CCA Kitchen: Cravings

I’ve read a lot of good reviews about Cravings, I wanted to dine in their Katipunan branch smack in front of the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA) but since I was in Eastwood last weekend with W we just ate there.

They have an open kitchen inside, and this may be the ‘most open’ restaurant kitchen I have ever seen. There was only a counter separating the dining area from the kitchen. A diner can easily walk into the kitchen and wreak havoc by over salting everything.

There’s an eat-all-you-can soup and salad buffet which unfortunately is the only good thing about our meal.

Distrito x Ayala Triangle

Last Friday night I had nothing to do so I said YES I’LL BE THURR to a spontaneous invite from a good friend to the Black Friday launch of Distrito in Makati. This was another luwas-from-Far-view-for-an-event a.k.a. Great Migration.

Honestly, I was disappointed that I came all the way from Far-view to go to Distrito. The tent was cramped, I literally bump into someone every ten seconds and that’s irritating. I understand that we came on its opening night and yes good job to its PR team for the crowd that night but I think that a better planning of its layout will make the Distrito experience more comfortable for everyone.

Also, the food choices were just so-so compared to other food markets. It was my first time to see food trucks in a food market though. Have a look at some of the photos I took of their concessionaires first then I’ll rant some more. Lelz.

iPod iFood

I was browsing through my iPod’s photos last night and found these. These are not as clear as my other Food Porn photos because I can’t always plan spontaneity. Sometimes, food just happens and I don’t have my trusty Nikon P100 with me so I rely on the iPod’s shitty camera.

First stop: Read and Brew in Far-view.

Here’s another reason why I’m proud of Far-view, we have the most sulit Baked Chicken at Read and Brew. Nothing fancy but oh so yummy! (Rhyming’s fun!) Ultimate comfort / pick-me-upper / give-me-strength-please food for only 80 bucks!

Second stop: GoodFellas Steaks and Burgers in Kamuning.

Stepping inside GoodFellas Steaks and Burgers is like going on a set of a Mafia-inspired movie. They have photos of Mafia families on the wall, as well as scenes from The Godfather. (And while I didn’t like The Godfather as a movie, it’s a cool concept for a restaurant.)

I have a weakness for cheesecakes and their Toblerone Cheesecake sounds and looks tempting so I ordered that for dessert. I was disappointed though because I seriously could not taste the Toblerone. It’s supposed to be a Toblerone Cheesecake, I could see the Toblerone but I can’t taste it. I don’t know if they even put Toblerone in the cheesecake mixture or just used it as a topping.

I think this cheesecake has so much potential, I can imagine the Cookie Dough Cheesecake but with chunks of Toblerone. Gaaah.

This one’s for you, bitch.

Found this on Tumblr, and it reminded me of one person. Yep, the same person I was talking about here. HIHIHI. Sorry, I just had to.

Love Me When You Can Text Properly.

Let’s take a break from my Hacienda Telesforo posts and talk about talking to people.

I love talking to people and I believe I was given the gift of gab. Minsan nag-fi-feeling Reuel Aguila ako na kunyari gagamitin ko ang mga kuwento nila at magsusulat ng maganda at mananalo ng Palanca. Mahina ako sa mga pangalan pero magaling ako sa detalye, sa kuwento.

Naaalala ko kung paano isang tanghalian sa Katag nagkaroon ako ng kaibigan na Madrigal singer dahil wala pa ang aking kalandian at ayoko mananghalian mag-isa. Naki-table ako sa kanya kahit maraming bakanteng mesa dahil nga ayoko kumain mag-isa. Marami kaming napag-usapan, halos umabot ng dalawang oras ang isang oras na lunch break ko. Naaalala kong overstaying fatale na siya sa UP dahil daw laging on tour ang Madrigals. Naaalala kong inimbita niya ko sa concert nila sa CCP that night at naaalala kong di ko na maalala pangalan niya the following day pero lagi kaming nagngingitian pag nagkakasalubong sa campus.

Andiyan din si Kuya Taxi Driver na naghatid sa akin sa UST nung na-confine dun ang lola ko. Bitter siya kasi halos 20 years siya sa Saudi tapos pagbalik niya nag-asawa na pala ng maaga (read: maagang lumandi) ang dalawa niyang anak na babae. Akala niya pag uwi niya ng Pilipinas mga anak naman niya mag-aalaga sa kanya, di niya akalain na after magbuwis buhay sa Saudi ay magtataxi pa rin siya dito. Naaalala kong sinabi niya na pinagsisisihan niyang pinag-college pa ang dalawang maharot na anak, sana daw pala inipon niya na lang ang pinampaaral sa kanila.

The O in Rosario (Or Puro Pagmumura Ata ‘To)

“Masarap maligaw paminsan-minsan.”

Why Rosario never won Best Picture in the recent Metro Manila Film Festival is beyond me. Minsan na nga lang gumawa ng ganitong klaseng pelikula, hindi man lamang binigyan ng kaukulang pansin at karangalan. Isang pelikulang pinag-isipan at hindi lamang iniasa ang kita sa isang sikat na loveteam. Isang pelikulang hindi lamang kinopya ang storyline sa isang bumentang foreign film at binigyan ng slightly different title. AT UTANG NA LOOB TANGINA ISANG PELIKULANG HINDI IPINANGALAN SA ISANG TITLE NG KANTA NA GAGAMITIN DING SOUNDTRACK NG PELIKULANG YUN.

Taun-taon na lang may mga remake at nth part ng kung anu-anong gasgas na na pelikula ang ipinapalabas sa MMFF. Buti pa sa kuwento, magaling tayong mag-recycle. Marami naman tayong pwedeng ikwento na bago, di ko tuloy alam kung sadyang bobo o tamad lang *ahem* sila or the ever gasgas reason na, “Ito ang gusto ng masa.” Tangina yung masa, wala silang perang pampanood ng sine kapag di sila nakapalimos / nakapang-hold-up / nakapang-snatch / nakapang-dukot so pwede tigilan na yung “Para Sa Masa” reason na yan?

Kaya saludo ako sa’yo Sir MVP, sa’yo Albert Martinez, sa’yo Jennylyn Mercado, sa’yo Yul Servo, at lalung-lalo na sa’yo Sid Lucero. (Bakit ang pogi pogi mo?) Sana ay masundan pa ang Rosario (in an abstract sense ha, wag na Rosario Part 2.)

Meron lamang akong apat na bagay na hindi nagustuhan sa Rosario:
1. Ara Mina. Kinailangan pa ba talaga yung cameo niya?
2. Smoking. Sana po ay hindi masyadong naging Hit-Bugs si Jennylyn. At ganun na ba talaga yung yosi nila noon?
3. American Flag. Parang maling flag yun, hello PD.
4. Dennis Trillo’s *look.* Kung todo effort si Yul Servo at si Sid *giggles* Lucero sa pagmumukhang luma ay siya namang ka-deadma-han ni Dennis to blending in with the wonderful PD. Ka-pogi-an niya lang daw ang kailangan niya, kebs na na effort-an ang hair at facial hair at pomada.

At maraming maraming bagay naman akong nagustuhan sa Rosario, oo pati na yung napakagandang pag-iilaw sa mga eksena na di mo na mawari kung saan galing yung ilaw pero sige keri lang ang ganda naman eh. Nagustuhan ko rin ang subtlety at complexity ng pag-arte ni Yul Servo at ni Sid Lucero, lalung-lalo na si Sid Lucero kasi ang pogi talaga niya. Pero seryoso, oo, tuwang-tuwa ako sa kung paano naipakita sa arte lamang ang kaibahan sa kanilang pagmamahal / paglilibog over Rosario. Walang irrele dialogue na, “Iba ang pagmamahal ko sa’yo, hindi lang carnal lust, my intentions are pure.” (Or to that effect, sinundan ang prinsipyo na Show, Don’t Tell.)

Kaya kapatid, kung di mo pa napapanood ang Rosario, isipin mo na lang isa ito sa mga bihirang pagkakataon na hindi recycled na basurang storyline ang ibibigay sa’yo kaya huwag mo nang palampasin.

P.S. Ang dami kong feelings, sorry. Tangina kasi. (On a positive feeling note, naintindihan ko na fully kung bakit nalaglag ang pridyeder ni coffee buddy Ella over Sid Lucero.)

P.P.S. Napanood ko rin ang Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote. Salamat Vic Sotto sa pakikipag-tie-up kay Bong Revilla upang mabawasan ng isang semi-maayos entry sa MMFF. Okay na Ang Panday last year eh with Bong Revilla alone but no you had to make sawsaw ang masa-fy things. Tengks ha.

P.P.P.S. (Last na ‘to) Tanginang Tanging Ina. Good job Ai-Ai na bestfriend ni Kris na kapatid ni P-Noy na boss ni Edwin Lacierda na chairman ng board of judges sa MMFF. Congrats!

Other Thoughts by People I Know:
Franz’s The Cost Of Landi

This Christmas, Give Me Some Space

I know, I know, Christmas wish lists are pretty much useless since we list down items that people won’t really give us (unless they’re really really cheap and easy to find and they care for us that much.)

And seldom do we want cheap things, I mean if you’re gonna make a wish list, wish big. Whuuut? I don’t make sense, too much photoshop I guess.

And speaking of photoshop, don’t judge the photo above or judge it I don’t really care.

Ayla’s Wish List

1. More space, 1 TB to be exact.

2. Less space (with kalandians.) Ayun.

3. Less space (with Tengga.) I love you pero tangina niyo lang. Luff you gais.

4. More space (from clingy needy people, medical assistance requests included.)

5. Archie Comics. (55 Php lang yan anoba.)

Ayla Reklamadora (Or To My Inner Tibak, Please Shut Up)

1. Mahilig akong mag-reklamo at marami akong feelings.

2. Katulad mo, pakiramdam ko importante ang opinyon ko. Eto na siguro ang manifestation ng aking pagiging inner tibak, ang walang kamatayang feelings. Di ko lang naisip na mabwibwisit din pala ko sa aking inner tibak.

3. Inner tibak, please shut up.

4. Nakakapagod pala maging isang tibak (kahit inner at in theory lang at hindi ka naman actually nagbibilad sa araw na may hawak na gitara habang kumakain ng buhok). Nakakapagod palang mangialam ng mangialam.

5. Sabi nga, “What’s worse than hate is apathy.” Ah, okay.

6. Na-realize ko lang na as a person, pag tumahimik na ko, warla na.

Other voice in my head: Ayla, warla, what’s with the cryptic post bakla? Pa-profound ka ‘te? Di bagay, wala kang one-sided bangs at di ka marunong maglagay ng eyeliner.

I Wasn’t Able To Watch Easy A, But Hey I Think I’m Okay (Or Damn Espadrilles)

Inneresting day. Espadrilles. Easy A. Coffee. Gin Blossoms. Geek Overload.

Met up with Lover at around 1pm. I was supposed to watch Easy A at 2:40pm in Shang with Tengga girls a.k.a. Tco, Abi, Rikka, and Meyds. Lover was supposed to go to the Gin Blossoms press conference at 4pm in Crowne Plaza.

But of course we had to get his freaking espadrilles first because he has to have nice shoes for the press conference.

This is the part when I curse Espadrilles Person, DAMN YOU ESPADRILLES PERSON.

You were totally unprofessional. See, Lover should’ve gotten those freaking espadrilles two weeks ago. He was supposed to wear them to his company’s outing duh. And you were the one who told him to meet up at 2pm in Katip. And you freaking arrived at 2:40pm. Tangina mo plez.

Goodbye Easy A. I tried and it wasn’t easy.

The Gin Blossoms press conference was moved to 6pm and I was like, “Wow everyone’s irrele-ing their schedules today.”

To pass time, I had coffee at Gloria Jean’s with Lover and his officemate Jhoanne Cobacha a.k.a. Cobach. We were talking for about an hour alreds before I asked Cobach where she graduated. DLSU. Political Science. I only know one other person who graduated from DLSU with a degree in Political Science, my officemate Margee so I asked her if she knew Margee. (I felt pretty stupid asking it cause duh it’s as if Cobach knows every Political Science major from DLSU.)

But Freaking A, they’re like bestfriends. And Cobach works with my bestfriend a.k.a. Lover. And they’re friends. And I’m friends with Margee. It’s a small small world.

Moving on to the Gin Blossoms press conference, call me stupid and from Mars but my reaction when Lover first told me that they’re having a concert here was a *blink blink* So yeah while some people would kill to be in the same room with them, I was totally irrele.

We got freebies though, a paper bag with a bottle of Nivea Body Lotion and another bottle of Nivea Body Milk. So yeah, for me, Gin Blossoms = skin care.

After we dropped off Cobach at Cubao, Lover and I went to Pier One at Tomas for dinner and drinks with Crazy Boy. And man, geek overload! Our conversation covered topics like the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, Digital Television in the Philippines and the Asean Free Trade Area. Awesome.

Thank You And Fuck Off

So I don’t have to pay for shitty connection, pretty cool eh?

For that I have to thank my father, and the mad skillz of his very erm skillful IT people and their friends. If they can only do the same thing with calls and texts, the world would be a better place.

Now usually, I would not have been this okay with this but I guess I’m doing it out of the desire to get even. See it’s not the paying-for-services part that gets to you, it’s the paying-for-SHITTY-service part that does.

So good luck to me and this I get mad then I get even endeavour of mine and a big hat tip to all those mad skillz people involved in the creation of this oh so wonderfully interrelated seemingly complicated set of programs that allow me and Dana to rise above broadband rates.