Happy Thoughts Preserved

In this age of digital cameras, we take hundreds and even thousands of pictures at every event or trip.  However, the irony is we hardly print pictures anymore.  So even if we have tons of photos in our hard drive, we hardly  get to see them after the first time we view them.  I still try to print out photos but when I got introduced to photobooks, it totally changed the way I looked at printing pictures.  It wasn't just about having a printed copy of photos I took, it became a way to tell a story through the photos.

To date, I've only done two photobooks. 

The first photobook I made was Miguel's baby book.  It contained milestones and relevant events from his conception (ultrasound photos included) until a little bit after his first birthday. 

The second photobook was about our family's US trip in 2008.  The pictures I printed got soaked during the flooding in our house caused by Ondoy so when good friend Kathleen gifted me with a voucher, I saw it as an opportunity to re-tell the adventures of that trip.

What I love about photobooks:

• book-quality binding (kaya nga photobook ang tawag eh! hehe)
• it allows you to be creative --- you can choose to do scrapbook style design, choose or create your own layouts, fonts etc.
• it's so easy to add captions, anecdotes or any trivia you might want to go with the photo
• it has an easy to use program:  there are available layouts to choose from and you just simply drag and drop your photos.
• they deliver ultrafast! (I get giddy excited everytime I got a notice of delivery.)

Is there a downside to photobooks?

Well, it can be quite pricey vs. regular photo printing but Photobook Philippines pretty much regularly have a discount coupon being sold at beeconomic or metrodeal so it somewhat evens out.

Also I noticed sometimes, pictures tend to have darker prints but I've kinda expected as there are times I'm too lazy to edit my photos.

The binding of my second photobook wasn't perfect but still good.

Just the same, I can't wait to do my next photobook.  I'm planning to make a Family Yearbook for 2012.

Anyway, sharing with you some of my favorite lay-outs below (I took pictures below using my mobile so don't mind the poor quality)  :-)

  

Photobook Philippines
http://www.photobookphilippines.com/

p.s.  I was not paid for this post.  I wish I was!  hehehe.

Clark Food Trip: March 14, 2009

(Note: I'm only posting this now coz I've been meaning to add pics but still haven't gotten around to it so here goes...)

My sister is in town from Seattle and having been away for over year, she definitely misses food in the Philippines.  She has a list of food/restaurants she wanted to try:  Behrouz, Pepper Steak, Lechon, Pancit Palabok etc.  There were also some food/restaurants I wanted her to try.

Food trip actually started in Makati.

Bacolod Chicken Inasal (http://bacolodchickeninasal.com/home.html)

This one is on my sister’s list.  Chicken is almost a staple to me.  If I can’t decide what to eat, Chicken is the default as it tastes consistent however way it’s cooked. Inasal however gives chicken lovers a different twist.  That’s why, Insasal to me is really comfort food more than anything.

After lunch at Inasal, we met up with Mike and Kathleen.  From Makati, we drove to Clark for our Food trip proper.

Aling Lucing’s Sisig

My sister's been asking me about the Aling Lucing along Pasong Tamo but sisig was best eaten just off the sizzling plate.  We didn't exactly know where the original outlet was located in Pamapanga but we were lucky to find a Food Court outlet in Robinson's San Fernando.  

The verdict:  only unique experience to me was the grilled taste of the meat.  Interesting but not all that.

Zapata’s Authentic Mexican Food (http://www.angeleseyes.com/zapatas/)

488 Don Jucio Avenue
Angeles City, Pampanga
2009 Philippines
Phone 63-45-892-0859

Since my recent trip to Seattle, I’ve been on the search for authentic Mexican Food in the Philippines.  Mexicali isn’t bad but it’s not authentic.  Tia Maria gives you the restaurant feel but I realized that it's really BAD Mexican food.  An office friend mentioned Zapata’s to me one time and I went to look for it on the net.  Reviews were wonderful.  And food pictures posted on blogs had an authentic look.  It looks like the way it’s served in the Mexican restaurants I've been to in the States! Hahaha.  Finally we were able to find the quaint little place along Friendship Road with no hitch. 

The verdict:  Authentic it is!  The pita was home made.  The enchilada, the burrito, chili con carne and beef fajitas we tried was muy delicioso! Best I’ve tasted in the PI.  The downsides:  sloooow service and the place reeks of smoke!  I guess there are no ordinances against smoking indoors in Angeles, Pamapanga.  However for authentic mexican food, it can be worth the lung cancer. :P

Frozen Yogurt

Coming from the Duty Free shops, we swung by the Frozen Yogurt en-route to C Italian Dining.  Only two flavors were available when vanilla and strawberry. 

The verdict:  It was frozen soft with just right tangy taste.  It was perfect to clean my palate and prepare my mouth for our next stop.

C Italian Dining (www.citaliandining.com)

Don Juico Avenue (Perimeter Road)
Brgy. Malabanas, Angeles City
+63 45 8924059
+63 45 8926993

I've been to C Italian once last Feb when Mike and I went on a day trip to Subic with Bob and Joy.  We really liked it but thought it expensive. 

The verdict:   C Italian brings a different Italian dining experience with the Panizza.  The ceremony that goes with rolling  alfalfa sprouts and arugula leaves into each strip of the rectangular shaped, very thin crusted panizza is quite memorable.  Each bite is certainly most enjoyable.  However need to make a mental note, the pasta's just ok.  Need to try something else in the menu. :-)

During this visit, we got to talk to Chef Chris Locher the owner of C Italian and were sad to hear that plans of a Manila branch might not happen. 

Anyhow this just means three additional excuses to swing by Clark aside from just the Duty Free shopping.

Pike Place Chowder (http://www.pikeplacechowder.com/)

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Other
Location:	1530 Post Alley, Seattle WA

I met up with my friend Manolet last January 4. He just moved to Bellevue, Washington last end November 2008 and has never been to downtown Seattle. So I decided to take him to the famous Pike Place Public Market as he's never been there. (Naks! Ako na tourist guide. hehe. It's only my 2nd time there. And my brother-in-law and sister actually dropped me off on their way to Costco. hehe.) We met where his bus tops at West Lake Center.

Anyway, walking 4 blocks in the cold winter, one starts thinking of hot soup to warm up. And when you're in bay area Seattle, the answer is simple Pike Place Chowder.

It's multi-awarded New England Clam Chowder made the place famous so of course I had to try it. Clam chowders I've tasted before tend to be watery and too fishy tasting and so I was not exactly a fan. But this was creamy and thick and yummy to perfection. The creamy soup covered the fishy taste of the clam but without losing it altogether. The 8oz cup size was actually quite filling. They have it available in other cups too and if you want it, it can also be served in a bread bowl. Manolet got the Scallop Seared Chowder instead.

Ordering at the counter, they have several chowders to choose from and if you can't decide, you can actually taste a spoonful to help you make your choice. Hmmm...maybe I'll try the other chowders next time I head out to Seattle.

Ivar's Salmon House (http://www.ivars.net)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Seafood
Location:	401 NE Northlake Way Seattle WA

Day before I went back to Manila, my brother-in-law's Uncle Ted and Auntie Elsa were so sweet and kind to take me to Ivar’s Salmon House for dinner. They had hoped to bring me there for Sunday Brunch Buffet but unfortunately time did not permit.
Ivar's Salmon House is wonderfully located at the shore of Lake Union where guests can arrive via car or boat! It also has a wonderful view of Seattle’s skyline and you can also enjoy watching boats cruising the lake when you sit outside near the shore (when not too cold) or even inside (where we sat) by the shore-side windows.
The website describes the restaurant interior as a "wood cedar replica of a Northwest Indian Longhouse." To those like me that don't know what this means, the interior consisted of Indian wood carving, art and drawings, historical pictures of Indian tribes people, and pretty much everything you need to know about Salmon. It even has real long canoe-like boats hanging from the ceiling. I wish I brought my camera to take pictures. It almost felt like a museum but just the same it had cozy, homey feeling to it.
I ordered the Banana Squash Soup and of course, salmon, in the form of Alder Grilled Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon (pancetta wrapped, served over spinach salad with mushrooms, onions and slivered tomatoes). The soup a bit spicy and gingery. It was good but it's not going to be my favorite. And though I've been eating salmon pretty much every other day since I got to Seattle -- from grilled salmon to sinigang salmon---I really enjoyed the salmon dish I got. I'm told by the waitress that the salmon was topped with bacon strips and spices, wrapped in paper before it was grilled to perfection. It gave a twist to the salmon without losing the creaminess of the fish. The spinach salad allowed me to refresh my tongue in between bites of the salmon. Yes it was good though a bit pricey - $28 for the salmon!
Anyway, 3 stars for the food + 1 star for the great location and interiors. I hope next time I can try the famous Sunday Brunch.

Tempero do Brasil (http://www.temperodobrasil.net/)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Other
Location:	5628 University Way NE, Seattle WA

Part of what I enjoy about traveling is trying out new cuisines.
Tonight, I met up with my old college friend Le, who's based in Seattle. He and his partner Mike brought me to this authentic Basilian restaurant along University Way. They've been there about 4 times and love how authentic the food tastes.
It's a quaint little restaurant much like a small house converted into a restaurant. It's quite a small structure compared to the other small buildings in the vicinity so one can easily miss it when you're driving by. But just the same the space is adequate and cozy with nice dark wood chairs and tables that give the place an intimate feel. (Picture here is from their website and not sure if it's due to the winter that the front porch-like area is currently covered with temporary walls so as to keep the place free from draft.)
Anyway, Le and I shared an order of Moqueca de Camarao (prawns simmered in coconut milk, onions and tomatoes, palm oil) as well as the House Special (stew of 3 types of meats with black beans and some greens on the side). Both served with rice. The prawns were perfectly creamy to my taste and the stew had such tender meats and sausages that easily complemented the black beans. Really mouth watering. I didn't know which was the last taste I wanted to leave in my mouth! Really yummy!
Only reason I rated it 4 stars is that I have yet to try the other dishes. And well, it's a bit pricey with appetizers at around $6 and the main course at $19 but just the same, I wouldn't mind going back once in a while. :-)

Thanks again to Le for treating me to such a wonderful, memorable meal.

ARTAPRE1

I had this class in college called ARTAPRE1 or in lay, Art Appreciation.  Our teacher was old but I think he successfully opened our eyes at seeing art for what it is, what it could possibly be and even the aesthetic of some artforms like that of the Filipino jeepney.  I remember my favorite era being the Impressionism.  I loved the brush strokes and play of colors and Van Gogh easily captivated my eye.  How I wished to try painting back then.  Having artists for friends and my sister, a Fine Arts graduate,  I was exposed to different artists.  To me, art was simple.  As long as it was something I was willing to look at and not mind having it on my wall, it was good art.

Yesterday, my sister and brother-in-law brought me to SAM or the Seattle Art Museum.  I haven't been to a museum in quite a while and it was a nice way to spend a Friday afternoon.  SAM has an interesting collection:  a mix of modern, contemporary and historical art.

This visit to the museum gave me a new perspective of what I liked about art.

I still don't care to surmise about the "questions or emotions" artworks should evoke the viewer.  It still sounds like over-thinking the artwork to me as with the caption next to Edward Hopper's Automat painting which says:  What is she doing all alone in this Automat?  Is she waiting for someone?  Is it just a stopover as she's heading to her real destination?  Or Andy Warhol's Double Elvis which had dramatic thoughts on the silver and the fading and duality of Elvis. 

Today I realized, I like art mostly for its relevance to the times.

In the case of Hopper, he was a keen observant of the times, short of being a voyeur.  He even admitted to shamelessly watching and even staring at people in their unguarded moments. And from this he observed a changing times:  when women started joining the workforce and leaving the home.  It used to be that women won't be found eating alone outside of the home.  She would most likely be accompanied by her consort.  Hence the Automat really depicted the changing times which had opened a gateway to a lifestyle as  we know it today:  women independently going out into the world and enjoying it even when they're alone.

I also like pieces of art that told rich stories like the European chinoiserie tapestries that tells the story of a vogage of a Prince and the different magnificent encounters he had along the way.  I also like art that are part of history like the Egyptian pieces and the Italian Room.  And well, one always has an appreciation for art that imitates life as with the French sculptures.
I haven't been to a museum in quite a while.  It's really surprising how enriching the experience can be.

Burn After Reading

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Comedy

I have to qualify: the movie actually gets 3 stars, the extra star is for Brad Pitt!
THE MOVIE: Find out how the CIA pays for a desperate woman's cosmetic surgery. Gave me a few laughs. I like how the story slowly unfolded where seemingly unrelated events are woven into a single plot.
CAST: Superb casting but Brad Pitt remains to be my favorite. As Mike and I always say, Brad Pitt is such a great actor. He readily surrenders himself to the characters he plays allowing the audience to easily forget the actor and immerse themselves with the story and the characters on screen. (Can you tell I'm fan??? ha-ha)