Math for Fun 001

So here I am taking a break from solving Math problems. For the past few hours I have been answering some geometry problems on my own. There really isn't a reason why I do this, it's just that lately I am starting to feel like I'm not as mathematical as my former self, though I still have confidence in being logical so  even though I already forgot half of my math lessons in school, I still get to solve problems though not as easily as I could have because I have to analyze each part to come up with an answer.

And again this proves that in math, one does not need to memorize a plethora of formulas. One simply should understand the basic axioms and work out solutions to more complex problems. :)

Yeah, that and probably because of my desire to learn calculus on my own. My practical side would like to know if my mind can support such a topic. Again, I think there's this fear implanted in me because most people I know hate math, most people I know do not get calculus even though most of these graduated from courses requiring calculus...

And yes, I'm bored. I just want to learn something new.

Manila Hotel 08242013

When I arrived home after spending time at the hospital with my sister, I quickly get dressed for a formal occasion. My father was invited at a mini concert with dinner at Manila Hotel so I put on a red dress which I got as pasalubong from an uncle. (My nanny says it looked really good on me.)

I will not write about the concert since it bored me to death. Some singers were not ready and some committed mistakes and couldn't seem to keep up with musical accompaniment. So yes, I am sorry to say that it didn't manage to get a tight hold of my attention.

But the dinner was lovely, which was already the greatest consolation for me since I wasted my time that night.

Dinner started with cream of potato soup with smoked salmon relish and chive whip. This, as most creamy soups are, I find delicious.

The Caesar salad was fantastic and never boring. The greens are fresh and the dressing just enough for every bite. I especially love the generous amount of bacon bits.

Next came green mango sherbet. The thing I ate off that was the thin film of hardened caramel which luckily was not too sweet. On my first taste of the sherbet, I instantly thought of summer which I have come to associate with mangoes. Sigh. And yes, I thoroughly miss it and after that I constantly wonder when and where can I enjoy such wonderful treat.

For the main course, guests can choose between steamed lapu-lapu fillet or ballotine of lamb leg with spinach. It was a dilemma but since I seldom eat lamb, I chose the second one. It doesn't disappoint. In fact, after that night, I started looking for articles on the internet on how to make ballotines. The meat is tender and easy to chew, not to mention having just the right amount of flavor so as not to make it dull nor to make it overly flavorful. YUM!

For dessert we had Coupe Manila Hotell. Since I'm not a dessert person I'm not very knowledgeable about desserts. I find the coupe beautifully made though, visually speaking. 

To end dinner, we have a choice of either coffee or tea. I naturally had tea which smelled faintly of jasmine.

I hope I get to attend similar dinners in the future. :)

The Poor Foodie

A friend shared an article on Facebook about a middle-class foodie. The article is written by a self-confessed middle-class diner who has come to discover the joys of cooking as well as the practical advantages this gives as compared to dining out.

I can very well relate to Lars Roxas, the guy behind the article. As a student perpetually struggling with financial difficulties, I found it very hard to sustain my food-tripping hobby. I relied on special occasions to get the chance to eat at classy restaurants. When my sisters entered the workforce, I would often ask them to eat out but they'd be the ones to foot the bill. (I am very grateful to them for being understanding in my plight as a poor student with a big appetite.)

In college, I decided to try my hand at cooking. I think being exposed to different cuisines awakened in me that desire to experiment with food. Always known to be eclectic (since I rarely think that things are mutually exclusive) and quite the adventurous one, I never cook the simple way. But this has always been a trial-and-error thing since I usually just envision the resulting flavors in my head instead of creating small samples to taste and adopt them to big batches when found to be satisfactory. So everytime I volunteer to cook, people at home would tremble in fear out of either my awesomeness to blend flavors or a terrifying taste that will lead them to boycott my concoctions and for a time, ban me from the kitchen.

Most times though, my family are happy with my cooking. There were occasions when I would feel guilty because no one would eat the food I cook but these are isolated cases. Most times, too, I forgot to add in important ingredients but at least the next time around I am sure to remember and learn from my mistakes.

What helps me greatly in deciding what to cook are TV cooking shows and recipe books at home. My relatives on my mother's side are certified foodies and all my aunts are wonderful cooks, probably because my maternal grandmother is also one of the best cooks ever. Of course, exposure to restaurant foods also is a great factor, especially fusion cuisines since I learn a lot on what goes well with what.

Now employed and earning my own money, I still find myself a poor foodie. But compared to my student days, I have the means to treat myself out to dinner relatively more times a month. Still I do not forget my humble past and I still find the same enthusiasm in trying out even the ubiquitous carinderias, small cantetens and food stalls. It's a wonderful experience especially when shared with a friend who cooks, too. We would discuss different cooking techniques, and speculate on how to cook the dishes we order at the restaurant. We assess the food we eat based on serving size, flavor, and texture--- all these correlated to price and we then evaluate on the whole. Ultimately we ask ourselves, will we come back to this restaurant? 

Tekken: The Motion Picture

Those who frequent the arcades are familiar with Tekken, a game for single or double player wherein the goal is to defeat one's opponent. It's pretty similar to other fighting games like Street Fighter, King of Fighters, Marvel vs. Capcom, Mortal Kombat, etc.

Like its popular rival Street Fighter, Tekken also has movies under its name. I'm lucky to have come across Tekken: The Motion Picture which tells the story of Kazuya's revenge against his father for throwing him over the cliff when he was a child. This was witnessed by Kazuya's girl friend Jun Kazama who later on joins the tournament hosted by Kazuya's father with the purpose of investigating the Mishima Conglomerate. The company is suspected of doing illegal biological experiments. Jun is joined by Lei Wulong form Hongkong.

The Tekken Tournament is held in an island (which reminds me a lot of DOA). Invited are fighters from different backgrounds and with different motives for joining. For instance there is a guy named Jack who turns out to be an android with a conscience. His goal is to deliver a sick girl to the doctor whom he believe is the only one who can cure the child. There´s also an Indian-looking girl named Michelle who is out to kill Zaibatsu for destroying her village.

Jun Kazama seems to have a special ability to sense things. She sensed the ominous return of Kazuya whom she thought to be dead. She also repeatedly tells him of the coldness of his spirit, and reminds him that his thirst for revenge should not consume him.

The film lasting for just 57 minutes is too short to allow character development and the plot is too cliché. Also, the ending is a cliff-hanger since Heihachi was able to escape from the island which was destroyed after his other son Lee set off the self-destruction sequence after his realization that he will never inherit the conglomerate. So I guess there must be a sequel.

Buddhist themes of reincarnation and renewal of the earth is dominant in the film. Before Jack died, his last words were, "Farewell. When I come back next time, I will be human for you" derives from the belief in reincarnation. Likewise, Heihachi's desire to destroy the world so that a pure world will be able to rise is also a main Buddhist concept often used in animé.

Siomai 08112013

Last Sunday, August 11, I was suddenly tasked to make siomai for lunch. The night before, I suggested that we make siomai for dinner but because my suggestion came too late it didn't push through.

Our househelp helped me in chopping up all the ingredients. Since I was busy, all I did was mix all the ingredients, wrap them in the siomai wrapper, and put them in the steamer.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg. ground pork

1 pc. medium-sized carrot, grated

half a bulb garlic, minced

oyster sauce

sesame oil

black pepper

After wrapping, they went straight to the steamer. Our househelp asked me how long should we steam these and I was stumped for an answer. I had to run and ask mom (LOL). She said 10 minutes will do for small ones so I decided to have it 15 minutes since my siomai were a bit big. I was able to make 19 pieces and look how lovely they were:

Of course the real test is not just in how the siomai looks but in the taste as well. When my mom cut a piece in half, she was disappointed to find the filling not holding together. She asked me why I didn't add double A powder and I was like... OOOOOPS my bad!!!

When she tasted it, she told me it lacked flavor. And then I realized I forgot to put in salt! Another OOOOOPS!

And yes, it lacked flavor. I guess I should make siomai again and make sure to perfect it the next time around.

Giselle @CCP/ The Octopus 08172013

Last Saturday I woke up to a gloomy day so I continued reading "The Octopus" by Frank Norris. The book is surprisingly a good read. I first had an impression that it would bore me to death when I saw it in Booksale but I bought it anyway. It's about the resistance put up by farmers in California against the monopolistic land-grabbing Railroad and thrown in the narrative are human tendencies for violence, corruption, and oppression.  It's a good read during these times with the issues revolving around the pork barrel.

Just to share a passage from the book, taken from Presley's speech:

"They own us, these task-masters of ours; they own our homes, they own our legislatures. We cannot escape from them. There is no redress. We are told we can defeat them by the allot-box. They own the ballot-box. We are told that we must look to the courts for redress; they own the courts. We know them for what they are, --- ruffians in politics, ruffians in finance, ruffians in law, ruffians in trade, bribers, swindlers, and tricksters. No outrage too great to daunt them, no petty larceny too small to shame them; despoiling a government treasury of a million dollars; yet picking the pockets of a farm hand of the price of a loaf of bread.

"They swindle a nation of a hundred million and call it Financiering; they levy a blackmail and call it Commerce; they corrupt a legislature and call it Politics;they bribe a judge and call it Law; they hire blacklegs to carry out their plans and call it Organisation; they prostitute the honor of a State and call it Competition.

"(...) We talk of liberty--- oh, the farce of it, oh, the folly of it! We tell ourselves and teach our children that we have achieved liberty, that we no longer need to fight for it. Why, the fight is just beginning and so long as our conception of liberty remains as it is to-day, it will continue.

"(...) Liberty is not a crowned goddess, beautiful, in spotless garments, victorious, supreme. Liberty is the Man In the Street, a terrible figure, rushing through powder smoke, fouled with the mud and ordure of the gutter, bloody, rampant, brutal, yelling curses, in one hand a smoking rifle, in the other, a blazing torch.

"Freedom is not given free to any who ask; Liberty is not born of the gods. She is a child of the People, born in the very height and heat of battle, born from death, stained with blood, grimed with powder. And she grows to be not a goddess, but a Fury, a fearful figure, slaying friend and foe alike, raging, insatiable, merciless, the Red Terror." (pp.551-552)

I didn't get to finish the book (and as of writing I'm still a few pages shy from finishing but I'm busy with work, you see). Anyway, I committed one blooper perhaps because I was so engrossed with "The Octopus". I forgot that the ballet performance was at 2pm and not at 3pm. It was already 1:15PM so I ran out of the house and took the LRT. It was raining but who cares? I bought my ticket and I'm not gonna miss it despite the rain. Once I stepped out of the train, I ran down to Vito Cruz and ran all the way to CCP never minding the rain on my face. I was 15 minutes late but I still got to have a seat. Whew!

So I did get to watch the tragic story of Giselle who fell in love with a man who turns out to be a duke already engaged. She dies of too much heartbreak when she learned the truth after a brief period of bliss with her beloved.

But the beautiful choreography was highlighted in Act 2 where, even without words, the duke sought forgiveness and one could see with every step and every dance move the intensity of this scene. Giselle, despite everything, forgives him and even protects him form the harsh punishment due him by the Wilis, jilted lovers who seek vengeance.

One thing that disappoints is that live music was not used. I was expecting to witness again the magnificence of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra but the audience of the 2pm show was denied this. I wonder if the 7pm performance was treated to PPO's presence?

I was reminded of the ballet musical show Rama Hari last 2012. The Manila Symphonic Orchestra played live then and one member of the orchestra stood out: the one who played the drums.

Pardon my crappy phone pics...

Self-Date @EDSA Shangrila 08082013

Last August 8 (yeah, an auspicious day for the double lucky 8),  I went on a self-date. It's been a long time since I did that and I thoroughly miss being all alone, and because there was a free movie showing in EDSA Shangrila at that time courtesy of the Italian Embassy. After work, I ran to the MRT and I was 5 minutes early for the show. The free movie's title is "La seconda moglie" (The Second Wife).

It's about a woman who became the second wife of a man named Fosco. During the wedding, it was obvious already that Anna and Livio had an eye for each other. Livio is the son of Fosco from the latter's first marriage. Anna had a daughter named Santina prior to the marriage. Fosco is seen as being hard on his only son and is also part of a group of grave robbers. When he was caught raiding a tomb, he landed in jail. During his absence, Livio seduces Anna and the two developed an illicit affair.

You may watch the entire film thanks to youtube:

After the film, I went around in search of the newly constructed East Wing. I've been hearing a lot about this from Norma Chikiamco's column in PDI. Since I have been craving for ramen and since it was a cold night being alone with no one to warm me (LOL), I looked for Ikkoryu Fukuoka, a restaurant that's been earning rave reviews.

When I got there, the resto was full and people were continuously coming to have seats reserved. I was lucky I went solo so I got in easily. When I was shown the menu I considered leaving the place because all their ramen has pork save for one. This is my ramen dilemma: I don't eat pork unless it's deep-fried or barbecued or ground. When I was in Ukkokei early this year, I was saved from this dilemma because they had ground pork, seafood, and chicken variants.

In the end, I told myself, time to face my porky fears. I had a bowl of the spicy tanbanjan tonkotsu (P380 +10% service charge, total of P418) and requested for my usual cup of hot water. When I first tasted the soup, it was spicy yes so it did not disappoint. I love the rich taste and the soup' s really flavorful. When I took a bite of the pork, I was delighted to find that it was so tender. (Having the spices did its work to mask the unwelcome smell of pork. Yes, I told you I don't like pork.) So for a while I considered eating pork from that moment on (but I still fail now).

I did finish the soup, putting in much sesame oil for the wonderful aroma. But when I got to the MRT on my way home, I had this heavy feeling washing over me. I felt like just dropping to the floor and sleep. While inside the train, I thirsted for water so I gulped down a glass upon reaching home but by then I was already a bit feverish. I remembered one episode last year when I was knocked out by a heavy dose of MSG in 2011. So before I went to sleep, I made sure to drink water again and to urinate to somehow take out those unwanted MSG from my system. The next morning, my throat was dry as hell and I had to run to have a drink.

So in the end, I'll still stick with Ukkokei, not that they don't put in MSG, but at least it was at a tolerable level. And I also appreciate the fact that Ukkokei has chicken and seafood, not just pork.

Linkin Park Living Things @ SM MOA Arena 08132013

Still am speechless even days after Linkin Park rocked their Filipino fans' night, which of course included mine. That night, the 13th of August is one memorable night, being my first time to watch a rock concert. I never thought that I would be able to survive the screams of thousands of fans in a closed area but I did, and thoroughly enjoyed it I did. It was one awesome night full of energy, thanks to Mike Shinoda's rapid-fire raps (I still find it extremely difficult to rap along when I listen to him), Chester Bennington's untiring screams (I wonder how he does it without having sore throat considering that they perform every other day in their Asian tour...), Rob Bourdon's wickedly powerful drums which blended well with the equally wicked sounds created by Dave "Phoenix" Farrell on bass and Brad Delson on guitar.

They made us wait, they sure did. Ticket said 8pm. Urbandub played their songs at 8:30. I was dying from excitement. My tummy had butterflies and whatnots each minute that passes without LP. And then I slumped on my seat feeling betrayed. At 9:30, Joe Hahn appeared and the crowd roared. A few seconds before that, the arena became dim and fans were already whistling and shouting. When Rob started drumming something like sounded like a battle hymn I was brought back to life. The night was young after all and the party just got started. I forgot about worrying about how late I would get home and suffer the reprimand of my parents.

Faster and faster the drum was beat and with each beat is another level of excitement waiting to engulf me. I was afraid I would faint and pass out from too much excitement, wondering what the first song would be, wondering if "In the End", "My December", and my other faves would be performed onstage. And suddenly Mike Shinoda was rapping and the party has indeed begun. It happened so soon that I forgot how to react and just screamed with the crowd, my voice drowned in the multitude's multiple shouts.

Perhaps it's just that I want to be in the energy... How fitting that they started with "A Place for My Head".

And I lost my voice in the middle of "Papercut", one of the first songs by LP that I knew many years back. I felt like my younger self who would sing this song whenever I felt vulnerable. When they played that song, images of their video which initially creeped me out but which shortly after I loved flashed in my mind. You have to understand that it was my first time to see bizarre and disturbing images in a music video, something that made Aerosmith's "Jaded" pale in comparison. Chester still had glasses on. I remember having a crush on him because he looks like a nerd rockstar what with red hair, red pants and those glasses. Chester made me love the nerdy look. And now a more mature Chester stood before us, with tattoos on his arm and now without the glasses. As "Papercut" drew to an end, I realized missed Chester's old look.

When they played "Somewhere I Belong" I lost all inhibitions and sang along at the top of my voice. I regularly sing along to this song while working in the office and it felt so surreal to be singing along with Chester and Mike as the rest of the band played. That song is special to me. I realized just recently that when I am utterly disappointed with someone, I tend to sing "Somewhere I Belong".

By the time they played "Points of Authority" I was already bereft of shyness, never minding if my lyrics were a bit wrong (LOL). All I cared about is that DAMMIT MY FAVORITE BAND IS PLAYING, THIS IS MY FIRST ROCK CONCERT, AND I OUGHTA HAVE FUN!!! I was already wondering if next year they will have another concert here (though hopefully they do it at SMART Araneta Coliseum since SM Arena sucks big time).

I was mesmerized when they played  "Castle of Glass". The background was wonderfully done with shards of glass scattering about. (And yeah, I study glass artifacts in archaeology...) And then there was "Leave out All the Rest", another song I instantly liked from their new album "Living Things". It reminds me of the band Simple Plan for some reason. They mixed it with "Shadow of the Day" and ultimately with the theme from Transformers movie "Iridescent".

Castle of Glass

Other fave songs of mine they played were "Lost in the Echo", "Numb" (imagine the crowd going wildly crazy with this old favorite!!!), "Burn It Down", "In the End" (the crowd sang along with much gusto!!!). The concert ended with "Bleed it Out". Or so we thought. The audience clamored for an encore. We're not letting LP off the hook yet. WE SIMPLY WANT MORE. My heart was screaming, SHIT I DON'T WANT THIS NIGHT TO END!!! My words "ENCORE MILLE FOIS!!!" got lost in the echo of the crowd's "MORE!"

And so LP obliged with "Faint", "Lying from You", and "One Step Closer". All throughout, Mike and Chester greatly complemented each other. And they called it a night but even in the bus, even when I was already in bed, my mind was replaying everything. The following day and the day after that, up until now, I still can't get over the whole thing. And it's the best case of hangover yet.

The following day, my status on Facebook read:

I can't feel the way I did before

Don't turn your back on me

I won't be ignored

Time won't heal this damage anymore

Don't turn your back on me

I won't be ignored

Half Moon

So last night on the way home, I walked the "old way". It's been months since I walked that path always busy with cars and trucks, always blaring with horns, always smoggy, always smelling like a room filled with toxins that can kill in seconds. But the beauty of it lies at nighttime when overhead one sees the trains come and go. On rare occasions one can chance upon two trains coming towards each other, meeting for a brief moment that it seems like they are exchanging quick hellos and goodbyes coz in less than a minute, they are separated again, going on separate ways and never looking back until the cycle repeats itself.

At dusk the final red of the day disappears slowly down the horizon. One eagerly searches for something celestial for a bit of poetry in a night that is soon to come. One looks up and finds the moon, still in its golden splendor despite being halved.

Jewish Refugees Museum, Shanghai 04072013

Our last stop was the Jewish Refugees Museum. We had a hard time looking for it because suddenly we got disoriented for some reason when we came out of the subway.

The Jewish Refugees Museum has an entrance fee of CNY 50. My friends and I think that's expensive considering that there isn't much to see in this museum. Even a historian would be bored with it though the last part may be of interest to scholars who want to research on how Jews who sought refuge in Shanghai fared after the war.

The coming of Jews to Shanghai was made possible by Consul General 何鳳山 (Ho Feng Shan) in Vienna, Austria. He issued visas to Jews, risking his career. 

The museum is building a database of all Jews who went to Shanghai to escape the Holocaust.

Jewish altar inside the second exhibit hall

 The Holocaust is one of the most horrible human invention in the history of mankind as it sought to eradicate a race by means of torture. The exhibit narrates the events that led to the Holocaust and describes adequately how the Jewish people suffered under the Nazi regime. Jewish children were used as guinea pigs in scientific experiment, a clear dehumanization and objectification of fellow humans which can lead one to ponder on morality, ethics, and humanity at large.

The second part of the exhibit is about the life of the Jews in Shanghai during the World War 2. The Jews were very grateful for the refuge in those trying times.  

The third part, on the other hand, is about the Jews who stayed even after the war. Many started a new life in Shanghai. 

message of grateful Jews to Shanghai

The building is easily seen due to its unique architecture, the only one with red bricks. On the right are flags of nations which supported the Jewish cause during the WW2. I'm proud to see the Philippine flag.

Read more about my 2013 Shanghai Adventure

This is written while listening to Linkin Park's "Minutes to Midnight". "Shadow of the Day" playing as I was making the final touch.

龍華寺 (Longhua Temple), Shanghai 04072013

After Qibao, we went to Longhua Temple. J said that she has not been here so it was included in our list of important places to visit. Longhua means "luster of the dragon". The temple is dedicated to Maitreya Buddha, a Messianic entity in Buddhist cosmology who is said to come to teach enlightenment when dharma (right way) is forgotten in the human world. This belief runs somewhat parallel to the eschatological beliefs in the Judeo-Christian tradition. (While this is an interesting study to pursue, I will have to stick to my present goals lest I be led astray again, but this will be a cool project if ever I have the time.)

this pagoda has been around since the 10th century and can be seen from far away

two of the four Heavenly Kings. I think these four are a mainstay in all temples...

The entrance fee of Longhua Temple is only CNY 10 and yet one can see many things. The area occupied by the temple is very big and Jade Temple pales in comparison. And since we went there in the afternoon, I couldn't remember how many times I asked myself if I had come to the end already. There's just way too many entrances and one courtyard to the other takes you to different praying stations.

Buddha with swastika.

 While looking at the Buddha sculptures, I chanced upon one with a swastika sign on his chest. While I know that swastika was originally associated with Buddhism before it became a Nazi symbol of tyranny and oppression, I don't think I have ever seen the sign in any Buddhist temple I have been to. The swastika actually symbolizes being with the higher self, a main thought in Buddhism.

Guanyin... I can tell by the number of hands!

Another familiar deity is the Guanyin Pusa, or more popularly known in the West as the Goddess of Mercy. The many hands of this deity signifies her willingness to uplift the lives of many people.

Read more about my 2013 Shanghai Adventure

七寶 (Qibao town), Shanghai 04072013

We had breakfast at the hotel, having bought food the night before. I love the [starch] potato chips which are very cheap and taste almost like pringles though these are thicker and mildly flavored. These potato chips are sold on the street near the hotel we stayed in. Aside from this, we had cakes and the dark green thingies which were made of glutinous rice which we bought near Jade Temple. Last night we saw lots of people flocking to the stall and we got curious so we bought some for ourselves. And they're not bad, considering I used to not like Chinese pastries (except hopia and mooncake). The two instant noodles were bought by V. We all agreed that the sour fish flavor is more delicious. (And now I miss those noodles!)

breakfast of junk food on our last day

Our last day in Shanghai was a Sunday. 七寶 (Qibao town) was already crowded by the time we got there in the morning and as time passes by, more and more visitors flocked to the famous ancient town which is more than a thousand years old now.

On the way to Qibao, one can see the town's history on the walls

The town, which literally means "seven treasures", (and is also the kanji name of Shippo the small fox in the animé Inu Yasha for a bit of trivia) derives its name from the presence of Qibao Temple. To regress further, the temple got its name because it housed seven treasures in the form of the Iron Buddha, a bronze bell, a Lotus Sutra scripted in gold, a thousand year old Catalpa tree, a jade axe, a gold cockerel, and a pair of jade chopsticks.

Qibao is a water town... reminds me of Water 7 in the animé "One Piece"

Like 豫園 (Yuyuan), Qibao is famous for many small shops selling assorted crafts and snacks. There are many things to do in this ancient town and it's very popular with tourists. I think the best part of this town aside from the cheap and delicious food is that there's a shop here that sells real swords! If only I had the resources and the means, I would have certainly bought one. My only worry is that it might just get confiscated at the airport. Sigh! If only I could pay for shipping.

perfect for cosplay... on second thought, they are REAL swords!

 V and I shared a bowl of goat meat ramen in this town. I was disappointed though to find it has less spices compared to the ramen houses to frequent in Manila. Still at least I got to try goat meat. It's not everyday that I get to eat goat meh heh!

Done with shopping, we headed to the subway and as we were waiting for the train, I caught a glimpse of an ad across the platform: ONE PIECE!!! I almost cried! It's true then that this animé is well-loved in this country. I should know since I used to watch random episodes on CTV when I was still a student.

Read more about my 2013 Shanghai Adventure

Thoughts on "A Clash of Kings"

WARNING: This may contain spoilers. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I finished A Clash of Kings last month after an officemate lent her copy to me. Before that, I was such a slow reader because I relied on an electronic copy of the book and much to my dismay I discovered I'm not one to enjoy reading ebooks.

Book 2 of A Song of Ice and Fire picks up from the ending of A Game of Thrones. Stannis Baratheon is now part of the story, as opposed to just being referred to a lot in book 1. He becomes central to the whole plot as narrated from the POV of Davos Seaworth, an onion smuggler-turned-loyal-supporter. His claim to the throne after his brother King Robert's death is the most legitimate one, since Joffrey is not really Robert's son, but the result of Queen Cersei and Jaime's incestuous relationship. However, his claim does not stand unopposed as his younger and more popular brother Renly also aspires for the throne. Unfortunately, Renly is killed by a shadow concocted by the red priestess Melisandre who supports Stannis.

What I like most about the second book is that Tyrion became the Hand of the King as substitute for his father Tywin Lannister. As Hand, he has the power to oppose his twistedly cruel nephew King Joffrey. Also, we see his cunning and calculating mind put to work as he navigates through court politics. Here we have a glimpse of this small man, together with his small army of mountain clansmen, with his big brains, big heart, and uh, his big c*ck. 

Suddenly kings sprouted just about anywhere. Robb Stark has been proclaimed as King of the North. Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell and his father Balon Greyjoy declared himself King of the Iron Islands. But this is short-lived as his death was reported in Book 3 A Storm of Swords (and I am about to finish this book and have yet to see even an episode of Season 3). To escape possible execution, Bran and Rickon escape with the help of the wildling Osha, Hodor the stableboy, and the Reeds children Jojen and Meera.

Jon Snow's narratives are very boring. Brothers of the Night's Watch visit Craster's Keep for information on Benjen Stark and Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall. One night, Jon Snow accidentally witnesses Craster sacrificing a newborn male child, but is cautioned to speak against it. He kills Quorin Halfhand, once a good friend of Mance Rayder, but is only forced to do so. Quorin Halfhand wants Jon Snow to live with the wildlings and in order to do so, he must demonstrate that he has broken his oath by killing Quorin.

Another interesting part in the book is the suspense in how Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie fare in Harrenhal where they are captured. There she is granted 3 deaths by Jaqen H'ghar whom Arya saved once. We see here that Arya is one who may commit mistakes but can quickly recognize them and think deeper. This is demonstrated when she asks for the death of two minor Lannister men. For her third wish, she asks help for the Boltons to occupy Harrenhal. Still the outcome was not as I expected because by that time, the Boltons' loyalty to the Starks is put into question.

Last but definitely one that is of the most interest to me is the narratives concerning Daenerys Targaryen. She and her dragons are seen as a wonder in the City of Qarth where powerful men want to get hold of the last three remaining dragons in the world. Her dragons have grown a bit stronger and Drogon even burns down the House of the Undying. Daenerys gains two companions after she is saved from an assassination attempt. (In Book 3, it will be revealed that the old man Arstan Whitebeard is actually Barristan Selmy, banished knight of the Kingsguard after the death of King Robert.)

With all these happening, I cannot wait for Dany's dragons to grow bigger and stronger in Book 3. Also, I wonder about the fate of Sansa Stark who have been held hostage until the most part of Book 3.

陸家嘴 (Lujiazui), Shanghai 04062013

Our last stop on our second day was the new financial district in Shanghai, Lujiazui, which is located on the eastern side of the 黃浦江 (Huangpu River). As such it is just across the famous The Bund which is located in the river's western side. The district boasts of the world's second tallest building, the Shanghai Tower the construction of which is nearing completion.

We got there at dusk and so we savored the sights in the busy district. Since we were all tired we just went up the wide overpass next to the subway exit and took photos. We were not interested in walking in the area anyway.

Now, isn't this a pretty and refreshing sight?

dragons in a road island: I'm thinking of having a sarimanok along Ayala Avenue and/ or EDSA...

colorful garden at the rotuna: I wish we have many of these in Manila

Oriental Pearl TV Tower: Luijiazui's most famous landmark

We didn't wait for the night to fall and left some thirty minutes after arrival. I cannot stress enough our need to sleep and rest after a whole day of walking!

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玉佛禅寺 (Jade Buddha Temple), Shanghai 04062013

Weary and tired from walking too much the whole day and after a huge disappointment at going to Shanghai Railway Station for nothing (V said there was a wig shop there but we didn't find it), we headed to Jade Buddha Temple where two very famous jade buddha statues can be found.

Entrance fee is 20 CNY and visitors have the option to pay another 10 CNY to go to the temple's interiors.

Jade Reclining Buddha

We spent less than an hour inside the temple because it was about to close when we got there. Still I think an  hour would suffice since there isn't much to see. My friends and I agreed that 龍華寺 (Longhua Temple) with entrance fee of just 10 CNY is better.

Read more about my 2013 Shanghai Adventure

豫園 (Yuyuan), Shanghai 04062013

Yuyuan (Garden of Contentment) is another one of those listed as Shanghai's tourist spot. The classical garden dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Since then, it has undergone countless restoration and renovation and now houses different restaurants and shops.

Entering Yuyuan

A line of crafts shop. Skilled craftsmen take to work upon order.  It makes one jealous to see them having those skills. Most products are related to carving and painting.

well-maintained garden lake

Who wouldn't love to live here? Sigh.

Also inside Yuyuan is the famed Kobayashi Cookie House where my friends and I bought some for our families back home. It's such a pity that I scrimped on food sold in stalls there. Next time, I'll be sure to spend the whole day eating at Yuyuan. Hope by then I'm not travelling on a meager budget!

Read more about my 2013 Shanghai Adventure

新天地 (Xintiandi), Shanghai 04062013

Our second day in Shanghai was spent walking almost the whole day. After breakfast, our first stop was the posh luxury shopping area of 新天地 (Xintiandi). While doing research on what to visit, I have always come across this place as a must-see that even though my friend told me we wouldn't enjoy being there I begged them to just go with me. And she's right. We three are not that fond of shopping anyway, unless it's food-shopping.

An hour would suffice if you want to just walk and look at the buildings. It was so cold when we went there and the wind was howling. And there aren't that many people, probably because we went there too early.

Read more about my 2013 Shanghai Adventure

July 2013

One of the highlights of July is my return for a week to a life of a pseudo-student. I attended an interesting workshop which I think may be useful for my thesis should I continue my archaeology studies. It was good to interact with archaeology students again. I terribly miss UP life--- wearing t-shirt, shorts, and sandals, with no one to judge you why you wear pambahay clothes outside. I just wait for someone to comment on what I wear and I would proudly retort that UP is my home so please leave me alone. :P

Aside from that, I have been busy with a lot of reading. I finally read Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale", a dystopian novel about the removal of women's rights. It tells the story of Offred, in the form of a memoir where she narrates life before the military coup when women enjoyed having a job and earning money as well as the right to read. With the military government, women's status is determined largely by their capacity to bear children as Gilead (the former U.S.) suffers from population decline.

Also, I finally finished "A Clash of Kings", book 2 of A Song of Ice and Fire. I am quite disappointed at the number of deviations the series made from the book. While a TV series as a different medium is free to employ its interpretations and can even be quite independent of the book which it adapts from, I still seem to have a great difficulty in accepting wholeheartedly those deviations.

As of writing I'm currently reading "A Storm of Swords" and many things are made clearer now. For instance, we get to see the somewhat good side of Jaime Lannister as a one-woman man despite the incest taboo issue. This compared to his power-hungry twin/lover Cersei who, since Book 2, have been engaging in other sexual affairs. As always, it is always a pleasure to read Tyrion's POV parts.

And there, nothing much happened in July. My only travel was to Laguna. It was a field trip on the last day of the workshop. I would have loved to have a  full day's mountain hike. But for now, this short hike will do.

Sad to say, I failed to attend the Eiga Sai. I failed to watch DUP's Adarna. I failed to attend Cinemalaya 2013.

Baba's Kebab House and Backyard Burgers

Located near Melo's in Quezon City are two restaurants under the same owner. Baba's Kebab House and Backyard Burgers wowed me at first bite.

A few months ago, I purchased online vouchers to try out these two places. And because of that, I found my new comfort food: Backyard Burgers' Truffle Burger with its super thick patty which makes a growing kid like me very very happy indeed. Not to mention the thin, flavored onion rings which immediately will be a rival to Burger King's depending on my mood.

Baba's Kebab House interiors

chicken and beef kebab, rice and hummus, plus iced tea

So I dined in and had my fill of kebabs. Both the chicken and the beef kebabs were flavored just right in such a way that at first bite you'll know it's VERY chickeny or VERY beefy. For me bringing out the innate flavors of meat is a sign of good cooking. As for the rice, let's just say that they can always opt to serve hot, soft rice.

Truffle Burger, onion rings, and sauces

The Truffle Burger is one of my best discoveries this year so I quickly included it in my list of comfort food. So now when I'm depressed and sad and when I feel like everything's not right, I guess all I have to do is go to Backyard Burgers and have my fill of their heavenly Truffle Burger. Believe me when I say that it's huge. And never doubt my word when I say it's ULTRA delicious. Probably the best burger I have eaten so far. Suddenly I cannot eat another burger in those ubiquitous fast food joints. And I'm glad my dad also likes this. So now I'm tasked to buy another, and I will VERY VERY SOON!

Will I be back? The answer's pretty obvious.

And because I feel that I have to spread the word, here's their address:
52 Sgt. Esguerra Street (across ABS CBN), Quezon City
(It's just some ten minutes' walk from MRT-Quezon Avenue)

Shinjuku (Makati Avenue) 07242013

I have been craving for a big bowl of ramen for a long time now. Once I put it on my status and an officemate took notice so he invited me to have lunch with him. He seems to be into Japanese food , too. Being more of a foodie than me (coz he's got the means whereas I am just a poorita), he decided where to have lunch and suggested Shinjuku.

 

gyoza slighly browned and delicious! (P270/ 6 pcs.)

Tenshin Ramen (P410/ large)

My friend suggested that I order a bowl of mabo tofu ramen or mabo eggplant ramen since I love spicy food but I insisted on Tenshin Ramen. It was disappointingly bland for my tastes even though I had put in chili powder countless times. The crab omelette lacks flavor though I appreciate the presence of mushrooms in it. Maybe it's just me since I was craving for really flavorful foods at that time.

As for the size, I am glad to have such a bowl of hot noodles. I'm also happy at the amount of noodles I ate. Still I consider a large bowl for P410 rather expensive, since my palate was not satisfied.

Will I be back? Of course! I'm giving Shunjuku a chance. The next time, I'll be having that spicy mabo tofu ramen! 

Spontaneous Sundate 07142013

And so after making friends with Chinese tourists, my sisters and I decided to have dinner at Pho Hoa in Eton Centris. We shared two large bowls of noodles: beef stew and flank tendon brisket, and an order of fresh spring rolls. I'm glad my sisters also love pho. I have been bugging them to get a passport soon so that the three of us can go to Vietnam and eat as much pho as we like.

Fresh spring rolls (P129) which my sisters are crazy about.

Flank tendon brisket (P295)

My favorite beef stew (P295)

Tell me true, how can a girl be sane after consuming pho? Everytime I eat this Vietnamese fare, I always sigh and wonder when I will be able to eat such heaven-sent noodles again. And yes, Pho Hoa remains as one of my favorite restaurants in Manila. And I can hear my sisters saying amen to that.

After eating, we checked out the tiangge inside the small mall. I was able to buy a striped dress there for less than P400!!! (It was about the same style as the dress I wanted to have badly when I was in Vietnam and so I had no second thoughts when I saw this there, and at half the price!)

Aaaaand, I discovered a cool karaoke place at Quantum!!! The one thing that excited me and lifted my spirits to heaven-level was the fact that they have Japanese songs!!! Of course, Aerosmith songs are a mainstay for me and alongside that, I did X-Japan's "Tears". And yes, there were tears of joy. I'm so happy!!!