie was good. It was one of those stories so intriguing that my mind kept on trying to second guess the movie, but my guesses always turned out wrong. I made a couple of conclusions near the end, but still they were miscalculations. By the time I stepped out of the cinema, that's when I started putting everything together. "The Inside Man" was one film that made me snap my fingers and go: "Whoa! So that's it!" The last movie that elicited this kind of reaction from me was "The Blair Witch Project."
But my fascination for the film and the director was overshadowed by my instant and resurging fascination with Jodie Foster. From the first frame she appeared, up until the end, I couldn't get over how beautiful she is. I've seen her in most of her films, the last being "Flight Plan", but this movie made me see her in a totally different way. I saw her as a hot babe! She looked so beautiful (as i've been saying over and over and over again), strong, sexy and elegant. She had such an air of grace and superiority that I love, love, love.
I'm going to watch this film again soon, if only to see Jodie in all her goddessness once again!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Comfort Food
Most people automatically associate comfort food with a fluffy chocolate cake with thick icing, or a big heap of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top. But for someone like me who's terribly homesick, comfort food is something as shallow as a snack chip and the ubiquitous little pastry from back home.
Thanks to the cleaning lady of my former serviced apartment, I found a small grocery that sold Filipino products and I walked out with 2 bags of Clover Chips and Hopia Baboy.
Clover Chips has always been a favorite since elementary school days. Back then, it came in an opaque plastic bag and was sold for less than a buck a pop. Now, it comes in this nice, shiny foil pack with nice graphics, but thankfully, the taste remains the same.
Hopia Baboy reminds me of sitting at the steps of the bakery in front of our house in Tomas Morato. My playmates would take a break from playing patintero and agawan base, huddle by the steps, and eat hopia baboy along with a pack of Zesto. (Actually, my playmates would drink Coke, but I wasn't allowed to drink softdrinks.) The hopia sold here is much, much smaller than the ones in Manila. In fact, i can eat these in one bite. But as the adage goes: "Beggars can't be choosers."
And oh, it costs HK$6.00 for this teensy weensy pack. For the same price, I can get two trays of those humungous Hopia Baboys from Marby bakeshop! Ah, the price we have to pay for a taste of home.
Thanks to the cleaning lady of my former serviced apartment, I found a small grocery that sold Filipino products and I walked out with 2 bags of Clover Chips and Hopia Baboy.
Clover Chips has always been a favorite since elementary school days. Back then, it came in an opaque plastic bag and was sold for less than a buck a pop. Now, it comes in this nice, shiny foil pack with nice graphics, but thankfully, the taste remains the same.
Hopia Baboy reminds me of sitting at the steps of the bakery in front of our house in Tomas Morato. My playmates would take a break from playing patintero and agawan base, huddle by the steps, and eat hopia baboy along with a pack of Zesto. (Actually, my playmates would drink Coke, but I wasn't allowed to drink softdrinks.) The hopia sold here is much, much smaller than the ones in Manila. In fact, i can eat these in one bite. But as the adage goes: "Beggars can't be choosers."
And oh, it costs HK$6.00 for this teensy weensy pack. For the same price, I can get two trays of those humungous Hopia Baboys from Marby bakeshop! Ah, the price we have to pay for a taste of home.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
The Write Obsession
I'm a writer. I've always loved writing. I used to collect notebooks and pencils as a kid and wrote down every little thought that comes to mind. May it be a word, phrase, quote, even an image -- it always found itself on print. Even during the advent of the notebook computer, i'd still carry a regular paper notebook handy. Call it old school, but the feeling of ink gliding on paper is still more romantic than fingers typing on a keyboard.
It's been a while since my obsession for writing implements surfaced. It might be because my attention has been focused on jeans the past few months. But this week, my hunger for nice paper to write on started grumbling in my subconscious, and this weekend, it was time to feed the hunger.
I bought new notecards and journals this morning!
Crane and Co. is a brand that makes exquisite stationaries and cards. When I first got a complete set of monogrammed cards from Crane's, the writer in me just churned out notes and letters for family and friends. Traditionally, I should be writing those 100% cotton fiber cards with a fountain pen and ink, but since my calligraphic skills have long failed me, it was back to the Pilot Hi-Techpoint V5 in black. It works just as well.
This box of espresso colored cards immediately caught my eye because of its very rich color. I've long been a fan of dark brown, particularly ones with hues from the chocolate and coffee family. The tricky part about this is you need gel pens to write on them,, as the regular black ink would simply disappear if that's your ink of choice.
The teal colored edge added much oomph to these babies. In my book brown goes best with teal or pink. I've long wanted to organize a wedding with that color motif, though Filipinos think chocolate brown is too drab for a wedding. Upon seeing my combination on a note card, I knew it was a must-have. As early as now, the images of writing on these cards using gold ink is enough to bring tingles down my spine.
Then I bought this Moleskine notebooks for good measure. I know i've got loads of notebooks back home, but there's something about black, light leather covers and stickers with quotes from great writers that made me want to buy these. I feel transported back to the middle ages, and I can imagine the great writers and poets jotting down their thoughts in one of these babies.
Looks like my favorite jean stores have a new competitor in my "must visit every week shop" list. It's a wonderful paper shop called Papyrus.
I think i'm going to do a lot of writing tonight. At least it'll keep me away from Seibu and Lane Crawford, and the temptation of buying another pair of jeans.
It's been a while since my obsession for writing implements surfaced. It might be because my attention has been focused on jeans the past few months. But this week, my hunger for nice paper to write on started grumbling in my subconscious, and this weekend, it was time to feed the hunger.
I bought new notecards and journals this morning!
Crane and Co. is a brand that makes exquisite stationaries and cards. When I first got a complete set of monogrammed cards from Crane's, the writer in me just churned out notes and letters for family and friends. Traditionally, I should be writing those 100% cotton fiber cards with a fountain pen and ink, but since my calligraphic skills have long failed me, it was back to the Pilot Hi-Techpoint V5 in black. It works just as well.
This box of espresso colored cards immediately caught my eye because of its very rich color. I've long been a fan of dark brown, particularly ones with hues from the chocolate and coffee family. The tricky part about this is you need gel pens to write on them,, as the regular black ink would simply disappear if that's your ink of choice.
The teal colored edge added much oomph to these babies. In my book brown goes best with teal or pink. I've long wanted to organize a wedding with that color motif, though Filipinos think chocolate brown is too drab for a wedding. Upon seeing my combination on a note card, I knew it was a must-have. As early as now, the images of writing on these cards using gold ink is enough to bring tingles down my spine.
Then I bought this Moleskine notebooks for good measure. I know i've got loads of notebooks back home, but there's something about black, light leather covers and stickers with quotes from great writers that made me want to buy these. I feel transported back to the middle ages, and I can imagine the great writers and poets jotting down their thoughts in one of these babies.
Looks like my favorite jean stores have a new competitor in my "must visit every week shop" list. It's a wonderful paper shop called Papyrus.
I think i'm going to do a lot of writing tonight. At least it'll keep me away from Seibu and Lane Crawford, and the temptation of buying another pair of jeans.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
A-flutter in Hong Kong
In the spring, a young man's fancy suddenly turns to thoughts of...
Butterflies!
Yup, it looks like butterflies are the recurring theme this season for a lot of Hong Kong retailers and companies. Just tonight, I noticed three different companies using these winged wonders as their main symbol. Earlier today, we saw the new Head and Shoulders shampoo commercial, and it also followed a butterfly theme.
The nice thing about this is that each brand intepreted the butterfly in their own way:
HSBC's new campaign renders the butterfly in its most realistic sense. In fact, they've filled up the MTR Central Station with 3D butterflies, and it makes for an awesome sight.
I've noticed a lot of tourists having their photos taken in this area, and it's understandable. Standing in the middle of this myriad of colors and wings does transport you to a world of fantasy. I guess everyone wants to have that "Thumbelina-moment" once in their lives.
If I understand it correctly, HSBC's campaign talks about catching your dreams. At the station walls, we see the continuation of the campaign which is a group of kids trying to grab a dream or two. It's very clever.
Swarovski, being Swarovski, renders the butterflies in colored stones. I haven't seen these accessories first hand, but if they're as gorgeous as they look like in the photo, i'll ask Tanya (who has a discount at Swarovski, woo-hoo!) to accompany me to the TST store so I can buy my Mom and sisters one each.
Harbour City goes all-graphics on their take on the butterfly. One look and it easily reminds you of Nokia's L'Amour campaign that launched a month back. Solid colors, flowers and vines, bold lines, and a simple finish.
My first thought after seeing these butterflies was "boracay tattoo." It looks like one of those stick-on tattoos, or a pattern that a person draws with Henna on your shoulder while enjoying the sun, sand and sea at Boracay. Nope, i haven't had anything of that sort done on me, but my sister once did, to the chagrin of my parents.
Personally, I love butterflies that's why all these campaigns are a welcome sight for me. Who knows, maybe in a week or so, we'll see Mariah Carey being hoisted up over IFC belting:
"Spread your wings and prepare to fly,
for you have become a butterfly,
oh, oh, spread your wings up high,
BUTTERFLY!"
Butterflies!
Yup, it looks like butterflies are the recurring theme this season for a lot of Hong Kong retailers and companies. Just tonight, I noticed three different companies using these winged wonders as their main symbol. Earlier today, we saw the new Head and Shoulders shampoo commercial, and it also followed a butterfly theme.
The nice thing about this is that each brand intepreted the butterfly in their own way:
HSBC's new campaign renders the butterfly in its most realistic sense. In fact, they've filled up the MTR Central Station with 3D butterflies, and it makes for an awesome sight.
I've noticed a lot of tourists having their photos taken in this area, and it's understandable. Standing in the middle of this myriad of colors and wings does transport you to a world of fantasy. I guess everyone wants to have that "Thumbelina-moment" once in their lives.
If I understand it correctly, HSBC's campaign talks about catching your dreams. At the station walls, we see the continuation of the campaign which is a group of kids trying to grab a dream or two. It's very clever.
Swarovski, being Swarovski, renders the butterflies in colored stones. I haven't seen these accessories first hand, but if they're as gorgeous as they look like in the photo, i'll ask Tanya (who has a discount at Swarovski, woo-hoo!) to accompany me to the TST store so I can buy my Mom and sisters one each.
Harbour City goes all-graphics on their take on the butterfly. One look and it easily reminds you of Nokia's L'Amour campaign that launched a month back. Solid colors, flowers and vines, bold lines, and a simple finish.
My first thought after seeing these butterflies was "boracay tattoo." It looks like one of those stick-on tattoos, or a pattern that a person draws with Henna on your shoulder while enjoying the sun, sand and sea at Boracay. Nope, i haven't had anything of that sort done on me, but my sister once did, to the chagrin of my parents.
Personally, I love butterflies that's why all these campaigns are a welcome sight for me. Who knows, maybe in a week or so, we'll see Mariah Carey being hoisted up over IFC belting:
"Spread your wings and prepare to fly,
for you have become a butterfly,
oh, oh, spread your wings up high,
BUTTERFLY!"
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Blah... Blah... Blah...
Blah # 1: I woke up at 5am and couldn't go back to sleep. It was one of those restless evenings.
Blah # 2: No appetite today. Ended up eating muffins and pringles for lunch.
Blah # 3: Kinda irritable today. I don't know why. Want to put up a "please don't talk to me" sign on my door.
The problem with living alone abroad is that the Blahs are harder to control. If I were in Manila, all I need to do is go to Galleria and shop, and the blahs are automatically gone...
Blah # 2: No appetite today. Ended up eating muffins and pringles for lunch.
Blah # 3: Kinda irritable today. I don't know why. Want to put up a "please don't talk to me" sign on my door.
The problem with living alone abroad is that the Blahs are harder to control. If I were in Manila, all I need to do is go to Galleria and shop, and the blahs are automatically gone...
Monday, March 20, 2006
Not bad at all...
Andy sent me the list of finalists and winners in the recently concluded Ad Fest in Pattaya. Our Colgate 360 toothbrush campaign made it to finalist in this year's competition.
Not bad for a first time entrant.
But who knows, we might hit it big at the D&AD and the One Show Awards.
Not bad for a first time entrant.
But who knows, we might hit it big at the D&AD and the One Show Awards.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
PBA Games; Today's object of lust
After more than 5 years, I went to watch another PBA Game. Two teams from the All-Filipino Conference flew in to HK this weekend and played at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Melchor had 2 tickets, and since Tanya was in London, he invited me to join him.
Since the tickets were free, my mind was bracing for the worst - a humungous, unruly crowd trying to get the best seats. Surprisingly, there were no queues and people were walking into the stadium in a very disciplined manner. The place was about 85% occupied, but the 85% who were there were the rowdy, noisy, and fun basketball fan types. They came prepared with banners and streamers with messages such as:
- PBA. I love this game! (agh! an NBA rip-off)
- I (heart) PBA! Welcome to Hong Kong!
- MILLER (who turns out to be Johnny Miller, a player with an amazing 3 point track record)
- Purefoods Forever
Yup, the game was between Purefoods and Talk & Text. Melchor and I noticed that most of the players were really new and neither of us knew who they were. Thankfully, old timers like Zandro Limpot and Vergel Meneses provided still played. Asi Taulava was there, and everyone knows who Asi is. Then there was a guy who the Filipinas called: "Mr. Kris Aquino", and he turned out to be James Yap, who is Kris' boyfriend/supposed husband.
It was fun watching a PBA game again. I kept on cheering for Talk & Text (because they had fewer people cheering for them, and I just love underdogs!) In the end, Talk & Text won by more than 20 points, and it gave me a good vibe.
Oh, the absurd half-time games were also fun to watch. When I stepped out of Queen Elizabeth Stadium, it felt like I was stepping out of Araneta Coliseum with Fiesta, watching a Ginebra game. But it only lasted for a few minutes as the chilly wind reminded me that I was still in Hong Kong at the start of Spring.
After the game, I went on-line to check the Spring/Summer 06 collections of denim companies, and I saw this wonderful pair from True Religion:
It's actually an old pair since i've been seeing it in their website for the past few months. But when I clicked on the larger photo, that's when I appreciated the beauty of this pair. It has a nice dark wash that offsets the varying color of denim patches. The rise is perfectly low, and it still keeps the twisted hem style present in all True Religion Jeans.
Next weekend, i'm going to Seibu and Lane Crawford to look for this pair of jeans. And if they're there, it's going to be Jean # 54 for me! (Let it be there. Let it be there!)
Since the tickets were free, my mind was bracing for the worst - a humungous, unruly crowd trying to get the best seats. Surprisingly, there were no queues and people were walking into the stadium in a very disciplined manner. The place was about 85% occupied, but the 85% who were there were the rowdy, noisy, and fun basketball fan types. They came prepared with banners and streamers with messages such as:
- PBA. I love this game! (agh! an NBA rip-off)
- I (heart) PBA! Welcome to Hong Kong!
- MILLER (who turns out to be Johnny Miller, a player with an amazing 3 point track record)
- Purefoods Forever
Yup, the game was between Purefoods and Talk & Text. Melchor and I noticed that most of the players were really new and neither of us knew who they were. Thankfully, old timers like Zandro Limpot and Vergel Meneses provided still played. Asi Taulava was there, and everyone knows who Asi is. Then there was a guy who the Filipinas called: "Mr. Kris Aquino", and he turned out to be James Yap, who is Kris' boyfriend/supposed husband.
It was fun watching a PBA game again. I kept on cheering for Talk & Text (because they had fewer people cheering for them, and I just love underdogs!) In the end, Talk & Text won by more than 20 points, and it gave me a good vibe.
Oh, the absurd half-time games were also fun to watch. When I stepped out of Queen Elizabeth Stadium, it felt like I was stepping out of Araneta Coliseum with Fiesta, watching a Ginebra game. But it only lasted for a few minutes as the chilly wind reminded me that I was still in Hong Kong at the start of Spring.
After the game, I went on-line to check the Spring/Summer 06 collections of denim companies, and I saw this wonderful pair from True Religion:
It's actually an old pair since i've been seeing it in their website for the past few months. But when I clicked on the larger photo, that's when I appreciated the beauty of this pair. It has a nice dark wash that offsets the varying color of denim patches. The rise is perfectly low, and it still keeps the twisted hem style present in all True Religion Jeans.
Next weekend, i'm going to Seibu and Lane Crawford to look for this pair of jeans. And if they're there, it's going to be Jean # 54 for me! (Let it be there. Let it be there!)
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Go anywhere day!
Today is "Go Anywhere Day" which means i'm going to have a ride a bus to a place i've never been before. At the Central Bus Terminus, I hopped on the 6X bus going to Stanley Plaza since it was the one with the shortest queue. It proved to be a very good choice because in less than half an hour, I was at the Stanley Market.
I've been in Hong Kong for almost a year, and have been visiting this country for more than a decade. But today was the first time I ever set foot on Stanley, and it was worth the wait.
Stanley reminds me of Sitges in Spain. It's a quiet beachside community with sidewalk restaurants, wide open spaces, gorgeous views, and of course -- STANLEY MARKET! Yup, it's another treasure trove of export overruns, souvenirs, curios, and original chinese artwork.
I walked around for around 3 hours, just feeling the positive vibe of the whole place. Next week, i'm planning to go back with a camera because a place like this deserves to be photographed!
I've been in Hong Kong for almost a year, and have been visiting this country for more than a decade. But today was the first time I ever set foot on Stanley, and it was worth the wait.
Stanley reminds me of Sitges in Spain. It's a quiet beachside community with sidewalk restaurants, wide open spaces, gorgeous views, and of course -- STANLEY MARKET! Yup, it's another treasure trove of export overruns, souvenirs, curios, and original chinese artwork.
I walked around for around 3 hours, just feeling the positive vibe of the whole place. Next week, i'm planning to go back with a camera because a place like this deserves to be photographed!
Friday, March 17, 2006
FAN-tastic lunch!
After walking about around North Point in search of a good lunch place, the gang decided to just go our separate ways. Vince and Keat ended up at Maxim's, while the Shigster and I went to good old Mickey-Ds for a dose of American junk food. This was good news for me because i'm really lovin' McDonald's and have been wanting to try their new Rice Burger. Since the branch near the office was packed with students, we decided to take our orders out.
Presenting the newest offering from McDonald's Hong Kong. The "Fantastic Chicken Burger" or the new "Rice Burger." In Chinese, "Fan" means "Rice", that's why the product name is actually a play of words: "Fan-tastic" = "Rice-tastic". The Fantastic sandwich comes in beef and chicken, and since I don't eat beef, I ended up with this little baby.
Instead of a bun, the fried chicken patty is lodged in between two lumps of bun-shaped rice. The rice/bun is made of glutinuous rice, gravy and mushroom, which gives it a very distinct and very pleasing flavor. It's just like eating machang, with less spices. The sandwich is garnished with 2 types of lettuce, giving it a "healthier" feel.
Biting into this little critter is just like eating a complete rice meal rather than munching a sandwich. Imagine your ulam and kanin, sans the kubiertos. It's very, very convenient, very, very tasty, but very, very Atkins unfriendly. Initially, I didn't think i'd like it because i've tried a similar sandwich in Manila in the 90s in a place called "Rice Meal." (Pretty creative name, eh?) It was just awful! It was like eating week-old, coagulated lugaw which is never, never good. But when I tried this sandwich, I LOVE IT! The mix of tastes and textures are just right. And it's really a meal in a sandwich - giving "fast food" a totally new meaning.
To wrap the meal up, I tried the Sweet Taro pie, which is pretty much like Kamote Pie. It was ok, nothing spectacular. I'd rather have Choco-Mallow Pie from Jollibee anytime.
Thanks Ronald McDonald. I'm Lovin' It again, thanks to your newest burger innovation. I'm told that they plan to roll this out in Manila soo, and I hope they do. It's time to put the ghost of that mid-90s catastrophe called "Rice Meal" to rest, and make way for the new, uber Fan-tastic Rice burger from McDonald's.
Presenting the newest offering from McDonald's Hong Kong. The "Fantastic Chicken Burger" or the new "Rice Burger." In Chinese, "Fan" means "Rice", that's why the product name is actually a play of words: "Fan-tastic" = "Rice-tastic". The Fantastic sandwich comes in beef and chicken, and since I don't eat beef, I ended up with this little baby.
Instead of a bun, the fried chicken patty is lodged in between two lumps of bun-shaped rice. The rice/bun is made of glutinuous rice, gravy and mushroom, which gives it a very distinct and very pleasing flavor. It's just like eating machang, with less spices. The sandwich is garnished with 2 types of lettuce, giving it a "healthier" feel.
Biting into this little critter is just like eating a complete rice meal rather than munching a sandwich. Imagine your ulam and kanin, sans the kubiertos. It's very, very convenient, very, very tasty, but very, very Atkins unfriendly. Initially, I didn't think i'd like it because i've tried a similar sandwich in Manila in the 90s in a place called "Rice Meal." (Pretty creative name, eh?) It was just awful! It was like eating week-old, coagulated lugaw which is never, never good. But when I tried this sandwich, I LOVE IT! The mix of tastes and textures are just right. And it's really a meal in a sandwich - giving "fast food" a totally new meaning.
To wrap the meal up, I tried the Sweet Taro pie, which is pretty much like Kamote Pie. It was ok, nothing spectacular. I'd rather have Choco-Mallow Pie from Jollibee anytime.
Thanks Ronald McDonald. I'm Lovin' It again, thanks to your newest burger innovation. I'm told that they plan to roll this out in Manila soo, and I hope they do. It's time to put the ghost of that mid-90s catastrophe called "Rice Meal" to rest, and make way for the new, uber Fan-tastic Rice burger from McDonald's.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Indulging my inner teen
In my book, all these Euro pop groups sound the same. As Gilbert once told me, same Eurotrash, different packaging. So while they may look very different from one another, Aqua, Ace of Base, and even the Vengaboys are all the same to my ears. I can almost hear them now: "the vengabus is coming... and everybody's jumping..."
Then Arnie made me listen to this group called S Club 7, which is like "Mickey Mouse Club meets puberty." Despite their being very Euro bubblegum pop, I did find them nice to listen to. And since yesterday, i've been scouring HMV and Hong Kong records in search of their CD. Unfortunately, they don't have it. (They have S Club 7 kids, though...)
So now, i'm just singing the song acapella, and later i'll go off to another CD store in search of it. I just have to listen to this song!
Everybody's got something
They had to leave behind
One regret from yesterday
That just seems to grow with time
There's no use looking back, oh wondering
How it could been, now oh might've been
All this I know
But, still I can't find ways to let you go
Chorus:
I never had a dream come true
'till the day that I found you
Eventhough I pretend that I moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
Somewhere in my memory
I've lost all sense of time
And tomorrow can never be
Cause yesterday is all that fills my mind
There's no use looking back ,oh wondering
How it should been, now oh might've been
All this I know
But,still I can't find ways to let you go
(Chorus)
You'll always be the dream that fills my head
Yes you will, Say you will, You know you will oh baby
You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget
There's no use looking back, oh wondering
Because love is a strange and funny thing
No matter how hard I try and try
I just can't say goodbye
no no no no
(Chorus)
Then Arnie made me listen to this group called S Club 7, which is like "Mickey Mouse Club meets puberty." Despite their being very Euro bubblegum pop, I did find them nice to listen to. And since yesterday, i've been scouring HMV and Hong Kong records in search of their CD. Unfortunately, they don't have it. (They have S Club 7 kids, though...)
So now, i'm just singing the song acapella, and later i'll go off to another CD store in search of it. I just have to listen to this song!
Everybody's got something
They had to leave behind
One regret from yesterday
That just seems to grow with time
There's no use looking back, oh wondering
How it could been, now oh might've been
All this I know
But, still I can't find ways to let you go
Chorus:
I never had a dream come true
'till the day that I found you
Eventhough I pretend that I moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
Somewhere in my memory
I've lost all sense of time
And tomorrow can never be
Cause yesterday is all that fills my mind
There's no use looking back ,oh wondering
How it should been, now oh might've been
All this I know
But,still I can't find ways to let you go
(Chorus)
You'll always be the dream that fills my head
Yes you will, Say you will, You know you will oh baby
You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget
There's no use looking back, oh wondering
Because love is a strange and funny thing
No matter how hard I try and try
I just can't say goodbye
no no no no
(Chorus)
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Had to Bee
Homesickness reached an alarming level. Wanted to log on to cathaypacific.com and get a last flight out of HK to Manila. Got antsy in my chair and just decided to step out of the office, grab some fresh air, walk the stress away and keep my mind lucid for the next few days.
Once outside the building, I was trying to decide whether I should go to Victoria Park, Ikea or HMV. Then I decided to ride the train all the way to Central, and indulge in something that will bring me back "home" even for a few minutes -- JOLLIBEE!
When I was first assigned here, there were 3 Jollibee outlets. Now, they're down to one - a branch in some god foresaken sidestreet in the middle of Central. Compared to all those delightful and vibrant stores in Manila, their store in HK can only be described as "sorry." Space is small, walls are bare, tables and chairs are unbelievably plain. The menu is another thing to rant about. Choices aren't as varied, they have no chicken strips, and not even Choco-Mallow Pie! (sacrilege!) Their palabok tastes odd, the spaghettti is soggy, and their sandwiches are microwaved rather than hot off the grill.
But then again, beggars can't be choosers. No matter how much I rant, this is the only place to go for "Filipino comfort food" that i'm familiar with. Ended up ordering Tuna Sandwich, Chickenjoy Pops and Fries. Thankfully, it was a weekday so the lines weren't that long and seats weren't that hard to come by. In fact, the place was virtually empty, which explains why my fries look like they've been sitting around the bin for the past 20 minutes. Chickenjoy Pops - microwaved and not fresh, Tuna Sandwich - a bit cold.
It ain't the best meal in the world, but hey, it feels like home.
My first housewarming present!
Cool beans! After having my first official guests over at my flat, I received my first housewarming present.
Joey, Jon and Gabbi gave me this funky red mirror from Ikea before they left last Sunday. This will surely be a tres useful gift since there is a conspicuous absence of a big mirror at home. Yup, in 6 months of living here, i've survived with 2 small, desktop mirrors and no full length one. Needless to say, I never get to check my outfits out. Thankfully, my imagination and spatial intelligence is advance enough, so it really isn't needed.
The reason i've held back on buying a large mirror is the fact that it's difficult to transport. Imagine having to bring a 3 feet mirror down the MTR station, inside the MTR train, and up the MTR station again. Just thinking about it is enough deterrent for me. That's why it's funny when Joey and Jon told me that they had the same difficulty bringing the mirror home. But of course, I appreciate the effort, very, very, very much.
So now, I've got a big, red mirror at home. It's cool, it's useful, and it matches the color scheme of my bedroom. Heck, if all guests will be bringing presents like these everytime they visit, i wouldn't mind having visitors every other week!
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Not good...
It feels like ages since I was last in Manila. This antsy feeling drove me to look at my desk calendar to count how many days has it been since my last Manila visit.
Lo and behold, it's only been 14 days since I was last there. But if it's been that short a time, how come it feels like i've been here forever. I want to go home this weekend. But I know I shouldn't. The point of being emancipated is to get used to being detatched from everything familiar and comforting.
It doesn't help to know that Melvin is on his way to Manila this Thursday. Envy. Envy. Envy. I'm desperately keeping myself from booking a ticket home this weekend, or next weekend at least.
Two weeks and i'm already homesick. Not good...
Lo and behold, it's only been 14 days since I was last there. But if it's been that short a time, how come it feels like i've been here forever. I want to go home this weekend. But I know I shouldn't. The point of being emancipated is to get used to being detatched from everything familiar and comforting.
It doesn't help to know that Melvin is on his way to Manila this Thursday. Envy. Envy. Envy. I'm desperately keeping myself from booking a ticket home this weekend, or next weekend at least.
Two weeks and i'm already homesick. Not good...
Friday, March 10, 2006
Show me the Muppet!
Keat and I were talking about the Muppet Show a couple of days back, then I came across this Blogthing test entitled: "Which Muppet are you." Needless to say, my fingers immediately reached for the mouse and keyboard and started answering. My muppet alter-ego isn't that big a surprise, really...
I've always liked Fozzie Bear. Though I'd rather be one of the 2 old guys sitting on the balcony and complaining how bad the acts are. Then again, it would also be cool to be Beaker or Bunsen. And Keat, he likes the Swedish Chef.
Go figure!
| You Are Fozzie Bear |
 "Wocka! Wocka!" You're the life of the party, and you love making people crack up. If only your routine didn't always bomb! You may find more groans than laughs, but always keep the jokes coming. |
I've always liked Fozzie Bear. Though I'd rather be one of the 2 old guys sitting on the balcony and complaining how bad the acts are. Then again, it would also be cool to be Beaker or Bunsen. And Keat, he likes the Swedish Chef.
Go figure!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
I'm getting FAT!
Another reason why it's good to eat out in Hong Kong is the presence of Fat Angelo's Restaurant. This place feels like a hybrid of Italianni's, Friday's, Denny's with a sprinkling of my Tito's very own Los Caracoles. My former colleague introduced me to Fat Angelo's a few years ago, and this lunch time was the first time i've been back in years!
It's good to know that while the country changes every so often, this restaurant was able to keep its food and ambience consistent through the years. The Chicken Parmesan is as cheezy as ever, the Calamari is still tender and the tomato sauce is equally flavorful, and the Vodka Penne still makes my taste buds do the dance of joy.
Fat Angelo's has excellent complimentary bread, too, and it's so much better than what Italianni's serves in Manila. Theirs is this huge, crusty bun that's so soft inside! Dipped in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and parmesan cheese combo, heck, it's good enough for a meal. Add the free salad, and it's reason enough to visit every so often. Plus, i'm getting the hang of HK's "make your own iced lemon tea" tradition, and this'll make it difficult for me to return to Nestea back home.
As expected, our Fat Angelo's lunch is extremely fillling. We had 2 kinds of pasta, chicken and calamari, aside from the bread and salad. If we didn't catch a cab going back to the office, i'd probably roll my way back.
I'm going to bring Ninette and Tita to this place when they visit HK this weekend!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
The Dudung Complex
Since i'm having my first, honest-to-goodness guests in my flat this weekend, I had to do some honest-to-goodness cleaning tonight. The past few months were all about sweeping and dusting, and that was enough since i'm not too nit-picky about cleanliness. But since these are new people, and I have to appear like I'm actually good at keeping house and living alone, the flat should be spankingly clean when they arrive.
Tonight, I left the office early to do some major cleaning at home. First, I had to dress up for the job:
- Ratty, white t-shirt
- Old boxer shorts
- Fuzzy slippers
Then, I had to get the tools of the trade
- Small pail of water
- Rag for table top surfaces
- Rag for floor
- Rag for kitchen
- Pledge
- Rag for polishing
And then of course, I can't start cleaning without the right background music. So I quickly compiled some funky tunes in my iTunes so I can work with this rhythm and vibe:
- "Let's Groove" by Earth, Wind and Fire
- "Sweet Soul Revue" by Pizzicato Five
- "So Hot" by Touch and Go
- "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce
- "I'm a Slave 4 U" by Britney Spears
- "You're so Vain" by Carole King
- "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire
- "Ladies Night" by Kool and the Gang
- "Since you've been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
- "Chocolate" by Kylie Minogue
- "Hand in your Heart" by Kylie Minogue
- "It's like that" by Mariah Carey
With all these set, I went about doing my chores with precision and enthusiasm. I was so in character that I felt like a houseboy going about my daily grind. It was a scene that would have made my Momma proud. There I was, down on my knees, wiping the floor with a rag. And while I was, I was singing "Oh yes it's ladies night, and the feeling's right, oh yeah it's ladies night, oh what a night! (ohhh.... what a night....). This scene reminded me of our old maid who used to sing "I'll never go far away from you" each time she did a house chore.
Before the last track ended, I was done with cleaning my entire apartment. Except for the bathroom since i'm reserving that for tomorrow night. Now I know why our maids and houseboys crank up the music each time they do chores at home, it really does get a person in the right cleaning groove.
I should do this more often.
Tonight, I left the office early to do some major cleaning at home. First, I had to dress up for the job:
- Ratty, white t-shirt
- Old boxer shorts
- Fuzzy slippers
Then, I had to get the tools of the trade
- Small pail of water
- Rag for table top surfaces
- Rag for floor
- Rag for kitchen
- Pledge
- Rag for polishing
And then of course, I can't start cleaning without the right background music. So I quickly compiled some funky tunes in my iTunes so I can work with this rhythm and vibe:
- "Let's Groove" by Earth, Wind and Fire
- "Sweet Soul Revue" by Pizzicato Five
- "So Hot" by Touch and Go
- "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce
- "I'm a Slave 4 U" by Britney Spears
- "You're so Vain" by Carole King
- "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire
- "Ladies Night" by Kool and the Gang
- "Since you've been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
- "Chocolate" by Kylie Minogue
- "Hand in your Heart" by Kylie Minogue
- "It's like that" by Mariah Carey
With all these set, I went about doing my chores with precision and enthusiasm. I was so in character that I felt like a houseboy going about my daily grind. It was a scene that would have made my Momma proud. There I was, down on my knees, wiping the floor with a rag. And while I was, I was singing "Oh yes it's ladies night, and the feeling's right, oh yeah it's ladies night, oh what a night! (ohhh.... what a night....). This scene reminded me of our old maid who used to sing "I'll never go far away from you" each time she did a house chore.
Before the last track ended, I was done with cleaning my entire apartment. Except for the bathroom since i'm reserving that for tomorrow night. Now I know why our maids and houseboys crank up the music each time they do chores at home, it really does get a person in the right cleaning groove.
I should do this more often.
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