January 2008

I hardly find time to blog lately. 

I have been a streetbug for almost two weeks now, numb of the queues, patience tested once again, and a lot more.  Being that type of bug for this period blessed me with enough dirt and sweating around and these gave me a couple of big pimples -  I rarely get.

I am not ranting, I actually don’t mind getting dirty, holding worms, soil, yucky lucid stuff would be fine.  It is just a fact that trying to tie loose ends with little period is so overwhelming and aaaahh, at times, I wanted to chicken out because I thought I am not going to see finish line anymore.  Now, I am getting there. 

With all the crazy schedules, I proved once again that if I really, really want it, I can get it (harhar)!  Well, I am talking about the Coffee Prince marathon that I did last weekend.  I started friday night and I sacrificed much of my current so little sleep.  I did the marathon on saturday and sunday wee hours, stopped, and finally concluded after an hour in the afternoon.

I am not typically hooked to any telenovelas especially the local ones, these are impractical and unmapped.  I knew that I want it once I got a copycat of the series.  I started with the Meteor Garden, non-compact DVDs that time, and I still keep the several discs.  In 2005, I got engrossed with Lovers in Paris even if I so didn’t like the main actors physically.  I just thought that such was the lightest flick that moment that can help to unwind.  I loved Love Story in Harvard for a while  but I discontinued following it since it became melodramatic.  It was trying to resemble Love Story (authored by Erich Segal).  But their version is awful.

And this year, Coffee Prince’s teaser was good enough that even if I catched only a few tagalized episodes, I got a copycat right away and found time to see it, even if it would take no sleep (unbelievable)!  The story was real simple, just the twist of the boyish character is integrated.  The main characters Arthur Choi and Andy Go sounded like Jerry Yan’s and Barbie’s characters in Meteor Garden.  We just love the picture of seemingly endless arguments.

My random thoughts about this:

(a)  The characters here liked ice cream much.  In one episode, granny was eating this before breakfast.  While Arthur and Andy ate this after brushing their teeth because it would taste better.  I totally agree, that’s my habit.  There are some stuff which are yummier when eaten right after dental vanity.

(b) Something went wrong with the wardrobe sequencing.  Arthur and Andy’s mother incidentally wore the same clothes in one scene after the other.

(c)  Errol, Arthur’s cousin, resembles Ely Buendia (of the defunct Eraserheads and now lead vocalist of Mongol), incidentally characterized a musical director.

(d)  It is absolutely impossible not to notice that Andy is femme.  Especially when they were at the apple farm.  She insisted not to bathe with the guys, structure questioned, and a lot more.  Anyhow, these are forgiveable for the sake of the story.

(e) The parents’ and grandma’s objection is expected and it is amazing that this picture was taken lightly in the series.  No much “you and me against the world” and “i will disown you, blah, blah” here.  Nice, nice.

(f)  Andy Go, after becoming a certified barista came back from the overseas study, didn’t look prettier and womanly.  I hope she became like her usual self in Korea (with long straight hair and dressed like Iya Villania most of the time).

(g) Rags to riches story would always be fascinating and inspiring and this tends to give the viewers the feeling of wanting to be in their shoes.

(h)  A coffee shop is a feasible biz.

(i) The second floor of the shop seemed like a little crappy. Looked like a sort of hideout for some talks.

(j)  The coffee personnel regularly yells with each other and seemed okay with the costumers.  Weird.

(k)  Andy, Arthur, almost everyone ran several times to that little space outside the shop - another hideout for emotion outbursts.

(l)  Money or pride?

(m)  When you are doing a marathon with no breaks, you are so into it that you actually wished and felt that you are one of the characters.

(n) At some point I wished I were Andy because of the innocence, kindness… it must be really cool to be boyish, hehe.  But most of the time, I wished  I were Arthur with his arguments, wits, charm, and well, in case I am a guy, I want to look like him physically. After all we almost have the same birthdates and we got the same year.  Bear with me, I am positive of Arthur Choi fever.

(o)  The english subtitles are grammatically hillarious, but fine.  I actually felt that I understood well some series without looking at it, hehe.  These would familiarize you to basic Korean greetings/ words.  Also, the tagalized/dubbed version was put into the context to mean another thing (some dialogues).  Not good. 

(p)  In real life, Andy used to be a member of an all female singing group.  While Arthur is currently out of the film and modeling scenes to comply with the required two years military service for men in South Korea.

What else?

I hope this Choi fever would be over tomorrow.

Good night.  

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Before christmas, my cousins prided on the shoes they bought in Liliw, Laguna few months ago.  For the uninitiated, Liliw is the shoe capital of Laguna.  While Marikina is the shoe capital of the Philippines and not being biased, I still prefer Liliw’s products since these are more affordable and has better quality.  However, I have never been in that town to personally buy a pair, I only tried some pairs distributed in the other towns of Laguna.

a christmas present to myself, what was yours?

There is an imeldific sense in every gal, and so after this “see through” flats that I got for christmas, I asked one of my cousins to accompany me to Liliw.  Liliw is a small town and shoemaking, distributing and selling is its main source of living.  I am amazed to see the whole street comprised of shoe stalls, and there are other by-products being offered to, bags, belts, etc.

Counterclockwise:  Yakal St. full of shoe stalls, Badong’s corner, some of the office shoes in Badong’s and its trusted cashier.  Prices are fixed.  You may bargain in other stalls.

I wanted these.

The prices are unbelievable.  Half the rocketing of Metro’s offers.  And the quality doesn’t suffer.  If you are going there, spend much of your stop in Badong’s.  They are supplying shoes to Otto and other shoe distributors.

(L) Planning to wear soon, (R) Worn at the airport on January 2.

Another good stall.  “Yari” means made from.

While in state of imeldification, my cousin, who is also a foodie, introduced me to a known local bakeshop:

An old bakeshop.  Apparently, doesnt’ care about branding.

It obviously has loyal patrons.  I’m surprised that the they can sell all those boxes in a regular day.  They take pride on its custard cake.  It is not that appealing, but it’s one of the best cakes I ever tasted!

This is pasted on the right wall. Not much into outer vanity.

Unlike this custard cake that we got for new year’s eve, looks can really be so deceiving.   If I’m in Liliw, I would like to compete with Liliw’s Bakeshop, hehe.  The thought is exciting, hehe.  Anyone?

We also dropped by in this Antique Shop:

“Samut sari” means mixture, combination, of different types.

These are the considered collector’s items inside.  Not of much interest.

But Liliw’s church is definitely interesting.

The area for the mass is not that big as it may seem.  But there are several images of patrons outside.  Like they are guarding and parading.  See photos here.

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Exotik Restaurant, Longos, Kalayaan, Laguna

Except for the word of mouth and occasional stop-overs of travellers at the highway, not much have been said about Exotik Restaurant.  They don’t have a website, not even an email address.  

To where we were seated.

Named as the cleanest restaurant in Laguna.

Taken from top, spot right after the entrance.

The first time I dined here was in early 2003 and I had adobong tupa (sheep).   This time I had the courage to try more exotic eats.

Kuhol with gata and pako (snails with coconut milk and ferns), PhP100

The challenge to pick what’s inside adds to my appetite.

Inside the snails.  I especially loved the combination of coconut milk and ferns with spices in it.

Guess what are these?  For PhP280/plate.

Aside from being fried, you can also have these in adobo sa gata or toyo and as sizzling frogs.  
Fried frogs are one of their bestsellers.

And to keep the sanity, we had sinampalukang native na manok (native chicken in tamarind soup), PhP285.  One of the best sinampalukans that I had!

From the restaurant, everything just seems so good:

Lake view.

Refreshing waters.

And their pets:

You can play with this.

The black snake at the bottom is the more famous one, named Samantha.

I suppose this is a little dangerous one since he is placed not near the entrance.

Just before birdie was put back to the cage.

That’s literally a headshot!

Aquarium near the cashier.

Don’t forget to check the items in the souvenir shop.  Some of the items:

Tuba, bagoong, lambanog, etc.

Made from coconut.

Not just the food, but the ambience and landscape count!

Exotik Restaurant is in Highway, Longos, Kalayaan, Laguna.  This is four hours drive from Manila.  If you are coming from South Luzon Expressway, you have to pass by at Sta. Cruz, Pagsanjan and Lake Caliraya.  If you are from Rizal, it would take less than two hours drive and you have to pass by at Siniloan and Paete.  Kalayaan would be the next town.

(More photos)
 

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