July 25, 2008

Grief management

(Luv my new rainboots!)

WHEN my eldest brother passed away three years ago, my Ate and I went on a buying spree of colored chinelas near the palengke in our Pop's province of Roxas City. "Grief management" is what my Ate and I dubbed it. Our Mom even went to Gaisano just to buy jeans and several shirts, just to also ease the pain of our family's loss.

When it was Pop's turn to meet his Maker last year, we all pigged out eating at the wake as friends just supplied us with the yummiest dishes. The best dish I still recall is what my Auntie Mila called American Lumpia, it was cheese, ham, veggies wrapped in an egg lumpia wrapper...yum! Of course, I also bought a few things after that, a new phone, new curtains for my home office, etc.

(Chaikofi at 3rd level, The Block, SM North)

Since my friend passed away last week, I've been on a non-stop buying/eating binge again...buti nalang it's sales season in all the malls so the splurging doesn't hurt as much. Bought new beige wedgies from CMG and really cool rain boots from the GAP (which I have been waiting for to go on sale since it opened in Manila), and eating like there was no tomorrow.

(This wasn't my order, but it looks yummy noh? Chunky Chicken at Chaikofi, The Block.)

Last Thursday, I even cooked Spaghetti Vongole after I found freshly-blanched clams at S&R. With a good chardonnay on hand, I cooked it and invited Francine over for dinner. Had some off that smoky-sweet roasted chicken from S&R as well to complement the pasta. There's nothing like eating and making chismis with a good friend to chase those blues away.

(This is my order...Crabstick Sandwich w/ Caesar Salad and Mint-flavored Iced Tea.)

Anyhoo, atill on my grief management, this afternoon I ate at one of the cafés at The Block at SM North. (Actually I had to go there because my eyeglasses broke apart last night and needed a replacement asap. Thanks to Executive Optical for a pleasant, hassle-free experience. They only charged me for the frame.)

Chaikofi I think is of Malaysian origin, and offers value-for-money lunch and merienda specialties. I'm always satisfied with my order and the overall service of the place. Except that today, they mixed up my order...I had ordered a crabstick sandwich and Caesar salad combo with iced tea. I got served the chunky chicken instead, which though a wrong order, looked yummy as well. They did change my order but minus 5 points na yan sa for customer service, hehe.

(Sebastian's at The Block...yes, civilization has now come to SM!)

Although there is a tendency to take liberties with the mayo, overall the sandwich was good and very filling. Aside from the crabstick, the sandwich had a slice of cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. I could only finish half of the sandwich. The Caesar salad had bacon bits, parmesan cheese, aside from the lettuce and chicken chunks, and was coated with just enough of the right amount of dressing. Meaning, hindi ka bitin sa dressing so the salad was really malasa. Well, the iced tea was okay. It was supposed to be mint-flavored but I didn't taste the mint. All that for just P170. So it doesn't hurt your pocket at all to eat there. Pls. lang though, keep the in-house music toned down!

(Ice cream burgers...mmmm)

For dessert, I walked across from Chaikofi to tadaah! Sebastian's ice cream. Glorious creamy goodness talaga! I have been so in love with Sebastian's ice cream since it opened in Alabang. I'm not really an ice cream ghel, but when the ice cream is super delicious like this one, naku! I cannot help but eat it. I ordered the Chunky Mocha and Almond Fudge, hoy sugar-free yan! and it was really heavenly. Graveh the almond bits were really huge! And for P95 with a cone pa (w/c was not sugar-free I suppose so useless din to order the sugar-free ice cream pala, haha), it was divine.

It's been a long productive and "splurgious" week. But I'm happy na. Ay, hindi pa pala. Will still be getting my new Mac next week. Then I'll be happy. Have a great weekend, folks!

(Sugar-free Chunky Mocha and Almond Fudge...heavenly!)

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