BOLINAO- Hidden Paradise of the North (Except on holidays)

Last April 2, 2015 (Maundy Thursday), my friends and I decided to act like normal people and agreed to swim out of town since all our folks decided to stay in and become holy. Not that we are against it, or not that we don't practice it, it's just about taking the opportunity to grab all available friends to go out and about with them not having any damn good reason to say no.

So we opted to go to Patar, Bolinao since it has one of the cleanest and whitiest sand beach I have ever been to, and we thought that the butt-numbing distance from the metro would be enough to keep all the usual holiday-crowd away, or so we thought. We left home (Las Piñas) at about 11am, which is a real bad idea since travel time will take about 8-hours.

Magic Island, Boracay - > Cliff dive like a a pro (way cheaper than the other more famous spot)

TEAM BREEZY.

Entrance to Magic Island, Boracay is Php 150/pax but you have to rent a boat to get there, we haggled pretty good so we got the boat for only Php 2000 5/pax, but regular rates for foreign visitors is Php3000. The rent is inclusive for a 3 hr Island Hopping tour, but we consumed most of our time pushing ourselves to that 30 ft. cliff. It was a must-try, especially for first time visitors. Worth it!

15 URI NG KAIBIGAN NA MAKIKILALA MO SA INUMAN

15 URI NG KAIBIGAN NA MAKIKILALA MO SA INUMAN

By: Antonette Sarte

Based on extensive years ng pag iinom, eto ang mga pinaka common na tao makakasalamuha niyo sa inuman niyo halos gabi gabe. Sana ma-enjoy niyo. :D

1. The Silencer

Eto ung tropa mong tahimik lage sa inuman o lakad,  nkayuko nagtetext, nanunuod ng youtube o naglalaro ng COC. Magsasalita pag kinausap, tatawa pag may nakkatawa, tatagay pag sa kanya na, pero yuyuko na ulet pagtapos ng lahat ng ito. Hindi man sya pala salita, pero pag nagsimula na kayo mag usap, at “in the zone” na ang lolo mo, dire diretso na gagalaw ang bibig nya at dun mo marerealize na ang kailangan nya lang pala ay isang kaibigan.

     2. The Sleepy Hollow

Eto ung laging late naupo sa pwesto dahil kagigising lang, at pag upo nya e inaantok nanaman. Anak ng. Hindi sya gaano nakikiride sa mga trip nyo, dahil masaya na syang makinig at makitawa sa isang sulok hanggang sa dahan dahan na syang maglakbay sa panaginip niya.

     3. The VIPs

Eto ung mga nuknukan ng arte kung yayain, ang daming requirements. Ang daming dokumentong hinihinge, “Sino sinong pupunta”, “Hanggang anong oras”, “Kelangan sa malapit lang”. At kung ma- meet mo man lahat ng hinihingi neto, ay tyak late parin siya darating, dahil sisiguraduhin nyang nkalatag na lahat, nkapuwesto na lahat ng wala na siyang dapat asikasuhin, at kung nagdatingan na ang mga kapwa niya VIP, dahil boring nga naman makipag inuman sa mga butaw.

     4. The Chosen One.

Eto ung mga taong nakakangaga ng buong puso nung mag sabog ang Diyos ng kasipagan. Sila kadalasan ay nabibilang sa mga unang nadating para magluto ng pulutan, bumile sa tindahan, at mag timpla ng alak. Sila rin kadalasan yung mga huling nauwi, para magligpit at maglinis ng ininuman. Bihira ang mga ganito, at pag nakahanap ka ng mga katulad nila e tropahin mo na for life.

    5. The Agogo Dancer

Eto ung nasa gate palang e naghuhubad na ng t-shirt habang nasayaw Kolboy Style. Kadalasan, galing na siya sa iba pang inuman, at dahil kayo ang mga bespren niya, kayo dapat ang makasaksi ng tunay niyang kulay at kayo dapat ang mag hatid sa kanya sa huling hantungan (banyo, sofa, sala, sahig). Masaya kasama ang mga taong ito, dahil game na game sila. Kadalasan ay uunang namamatay sa inuman kakasayaw.

   6. The Hadhad

Eto ung mga tropa mong pag nalalasing e nangangati ang buong katawan, at nakakalimutan ang buong pagkatao niya. Nakakalimutan niya kung sino ang mga katabi niya at kung sino ang mga kasama niya basta pag nangati, e tyak siguradong magpapakamot. Kadalasan kilala na naten sila, pero may mga pagkakataon na biglang umuusbong ang hadhad skills ng isa mong kaibigan, pag nasobrahan sa alak.

  7. The Dramarama sa Hapon

Eto ung kadalasan nagyaya ng inom dahil may problema, pag upo sa lamesa ay nakatulala o may ka heart to heart na isang tropa ng ilang oras, pagkatapos ay biglang iiyak at makukuha na ang atensyon ng lahat ng nag iinom, at ang problema niya na ang magiging topic para sa buong gabing iyon. Kadalasan, nauuna malasing ang mga ito dahil sa pagpipilit lunuken ang buong bote ng Empi o sa pag angkin sa shot ng iba. Kadalasan nabagal ang ikot ng alak dahil hindi na naalis sa kanyan ang shotglass.

8. The Angry Bird

Eto ung tumataas ang presyon pag nakakainom ng alak, nagdidilim ang kanyang paningin at nagpapantig ang kanyang tenga. Aktibo ito sa mga diskusyon at pag siya ay natatalo na ay maghahamon, sisigaw o mag wo-walk out. Kadalasan nabalik din sila pag humupa na ang moment at mag so-sorry, with matching iyak pa. Masaya sila panuorin at kadalasan ay hindi na pinapatulan pag nasanay na.

9. The Sponsorship

Eto ung mga taong nanganganak ng pera. Kadalasan ay niyayaya siya sa inom dahil galante at di mahirap singilin, pag natyempuhan mo pang good vibes, e tyak makakatikim ka ng libreng alak at chichirya sa gabing iyon. Maraming tropa ang mga ito pero bilang lang ang totoo, alam na e.  

10. The MMK life story

Eto ung mga taong medyo gipit sa buhay, at hindi pinagpala ng pang ambag sa inuman pero kadalasan ay sinasama dahil pag tropa tropa. Madalas ay nililibre ito ng “SPONSOR” (read no. 9) pero minsan ay namimihasa ang mga MMK, dahil kahit meron na silang pera ay papanindigan pa rin nila ang saklap ng buhay at ipaglalaban ang 20PHP na ambag na “ipapamasahe” pa daw nila pauwe.

11. The Buffet 101

Eto ung mga laging kapos sa kanin mong tropa, na pag dating palang sa inuman e nakatitig agad sa lamesa. Minsan si CR daw sila muna, pero ang diretso pala ay sa kusina o rep para silipin kung ano mang pulutan ang meron para sa gabing iyon. Mahirap maglapag ng pagkain sa lamesa dahil nag sisilbing “War Zone”  ito pagkalapag na pagkalapag mo ng plato. Kadalasan ay madaldal ang mga ito dahil paraan nila yan para ma-divert ang antensyon mo sa pulutan, madalas ay hawak nila ang tinidor habang nagsasalita.

12. The Others

Eto ung mga tropa mong may sariling tropa pag nasa inuman. Sila lang kinakausap niya buong gabi at sila lang pinapansin niya. Kadalasan ay maasar ka sa kanila, pero kadalasan ay may topak lang sila. Hindi naman sila laging ganito, pero pag sinumpong ay talagang nakakairita, kadalasan nauuwi sa diskusyon ang inom kapag may mga “Others”.

13. The Balikbayan

Eto ung mga minsan lang magpunta, minsan lang sumulpot kahit nasa kabilang kanto lang ang bahay niya. “School”, “busy”, “trabaho”, “Lovelife” kadalasan ang maririnig mo sa kanya pag inaya. Madalas mo lang sila makikita kapag may bday, kasal, binyag, graduation tulad ng iba mong kamag anak na asa ibang bansa. Pero pag simpleng salu-salo at inuman lamang ay malabo mong masinagan ang anino nila.

14. The Ninja Turtle

Eto ung mga ci-CR lang daw, may kukunen sa kotse, mag wa-wifi lang, o bibili ng yosi. Yun pala umuwi na. Madalas to pag patapos na ang inuman, hindi mo sila maasahang magligpit o magwalis manlang dahil asa kanto na pala nag aabang ng tricycle. Kadalasan magtetext ito kinabukasan at hihingi ng pasensya sa bigla niyang pagkawala, kesyo tinawagan ni misis o sinigawan ng nanay kaya DAW umuwi.

15. The Perfect Attendance

Eto ung mga, ubod ng dali yayain, hindi mahirap kausap at kadalasan wala ng tanong tanong pupunta nalang. Tumutulong sila mag ayos at maglinis at nag aambag ng tama. Aktibo sila sa grupo at halos walang nami-miss na lakad. Endangered species na ang mga ito kaya tulad ng mga “Chosen Ones”, e sila ay ating alagaan at paramihin pa.

Pulutan 101: Cheez-it Sushi. Why not?

Have you ever thought that mixing and matching things/food can be done in an extremely strange level? Well it can. 

While most of us are struggling into this tight economy we all have in our plate. Most of us won't give up having fun. That's when creativity walks in.  

My friends and I always drink. Well we do a lot then than now. But old ways eventually became a habit, a legend, a way of life that will be passed on to generations. Lol. One of this "legend" that will be passed on is our famous Cheez-it Sushi. 

I know some of you might already be shaking your head in disgust but believe me guys, this is the shit. When you're young, broke and adventurous, nothing really could go wrong. We love to eat and drink, so why not be creative to add up to the fun? 

All you need is a pack of Cheez it, the curved cheese snack 90's kids loved and still love up to now which is around  20php. Some cooked rice and whatever the hell you want to consider as toppings, and voila you have yourself one delicious sushi/pulutan. 

We have our personal favorite combo: cheez -it + rice + scrambled egg bits + canned tuna toppings = culinary innovation. Lol 

It might look/sound gross, but hell you've done worse things than that. And it's fun so why be a grinch, you should definitely give it a try. 

Lost at 23

I guess when you're nearing 24 and jobless, you might as well consider that a near- death experience. Well for me it is, as much as I wanted to laugh about it, sometimes I just can't anymore.
After almost a year of job- hunting I finally snatched a job in one of the well -known companies in the country. But as always as it is, rainbows only last for so long.  Things went from bad to worst, there wasn't even a good one to start with. Well after 5 grueling months of denial and struggling, I finally left. And the moment I walked out the door, I knew I was doomed. I've been into the dungeons and horrors of finding myself a job for over a year and now here I am again, back on track.

I never considered myself ill-witted or something, I've seen better days when I was still in school, I haven't really had that much problems on exams and passing, now I don't know why I'm having such a hell of a good time looking out for a job. The experience isn't any close to normal anymore. Most of my friends got a thing or two just a month after leaving their college doors. And here I am, bleeding my heart out in this article.

Maybe because I wasn't sure of so many things in my life, that I don't even know what career best suits me. I wish I had thought of this back then, when I was still in college, I wished I've thought about how my towering height (5'3") won't let me in the airline industry and how my condition (skin asthma) won't let me step into the hotel and resort industry. I wished I knew how cruel the world can be when you stepped out of school.

Now I'm stuck, sitting in front of this laptop every goddamn afternoon, wondering how my life ended up this way. I'm stuck here wanting to deactivate all my social accounts so as not to see how almost all my friends are out there living the dream and I'm here eating leftover food from the fridge. It's funny how the people who need the most always end up with the emptiest hands every time. All I wanted was some stability for my age, some blueberry cheesecake and a day or two with my folks every week where I can take them to places while they're still up and able. Not so much isn't it? No brand new Iphone 6 there or some shitty 500$ branded bag on the list. Funny how when you want something so humbly normal, the richer kid beside you always gets something more. Is that how an ass life can be?

Well I hope she plays fair sometimes, instead of taking the life and soul of so many people who weren't as strong and creative enough to think of possibilities on how to make it. I know I'm not the only one in this path, for those who are with me in this ride, let's just try to keep it all together and keep a hold of the handlebar for some more. It's way too bumpy now, I know. Who knows, the paved road we've been dreaming about might be in the next turn.

ONE OF THE WORST CHIC BOY BRANCH I'VE EVER WENT TO

Well after typhoon Glenda hit home, there's nothing much left to do with all the power/water/wifi outages in town. For the first few nights I actually found it romantic eating with all the candle lights and with only them to sustain the dim lit vision all night. But past forward four days and it's not helping anybody's mood already. So we just had to eat out.
     Living in Imus, Cavite has its downside, actually many of them. Unlike living in other areas in the south (Las Piñas, Parañaque, Muntinlupa ), there's only so many places you can go in times like these. Yes malls have been springing up everywhere, but there's still this lack of those small, quaint yet modern and hip restaurants that all the latter has. All we have is fast food, chains and chains of them. So in times of hunger, you really have no choice but to resort to one. 
   So that night, I was craving for Sisig , and one of my faves is Chic Boy, I've always been a fan. It's cheap, tasty and will always give your belly the blob it needs. It offers Unlimited Rice and soup, overflowing chicken oil, mountains of fried garlic to go with all your high blood inducing foods. What else can you actually ask for? 

So I grabbed my hubby to go to the nearest outlet, and it's in V Central Mall Molino. We got there at around half past eight and people are still lining up in the counter. We immediately ordered our food,  Lechon Sisig for me and Liempo for him. They're both Unli-Rice. We sat down and waited for our order, I gently asked one of the waiters if they have fried garlic, and with a very delighting smug look on his face he answered a stiff, "WALA." Fine I'd let that pass, but past forward 20 mins. that's only when our dishes came. And my hubby even got the wrong one, the smug waiter kept on insisting he ordered a chicken leg. So I gave him our receipt. He checked then went away, thankfully after around 5 minutes he came back with the right order. Okay time to eat, finally.

As I was looking at my most awaited food, I readily realized something's not right. This isn't what I ordered. This isn't Sisig, this is OIL with a few spoons of meat.  

This is what their website says it's supposed to look like (Lechon Sisig)

And this is what I got: 

Really, are they serious? I'm not picky when it comes to food, but seriously, can you even call this food?  I tried to eat it since I'm really hungry, I tried scooping the less oily stuff out of the death pool but it just didn't work. I just scavenged a few slices of meat from my hubby. 

I'm a big fan of this restaurant, and I'm not against them in any way. But some of their branches really need to step up. If you want to maintain that good reputation then please hire qualified people, not to mention friendly. It's all about service. And with this branch, I'm not sure if they really have it. 

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken is now in the Philippines

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken is now in the Philippines

Well I must say say this is a new found treasure for all of us Filipinos who are very fond of unlimited rice and unbelievably large amounts of serving-size foods.

This restaurant got its origins from Taiwan and it kind of spread like wild fire into the whole world, managing to have branches in Australia, Singapore and many more.

Well here in the Philippines, it is located at one of the freshest and newest food hub in the city, The Blue Bay Walk in Macapagal Ave. Pasay City, just a notch away from the famous Mall of Asia, Complex. But the store need not fuss for as far as I know this is a first in the Philippines. So it can brag all it wants.

The menu is basically and as expected consists of fried items, the famous jaw-breaking fried chicken of course, then the equally gigantic fish fillet and then it also serves chicken skin and wings. Also, they have sandwiches for those who still consider their diet while dining at this place.

The Menu

For the price, I think it's still very reasonable for the amount and the size of the slab you're gonna get. I'm telling you it's gonna test every bit of manhood in your veins to devour everything and finish it. That's why you can order it with rice or just the chicken itself which you'd eat in their take out paper bag. And there's unli gravy too! ( a plus). 

     If you're gonna ask me what's the best thing to order I'd say go for the

BBQ style fried chicken cause it's probably the one that has the most taste in them. Frankly speaking, their chicken tastes good, but not really out of the ordinary just really, really large. I guess that's the catch.  But all in all it's good and worth every bucks.

My order:BBQ flavored chicken.