breakfast for dinner

Remember how your parents told you not to play with your food, but you kept on doing it anyway?  We love having fun with the stuff we eat, don't we?  So much that we have to be told not to do it.  Come on, admit it - even as adult, you can't resist the temptation sometimes.  ^_^

I'm not really fond of blogging about food and food places, but as this week's happy thawts are hinged on dinner, this'll sort of be about a food place.  But no, it's not quite a review.

For years now, my cousin C has been egging me on about how we should meet up outside of family gatherings.  We agreed it would be nice to go out like how we used to when we were younger, except not for teenagery stuff this time.  Anyway, we were finally able to set aside some time to do it this week.  And that's happy thawt number one:  Seeing one of my favorite cousins on a workday. It was nice getting together like that. I'd almost forgotten how fun it could be to just hang out with her.

So here's an awful phone-cam photo of us, after-work eyebags and all.
Photoshopping this would take a lot of work, so forget that.

Now here comes happy thawt number two. 

We agreed to meet in Eastwood City, since it was a midpoint of sorts after work (both for her and myself, and for the Hubby, who was joining us).  We walked around a bit and decided on a place called Slappy Cakes.

We were quite drawn to Slappy Cakes because of two things: the thought of having breakfast for dinner (i love pancakes), and the thought of having some fun with our food.  Each table had this griddle in the middle, where diners can cook pancakes just how they want them. The menu even offers several different kinds of batter, and a gamut of sweet and savory fillings and toppings.  How fun is that for a pancake-lover, right?

You can make yourself something comforting like a  a blueberry-strawberry buttermilk pancake...

Or attempt a designer banana-walnut-peanut butter-salted chocolate pancake with Nutella, or a crazy bacon and cheese and mushroom pancake with mango syrup.  Or not.  ^_^

The batter comes in these nifty squeeze bottles that minimize the mess...

... so you could also make your pancakes into any shape you want to.  Hearts or stars or letters and stuff. In fact, the  folks in the other booth were spelling words out with their batter.

As for our table, we wondered ...

So here's the Hubby on flipping duty ...

... and our mini vegan-batter pancake with banana and bacon, just about getting bubbly.  There's nothing vegan about this pancake anymore though.  We're not trying to be vegan, but we went for the vegan batter because the food server said it tasted good with bacon.  Who would've thought, right?  It was pretty tasty, actually.

It's the sort of place kids and non-boring adult pancake fans would like.  I'd probably come back, but with a couple of nephews or a nieces next time.

soaking the blues away at the water spa

My sister has been telling me about this water spa in Pasig lately. I gave it a try yesterday and  I went home loving it too.  It's brilliant! Highly recommended.

According to the brochures, it's a European-concept spa that offers what is called hydrotherapy - a massage sans the masseuse.  Your body gets treated instead by pressurized water jets in a pleasantly warm pool.  It's kind of like being in a hot tub, only it's not so hot, and it has jets targeted for specific areas of the body.

Illustration mine.
For representation purposes only.  We aren't really that skinny.

Imagine a huge but shallow swimming pool divided into twenty or so sections.  Each section specializes in massaging a certain body part - shoulders, legs, full back, and so on.  All you have to do is choose a section, sit there (or stand, or squat, or lie down; whichever you prefer), push the ON button and enjoy your massage.  As I've been having upper back and shoulder pains these past several days, I spent more time in the sections that focus on the back.

Besides, you don't really need to have body aches to appreciate a water spa.  You can just go there to wind down or have fun.  It's like going to a swimming pool, only this one massages you.  It's a lot more exciting than I make it seem, trust me.  ^_^   But if you'd rather do laps, the facility has a separate pool just for that as well.

After trying out all the various sections, we lolled in what they called the "Lazy River" - it goes around the main hydrotherapy pool, and it has slight current.  Grab one of the kickboards there and float along.  I managed to lie down on my board (after much struggle) and I had four rounds of a nice, slow drift.

My favorite part though was the hot herbal pools.  There was a separate section with four pools,each filled with hot, scented herbal infusions - mint, jasmine and lavender.  Excellent for relieving muscle and joint pain, insomnia or diabetes, we've been told.   I made sure to dunk myself in all four, alternately with the cold-water pool.  It kinda felt like soaking in tea, but it was sooooo nice.

The place also offers a steam bath and a sauna, for sweating out bodily toxins.  I sat in the sauna for ten minutes, and despite the high humidity that made it a bit hard to breathe, I found it enjoyable.  Though maybe next time, I should bring a book.

Hydrotherapy massage + lazy river + lap pool + hot herbal pools + sauna + steam bath = a whole morning of relaxation, all for a P550 entrance fee.  Not bad, huh?  We're definitely coming back and telling our friends about this place.
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an early summer in bohol

Had an early summer in the lovely, laid-back province of Bohol.

We first of all visited family. 

We stuffed ourselves with food.

What was special about the food during our trip was that it was mostly fresh seafood.  Freshly-caught fish, prawns and squid taste so much better than the store-bought frozen variety.


We also went beach-hopping.

When we think of nice, white sand beaches in the Philippines, we often think of Boracay.  But I was delightfully surprised to learn that there are so many white sand beaches in the island of Panglao.

The sand is pale and fine, like polvoron.

We went to see the historical sites ...

Above: The Sandugo Monument. It commemorates the blood compact made between Datu Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi on March 16, 1565, to signify good relations.

Baclayon Church, one of the oldest churches in Asia.  Built in 1727 by the Jesuits, it is quite well-preserved.

... and natural treasures Bohol is known for:

Loboc River.  Enjoyed via a leisurely cruise and lunch on a floating restaurant.

Hinagdanan Cave.

 Tarsiers, one of the world's smallest primates.

And of course, a tour of Bohol wouldn't be complete without seeing the Chocolate Hills.

One of my favorite parts of the trip: Dolphin-watching.

  We were lucky to sight a lot of dolphins skipping.  We were close enough to tell they were huge - they might have been about human size or bigger.

 

That was fun.  ^_^  Next trip planned for summer 2012:  Laiya, Batangas, next month.

i got me a few new books! ^_^

As some of you may already know, there was a book fair at the SMX last week.  And I almost forgot about it! Good thing the Hubby and I were able to make time to go on Sunday, the last day.

The last day of course means a lot of people.

For non-literature lovers, it must be confounding as to why there was such a fuss about a books (a friend of ours for example, asked, What are you going to do at a book fair?).  This annual event gathers various publishers and distributors together all in one place, and books are sold at much lower prices than they go for at bookstores.  There's a good chance of finding titles that aren't usually sold at National or Fully Booked, even hardbound copies.

Well I love books.  I don't exactly enjoy the process of reading, but I enjoy taking in what a good book has to offer.  I have therefore made visiting the Book Fair a yearly tradition.

I was hoping to buy a biography of Sir Winston Churchill and of Teddy Roosevelt, but I didn't find any.  The bio sections were full of tomes of William and Catherine, and various volumes on Obama ( 9_9 tsssss) but I didn't care for any of those.

I proceeded to look around and found other titles I was interested in:

 

They were all titles I intended to buy years ago, but I thought the bookstore prices were too expensive.  Book Fair discounts are much more budget-friendly.  And oh, I got a free sampler from Penguin Books too - WHAT THE WORLD IS READING is a compilation of  the first chapters of hot new novels; if I like any of them I'll know what to look for in the future.

I prefer hardbound versions to paperbacks, especially for bestselling novels, but  I decided on saving a few pesos by settling for the paperbacks. They have the same contents anyway.  They don't look as lovely and they have smaller type, but it's a tiny inconvenience I'm willing to put myself through. Besides, most of the hardbound copies were already sold out by this time.

Hubby and I wanted to look around some more, but I - in a lack of foresight - was wearing four-inch wedges and I'd already twisted my ankle several times.  Plus the crowd was getting thicker and more impatient by the minute, we had to bail before things got too uncomfy.  Anyway we acquired five new titles, and we're really happy about that.  ^_^

I'm excited to start devouring our new books, but I still have an old one to finish...  Maybe I'll start on a new one anyway.  ^_^

constructing cruciverbs

It may not seem like fun to many, but I enjoy solving crosswords. The past few days were huge, satisfying servings of left-brain candy as I kept myself busy composing my own puzzles.

My screen shot of Puzzle #1.

Yup, I made my own cruciverbs. I'm not aware of what software to use for this sort of thing, so I drafted them in Excel.

I got my cue from Sandra Bullock's character in All About Steve. I wasn't able to see it at the cinema when it was released last year, but I lately managed to stumble onto it while flipping channels.

Image from here.

Sandy plays the quirky, goofy, hyper-intelligent Mary, who falls obsessively in love with Steve (played by the gorgeous Bradley Cooper). She follows him around and pursues a chain of unfortunate but humorous events that make up a romantic comedy.

Cute storyline aside, Mary is the local paper's cruciverbalist. I watched her manually pen her words into a grid and thought, "Hey, I can do that!" I recalled that I'd previously took a shot at construction using shorter words, and that I had a good, geeky time of it; I then became pretty confident I could make semi-professional / print-worthy puzzles.

Now I don't really need to get a job at the local paper, but I could do it for my own personal fun. ^_^


I've come up with two 15 x 15 themed ones so far; maybe I should get someone to test them. If they turn out to be as good as I think they are, I could perhaps share them with other puzzlers and/or send them to some publication.

a trip to the cirque

The Varekai tent. Photos mine.

Cirque du Soleil isn't a typical circus, me thinks.

I first caught a glimpse over a decade ago on television; I don't really recall what program that was, it must have been an awards night like the Grammys or something. There was this segment in which some big-shot artists (I forgot who) performed on stage against a spectacular backdrop of Cirque du Solieil acrobats in action. What was remarkable about the said acrobats was that they were nothing like the usual circus acts - in unbelievable feats of upper body strength, they performed areal gymnastics, each holding on to a length of fabric suspended from the roof. No safety harnesses, no nets, no nothing. Wow. And they did it in slow, graceful motion too, like they were able to defy gravity.

I mused about how enthralling it would be to watch that live. Cirque du Soleil. Literally, "Circus of the Sun", I noted, and never forgot.

Every now and then I'd been able to catch other similar awards-night-background-acts on television and I concluded they must be known for their areal ballet. Ladies in dangling hula hoops, girls in hanging basket-like structures, pairs swinging on cables with long, flowing fabric trailing behind them. Utter wonder-spell. I saw posters of their shows all over hotels when I visited Vegas, but I never bothered to inquire about details since the pragmatist in me decided to save my dollars for shopping instead of spend them on a two-hour circus show.

I therefore count it as an enormous treat when my mother-in-law invited me to watch Cirque du Soliel's Varekai with her. Ticking one more item from my list of 101 Things To Do Before I Die.

The entrance tent interior. Photos mine.

Like I said earlier, it isn't a typical circus. There were no sideshow freaks, no animals, and no multicolored clowns (there were a few clown segments, but none of them wore the usual garb of brightly-colored overalls, fluffy wig et al). Most of the acts were the suspended ballet types that Cirque is known for. The costumes were wild and radiant, said to be designed to accentuate movement.

Varekai means "wherever" in Romani. With reference to the Greek myth The Flight of Icarus, it's basically an imagining of what happens to Icarus after his fall. Icarus (or Icare) supposedly lands in an enchanted forest and meets whimsical creatures who help him fly again. He falls in love with a beauty simply called The Guiding Light, and they eventually marry. Of course, since it's primarily a circus and not theater, viewer's can't expect a coherent, logical plot throughout; it's more like a string of acts put together in such a way that conveys some sort of story.

Since photography was not allowed inside the Grand Chapiteau (Big Top Tent), and since I like pretending to be an obedient, well-behaved citizen sometimes, I took no pictures of the show. But just to make this entry a bit more visual, I nicked the following photos from cirquedusoleil.com.

These were my favorite bits in Varekai:

From cirquedusoleil.com

The Flight of Icarus. Absolute Wow. A single artist dances a suspended ballet, using a mesh as an accessory. No safety harness, nets or anything to cushion a possible fall. Icarus contorted with impeccable grace and extreme muscular power.

This guy must be hyper-strong to be able to do something like that, despite his delicate-looking frame. I bet his abs are super tight too.

I also loved the way Icarus entered the stage for this scene. He floated in supine from the ceiling as if he were falling, but very slowly and fluidly like a feather, until he landed softly on his back. The diffused spotlight and the beautiful white wings he wore made him look angelic. No wonder some people (including the promoters, who are apparently unfamiliar with the Greek myth) thought the son of Daedalus the artisan was a fallen angel.

Moving on.

From cirquedusoleil.com

Icarian Games. Seemingly impossible sequences of somersaults and catches, feats of strength and perfect timing.

From cirquedusoleil.com

Areal Straps. A pair of bulgy-muscled men perform complicated choreography in the air. They made it look so easy.

From cirquedusoleil.com

The last act drew the most gasps and applause from the crowd. Russian Swings. Ho-oh-ly crap. Literally breathtaking, and insanely tense. Makes me wonder how many years these flyers took to train just to perfect something like that, and how many bones have been broken.


The chances of me seeing another Cirque du Soleil show are slim, so I'm really glad I caught them when they came to Manila for the first time. But then I wonder ... would they have a show the next time we visit Vegas? We'll see.

vacation mode

I haven't been blogging the past few because I've too gladly put myself on Vacation Mode. Two weeks ago, the Hubby and I flew over to see my Mom, her husband and my little sister in Nevada. We're still here by the way. So far, we've had somewhere to go and something to do every day.



I'm quite enjoying the "new environment" - the cool, non-humid climate, the alien scenery, the differing culture.



I love most of all how I've finally gotten to spend time with this slice of family.



We've had so much fun snapping and sharing photos too.


The Hubby and I have around two and a half weeks before we head back to Manila, and we hope to make the most of those days.

this summer's first beach trip

Summer just ain't complete without a trip to the beach. I spent yesterday with the Hubby and the in-laws at a lovely resort in Hamilo Coast, Batangas.

All photos mine.

The place had white sands, several swimming pools and amenities worthy of five stars. The resort isn't completely built yet, but there's a lot to enjoy in it nonetheless .


We had a great day of swimming (well, it was more like wading in water than actually swimming, haha), chatting and eating and snapping photos. I was a bit high on antihistamines because my allergies suddenly acted up, so I wasn't very active the whole day. I felt so congested and surly, but at least the feeling that my head was floating around gave me a sense of relaxation.


I made sure to get lightly toasted. I want tan lines to show so it would be obvious to everyone that I've been to the beach.

Next trip: Subic, first week of May. ^_^