Our pal Al

(Al Gore receives a plaque of appreciation from Hans Sy, president of SM Prime Holdings. SM Prime Holdings brought the former US Vice President to the country for the third leg of the Leadership Conference Series, with the theme "The Leader as Environment Steward." Photo courtesy Campaigns & Grey)

FOR those who’ve been asking, no, I don’t have a photo with former US Vice President Al Gore. The Nobel laureate was in town on Tuesday giving an updated Asian version of his global-warming lecture.

Unfortunately, unlike last year when former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair came over and I managed to have two photos taken, there was no press conference that followed our pal Al’s lecture. I understand a provision in his contract prohibited press interviews. (Suplado naman.)

So sorry, friends, you won’t be seeing any photos of me and Al showing up on my Facebook profile anytime soon. True, I could’ve attended the postdinner lecture and photo-op with him, but duty called and I had to write the news story about his lecture. Rats. (Click Something Like Life for the rest. My column is published every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror.)

* * * *
WHILE work commitments prevented me from attending the festivities after the lecture, I managed to get hold of the much talked about "sustainable menu" of dishes served during the cocktails which was prepared by the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

"Sustainability-Makati Shangri-a's social responsibility extends to the way we value history, tradition, culture and environmental impact.

"This evening's glocal cocktail menu prepared by our creative chefs celebrates Filipino ingenuity at its best - social entrepreneurs that bring only the best of locally-grown Filipino ingredients whilst catering to an exquisite global palate."

Menu

Seared yellow fin tuna with wasabi mayonnaise of japanese cucumber
-Sourced from the fishermen of Mindoro, traditional hand-line fishing method was used to catch the tuna as opposed to open cast net - the first sustainable fish source from the Coral Triangle.

Kesong Puti with Cherry Tomato Salsa
-The kesong puti is sourced from organically-fed water buffalos in the province of Laguna

Blue cheese flan with caramelized onion and candied walnuts
-the low-emission blue cheese is sourced from a local cheese maker in Bulacan

Shredded Pork Adobo Puff
-Meat is sourced from a local piggery farm in Rizal.

Strawberry tartlets, calamansi sacher lollipop, tres leches and banana crumble stew
-The organically grown calamansi and banana are sourced locally from the province of La Union and Pangasinan while the sweetness of the strawberries are grown naturally from the highlands of Bukidnon

Sustainable cuisine is the current rage among environmental folk and these are dishes basically made from ingredients that have the least impact on the environment, i.e. beef from cows not injected w/ hormones, organic vegetables, fish raised from fishponds, etc. Not only will these help protect the environment, the dishes are supposed to be healthier as well as the ingredients don't have any of those preservatives and pesticides normally found in meats and greens.

So congratulations to the Makati Shang's chefs for coming up with these interesting pica-pica. I hope I have the chance to try the same in some future event. But first, can someone please explain to me just what "low emission" blue cheese" is about? ;p

A hotelier's charmed life

IT’S impossible to have conversation with Señor Miguel G. Cerqueda without laughing and reminiscing about the time he managed The Manila Hotel. After all, a large chunk of his 30-year career in the hotel industry was spent at what was once known as the “Grand Dame” of hotels in the country.

Fondly called the “ghostbuster” by his staff, it was Señor who would bravely sleep alone in some suites allegedly haunted, after ghostly apparitions were reported. (“She was on drugs! She was hallucinating!” he dismissed one such report of a woman so scared out of her wits by the supposed shadow of a little girl, she ran screaming in the hallway in the middle of the night.) Over lunch at the Astoria Plaza, which he now oversees, we joke about a few more ghost stories that he has been able to credibly explain away. (Click Sunday BusinessMirror, March 21, 2010 for the rest.)

Remembering Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper

Coleman’s road was both more and less difficult than those of his cast mates. He was unquestionably a superstar, overshadowing them with his radiant charisma and boundless energy, but the kidney condition that enabled him, even as a teen, to play the world’s most precocious little brother on TV also complicated his life in ways most of us will never understand. We, his fans, grew up and moved on, but he stayed down there, stuck in a show-business netherworld, his increasingly incongruous physical appearance a source of lasting amusement to certain people my age, but never to me. (Click Remembering Gary Coleman w/o irony.)

Also, Dennis Hopper's photographs in Vanity Fair

First sister Kris Aquino

SCB: You called Pastor Quiboloy your best friend before he endorsed Gibo (Teodoro)...
KA: Ay inaway ko siya after. Tinext ko siya, “We could’ve been best friends. Ngayon friend na lang, not so close pa.”

SCB: Did he answer?
KA: Yes, sabi niya “You know that in my heart you’re my friend and Noy.” Tapos sinabi ko sa kanya “Not so. Na-miss mo ‘yung friendship.” (The rest of the interview at Manila Bulletin.)

Cringe.

Sound bites

POLITICS is one helluva nasty business!

You’re suddenly surrounded by groupies all trying to paint you as God’s gift to humanity, but clearly just enjoying the free food you serve after every campaign rally.

Then you have your family members at one point, trying to dissuade you from pursuing your candidacy for fear of your safety and that of the family’s. But when your victory seems inevitable, they quickly entertain thoughts of which interior designer to call and measure the windows in your new office for the new drapery.

You also have close friends giving you all sort of contrarian advice just to add more to your confusion on what policy measures to adopt once you are declared the winner. Of course, all these so-called buddies will probably be the first to line up and try to get appointments in your government, or at least get a business contract or two even before you’ve warmed your political seat.

* * * * *
Politics is all about relationships: forming new ones, letting go of those that don’t work, and trying to make the most advantage of the ones still remaining —all in the pursuit of power and administering control of governments or businesses.

And amid the cementing of alliances, there will also be treachery. Two major candidates in the last elections have already publicly experienced that bitter truth. The six-month exercise showed exactly who their real friends and supporters were, and who had stabbed them in the back for the backstabber’s own selfish goals.

For one, you had a presidential candidate who junked his own godfather's political party which he was to inherit at some point, in favor of his President's party of thieves. Unfortunately, the presidentita's own consort supported another presidential candidate in a bid to protect their own family’s financial interests and secure their protection from possible lawsuits.

Then you had a vice presidential candidate who gave his all-out support to his party’s standard-bearer, only for the latter to leave him by the wayside to his own devices. And despite the standard-bearer's own half-hearted announcements of support to his VP candidate, he declined to whip his own family members and groupies in line who supported a corrupt candidate instead.

As noted film director Jean Renoir once said: “Is it possible to succeed without any act of betrayal?”

* * * * *
IN my own case, I’m glad the electoral exercise is over.

As usual, we had to contend with the megalines, hot heads complaining about their missing names, and suffering teachers that seem to be part and parcel of every election. Thank God, the polls were generally flawless, and the results quick enough to determine clear winners, although as of this writing, the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms is still hearing allegations of electoral fraud.

But it’s understandable how many of us were simply putting our lives on the hold, declining to make major business decisions or even taking trips despite it being the summer vacation season, as we were all uneasy about the elections.

I, too, had to bump off a few appointments, and my standard response to lunch/dinner invites from friends would be “after the elections na lang ha?” just to drive home the point how much the run-up to the political exercise was dominating my life.

For another, I wasn’t able to sleep my usual eight-hour beauty rest because I was tethered to my Mac updating a blog aimed at informing the public with news, surveys and other data about their favorite candidates. Stress eating and lack of exercise were also taking its toll on my health, e.g., a three-month cough that wouldn’t quit until I finally managed to catch up on my sleep starting last weekend.

Now I’m back to my asleep-at-2am-and-awake-at-10am routine, still enough time to catch Ted Failon and Pinky Webb giggling and throwing furtive glances at each other on dzMM Teleradyo. (I must agree with Manong Johnny, who by the way, I mistakenly voted for—long story, don’t ask—when he told the radio couple, “Bagay na bagay kayo!” Manong Johnny is very happy!)

* * * * *
MY own relationships with idiot relatives and some so-called friends were also getting caught up in the heat of the debates, especially since we had supported different candidates.

How I wish I belonged to an entrepreneurial family where members gather and agree to support different candidates to protect their business interests. For instance, in one political/business family with interests in the banking industry during the Marcos regime but are also considered power brokers today, two brothers supported the fake impoverished presidential candidate, while their youngest brother placed his bet on the candidate whose only claim to fame is having famous parents.

So no matter which presidential candidate wins the election, this family’s businesses are safe. They’ve kept their eye on the bigger prize, and the entire family won. With such an understanding, no one gets hurt if one brother airs his views favoring his own candidate over his other brother’s bet, and vice versa.

Unfortunately, as I discovered in my case, some family members turned out to be users and were only loyal to whoever gave them the most funds for their campaign, instead of being grateful to the one who nurtured their careers in the first place. Yes, I hear you...that’s politics. But I simply detest such hypocrisy and their defense of the crooked politician they had attached themselves to. I now wonder if it’ll ever be safe for me to go home to my province after this.

Some of the campaign issues also divided a few buddies and me and have resulted in some irreconcilable differences. I know, I know, people always say that the safest discussion is nonpolitical talk.

On Facebook alone, a couple of long-time friends have been unmasked as traitors to the cause, and have thus been either deleted/blocked or walled out by my extremely high-privacy settings. (It’s silly, I know, but on Facebook, it’s much easier to detect who is being true to his word, or just giving you a whole lot of BS for the sake of friendship.) Some I caught telling me one thing privately, and seeking alliances and, right on their wall, saying exactly another.

I’ve been spied at bitched at, and lied to, but then, yes, I only have myself to blame for being so vocal about my own opinions.

Perhaps, when we’ve all become too busy again to care whether the President-elect takes his oath before a barangay captain or a ship captain, some of these broken fences will be mended again. Then again, maybe not.

(Unabridged version of my column May 28, 2010. Something Like Life is published every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror.)

I'm baaack!

HEY there folks! Sorry I've neglected this blog for quite some time. I had to focus on the elections and informing the voters about voting procedures and all news about their favorite candidates. The counting may not yet be over esp for the Presidential and Vice Presidential slots, but at least the pressure to publish timely news for my readers over there has eased.

In fact, it's been quite a sleepless period for me since I put up Pulitika2010 in January as I had to upload news and opinion pieces from various newspapers and broadcasting networks from 12 midnight until close to 5 a.m. If I happen to nod off in between those times, w/c I sometimes do as my brain just automatically shuts off, my work sometimes ends at 7 am instead. The effect was a really crabby me (okay, more than the usual crabbiness), and a persistent cough that didn't go away 'til I finally got my 8 hours of straight sleep last weekend.

Many readers have asked me if I intend to continue that blog, but I'm not inclined to as I'm still super tired. I need a vacation quick. Besides I put up that blog merely to inform the public about their candidates and other electoral issues. And since the elections are now over...well, let's see. There is a need to keep a close watch on the new President after all. Ach. Btw, I did enjoy learning how to tweet the news, although it can be quite obsessive. I don't know if I should use Twitter for this blog as well, but lemme assess in the next few days if it's necessary.

Anyhoo, I'm back (key in Poltergeist theme here), and I promise to resume writing about my favorite topics like food and travel soon enough. Meanwhile, here's a cute video from Glee (yay Glee!). Try to spot a favorite Filipino brand in the background. Enjoy!

dream 1 @ Yahoo! Video

Magic tricks

(Due to technical issues, BusinessMirror's April 30, 2010 issue wasn't published online. Here's my column from that edition.)

Something Like Life
I’M hardly the fashion plate that will give Carrie Bradshaw a run for her money, but I think I know all about correct proportions and style. This means, I have enough good taste (and common sense) to know whether a piece of clothing looks good on me or not (and for that matter, other women).

As a woman matures and takes on Rubenesque proportions, for instance, there are just some types of clothing or fashion trends that just scream, “HELL NO!”

For instance, there’s nothing more tragic than a 160-pound woman—60 pounds of which rests on her thighs—wearing leggings. I curse the designers that have brought this article of clothing back in fashion again! The last time I wore leggings was about 30 years ago when I was 30 pounds lighter, and I don’t intend to get suckered into this trend again.

But strangely enough, there are some huge women who think if they wear their leggings in black, their gams will look as thin as a walis tingting. Leggings are clingy…it’s still gonna hug your fat thighs hon!

Another pet peeve is seniors who think they can get away with wearing mini-skirts just because they had become recent beneficiaries of scientific breakthroughs. They’ve been freshened up, top up – meaning the boobs have been adjusted to defy gravity, then their faces are line-free and unmoving – and feel they now have a right to show off their spindly legs to the world.

Sure I can understand that a 60-year-old woman who’s just been pinched, pulled and Botoxed can be deluded into believing she is 30 years younger. So she will dare to fit into the skimpy bikini (despite her C-section) or raise her hemline that reflect the inflation rate.

But you know what they say, you can tell a woman’s real age by looking at her knees. So, old dears, next time you get your faces pulled and your lips plumped up, consider having your knees snipped and smoothened over as well. Remember, the knees are covered with skin as well, and as we move into our twilight years, they too will become all wrinkly and saggy just like our faces.


(Have some patience when trying on jeans. Carefully choose the style that will slim down your problem areas or accentuate the positive. From NYT)

You see girlfriends, we just have to be a little more honest with ourselves. When we reach a certain age (or weight), we have to dress and behave more modestly or more appropriately. Sure, we may still have the same bubbly personality as when we were adolescents or when we were just 110 pounds, that doesn’t mean we have to dress the same way as we did then.

I’m not saying we should start wearing granny sweaters any time soon or simply stay at home wearing our dasters. We just need to learn to be more fashionable despite our, uhm…flaws and maturity level. (Also, we ought to be more conscious about how our manner of dressing can affect our friends and family members. As I sometimes tell my 82-year-old mom when I see her try out a dress and the hemline is above her knees, “Ma, bigyan mo ako ng konting kahihiyan!”)

For instance, when I started noticing that I no longer could fit into even the large sizes at the teenage section of my favorite department store, I knew it was time to walk in the foosteps of David Copperfield. See, we women are multi-talented – we can be anything we want to be, even master illusionists! All we need to do is trick everyone’s minds into seeing/believing that we are thinner than we actually are.

So if you have a bit of a paunch, you may consider ditching the two-piece bikini and go for one-piece bathing suits. There are so many colorful and amazing designs for one-piece swimsuits these days, sometimes they’re actually more interesting to wear than the two-piece types. And swimsuit designers have become more creative and imaginative, fabricating pieces that cover up most women’s imperfections – pouchy bellies, teeny boobies, giant boobies, heavy thighs, large waists, etc. You just have to have enough patience to keep trying on those swimsuits until you find the perfect one for you.

If you still want to wear your two-piece swimsuits, go buy yourself a pair of board shorts. So instead of having all those extra layers of blubber spill out over your teensy bikini, the board shorts will keep them all tucked in and well-behaved.

Now if you have love handles, don’t wear a girdle then squash yourself into a pair of tight jeans. Tight jeans around a fleshy middle will push up your abdominal fat and make it bunch up on top of your pants creating that horrible phenomenon called the muffin top! If you must wear jeans, use one that is low cut and sits just below the waist so it will free up your tummy instead of squeezing it.

(There are many swimsuits that are flattering even to the plus-size women.)

Also, if you’re a bit hefty you shouldn’t wear a top made with Lycra. The stretchy fibers will cling to your body and unless you’re wearing Spanx that reaches your boob line, you will look like sausage meat being squeezed out of its casing.

Speaking of Spanx, a number of American women swear by it. For those who don’t know what it is, Spanx is a line of undergarments that shape the body. It’s no longer your run-of-the-mill panty girdles that will flatten the tummy but make you feel asphyxiated and uncomfortable all day. It has tummy tuckers, slimming camisoles that give you some lift up there, power pantyhose that keeps all those extra fats—from your limbs to your tummy—in line, etc. Of course, Spanx became more popular after Oprah Winfrey promoted it on her show. Now it has a line for men as well. (Why men would want to wear Spanx is another story altogether.)

Another pet peeve…seniors who insist on wearing sleeveless shirts or halter-tops. All that saggy skin under the arms makes them look like they’ve grown batwings. Please limit yourself to short sleeved shirts, or if you’ve got the financial resources, have those batwings snipped ASAP!

One last trick…if you have heavy legs but love to wear jeans, consider buying a pair in a solid dark color like black or blue-black. It will create the illusion that you have slim legs, especially if you wear it with heels. See, with just a few magic tricks, we can stay fashionable despite our defects. What’s that song again? “It’s just an illusion…ooh, ooh, ooh, ahah!”

(My column, Something Like Life, is published every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror.)

Madonna overload on GLEE

THIS was the best episode on GLEE, ever! It wasn't a surprise at all that Cheerios Coach Sue Sylvester was inspired by MADONNA. She attributes her take no prisoners attitude to the Material Girl. Haha.

This was Sylvester's own tribute to Madonna...hysterical!



Yay GLEE!

Live! from New York! heeeere's David Letterman!

Oopsie! Actually, it's the new U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry K. Thomas Jr. Here he is in his first YouTube address to all of us Pinoys, along w/ a few of his colleagues at the Embassy.



Ang cute ng Lolo nyo noh?! Don't you super appreciate his efforts to speak in Tagalog? Todo-enunciate! hehe.

Don't let the mega-gilagid smile deceive you though. According to American national security expert W. Scott Thompson who appeared in ANC's The Rundown, Ambassador Thomas is the real thing. Having this guy in these parts is a big deal. It's not true that the man has big shoes to fill bec. of his predecessor's record, bec. in fact, she was such a lightweight and apparently, didn't give an accurate picture of what's been happening around these parts to Washington.

The new ambassador means business, w/c means, the U.S. has its eye on us. So the presidentita better not try anything stupid during the elections. Big Brother is watching.

How to use an iPad

JUST when we've all but dismissed the iPad as just another frivolous gadget we don't need...



...here comes a Chinese concert pianist giving it a spin at the end of his concert! Hilarious! (Thanks Alberto for posting.)

Continental Micronesia ready to hike Guam-Manila flights

(David Kendell, Director for Sales and Marketing for Asia and Micronesia, Continental Micronesia. Photo by Rhoy Cobilla)

CONTINENTAL Micronesia (CO) will likely increase its flight frequencies between Guam and Manila, as the impending US military buildup on the island attracts Filipino investors and contractual workers.

David Kendell, the airline’s director for sales and marketing for Asia and Micronesia, told the BusinessMirror: “You’ve got Filipino businessmen and women that may be looking at Guam to start up businesses. You also have a very skilled work force that will [become] contract workers…so you’ll have an influx in demand built up over the next four years. Continental is positioned well to add services. So if we see an increase in demand, we’re ready to act on that.”

About 8,000 US military personnel and their families are expected to relocate to Guam from Okinawa starting 2011. (Click BusinessMirror for the rest.)

'Gusto ko happy ka!'

ONE of the catchiest slogans the electoral campaign season has burped up is probably old man Juan Ponce Enrile’s, “Gusto ko happy ka!”

My friends and I have gotten into the joking habit of using his line every chance we get, not because we’re voting for the geezer (really, we’re not), but just to make a point when we want everything to run smoothly and everyone is satisfied with either their food, purchases or whatnot.

And truly, I may not remember any of the old coot’s sponsored legislation or his privileged speeches given over the years—and, really, hasn’t he been around like forever?—but I will absolutely never forget Manong Johnny’s campaign slogan until the day I die. (Don’t get me wrong, I love old people It’s just that they kinda don’t know when to let go and hand over the reins of the horse to a younger new jockey. Why don’t you travel with a hot new babe, or enjoy your grandkids or something?) (Click Something Like Life for the rest. Photo from Vernon Go's blog)

How to make PR work for you

RECEIVED this announcement from Edd Fuentes, president and CEO of FuentesManila. He also chairs IPRA Phils., the local chapter of public relations specialists and publicists, affiliated with the International Public Relations Association.


(For registration details, contact Ms. Sheena Ramos of IPRA/FuentesManila at 893-9355 or Ms. Sonia Tejada at 638-0010. Students will get discounted rates.)

Hmm, maybe we should send this to HP Phils. and Stratworks. Who knows, their people could actually learn a thing or two about professional PR practices. haha.

Quick(ie) bites

(Chef Alain Rayé in the kitchen preparing our lunch.)

I FINALLY HAD the chance to meet two-star Michelin chef Alain Rayé, chef patron and owner of La Régalade West Vancouver last Friday. He prepared lunch for a few friends and I at La Régalade in Makati, a restaurant co-owned by veteran hotelier, Perfecto "Bubut" Quicho, businessman Antonio "Tony Boy" Cojuangco, and a host of partners - mostly businessmen who revel in fine food and wines.

I'VE gone to La Régalade in Makati a few times since it first opened in late 2008, whenever I've had a hankering for Duck Leg Confit, Manila clams and Lemon Tart. I've always liked the laidback style of the place, and because it's basically quiet, even when there are lot of diners. (Quicho explained to us before that it's because the fabrics they used in their seating, and in their lampshades absorb stray sounds.) What's more, the dishes are moderately priced, easily affordable by even the white-collar working men and women of Makati. And no joke, I've seen them pack this place at lunch!

Chef Alain is pretty much what everyone's idea of a Frenchman is. He is passionate about his food, his wines, and of course, his women. All that translates into his country-cooked dishes which are all heart and soul. These are dishes which you don't have to dress up for in your ballgown and blings, although the restaurant surely won't turn away anyone who does turn up at the door this way. (Picture this, Manila clams cooked in white wine and pepper cream sauce, then use some of their marvelous crusty bread to sop up the sauce. It's fabulous when you have some chilled white wine to wash it all down. At the end of a meal like this, I can't help but lightly suck at my fingertips just to taste some more of the clams delightfully salty-sweet piquant sauce.)

Some people have described Chef Alain's dishes as comfort food - like that bowl of steaming bulalo on a lovely rainy day. I think his genius lies in making his simple rustic dishes evoke so much feelings of extreme pleasure and immense satisfaction. So to me, it's more like the afterglow after a round of quick rough sex. It's intensely gratifying but you are left wanting for more.

Here are the dishes we had for lunch, in smaller portions though from the usual, just so we could have a sampling of what's being served on his special menu.


(Parmesan cheese w/ tomatoes served w/ a side salad in tapenade dressing - your basic vinaigrette w/ black olives tapenade. The sour-sweet combination of the salad complements the salty grated cheese topped by the sweetness of the juicy ripe tomato slices.)



(Fried prawns w/ fresh thyme. Very light, w/ the prawns succulent - a perfect summer dish. Perhaps bec. fresh thyme was used, there were only some hints of the latter; and does not overpower the dish w/ its usually strong flavor.)



(Daube of veal cheeks, left, with creamy potato gratin on the side. Pinoys use pork cheeks basically for our sisig, along w/ other portions of the pig's mouth and snout. Who would've thought that on its own, especially from a young pig, the cheeks would be so fleshy? Cooked slowly in red wine, the dish is decidedly tender and just easy to slice into. The tomato confit and fried basil lends the dish some sweet punch, w/ the dark chocolate easing in some tartness.)



(Left, Tarte Tatin and Tarte Chocolat on the right, w/c my spoon sliced into. Known around our parts as molten lava chocolate cake, the Tarte Chocolat oozes w/ a lot of chocolatey goodness. Some may find these a little too sugary, but for those w/ a sweet tooth, these would be probably winners for them. The capuccino that was served w/ these creations was excellent, however. The restaurant only uses Illy coffee, and so Cheffy was genuinely surprised when we told him that we produce exceptional coffee beans here in the Phils. as well, some of w/c make their away abroad.)

The Makati restaurant is currently holding its 1st Food Festival, w/ Chef Alain whipping up French bistro fare for dinner. And I must tell you, those tables are going fast, so reservations are very much encouraged. Ricky Banaag, a partner in the restaurant (another foodie, but whose dayjob is overseeing Intel Phils.' operations) says they've had to make even some of the co-owners - I won't say who - wait for their tables, esp. when they stroll in unannounced w/ no reservations. (Just a note, the two Michelin stars the chef earned back home in Paris were for his luxury fine-dining fare, so don't expect any of that in here - remember, no ballgowns, tuxedos and blings. I forgot to ask Chef Alain though if he missed that kind of complicated cooking at all.)


(The menu for the food festival. Some have commented that some dishes on the menu are not exactly French, but as Chef Alain says, "you've got to have some balance." I would think as this is bistro fare, the restaurant needs to put in some easily recognizable dishes, esp. for those unintiated in French cuisine. But he stresses that, for instance, "gnocchi is not just Italian," as there are a lot of French recipes that use potatoes in a similar manner - dumplings style w/ a variety of sauces.)

Chef Alain says the dishes the diners respond to the most will probably end up in the restaurant's main dining menu. (I just hope they still keep my old favorites!) And bec. he is so impressed w/ the quality of our seafood here, he will also be creating more seafood dishes for the new menu. Of course the challenge for the restaurant's owners now is to maintain the same exceptional Rayé quality of the cuisine, even when Chef Alain has gone home to Canada. (Believe me, we tried to persuade him to stay here. But Manila is just too hot for the chef. And after seeing his iPhone's photos of the morning scenery from his bedroom window back home, we don't blame him for wanting stay there!)

Now, it's not everytime you get to have your dinner cooked by a two-star Michelin chef, so I suggest you not waste your time and reserve a table right now. La Regalade's 1st Food Festival lasts until April 18. For inquiries, call 750-2104 and 05, or check out their web site at www.laregalademanila.com.

Mane tales

WHEN the heat of the summer season begins to sizzle, most of us usually pay more attention to our skin, slathering oils and lotions to protect and moisturize. What we tend to forget, however—perhaps because it has the tendency to just uhm, hang about—is our hair.

Hairstylist Cherry Tiosejo-Reyes and proprietor of Toni&Guy Essensuals Manila, says that just like any part of our body, we should also pay extra attention to our locks, especially during this season. The sun’s ultraviolet rays tend to dry out any ounce of moisture in our hair, so it needs proper conditioning every so often.

With the Earth’s thinning ozone layer already proven to do harmful damage on our skin, I am almost inclined to start wearing hats these days. Actually, I don’t understand why we here in the Philippines don’t wear hats more often, considering we live at least half of the year under the blazing sun. Don’t you find umbrellas just too cumbersome? (Click Something Like Life. Photo from the web, via BM.)

More on HP Phils. and the Stratworks issue

WE are re-posting a press statement from CyberPress:

April 4, 2010

CyberPress Official Statement

The IT Journalists Association of the Philippines (CyberPress) is issuing this statement to clear the issues regarding an incident involving our board officer Melvin Calimag and co-founder and former member Red Samar.

On March 1, 2010, Mr. Calimag wrote a story on the resignation of Ms. Bernadette Nacario, HP Philippines country manager for Personal Systems Group (PSG). The company branded the story as false although it did confirm on the following day that Ms. Nacario has indeed resigned. The CyberPress firmly believes that the story is true and correct in its totality.

Calimag, a long-time IT contributor of the InfoTech section of the Manila Bulletin, was told to stop writing for the paper. Samar, on the other hand, was the editor of the same section for 14 years, was stripped of his editorial responsibilities.

We don’t question the management prerogative of Manila Bulletin. However, the drastic turn of events was a direct result of a questionable action done by HP Philippines and its local PR agency, STRATWORKS, which communicated directly with Manila Bulletin Executive Vice President – Advertising Department Emil Yap in clear violation of journalism and PR protocol and ethics.

HP Philippines executive Bernadette Nacario and STRATWORKS PR manager Harold Geronimo said Mr. Yap asked them that a “letter of clarification” be sent to him immediately. But, even if it was Mr. Yap who initiated the communication, it was patently inappropriate for them to directly engage with Mr. Yap without involving the people on the ground – the editor and the reporter.

They sent the letter to Mr. Yap, who also serves as the paper’s executive vice president for advertising, when the matter was clearly editorial in nature. They did not contact the reporter and editor until two weeks later when Mr. Samar was asked by Mr. Yap to reply to the letter.

However, Mr. Calimag, as the writer of the story and the one directly involved in the issue, has not received any communication from either HP or STRATWORKS.

In any dispute regarding factual errors, the accepted proper course of action would have been a letter to the editor or a libel suit. What HP Philippines and STRATWORKS did set a very dangerous precedent in the journalism profession. There was obviously an attempt to influence the newspaper owner, suppress editorial integrity, and press freedom.

It is very unfortunate that this controversy has marred the good relationship of HP Philippines with CyberPress, which has been covering the company ever since its establishment in 1996.

Information Technology Journalists Association of the Philippines
(ITJAP/CyberPress)

Buyer beware!

So, how did I go from an $829 iPad to a $1,170 tab? In a word: Accessories.

Knowing I'll want to do some serious typing on the iPad, I sprung for the $69 keyboard dock (ka-ching!). To protect my iPad (and prop it up on any flat surface), I went for the $39 case (ka-ching!). I added the $29 USB power adaptor because I will want to charge my iPad in multiple locations, and the $29 VGA adapter so that I can view it on any display I own (double ka-ching!).

Oh, and I took the $99 AppleCare Protection Plan, which extends the 90 days of tech support and 1 year warranty (including the battery) to two years. (Big ka-ching!) Shipping was free, but sales tax added another $76.58 to the tab (ka-ching! to the State of New Jersey). (Click How My $499 iPad Purchase Became a $1,170 Credit Card Bill.)

HERE's my earlier take on the iPad. Will definitely wait a year or so until all the bugs and apps are fixed before considering to buy one.

Taking care of our skin this summer

I asked my dermatologist, Dr. Reena C. Corona, FPDS, of La Nouvelle Image for some tips on how to take care of our skin during summer.

“Cleansing the skin daily is important all-year-round. Twice a day is ideal—upon waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. I always remind my patients to use the correct skin product for their skin type: normal, dry, oily or combination. There are times when our skin appears normal but in the summer seems to be oilier, or in cold weather appears to be drier. Our aim in cleaning the face is to remove contaminants from the environment, sweat, excess oil and bacteria to avoid infection. Overcleansing, such as by washing excessively, or overstripping even normal oil from our face would do more harm than good.” (Click Something Like Life for the rest. Photo from cosmeticbrazil.com)

How to choose the right PR firm

THE recall of Toyota cars in the US is probably one of the best case studies in PR crisis management today. When a crisis in confidence develops in a company’s product, officials cannot just keep quiet and hope that the problem goes away.

Companies, especially if they produce well-known brands, always need to be on their toes when it comes to public relations (PR). With the onset of new media such as blogging and social networking, the need for effective PR and communication is even more imperative as even one negative review on a product by just one blogger, when passed on from one web site to another, can break a company’s back if customers start believing the review and passing up on the product.

Having the right PR counselor and a correct publicity plan in place can often help a company deal with a crisis or even before trouble occurs, and help a company portray its products and services in a favorable light. (Click Something Like Life for the rest.)

(For my earlier column on the PR-Media relationship, click How to be an annoying publicist, Jan. 25, 2008.)

Finally, a real vacation for a Boracay veteran

My friends and I stayed in a wonderfully quaint new establishment called Hotel Soffia, owned by former Asian Spirit majority owner and professional pilot Archie Po. Nestled on a hill in sitio Hagdan, barangay Yapak, past the chi-chi splendor of some of the most expensive resorts on Station 1, the boutique hotel with its whitewashed walls stands out against the cobalt blue sky. (Click BusinessMirror for the rest.)

An assault on editorial independence

CyberPress Official Statement concerning HP Phils. and Stratworks

The IT Journalists Association of the Philippines (CyberPress) denounces in the strongest terms, what the group sees as an unfair and arbitrary treatment of CyberPress members Melvin Calimag and Red Samar* who were penalized for doing their work -- reporting IT industry news.

Calimag was a long-time IT correspondent of the InfoTech section of the Manila Bulletin and was told to stop writing for the paper. Samar, on the other hand, was the editor of the same section and was stripped of his editorial responsibilities.

On March 1, 2010, Calimag reported the resignation of a country manager of HP Philippines – a development actually confirmed by the company. The report also stated that the executive, Bernadette Nacario, had thrice been bypassed for promotion to the top post, an issue denied by the company.

HP Philippines vehemently branded the report as “wrong,” though it announced Nacario’s resignation later on. We believe, however, that the report, in its totality, is true and correct.

We believe that the proper course of action that HP and/or its PR agency, Stratworks, could have taken was to raise the concern/issue directly with the publication’s section editor responsible for the page and/or the reporter who wrote the story.

Instead, HP Philippines, allegedly upon the persistent counsel of StratWorks, HP’s PR agency, ignored this course of action and chose to address the issue in a dubious manner. In other words, there was a breakdown in basic business ethics and public relations practice.

In the eyes of the CyberPress, the manner of how this “issue” was handled is categorically unacceptable. The IT journalists involved have always kept an open line of communication to both IT company and PR agency but were never approached.

We believe that our members, if they did violate any protocol in the pursuit of their story, due process should have been followed. They deserve to be treated like any professional with respect and fairness.

Information Technology Journalists Association of the Philippines (CyberPress) March 12, 2010

*Samar, co-founder of CyberPress, retired from the organization on March 15, 2010.

Manny and the madness

THIS is one of the best profiles on our Pambansang Kamao, Manny Pacquiao yet.

(Photo by Mark Seliger/GQ)

The thing is, a number of people have stolen from Manny, been caught by Manny, then been forgiven by Manny: Never has a fighter been possessed of so pacifistic a nature. What's more, there seems to be a consensus that these redeemed-Judas tableaux were… pre-scripted.

"He has made numerous people in his camp believe in God with what he's done," Ramos says. "Do you understand?"

Abac Cordero puts it more directly: "I think he was put here to make us better men. There is a feeling that those who betrayed him had to, so that Manny could teach them."

"Sometimes, the way things happen with Manny, it's like, parables," Ramos says. "Here's one: At the last training camp there were about thirty of us there. Now, one of my jobs is to lower the overall costs of living. So we go to this Thai restaurant next to [Roach's gym]. Our bill there was between $500 and $700 every day. So I said, 'Manny, why don't we buy some food from the local Philippine restaurant and have it delivered to your apartment? It'll only cost about $150.' Manny took me by the shoulders and in front of everybody said, 'Don't ever mess with another man's livelihood. Now let us enjoy their food.' " (Click Manny Pacquiao in GQ.)

Leading the change

(Rina, in pink, with students in Languyan, Tawi-Tawi. Photo courtesy KCFI.)

MANY of Rina Lopez-Bautista’s classmates in high school (Assumption College) and college (De La Salle University) will probably remember how good she was as a guard forward playing in their varsity basketball team. “I was just playing basketball,” she giggles, “and just having fun with my friends.”

She then turns serious: “But I’ve always wanted to do something to help the less fortunate.” So in 1999, while working at the Lopez Group’s SkyCable, Rina, along with Carlo Katigbak, spearheaded the creation of Knowledge Channel (Channel 49), the country’s first and only curriculum-based TV channel, on SkyCable. (Click Something Like Life.)

Be careful what you eat

(Photo from Flickr.)

I JUST read this piece from a web site called The Daily Green, and it reports on the possible food recall of processed food products containing HVP (hydrolized vegetable protein) due to salmonella contamination.

HVP is used as a "flavor enhancer" in just about every processed food on the market: soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings.

According to Wikipedia, HVP is:

produced by boiling cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes, or breaks down, the protein in vegetables into their component amino acids. The resulting dark coloured liquid contains, among other amino acids, glutamic acid, which consumers are more familiar with in the form of its sodium salt, monosodium glutamate, or MSG. It is used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods.

Included in the recall are two variants of Pringle's potato chips, the Restaurant Cravers Cheeseburger potato crisps and Pringles Family Faves Taco Night potato crisps. For more info on the latest food recalls, check out the US Food and Drug Administration web site.

According to PAG-ASA...

...summer's officially here! Yay!

This is my most favorite time of the year, because I just love going to the beach or swimming in pools. It's also my favorite season bec. we get to eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies like mangoes, undoubtedly still the sweetest in the world, strawberries, cantaloupes, watermelons, while my veggie fix comes from the salads (lettuce in all shapes and sizes, and arugula).


(My Schu!)
Summer also brings lots of end-of-season sales and one of the best ones I've been to so far is that of SCHU's BOGO (buy-one-get-one) SALE! I was at the TrinNoMa yest. and picked out two pairs of sandals, w/c will have their showing, of course, in the next beach I go to.

Sizes were a bit buggy though. Like for the second pair I chose, a silver slipper w/ plastic gel-like thongs, I had to keep fitting the style from size 8 to 10, and in different colors, bec. the entrada was inconsistent esp. for the left foot. Surprisingly, while my right foot has always been the larger of my two feet, the left shoe of the style in question was always tighter at the entrada than the right. And while my feet are size 7.5-8, I ended up w/ a size 10 pair for this particular style, weirdly enough. For the orange pair of sandals above, fitting was not a problem at all.

Fortunately both pairs were the same prices, at P1600, w/c meant I got two pairs for the price of only P800! If you choose two-differently priced pairs, you will just have to pay for the higher-priced one. It's all good. Promo is until April 4.

* * * *
Also, on the topic of shopping, maybe you want to have a guilt-free spree this time around? Well, PNoy Pinay is holding a YELLOW BAZAAR to raise funds for the Sen. Noynoy Aquino and Sen. MAR Roxas, presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively of the Liberal Party in the May 2010 elections.

The event will be on Saturday, March 13, from 10 am to 4 pm on the 3F/ Matrinco Bldg., 2178 Pasong Tamo, Makati. "Funds will go to help defray costs for our poll watchers on election day, and the days after, to guard our ballots," according to the SMS I received yest.

Hope to see you there! Stand and be counted.

* * * *
And speaking of good eats, TACO BELL has just come out with a smashing quesadilla, the cheesiest and beefiest ever! I attended the restaurant's recent press briefing (although I was very late, meaning the press had all left haha!), and got to try Extreme Cheese and Beef Quesadilla!

For P109 you get this amazing meld of cheddar, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack cheeses squishing so sinfully with the bed of beefy goodness. You know I'm not a fan of fast-food dining, but in this case, this quesadilla was a winner for me! You can have some nachos and a 12 oz. softdrink or iced tea to go w/ your quesadilla for P189. It's value for money as well as the quesadilla is served in a 10.5-in. diameter flour tortilla, so it's good for sharing. But in my case, of course, I devoured the entire thing all by myself. Wotta pig! Oink!


Another new Taco Bell offering is the Crispy Potato soft taco, w/c costs about P39. As the name implies, it has chopped potatoes, fried to a crisp w/ some light flour coating, some lettuce and cheddar cheese, gently sitting in a soft taco shell. While it was an interesting play of textures, I thought it just had way too much carbohydrates wrapped in that thing.

I asked the manager why they used potatoes and not experimented w/ let's say tofu instead, she said that they had to follow the U.S. menu. Sayang. That would probably have been a hit w/ the health conscious among us. Taco Bell, call me. Anyhoo, this taco variant is the resto's offering for the Lenten season, so those who are religious, will hopefully feel closer to God after eating this. Or your gym trainer. Ach. Mind the waistline girls!

LTB Phils. team at Bocuse d'Or Asia finals in Shanghai

On March 17, 2010 in Shanghai China, Filipino Chef Ariel Manuel will compete against the best Asian Chefs from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Cambodia at the Bocuse d’Or Asia Finals. Only the top four of the Bocuse d’Or Asia Finals will have a right to compete against the top 24 teams of the world at the Bocuse d’Or World Finals in Lyon, France on January 2011.

(21-year-old-apprentice TJ Abello assists Chef Ariel in preparations)

Lolo Dad's Chef Patron Ariel Manuel and Apprentice TJ Abello have 3 hours to prepare 14 portions of their selected menu: Norwegian Halibut with King Crab, accompanied by Foie Gras en Croute and Asparagus and Caviar Custard. This dish will be presented on a specially designed platter made by metal artist Mike Aguas. Head Coach for this team is French Chef Cyrille Soenen of Restaurant Cicou, joined by Chefs Othmar Frei of Santis/Werdenberg, Fernando Aracama of Encore/Canteen/MyThai and J. Gamboa of Cirkulo and Milkyway Restaurants.

The Bocuse d’Or is one of the world’s most prestigious culinary competitions, founded in 1987 by renowned French Chef Paul Bocuse brings together the best chefs from all over the world to Lyon France to celebrate French Cuisine.


(Chef Ariel slices his fish dish for presentation.)
Since 2007, the LTB (Les Toques Blanches) Philippines Culinary Team has had great success at culinary competitions in Hong Kong and Singapore wining top prizes and numerous medals and trophies for the Philippines. LTB is committed to the training and development of the Filipino Professional Chef.

The LTB Philippines Culinary Team is supported by Werdenberg International Corp., ESV/PTC, Alternatives Food Corp., Tefal, Unilever Food Solutions, Fonterra, Mida Foods, Meat and Livestock Australia, Philippine Airlines, Gourdos, RainPhil-Julabo Water Circulators, Official Knives by Wusthof, and Official Chef Jackets by Chef Revival. For more information, please visit www.ltbchefs-phils.com. (PR)


(Prototype plate of Norwegian Halibut w/ King crab foie gras en croute w/ mushroom duxelle and keta caviar asparagus custards)

CHEF Ariel Manuel is one of the most creative and cutting edge chefs in the country today. Let's wish him and his apprentice TJ Abello good fortune in the Shanghai competition. Proudly Pinoy!

Enjoying your 40s

And my idea of fun has radically changed. While I could do heart-pumping activities like hiking in Sagada in my 20s and 30s, in my 40s I would rather go to the spa and just bliss out for three to four hours under the expert hands of a professional therapist. At 45, I have managed to master the art of relaxed breathing, slower heartbeats, and losing just enough consciousness to find a quiet calm zone, while still retaining enough awareness to hear the therapist tell me to turn over for the next part of my massage. (Click Something Like Life for the rest. In Photo: Illustration Spring Passing by Littlemisslove)

Get well soon Gob!

La lang. Happy Chinese New Year from the gang! ;p

Roar, Golden Tiger, roar!

THE Chinese New Year begins on Sunday, February 14. Understandably, long lines have formed to fortunetellers and feng shui consultants (geomancers) as most of us are anxious to find out what’s in store for us in the Year of the Golden (Metal) Tiger.

After last year’s general downtrend in the local economy and unfavorable business climate, it is mostly the businessmen who are at the forefront of those long lines, I am told, as they hope the year 2010 would hold more promise for them. (Click Something Like Life for the rest.)

(Joseph Chau in the Chinese New Year ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Manila.)
Feng shui forecast for 2010 or the Year of the Golden (Metal) Tiger

Nakaka-depress!

OKAY, so this is still making the rounds of Facebook and several blogs.



I just want to say that I am from Quezon City, and this is one dodo (try to pronounce that one right, Ara) I wouldn't want representing my district. Even kids as young as 10 years old know what the Maguindanao massacre is all about, and all that Ara Mina could say about it was, "nakaka-depress." Leche. My question is, is she running as an independent bec. she just doesn't want to be identified w/ any of the major political parties, or is it bec. none of those parties were actually stupid enough to want her on their ticket? Hmmm...

Other than this bright girl, the other celebrities running for higher office in QC are Aiko Melendez and Herbert Bautista. I think it's time I move to another city.

The next big Pinoy star

WOOF! This mash-up made my hairs stand on hand. Manny Garcia is that good!

Even Cory Monteith, star of that wonderful TV show GLEE, was so impressed that via tweeting, he is trying to help Manny launch his career, according to several news reports. Many of Manny's newfound fans are now hoping he would guest-star on GLEE!

Betcha this guy's gonna perform on Ellen Degeneres' or Oprah's show soon enough. Catch more of the Chicago-based Manny's online perfomances on BlogTV. Ang galing nya!

Clap for him people! ;p

Steven Seagal and the Pacman

LOS ANGELES, California – Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao had dinner with action star Steven Seagal in Hollywood early this week, Balitang America reported.

Pacquiao and Seagal talked about the possibility of doing a movie or concert together.

“We had a great time together. The time just flew by,” said Pacquiao. (Click ABS-CBN News Online Beta for the rest.)

O ha! Say nyo? ;p

(Photo from Team Pacquiao/ABS-CBN News Online)

Change yourself, change the world

So what about Madonna? Isn’t the Kabbalah supposed to teach us about ourselves and how to better handle our relationships with other people? I ask Yehuda why he thinks her marriage with film director Guy Richie fell apart.

“First of all, not everyone’s supposed to be with everyone. Sometimes there’s more positivity in being separate than in being together. Just like there are people looking to find the right one, there’s a bunch of people with the wrong one that are afraid to be alone. I’m not here to judge who should be together or who shouldn’t be together. But there’s no question she’s a better person today than she was 10 to 12 years ago. Twelve years ago, she was doing [the book] Sex. Now she has a charity helping children in Malawi and all this stuff. In her personal life, if you ask her, I’m sure she’ll tell you that her personal life’s great right now.” (Of course, I quipped, maybe even better for Guy; he did score a hit recently with Sherlock Holmes.)
(Click Something Like Life for the rest.)

Because I'm still protesting Taylor Swift's Grammy win

Here's Christopher Walken doing Lady Gaga's Poker Face:

I protest!

TAYLOR Swift wins the Grammy's? WTF?! Are the judges all old futzballs with a crush on little girls who like to sing victim songs with a twang? Duh!

I was so rooting for Lady Gaga to win the Album of the Year of the award. With five no. 1 hits from The Fame CD, how could she lose out to that cutesy Taylor Swift? Lady Gaga is provocative, yes, but super-creative and such a brilliant performer. (I am so sorry I missed her show here in Manila.)


(Madonna and Lady Gaga at SNL. Sorry for the poor AV quality guys, but NBC had all the higher quality pulled out. Spoilsports!)

I may be treading on thin ice here and earn the ire of Madonna fans (I used to be one of them), but talbog na ang Lola nyo . Lady Gaga not only has a strong singing voice for her young age (w/c Madonna didn't have at that same age), but she is an accomplished pianist and dancer, prolific songwriter, and a genius in reinventing herself for each performance. Not to mention, she also is an intelligent girl, very articulate and doesn't take herself too seriously, except when working, as her interviews have shown. (Imagine, pati si Oprah and Barbra Walters naloka sa kanya? Haha!)

Anyhoo, Gaga performed beautifully at the opening of the Grammy's and got everyone all excited when she sang and played the piano w/ Sir Elton John, ang royal bading. Impressive!



I thought that was the best performance of the night already, until Pink took to the stage. I've always liked Pink's CDs bec. she always turns out strong songs w/c capture the spirit of independent women. Anyhoo, watch this. Pink sings, and twirls, and brings the house down.


(Clap for her!)

Ivylicious says she thinks Pink was lipsyncing bec. her voice didn't even break nor did she run out breath while twirling around. I think the lipsyncing could've been done when she was high up in the air, bec. the audience wouldn't notice it naman. Still it was a really standout performance, dontcha think? Hello Cirque de Soleil?

Going back to my original rant, I still don't like the fact that Taylor Swift won over Lady Gaga. Swift has the kind of voice and face that I want to stick a stoker to. Ick. Does this anything have to do w/ my disliking country music so much? You betcha! ;p

Clap for yourselves, guys!

FILIPINO OF THE YEAR 2009
Ondoy volunteers, donors: Lifesaver to multitudes

THEY WERE LIFESAVERS TO THE multitudes who struggled to keep their heads and hopes above water, whether against the torrents of destruction or the slow currents of despair.

They were the volunteers and donors who, in countless ways, helped the battered populace—and the nation’s downcast spirit—recover from the devastation wrought by Tropical Storm “Ondoy.”

The Inquirer salutes them as the 2009 Filipino of the Year. (Click Inquirer.net for the rest.)

This'll brighten up your morning

Back to the drawing board Steve.