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culinary adventure: the cookbook kitchen

our story begins on a gloomy and rainy saturday morning, when a couple decided to hunt for the cookbook kitchen, a hole in the wall cafe/resto in the heart of mandaluyong. both being from the province, they were unfamiliar with the address.

armed with a piece of paper bearing directions to the place, a camera, determination, a thousand bucks and empty stomachs, they were off (once again) for another culinary adventure.

at the border of makati and mandaluyong, our adventurers were already clueless as to where they were headed. all they did was exchange hugs and kisses in the cab. a few minutes later and P50 more on the taxi meter, they were lost.

Where_the_hell"ver ees eet?", the grouchy litolbiggoil asked. obviously, the change in demeanor was due to hunger. they’ve been traveling for almost an hour already, and have asked a jeepney driver, a tricycle driver and two pedestrians yet they were still unable to get to the place.

Taxi_interiorinside the cab, both were already praying for directions. it was past two o’clock in the afternoon, and lunch was already a couple of hours past. clearly hunger was a good motivation to call on the Higher Power. tsk.

The_cornerand then finally, they have arrived. at the street corner, the place can be barely seen. sort of like a secret. which made her giddier with excitement.

Socorro_fernandezthe cookbook kitchen

socorro fernandez

Luna_menciascorner luna mencias

city of mandaluyong

Finally yahoo! so close…

The_place_1the outside looks humble, with minimalistic landscape designs. reminiscent of japanese inspirations.

Menu_1while inside, the place cradles very few tables. on a good day, it can accommodate at most, probably around 50 people. it was cozy, and quiet and relaxing, and looked like a good place to talk. but our travellers were not in the mood to talk, they came here to eat!

Kami_ni_boyfriendafter ordering, came the cam-whoring. these two are really hungry. they just don’t show it.

they had a good-sized helping of pasta (spaghetti) puttanesca, with anchovies. which was very very delightful, according to her. the french bread on the side seemed home-baked, said her future chef. it was crusty on the outside, and soft on the inside, and tasted of sourdough, which she just loved. they also ordered white fish casserole with olives, basil, tomatoes and mozzarella, which they both found filling and yummy. it was an altogether lovely meal, our travellers both agreed.

and in their excitement to dine,

Burp_1the eating monsters

Eating_monsteressforgot to take pictures

Forgotof the food.

*takaw*

o_O *speechless* O_o

Dear Ms Luanne Axxxxx Mxxx,

I refer to this application for a Class BQ subclass 139 Skilled - Designated Area Sponsored visa, received on 21st October 2005.

I am pleased to advise that the application has been approved and the permanent residence visa was granted on 22 September 2006. Please read the attached ‘Visa Grant Letter’.

Regards,

Gina Sxxxxxx
Case Officer - Region 4
Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre
DIMA

*****

Primary Applicant: Luanne Axxxxx Mxxxx 31/05/19xx
Application Type: Class BQ Subclass 139 Skilled – Designated Area Sponsored

Dear Ms Luanne Axxxxx Mxxx

VISA GRANT

I refer to this application for a Class BQ subclass 139 Skilled – Designated Area Sponsored visa, received on 21st October 2005.

I am pleased to advise that the application has been approved and the permanent residence visa was granted on 22 September 2006.

Granted visa have the condition that at least an initial entry to Australia is made by all applicants no later than – 5 May 2007 (uh-oh). Please note that it is not possible to change this date.

yada yada yada…

*****

thank you, dear God, for this blessing. bless me, and keep me in You as i go…

*****

waaaah! now that i have this, do i really have to go?

luchie-ness monster

Lei_magic_card_1

[click to view larger image.]

my very own. thanks to larry.

writing activity: green lights all the way

i have always, as far as i can remember, been speeding. ever unmindful of the signs i pass by. no stops, no rests; haste is my fuel.

ignoring blindsides, i kept on moving forward, moving away. transcience was the only constant, aside from my rush.

i flurried from one fascinating thing to the next interesting sight that enthralled me, barely making my imprints as i went on; dropping and leaving voices, scents, words, relationships in my wake.

as the roar of my life’s engine deafened me, impulse was the only voice that dictated my directions. novelty was my adrenaline; the impact of the wind on my face.

but one crossroad ago led me to a different highway. one that made me get off and walk. one that made me aware of rules — to succumb, not to fight; to plan, not to flee; to listen, not to argue.

this road made me create my own path to my own sanctuary, so i can surround myself with beauty.

and this is where i stop.

******

S and i have writing activities every now and then. this was a product of one of those activities last night.

my chain, my freedom

thank you Lord for this nth chance.

life slowly and unceasingly unfolds its petals to reveal more and more opportunities for our own rebirth. this is what i learned last night.

i have always regarded myself as a free spirit. some dear friends whose ties with me link from whence we were children consider me as "the one who jumped off the cliff while they watched comfortably in the shade at the edge of the precipice". yes, i’m a bit subversive, but i view skirting the hems (or sometimes even overstepping the line) of boundaries and limitations a convenient justification to redeem myself for a wrong done by another, and questioning conventional rules and authority an option to enhance my faculty to debate and prove my twisted version of truth.

without knowing exactly when, something happened, that had been a defining moment in my life. the ultimate crossroad. i might even dare to call it maturity, but i would like to believe that i have been given my chains. shackled to the very principles that i longed to uphold yet bold-facedly tried to spite.

i met a man who drew the lines for me. someone who plied me into submission just because of the value of his presence in my life, who taught me that compliance does not necessarily signify being tied, that retaliation does not equal justice, and that freedom is relative not absolute.

last night, the seditious in me threatened to resurface. the lines have long been drawn. but at some point, i had to make a decision. remain bound to the pain of betrayal or offer my anguish to the Supreme Healer. which side of the line i’m staying, is my own choice to make.

after years of indulging in the folly of youth, of doing as i damn well please, of acting on impulse instead of giving things thought, i, this time, submit. to what ought to be done to mend.

healing is impossible if i do not trust His heart. this is what i was told last night. therefore, i shall continue to proudly showcase my scars until i coat myself with courage. i will continue to shed tears and blood until i develop a faith that is deeply rooted as a sequoia. and i will continue to give birth to myself until i… become.

submission is not a form of defeat. retaliation does not always beget justice. letting go is sometimes the best way to hold on.

my chain, my freedom.

my surrender.

my lunchtime entertainment

warning: no clicking allowed.

happiness..

* giggles *

we (seigfred and i) did something last night for the first time. and it’s unbloggable. suffice to say that it was fun and exciting. ü

today, he sent me this. and it’s been ages since i started my personal goal of hunting it down, till i already gave up. and then, there was him. first three notes, and i felt like doing backdives, cartwheels and i wanted to scream. teehee.

the day is halfway over.. and i’m still looking forward to little joys before the sun rests its crimson head on the horizon.

* giggles some more *

swamped!

my work classifications are as follows:

  • extremely urgent
  • rush! rush! rush!
  • for submission ASAP
  • deadline: yesterday

how in the world will i find the time to… errrrr… blog?

so excuse me please, i have deadlines to revive.

(note to self: make a sensible entry tomorrow)

everyday…

…she checks me out.

yeah. she. female. her.

hell! arm cry. rectally met rich.

go figure.

but here, if you wanna know more: i am not your wysiwyg kind of girl. there’s a lot more to me than meets the eye. we like the same color, and perhaps like to do the same things. like shop. and chug coffee. oh i dunno.

but thanks for making the effort to click on my profile, every freaking day.

i’m honored. really. (can’t return the favor, though. sorry.) ü

meme attack!

1. Last person for whom you wrote a testimonial?
you know what, i can’t really recall. most prolly it was ace, or archie.

2. Last movie you watched:
saw the devil wears prada one weeknight. can’t remember exactly when. i was drooling drooling drooling! jimmy choo, d&g, manolo blahnik, etc. i’d give my eye teeth for a pair. ehem.

3. What do people first notice when they see you?
the over-the-top pink cheeks? the bruises and the scars? the impish devillish smile? the possibilities are endless…

4. Do you like peanut-butter?
yehbatopcors! peanut butter is heavenly. i’d lick it even from a pair of gold dragon havaianas. hahaha.

5. Most memorable place?
oh, home. which is anywhere with the love of my life.

6. Do you read comics?
not really. i like reading the flavor text of magic cards though, and the masterpiece-in-the-making-hayfaniverse.

7. What’s your favourite restaurant?
fat michael’s place. i love its ambiance and their paella is to-die-for. i also fell in love with this quaint little cafe in a little town called lorne in australia that serves beautiful lamb stir-fry noodles. two thumbs up and snaps go to amici de don bosco as well, which serves heavenly pasta, pizza and the best mint chocolate gelato i’ve ever tasted in my whole life. and my dinner table almost always carries the best home-cooked meals courtesy of my favorite chef.

8. Do you have enemies?
by god i do, but i don’t think that’s a really bad thing.

9. You like to go out grocery shopping?
grocery-shopping is lovely. the boyfriend and i always have a hoot whenever we do our sunday shopping. i like the way everything is arranged neatly, shelvesful and shelvesful of stuff, row by row, aisle by aisle. the veggie section is interesting too.

10. Can you dance?
yeah, baby.

11.Do you believe in God?
absolutely. my life is only one of the reasons why i do. do you?

12.First thing to do when you wake up tomorrow?
be grumpy. pray. think of ten reasons for playing hooky, then come up with twenty reasons why i should go to work. do a speed-bath and stare at my closet for 20 minutes trying to decide what to wear.

13.Where are you right now?
my physical body is in front of my pc, while my mind is adrift… wandering, wandering.

14.Your name spelled backwards
iel. enna eiuol. ellebeiuol. ial imam. which is so cool, because they all sound like names of ladies in an arabian prince’s harem. sexxeh.

15.Where were you born?
in a small hospital in quezon city. my birth is its greatest pride. nyahahah.

16.What is the last thing you downloaded?
fall by heath whitelock. but who cares?

17. Are you registered to vote?
uh-oh. nahh. former law student, non-registered voter. ’steeg, man.

18. Do you have a car?
no.

19. Do you like rollercoasters?
yahooooo!!! of course i do!! now that you reminded me, i’ve the itch to see ocean park again. gah.

20. Chatting with…?
darkzee with the ceiling fan blades as a weapon.

21. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
oh, both! right now. let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! don’t excite an adrenaline junkie!! yiheehee.

22. Are you shy?
not really.

23. Do you think you’re popular?
gawd. well-liked wouldn’t even cut it. hahaha.

24. Chips or popcorn?
chips. with ice-cold coke please.

25.Are you a good cook?
no. which reminds me that i’m cooking something for dinner later. whoever is reading this, please say a prayer for me.

26. Best thing in the world?
a book, new and fragrant. the very first taste of coffee in the morning. a tight hug from my beau after a long day. a literary creation. the company of the people who truly love me.

27. Have you ever broken a bone?
sprained an ankle, after falling off two steps in stilettos. haven’t broken a bone (yet). but i could break one of yours if i really wanted to. 

28. Have you ever won a trophy?
oh, a few.

29. What is your favorite board game?
call me a geekette, but scrabble gets me really worked up. and though magic is not really a board game, it is becoming quite an addiction.

30. Do you bake cakes?
nope. but i’ve tried making bread balls with parmesan and cheddar cheese filling.

31. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy?
neobloc.

32. Do you believe in love at first sight?
i never did.

33. Whats your favorite song right now?
hey look at the sun.

34. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
a fair number. fifty-two.

35. Last song stuck in your head?
sa ‘yo.

36. Any pets?
i have five adorable furry little hamsters. baxter and schlamoo just gave us three more blessings, manu, pika and wini (please don’t ask about the names).

37. Worst Local TV show as of the moment?
i don’t really watch tv. that’s how cool i am. hahaha.

38. Color of most clothes you own:
black, and various shades of brown and red and pink. throw in a few greens, and you got me, sugar.

39. Whose picture(s) do you carry in your wallet?
i have a pic of seigfred and i kissing on the stern of the ship, on our way to boracay. a pic of me and my friends when we were hanging out in fuzion, and my mom’s pic. i also have the foto-me dozen shots of me, rj and tin.

*****

here’s another meme:

my ex is one of the people whom i loved dearly.

maybe i won’t ever have the state of mind to fix things, and that is not a liberating thought.

i love the way writing good poetry and prose makes me feel.

i don’t understand how some people could be so heartless.

i lose track of time, most of the time.

love is a constant decision made over and over, and something that is forcefully sustained, time and again. and according to coelho (which is such a beautiful definition imho), love is being in commune with the other, and discovering in the other the spark of God.

somewhere, someone is alone, because she just doesn’t get it.

forever started already. well, at least mine did.

i never could stand conyo-speak.

when i wake up before i’m supposed to, i become a hag.

my past has been very helpful in making me who i am now.

i get annoyed when people start to become mean.

parties are fun events. but so are coffee-convo sessions.

kisses are the best when coupled with passion. whooo. hot hot.

i really want to live my dreams. right now.

i have low tolerance for grammatical mistakes. and text lingo. and assuming people. and posers. and unprincipled individuals. and two-faced backstabbing witches. and hypocrites. oh, a lot of things. fortaragis. just thinking about it makes me wanna scream. harrrrr.

tomorrow will be more exciting than today, i bet my ass on it.