May 31.  Bubba likes Takoyaki so much.  I don’t understand the big deal but I like this one better than the others.

Since I was still smittened over our Beef Fondue dinner at Old Swiss Inn the night before, I made reservations at Restaurant 101 on Thursday night to prolong my good food high. We abandoned the plan to hit the gym and instead turned the corner to Emerald Avenue for an evening of dining pleasure.

 

 

At the very heart of business bustling Ortigas Center stands Restaurant 101, which is at the same venue where Le Souffle used to be located. That Le Souffle transferred to Rockwell Club, where my friend Anthony is now busy being an Operations Manager or something (show yourself!!!) Enderun College has an academic affiliation with Les Roches, one of the three schools that Bubba was eyeing to study at before. Enderun extends the practice of providing international level of hotel management education from serving quality gourmet food to a casual and warm restaurant. Restaurant 101 is Enderun’s take on a ritzy culinary laboratory. Whichever table you dine in, the food comes from the same wonderful kitchen where flourishing Enderun students are cultivated.

 

As you enter the glass door, an enthusiastic staff is waiting to serve you with their brand of cuisine. Picture yourself in a serene and elegant setting. White flowers in a square glass vase set on the tables. Carpeted floors, lighting fixtures with blue lights add to the dramatic setting. Their experienced wait staff is knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly (they were employees I learned and not students). From fresh ground pepper (4 rounds!) to knowing where the word Bascaoila comes from, to a black ball pen, they will cater to your every need. Sporting spanking ties and gray suits, the debonair servers courteously and swiftly attended to our tables with perfect ease. You glance at the diverse menu that may not be what you expect (reasonably priced and all) and you get the feeling that you are in for a special treat. The impressive menu features great entrees that include Butter Chicken Biryani, Smoked Duck with Cranberry and Peppercorn Sauce, Hoisin Baby Back Ribs and Grilled US Ribeye.

 

 

 

On the Table:

Amuse Bouche: Bread and Whipped Light Butter

2 kinds of bread were served in a basket with whipped butter that tasted light and unsalted. The bread with the white and black sesame seeds was served warm and I liked it. Bubba ate the other kind and said the first one was better.

 

 

Gratinated French Onion Soup PHP 90

We ordered two soups and an appetizer for our starters. The French Onion soup was served in a decent bowl with melted cheese covering the top. Rich dark broth with smothered onions at the bottom was really done well.

 

Cream of Butternut Squash PHP 90

Lovely taste of pureed squash and cream cheese served in a cup with a tiny chunk of BBQ Chicken in a flower-shaped puffed biscuit. I don’t know if the BBQ chicken matched the soup. I didn’t quite get it. But the soup, it was rich and fabulous. The thickness of the soup was perfect. Now, Chelsea’s squash version has competition in my heart.

 

 

Baked Gnocchi Florentine PHP 220

Gnocchi are a good alternative to pasta and risottos. It’s actually an Italian name for dumpling and comes in different variations. It is good for a first or second course. Some are even made as desserts. Resto 101’s version is Baked Gnocchi Florentine, which are spinach dumplings in Gorgonzola sauce. Gnocchi are supposed to be light and tender, their version however was otherwise. The dumplings were scrumptious but I wish it were a bit softer. As to the sauce, maybe they added a pinch of salt to the cream sauce, which is a negative because Gorgonzala is already salty as it is. As you take more bites, the saltier it got. I wonder if they used tomato sauce instead of Gorgonzala cream, would it be better? Overall, we still finished the dish and it wasn’t a major disappointment. Bubba actually loved it and I enjoyed it too. It was thoroughly bursting with flavors.

 

BBQ Hoisin Baby Back Ribs PHP 350

Hoisin glazed baby back ribs served with grilled corn on the cob and veggies (although the menu said yellow rice). Hoisin is popularly known as a Chinese sauce usually an accompaniment to duck dishes. When it was placed on the table, I was happy to see that it had two small racks. I looked at Bubba with astonishment and said, “for the price, good serving size!” I spoke too soon as we realized they were very few meat in between the bones. It was also a struggle to get the red meat as it was tough and dry. Rubbing the ribs with Hoisin sauce was still a great idea as the flavor of sweetness and sour and spiciness urbanized the ribs.

 

Penne A La Bascaiola PHP 250

With mushroom, parma and mascarpone cheese. Al dente penne served on a white plate with mascarpone cheese cream and a sliver of parma ham. Just a note of advise, do not order this pasta if you ordered the gnocchi because you’d get overload on heavy cream. This was nicely done because the cream was on the sweet side than the salty side.

 

 

Restaurant 101 offers a relaxed and elegant evening in a romantic posh urban-classy setting, which is an oasis for dining. Whether it’s a superb dining experience in a beautifully designed environment, or an intimate private venue for entertaining guests, 101 should be your restaurant of choice. They have themed menus for your perusal if you are a member. Room capacity is about 40 people. If only I can find the time to get formal education on cooking, I would enroll at Enderun in a heartbeat. Restaurant 101 is located at the 2^nd floor of Wynsum Corporate Plaza 22 F. Ortigas Jr. Road (formerly Emerald Avenue), Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Please book your reservations at 6385555.

 

 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/461/08_0529-_Restaurant_101_Enderun?replies_read=2

 

Since we were passing by Yagatyat (Joyce’s version) or Tagaytay, on the way to Batangas, and we were hungry, we decided to stop over at Carlo’s Pizza for a late dinner.  The first time I tried Carlo’s Pizza was about 3 years ago when Paolo and I ate at their branch in Tagaytay after coming from the Open House in Playa, Calatagan.  The second time was within the same year but it was at their branch in Baguio.  I was surprised they already had a branch in Baguio.  Anyhoo, Carlo, who is now an ex of my friend Ann, owns it.  The first time I met Carlo was during a gig at Manila Polo Club, where he picked up Ann, after the stint. 

On the Table:

Soft Taco PHP 89

Soft flour tortilla with ground beef, salsa, lettuce, and cheddar cheese, which was bland and lifeless

Chicken Fingers and Fries PHP 185

Chicken strips in their special seasoned breading, deep fried to golden brown, served with gravy & ranch dressing and slim French fries.  I liked it, crusty and tasty that I can finish the whole basket on my own. 

Quattro Formaggi (Half) PHP 395

Sardinia (Half, 12”) PHP 375

Carlo’s Sampler 2 PHP 150

Chicken fingers, spaghetti and garlic bread.  This was Mher’s order. 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/451/08_0523-_Carlos_Pizza_-Tagaytay   

Carlos P.Romulo Auditorium – June 1, 2008 7:00PM

VDAY MANILA 2008: THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES The New Voice Company, producer of the highly acclaimed The Vagina Monologues in Asia, is set to mount an unforgettable evening on June 1st – with a special back to back performance of Eve Ensler`s THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES and VDay’s new work – A MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER at the RCBC Theatre at 7pm. This one night event is part of the global VDay celebrations for 2008 and will raise funds for the Filipina Comfort Women Group – Lila Filipina. THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES is Eve Ensler`s award winning international hit play. The New Voice Company productions in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo have been a huge success, and hundred of actresses have performed in either a commercial run or a fundraising event since 2000.

A MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER – Writings To Stop Violence Against Women and Girls, is a groundbreaking collection of monologues by world-renowned authors and playwrights, edited by Eve Ensler and Mollie Doyle. The monologues feature men for the first time. These diverse voices of men and women rise up in a collective roar to break open, expose, and examine the insidiousness of violence at all levels: brutality, neglect, a punch, even a put-down. The volume features such authors and topics as: Edward Albee on the “perfect marriage”; Dave Eggers on a Sudanese abduction; Carol Gilligan on a daughter witnessing her mother being hit; Susan Miller on raising a son as a single mother; Howard Zinn on memories of his father; Mark Matousek on growing up with women and learning to love and care for them; Mollie Doyle on her “first kiss”; Nicholas Kristof on being a male journalist and witnessing sexual slavery in Cambodia, and many more. These writings are inspired, funny, angry, heartfelt, tragic, and beautiful. But above all, together they create a true and profound portrait of how violence against women affects every one of us. THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES and A MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER are a call to the world to demand an end to violence against women. V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina Monologues. 2008 marks V-Day’s 10 year anniversary.

The show stars MONIQUE WILSON, CHERIE GIL, TAMI MONSOD, LYNN SHERMAN, CYNTHIA ALEXANDER, JOY VIRATA, LILY CHU, JUNO HENARES, DULCE ARISTORENAS, MADS NICOLAS – with JAMIE WILSON, RODY VERA, MICHAEL WILLIAMS and BART GUINGONA, among many others.

NVC Executive Producer Rossana Abueva, with Direction by Rito Asilo and Monique Wilson, produces the show.

Ticket Prices:
P824.00
P618.00
P412.00
P257.50

Link: http://www.ticketworld.com.ph/events/default.asp?event_name=The%20Vagina%20Monologues

In a city like New York, where moving on is a fact of life, is it really possible to revisit the past? And if we do, will old friends and situations still be as dear to our hearts?

I watched the Premiere of SATC last night at Mall of Asia and really enjoyed every minute of the film.  I only got disappointed with the clothes that SJP were sporting (And of Steve cheating, what the heck were you thinking Steve??)  Even if I heard oohs and aahs from girls sitting beside me, I’d have to say that in my POV, Carrie’s ensembles fell below expectations. 

That royal blue number with superfluous sleeves was something I would have wanted to wear 2 years ago.  Not today.  Since Carrie habitually wears kitschy vintage finds, the feather hairpiece worn on the wedding day is forgivable.  I actually borrowed (or stole) one from my friend Kenny, that looks similar to it and I wore it during a hat party.  BUT it just doesn’t jiggle with the Vivienne Westwood gown.  The Christian Dior gladiator shoes are not typical wedding footwear but that’s Carrie for you.  I find the touch of a blue hairpiece as a good couture-ish addition but maybe not 4-inch feathers pointing to the sky –had a feel of being costume-y.  Oh well, I’ve also been fashion forward to my detrimental at times.  What do I know?  *Shrugs* The movie stylist, Patricia Field, is a professional and a popular one at that.   Every scene is filled with enough labels to keep many fashionista salivating.  And you become really attuned with the art of fashion.  Overall, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte’s wardrobe better were better than Carrie’s in this film.  Even, the color choices of their gowns during the wedding fit the glove. 

Among the fabulous foursome, it is with Charlotte that I identified the most last night.  Carrie would have been totally me when I was in college.  Miranda when I was in law school and initial working years.  Boring as it seems, but I identified the most with Charlotte’s expressions and habits.  I still have bits and pieces of Carrie within me but that girl has definitely left the building. 

With SATC characters now 40 and older, story lines no longer hinge on getting into the VIP list at the latest happening bar or obtaining the “it” bag of the moment.  The movie now revolves wisely about matters of the heart.  After finding true love – as all four women had in the finale of the hit HBO series – what comes next?  The story definitely does not end there.

Miranda and Steve reach an impasse in their marriage as Charlotte worries over her miracle pregnancy and happy marriage.  In Hollywood, Samantha can’t seem to reconcile her love for Smith with her unease at being absent from the city she drew adventure from.  The lady quartet hit their stiletto-shod strides and sashayed together through thick and thin, in clubs, Mexico and abandoned moments at the wedding venue.  Throughout, the four women turn in sensitive, solid performances.  This does not diminish one ingredient that made the show provocative –a lot of sex talks.

(Love Charlotte and Carrie’s outfits with the Benz background)

New York writer Carrie Bradshaw and Vogue freelance contributor, who was the star of the season, follows quite a performance in the movie.  From where we left off in the season finale Carrie was still very much in love with Big.  The movie starts off with nostalgia as the film showed snippets of the past seasons’ highly influential events.  From the early beginnings of 20s girl bonding in shopping, cocktails and men to the growing up transitions of the 30s ladies to now 40s women who face life head on and value the matters of the heart.

Carrie and Big were looking for the perfect Manhattan apartment where natural light can fill the rooms.  With all the skyscrapers in NY, this really becomes a hunted treasure.  Carrie breaks to friends the news of finding a model abode for her and Big that he volunteered to pay for.  Miranda, being very independent minded that she is, informs Carrie that if worse comes to worst, Big can easily throw her out and she becomes a homeless person in her Manolo Blahniks.  Carrie said that Miranda should stop worrying and just feel what Carrie wants her to feel… Jealousy.

 

I really liked that part because a girlfriend should really be upfront with a tad of jealousy and envy instead of keeping the feelings inside letting it surmount to being unhappy for her friend.  Being jealous of a friend’s vacation to Paris or her successful opportunities is inevitable.  But it all boils down to knowing how to handle it and being happy for her without being bitter.  Bitterness eventually leads to backbiting.  So be happy, happy, happy!  If you’re not as successful or hasn’t been presented with certain opportunities, at least your friend is experiencing it.  You have felt it close enough to make it partly yours.

Back to the story, Carrie then confronts Big surreptitiously implying that marriage should be in place.  Marriage, however, never entered the equation with Big.  Big wants Carrie.  Carrie wants wedding.  Wedding bells chimed.

Meanwhile, Miranda settled in Brooklyn with dormant husband, Steve, and 4-year old son Brady.  Lawyer Miranda, struggles to balance work and being a mother, while neglecting for 6 months that she is also a wife to Steve.  Funny moment (but not new since other movies had a sequence like this also) when Miranda and Steve were having sex and Miranda blurted out, “Can you just get it over with!”  Later on, Steve betrays Miranda with a one-nightee, and Miranda briefly separates with Steve but in the end forgives him.

Upper East Side rich kid Charlotte is mom to adopted daughter Lily.  After several years of childbearing activities and adoption, she finds out that she’s pregnant.  All the while, with so much chaos around her, Charlotte is overly worried about her seemingly perfect life and wondered where it was going to go wrong.  Thank heavens that the writer decided to include an almost flawless and high fidelity marriage because it is still possible to have that.

The ever lustfully empowered Samantha has relocated to glitzy LA and spends her time managing the publicity for boyfriend Smith, a hot young model making a name in Hollywood.  There’s also the sexy neighbor Dante who is ready to test Samantha’s monogamous state.  Their love story is also one for the books and I really liked the angle and how it played out.  I remember one scene in the season where Samantha went up to the PH suite with her old ex-boyfriend and told Smith off.  Samantha, “play with your friends and I’ll play with mine.” Eventually had sex with her ex, went down the lift, the lift opens and voila, Smith was waiting patiently for her.  Smith then brings her home.  (Choke)

Jennifer Hudson’s role as an assistant was brilliant as it brings a fresh character to the all-so-familiar drama.  I just wish that her role were developed more instead of it just being sprouts of personality.  Her acting seemed dry compared to her performance in Dreamgirls.

The wedding hype buzzed throughout Manhattan landing on Page 6 and getting sponsored by a highly celebrated designer.  From an intended 75 guests to a whopping 201, Big’s 2 previous failed marriage woes, and getting way ahead over their heads, the Big D finally arrives.  Instead of it being Carrie’s big day as a blushing bride, Carrie was dropped, took the part of a flushing bride and the wedding day became a BIG day.

The real beauty of “SATC” as a movie lies in the return of all those things that were too familiar to us… the tacit sexual moments, provocative language and wardrobe (or the lack of it…), the unabashed love of human frailty and outright feminism.  CW whispers to me and tells me, like a parent lecturing a little child, “don’t emulate them okay?”  Haha.  I heard real concern in his voice –for himself.

I’ve always loved the snappy, verbal sparring between the girls and their men.  Laughed often through the wacky behaviors of each lady and loved a few shed-a-tear moments.  I was especially moved by the drama when Carrie got out of the car and ran to Big.  I felt so much for her and felt so much for Charlotte as a friend.  Charlotte moved me in that scene. 

Similar to any great night out with girlfriends, our 6-year loved series cum movie is drenched with so much love and reality that it lingers long after the last Cosmopolitan runs dry.  It is hands down the sassiest movie of the summer that gives us fabulous, fun frolic, sometimes weak, but big heart moments.  

Old Swiss Inn was the first date place I invited Bubba to.  His was Salcedo Market, but that’s another story.  It was more like an after-dinner thing.  Since he loves cheese, as I do, I decided to order the Waatlander Fondue PHP 650.  This is their cheese version of fondue, which is served in a clay pot (seals in flavor) over fire.  Small slices of bread served in a basket accompanied the cheese fondue. 

 

We decided to pay another visit to the Inn.  Since we were waiting for Michelle Callanta of Gadgets Magazine, we decided to grab some late-night chow at the restaurant around 1030pm of May 28.  It was still very much the same as I remembered it.  Beautiful oak paneling with log timber accent the elegant setting of this warm and inviting restaurant.  Etched glass scenes of Switzerland have created an Alpine look while wait staff clad in Swiss costumes add a striking ambience.  Even if the wait staff had costumes on, their professionalism is enhanced by their pride and their enthusiasm. 

 

The number of tables taken at almost 11pm in the night rightfully proves its reputation.  Specialties include their in-house cured corned beef and several fondue selections.  Not only is the restaurant a traditional Swiss house, it also offers many other varied cuisines. 

On the Table:

 

Fondue Bourguignonne  PHP 1040

This time around we ordered the beef fondue, which I’ve been craving to try for months!  It’s prime beef tenderloin cubes dipped in hot oil with a carousel of sauces (love the peppercorn sauce!), served with slim French Fries.

 

 

Old Swiss Inn is one of the restaurants that will always be sentimental to me.  Old Swiss Inn is located at the ground floor of Olympia Towers, Makati Avenue cor. Sto. Tomas Makati City.  Contact them at 8180098. 

 

Old Swiss Inn Album

 

Racing with Insomniacs

Words: Pam Pastor

Photos: Rico Ramoso

Photos: Francis Yllana 

MANILA, Philippines—I still have a clear vision of myself lying on top of a piano singing O Lumapit Ka while my race partner Amina Aranaz-Alunan filmed me with her Nokia N95 for last year’s Nokia Adventure Race. Despite that embarrassment, I enjoyed myself immensely and didn’t think twice when the opportunity to race came again.

 

This time, the race was to be held in the evening. Teams were set loose in the city with one quest—to find the soul of the night. My partner was actor, former MYX VJ and my fellow insomniac Geoff Eigenmann who I met only a few hours before the race. Our team, Music Fanatics, was competing against nine others—Trissie Corpus and Aris Ladaw (Culinary Quest), Jane Chua and Christian Wong (Audio Attack), Alfred Vargas and Michelle Callanta (Voltage Up), Charlene Go and Andi Manzano (Media Mavericks), Kathy Moran and Paolo Valenciano (Sound Tech), Katen Pimental and Sharon Domingo (Aftershift), Vina Veronica Cruz and Ramon Rodriguez (Free Spirit), Nikki Santiago and Justin Rivera (Ticket to Ride) and Therese Camet and Karylle (Femme Fatales).

On your marks…

The kickoff point was Jumbo Restaurant in Roxas Boulevard. Armed with Nokia N82s and survival kits, we were all ready to go. At 8 p.m. (which was also Earth Hour), the race started.

 

Sandeep Khanna gave the teams the first task card. It read: “Need help? In trouble? Want assistance? Flex your thinking muscles and decode the Help Line Number below… Remember: no calculators and phones will be used.” Geoff and I ran to our van with our crew, ready to face the puzzle. It was not easy—not when you have equations like “MDAS: 536 x 345 / 2 + 97531 – 189,989” and “35.3563 + 19.6437 + 6.1718 + 18.8282 – 53 + 20.512 + 22. 488 – 65 + 15.32587 + 12.67413 – 32” to solve with just a pencil and one sheet of paper. My hands trembled the entire time. I am a complete idiot at math—thank God Geoff isn’t. Soon we were running back to Jumbo where we had to make a fruit platter. On our way in, I saw Alfred wolfing down fruits. “Uh oh,” I said to Geoff as he attacked a watermelon with a sharp knife. “Don’t use too many fruits, we’re gonna eat them.” After having our photo taken on the second floor of Jumbo, we went back down because the task card read, “You must consume all the fruits of your hard labor.” Geoff started eating the melons while I choked on the pineapples. I found the entire scenario funny—I couldn’t stop laughing. 

Sticky hands

With our hands still sticky from all the fruit-eating, we ran back to the van, followed closely by our crew—a race marshall, a bouncer, a cameraman and an assistant cameraman. That’s when I realized I had a problem—my pants were loose and I had forgotten my belt. My pants kept sliding down as I ran—I had to keep pulling it up. I felt bad for the cameraman who I knew would spend a huge chunk of the race assaulted by the view of my underwear. Our next destination was SM Mall of Asia. We hooked up the Nokia N82 to one of the TVs at Extreme Gaming Ground and Geoff played the Asphalt Street Rules 3 NGage Game. Because he rocks at video games, Geoff was the first to finish the three laps.We got our next destination card from a guy who was surfing the Internet at one of EGG’s stations. We had to brave the Manila to Makati traffic. It was time for karaoke at Red Box in Greenbelt 3. “I can’t sing,” Geoff said. “That’s okay, I sing,” I said. Karaoke session We ran into Room 72 at Red Box and recorded a music video of us wearing Chinese costumes and singing I Love the Nightlife. I am ashamed to admit this but we found the song in Red Box’s system quickly because I know who sang that song—Alicia Bridges.We finished the task quickly and were soon running down Greenbelt 3’s escalator so we can jump into our van. Our next stop was the TShirt Project Store in Tiendesitas. Although our driver had been given a suggested route, Geoff told him there was a better way to get to Pasig from Makati. The driver seemed reluctant at first—but when Geoff told us that his dad used to have a store there, we trusted his directions. Soon, our driver was channeling Schumacher. He pulled up in front of Tiendesitas in no time. We were the first to get to the TShirt Project Store. “With your Php2000 budget, choose 2 shirts and letters to make a statement that best describes the Soul of the Night. Remember that you can’t go beyond your budget,” our task card read. 

Say it with a shirt

While I was trying to think of something profound to put on our shirts, Geoff said something funny. I replied with, “Yeah! Insomniacs unite!” He said, “Hey, that can be our statement!” And so we started hunting for our letters and sticking them on bond paper so they can be pressed onto our shirts. A lot of bystanders were watching. “Di ba si ano yun?” “Oo..” “Ewan ko sino yung babae,” one woman said snootily, as if she was annoyed by my anonymity. Never mind me, lady, I’m just a nameless shirt-making freak. Other teams were arriving as we ran to the other side of the store to have our photos taken with our shirts on. We were the first ones out of there and we were headed for Eastwood. 

Fire-dancing

Our task card read, “Look for the Poi Dancers and take their pictures in different creative angles. Get your poi ribbon from your Race Marshal. Each of you must perform the dance for one minute straight. Take pictures of your partner during his/her fiery performance.”I felt my knees buckle. I cannot dance with fire. I am scared of fires—I can’t even light a matchstick or hold a lighter. But we had to focus on finding the poi dancers first. No wonder we had a hard time—we found the girls standing in a quiet corner, talking amongst themselves. Knowing that we were losing time as the girls prepared to dance, I decided to ask Geoff for poi pointers. Klutzes and zips do not mix. We took photos of the poi dancers, Geoff performed well and even had footwork to match his hand movements while I fumbled and laughed as the crowd laughed with me. After my poi embarrassment, we used PanoMan, a really cool feature of the N82, to take panoramic shots around Eastwood.Then, we searched for the mime who supposedly had our next clue. That turned out to be one of our biggest challenges. We walked around Eastwood for long minutes and couldn’t find the guy. 

 

 

Missing mime

One stranger said mysteriously, “Sometimes they’re in the comfort rooms.” But the guy was wrong. We kept crossing paths with people from the other teams who couldn’t find the mime either. Geoff kept walking to a quiet corner of Eastwood. “No, that’s a dead spot,” I said. But the mime was there—away from everyone else’s view. In his excitement, Geoff clapped the poor mime on the chest and the stomach. I have to hand it to the mime—he still didn’t move until after we took our clue. On our way out, Geoff used his acting skills, making Alfred believe that we still hadn’t found the mime. But we made a mistake. We walked straight out of Eastwood and they figured it out. Team Voltage Up retraced our steps and found the mime too.Soon, we were in the van on the way to Piedra where we had to wear masks and find five models in masquerade costumes and pose with them. There, Geoff once against showed his flair for finding people—he was the first to find the last model who was hiding near the toilets. At Piedra, we were handed our next card. It read, “Your last destination. Discover sweetness as you race your way ON FOOT to Café Xocolat at Serendra.” Soon, we were running to Serendra. “Give me your bag,” Geoff said. “No,” I said. I was out of breath but I hate asking people to carry my bag. I kept running, holding on to my pants again so they wouldn’t fall off. “Give me your bag,” Geoff said again. I had to admit, the Nokia backpack was slowing me down. I handed it to him. I was red-faced and gasping for breath by the time we walked into Café Xocolat but I didn’t care because we were the first ones to get there. We read our last task card. “Cap off tonight’s amazing Wireless Adventure by telling a story using your photos of your exciting experiences. Throw in some music, add some graphics to show just how much Soul you’ve got.” We grabbed a table at a quiet corner and started to work. Alfred’s team arrived after a while and they too started working on their slideshow. Teams arrived one by one and the place started to become more packed. 

Playing with pictures

We had taken a lot of photos at every destination using the N82’s camera which is equipped with a 5-megapixel Carl-Zeiss lens and a Xenon Flash. Using the N82’s photo editor, we played with our pictures from that night—turning them into sepia and adding frames, thought bubbles and captions. Alfred and Michelle beat us to submitting the slideshow first. We gave ours second—with almost two hours to spare before the deadline. I was actually sad when we finally handed in the slideshow. Sure I was relieved that I could finally take off my race shirt because it was a bit tight—but I had so much fun completing the tasks that half of me didn’t want them to end. This year’s race may have been shorter but it was definitely more intense than last year’s. 

 

 

 

The party

 

The race’s final stop was Embassy, where the Nokia Soul of the Night party was held over a week after we completed our last tasks. There, surrounded by people from Nokia, the N82’s ambassadors and their family and friends, the awards were given out to the race participants. Alfred and Michelle were declared the Souls of the Night—they went home with the grand prize of P100,000 and a trip to Macau. Geoff and I lost, yes, but the truth is, I still felt like a winner. We did pretty well all throughout the race, we fulfilled our plans of completing each task under 20 minutes and we had a blast. And losing this year means I can join again next year. Sure, the race was a chance to test the features of the N82 but it wasn’t just that. It was an opportunity to explore the city while it’s shrouded in darkness, to see how technology can bring people together, to push one’s limits and fall in love with your city even more. That is a huge prize in itself. 

 

 

Prize overload

There were no losers at the Soul of the Night party.  The following prizes were given out: 

Love Team Award – Team 2 Audio Attack (Jane Chua and Christian Wong)

Breakthrough Performance in Fruit Eating Award – Team 7 Voltage Up (Michelle Callanta and Alfred Vargas)

I Will Survive Award – Team 1 Culinary Quest ( Trissie Corpus and Aris Ladaw)

Best I Love the Nightlife Comedic Performance – Team 6 Media Mavericks (Charlene Go and Andi Manzano) 

Breakthrough Performance in Fruit Styling Award – Team 9 Sound Tech (Kathy Moran and Paolo Valenciano)

Best I Love the Nightlife Dance Sequence – Team 3 Aftershift (Karen Pimentel and Sharo Domingo)

Best Soul of the Night Statement Award – Team 8 Music Fanatics (Pam Pastor and Geoff Eigenmann)

Best Panoman Photo Award -Team 4 Free Spirit (Vina Veronica Cruz and Ramon Rodriguez)

Best Poi Dancer Photo Award – Team 5 Ticket to Ride (Nikki Santiago and Justin Rivera)

Photographers of the Night Award – Team 10 Femme Fatales (Therese Camet and Karylle)

Best Nokia Story Tellers of the Race – Team 5 Ticket to Ride (Nikki Santiago and Justin Rivera) 

 

–

Nokia Soul of the Night Video

Showbiz and Style Link

Race Album

Race 2 Album

Awards Night Album

Video

Video 2

Video 3

We live in a world where there are endless possibilities. Think about it: As women, we have a billion options when it comes to careers, relationships, clothes…hell, even groovy exercise classes. And yet, we’re more bummed out than ever before. Proof: When Pinoys were surveyed by the Social Weather Station in 1996, 40 percent said they were “very happy,” but by 2004, it was down to 28 percent. “Intuitively, having so many choices should make you happier, but it can actually make you feel worse,” says Barry Schwartz, PhD, author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. “The more options you have, the higher your expectations, and when your expectations are sky-high, you’re destined for disappointment… no matter how good things get.”

So if such abundance doesn’t make us happy, then what does flip our bliss switch? Is it adopting the lifestyle before we had so many life options? Not entirely. Our parents grew up with fewer choices to make, but assuming their life goals isn’t the answer, because the world isn’t the same place today. The key is actually a mix of things, some timeless and some that relate to this generation. Here, the essential elements.

You Need a Solid Core Group of Friends

Look at Carrie from Sex and the City. Through everything from Post-it note breakups to snapped stilettos, she is generally one happy camper. Why? She has her posse. “Friendship is one of life’s main joys,” says David Niven, PhD, author of The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People. “Spending time with people who really know you affords you the freedom to be yourself, which increases contentment.”

But you don’t need to be the founding member of your own fab four to be happy. “You can have a small close-knit gang or various friends that factor into different areas of your life but aren’t necessarily part of the same group,” says Niven. “What matters most is that you feel open with them and they can be open with you.”

You Gotta Have Adventures

Quick: Recall your favorite college memory. A hundred bucks says it wasn’t that time you studied really, really hard and got an A minus on your Chem 101 exam. The, um, yum incident with the teacher’s assistant in the lab after class ranks a little higher, right? Thought so. And that’s the point. “If everything you did in life was safe, you’d never have any exhilarating moments or crazy experiences to recall, both of which give you the sense that you’re truly living,” explains Brian Luke Seaward, PhD, author of Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart.

It’s Time to Toss Excess Stuff

If you can barely scrape together enough cash to spring for that P105 frap, you’ll love this: Money (and all the crap that you can buy with it) won’t bring you happiness. In fact, when wealthy Americans were surveyed, they reported being only marginally happier than the general public. “When you have limitless funds, you tend to be hell-bent on accumulating more,” says New York clinical psychiatrist Janet Taylor. “In the process, you lose the ability to appreciate what you do own and have difficulty feeling fulfilled.”

And you don’t need to be a gazillionaire to get caught in this trap. The problem might be that you just can’t seem to throw anything out. Like your favorite shirt from your high school days, that (hello!) is from Giordano. “Extra belongings weigh us down and crowd our space, making us feel overwhelmed and disorganized,” says Dr. Taylor. “Lightening up will help you regain control and, therefore, happiness.”

 

A Balance of Busy and Dead Time Is Key

Always zipping around in spaz mode without a second to spare for even a pee break is bound to take a toll on your mood. But so is idling the day away on the couch. “Overextending yourself induces stress, yet it also makes you feel productive, like you’re contributing something, which is very important to happiness,” says Niven.

“Similarly, inactivity breeds boredom, which inspires feelings of uselessness and discontent, but lulls are vital.” Essentially, all go-go-go will wipe you out, as will a solid diet of nada, but a mix of both? Bingo! Okay, so how do you strike the perfect balance? Fill your days with stuff you love (your Tuesday-night Tae-bo class) and stuff you have to do (balancing your checkbook). Just keep in mind that at the end of the day, you want to feel like “you’ve accomplished something but that you’ve also relaxed,” says Niven.

 

It’s Crucial to Give In to Temptation

You log overtime at work, hit the gym religiously, stick to a low-fat, no-fun diet, and even remember birthdays. Or maybe you aren’t quite so type A. But you still get to work on time, kiss your boss’s ass when you’d rather kick it, and play nice to your folks. Face it, making it in this world takes some serious discipline, regardless of your personality profile. “The pressure to keep up is so exhausting that it would seem like the payoff for showing such restraint would be great,” says Seaward.

Liking Yourself Is Non-negotiable

Since you’re human, you have no doubt had one of those “Omigod! I can’t believe I said that” moments, followed by a “Stupid, stupid, stupid” fist to the forehead. Like, say, the time you introduced your guy to Willy the CEO at the office beach trip, only Willy’s name is actually Bill. Then you spent the rest of the night harping on what an idiot you are. “We tend to beat ourselves up, but it’s necessary to let ourselves off the hook,” says Ed Diener, PhD, professor of psychology and leading happiness researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Inevitably, you’re going to make mistakes, and yet you still have to like yourself.”

The same holds true for those socalled physical imperfections that you let deflate you. You know, the slight crook in your nose that you swear makes you a prime candidate for The Swan. We can all point to 10 things that are wrong with us, but the key to happiness is appreciating yourself despite them, adds Diener.

And that ain’t easy. But it’s very important to learn to keep your inner critic in check. So for every time you get down on yourself, remind yourself of something you excel at and get comfortable talking yourself up by tossing one positive thing (e.g., props from your boss or a sweet text from your boyfriend) into conversation.

You Must Stop Mentally Browsing

We know you’ve been here: You’re sitting at a restaurant, menu in hand, when the deliberation begins: Chicken or fish? Chicken or fish? After angsting for 20 minutes, you go with the fish…and then sit there until the meal comes, wondering if you should’ve gone with the chicken. Okay, maybe this is a very mild version, but in life, we do this on a larger scale all the time. “We convince ourselves that there must be something better out there, but ‘mental browsing’ is a recipe for dissatisfaction,” says Schwartz. “You’re wasting time and energy on doubting a good move just because there was another option, or 10, that you didn’t choose. You’ll never be happy if you live like this.”

The solution? Whenever a decision is in doubt—like whether your current guy is The One—pick two characteristics that are important to you (in this case, maybe it’s a sense of humor and a close-knit family). Once your criteria are established, ask yourself if they’re being met. If so, forget other options and move on. You’ll know if another option is better for you because it’ll nag at you. So relax, you’ve made the right choice… or at least one that’s going to make you happy.  

A busy Tuesday morning it was starting with a Eurocup meeting and an anti-piracy meeting afterwards. The meeting was about to begin when Mean called me and asked me if I ordered Krispy Kreme. I said no. Krispy Kreme Galleria Branch sent over a box of 12 melt-in-your-mouth original glazed donuts!!! I was surprised when they said there was a delivery of Krispy Kreme at the reception. I thought it was Bubba sending me 12 goodies, but it was actually from the branch!

 

Thanks so much! What a perfect way to ease my Tuesday and prep me up for the SATC premiere. Good vibes, good times!

 

 

 

Between Bites

 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/462/08_0527-_Krispy_Kreme

After the heavy meal at King’s place, we decided to stop over at Fire Lake Grill less than an hour later to grab dessert.  Returning to Manila via Tagaytay, it’s really a must to stopover the Cliffhouse ridge.

We arrived at Fire Lake Grill past 1pm when it started drizzling.  I felt that the waiter wanted us to order more and get something other than dessert when I already told him that we were only having desserts.  I’m not sure but his facial reaction kinda rubbed me the wrong way that it turned me off to order anything else.

Pineapple Carpaccio with Malibu Rum and Pink Peppercorn PHP 180++

(Served without dessert spoons.  I had to ask for one.) This is such a sunshine dessert in contrast with the weather outside that day.  Bubba liked the coconut ice cream and the sweet tuile cup where the ice cream was dished in.

Fire Lake Grill is located at Unit 3, Cliffhouse Tagaytay, Gen. Aguinaldo Hi-way Cavite.  You can contact them at 4132069 or 09279144604.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/454/08_0524-_Fire_Lake_Grill