*** gengki the newbie ***

Thursday, 30 July 2009

Beginnings

One of my bestfriends in highschool died last week. Mao was only 27 years old and she just gave birth. It's painful to reunite with someone who's in a box. We used to to a lot of things together. We made tambay, we got drunk, we hiked, hell, we even helped each other shoplift stuff in a mall. Can't help but cry since she was a part of my semi-wretched funny highschool existence. You see, as i've already told before, we were quite the ridiculed ones not belonging to the pretty girls, the feeling rich kids, the ones who had big houses and the ones who sported the latest stuff in America of which highschool was so cliche about. We're the ones who just go by and sometimes taken a fancy by some so called highschool boys to see what kind of imperfections we have and blow it up to bits. 

I was once ridiculed. They said i had smelly armpits. It never really ruined me because i know i was a part of a boy's ego boost. Somebody to pick on so he would feel good about himself.  Who cares. Where is he now? He's as fat as two drums working his ass off trying hard to be a nurse in a sea of thousands of nurses. Now he's gonna be my ego boost. That's life for you.

I thought college was worse but it was the greatest 'kabalintunaan' i ever experienced. People just don't care. I thank God for my college existence beacuse i had a blast. Highschool was a budding socio experience for me so i cried on the day of our graduation because i know, deep in my heart, things will never be the same again after highschool. And it was true. People who ruled then couldn't rule the world outside highschool.

Speaking of highschool, Mafhel is coming back to Manila. It was 12 years ago since we last saw each other and i am so excited. I just hope i'll finish my script in time for her arrival so all things will flow as smoothly.

To Mao, even if we hardly see each other, i love you and will always cherish our days gone by. I've always been attached to my friends especially to the ones i learned and grew up with.

***
Some yummy treat we had at Omakase-- a japanese resto in morato in the Il Terrazzo building.
Daming tao pag weekends kaya pila ang reserve seating. Pero happy naman.


You should try the Jurassic Maki.
I can say it's a "Happiness Maki" You can't help but smile upon eating this.
8 pieces of happiness. 6 lang yan dahil kinain ko na yung dalawa.



One of my favorite too is the salmon sashimi. Salmon is a wonder really!




And apart from the good food, the hearty eating also comes with good friends.
Friends who know how to work it in a public  fountain with not a care in the world!




Ang masasabi ko lang: Tangina sarap!
posted by gengcooker at 03:49 | link | comments (2)


Tuesday, 21 July 2009

Mahabang bad trip.

Di ba nga sabi ko dati gusto ko manood ng Virgin Labfest? So on a Saturday matapos ang mahabang paglagak ko sa upuan at isang linggong nag type ng iskrip hindi talaga pwedeng hindi ako lalabas at manonood ng plaaaaaaaayyyy!

Saturday yun at 2nd to the last day of the Labfest plays. Naka psyche talaga ako at all lights green going to CCP galing Fairview. Dinala muna namin si Musa sa Ciudad for some bonding time with the lolo and lola. Nagbihis ako. My yellow mustard dress with a nice cut out sa gilid ng arms for that added deconstruction feel plus the baby bump to boot. I feel so taray that night tapos pupunta ka pa sa THE Cultural Center of the Philippines doble taray talaga ang aura ko.

8pm ang start ng play around 7:30 andun na kami. Medyo kabado ako kasi alam ko dapat an hour before ka andun. Meeting of old people from my once theatre past. Beso dito beso dun plus small talk galore. Buntis ka? Yes. Ampayat mo! Hagard kasi. Dumerecho ako sa front of house at wala na daw ticket.

Parang binanat ang mukha ko at nanigas ang tadyang ko.
Wala na nga daw ticket.

Umupo ako sa isang tabi. Nagnilay nilay with my yellow cut out dress. Unti unti ako binalutan ng inis. Sobrang inis. Taimtim na inis. Nagdikitan ang aking mga lips at andun lahat ng tension ko. Matigas na siya at pwede ko siyang ipambatok. Hindi makalapit si R sa akin dahil alam niyang siya ang may kasalanan ng lahat. Dahil sa kanya kaya kami na -late. Matagal ko nang inasam na makapasok ng Batute at manood ng stage play at ako'y nabigo. 

Galit na galit ako. Gusto kong manapak that night. Sa init ng ulo ko kulang na lang lagyan mo ng itlog ang ulo ko at makakaluto ng sunny side up. End of marriage na to! Gusto kong ibalik ang singsing ko sa kanya sa sobrang bad trip ko. Ganun ako ka-bad trip na para akong immature freak.

Umalis na tayo. Bigkas ko ng may subtext na: Punyeta ka!

Manood na lang daw kami ng Transformers. Hindi na ako umimik. Dumerecho ng Rob Place. Bad trip pa rin ako kaya nagpabili ako ng lalagyan ng mga sumbrero at jacket. Wala lang. Inis lang talaga. Binilhan naman ako. In fairness, naka hupa siya ng bad trip.

Nanood kami ng Transformers. Sumakit ang ulo ko. Ampangit. Di ko gusto. Kalampagan ng kalampagan na parang happy new year lang at wala kang paputok. Bad trip pa rin kahit pauwi dahil literal na sumakit ang ulo ko dahil sa Transformers na yan.

Ngayon tyaga na lang ako magbasa ng review ng labfest.


posted by gengcooker at 06:24 | link | comments


Friday, 10 July 2009

Here's something for the music

I haven't had time to discover new artists since life out there is really getting into me. Apparently, there are certain aha's! in life that appear to be sweeter and so much more... and that to me is discovering new musicians. I like things that relax and rage me so it's kinda on the opposite. I like Sergio Mendes, Burt Bacarach, violins by Vanessa Mae, some black jazz artists and musicals for the drama queen in me and some music to sway your hips by like a drunkard. Latin preferably. And then i like the rage of U2, Queen, Beatles and Pearl Jam. I also love 'in between music'  like Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos, Jewel the likes. I don't know why i called them 'in between music. I'm not into hiphop and all those RnB Rihanna stuff and those churned out from the American Idol.  But somehow i like ALicia Keys.

Yesterday, i was in SM Southmall scouring through when i heard this quite catchy cute and melancholic voice inside a store. I didn't buy any item but i asked the artist playing.---LENKA.




She sounds like a saccharine Tori Amos with some bit of Coldplay (which i so love) and some Katy Perry feel. Ayun. I think i'm gonna buy an album.
Another delight that i stumbled upon is this sexy French first lady of France, Carla Bruni. I've heard of her as a wife to some politician but i didn't know that she was a former model and a hot one at that.

Carla Bruni was originally an Italian born model before she became a naturalized French singer. She reminds me of Leatitia Casta.

San ka naman lulugar sa buhok niyang in wild abandon?





She had an affair with Mick Jagger. Eh sino ba namang rockstar ang hindi papataol sa ganyan?
She then married divorced French President Nicolas Sarkozy at bilang first lady. Ito na siya ngayon.



But i liked her style of music more than all the brouhaha about her. Sexy and enchanting, Not everyone appreciates soft blues na mala lounge laidback ang dating but i really like it. It's like telling you to take things dahan dahan. To just you know... feel it. It helps too that she is gorgeous and plays the guitar. Listening to her  reminds me of sexy lingerie and the standing up position. Paano ba ako magpo-post ng sample ng kanta niya dito.  Most of her  songs are in French but she has English songs. May nagbebenta pa kaya ng CD niya?


posted by gengcooker at 02:49 | link | comments


Wednesday, 08 July 2009

Bago at Masarap!

Naku bilang buntis na mahilg sa pagkaing masarap! Napapadalas ako sa site ni Nigella Lawson. Though hindi ako fan ng cooking niya kasi masyadong ma-butter at mahal ang pancetta dito sa Pilipinas. May mga madali gawin pero yun nga lang medyo oily but i still like her and the way the camera depicts sensuality sa pagluluto. Magaling ang kanyang director at cameraman. Dati kasi puro pawisin na cook lang ang makikita natin sa TV pero she changed the look and feel of cooking shows. Anyway, hindi yan ang gusto ko i-punto!

Mahilig kasi ako sa salad. Kahit anong salad basta masarap and usually ang nagpapasarap sa salad ay ang dressing! Hindi ako fan ng bottled dressings at lahat ng bottled or canned products dahil feeling ko patay na silang lahat sa bote at cans. Kaya always go for the natural stuff.

I learned of this salad dressing sa Uncle ng aking Belgian friend sa Baguio. It has mustard, and mashed anchovies with lemon and canola oil as main ingredients kaso ang hirap mag-mash ng anchovies kasi kailangan naka-paste na ang texture niya. Then an ex gave me a recipe na too simple, oil, lemon and vinegar lang ata. Masyadong maasin naman. Then last week, our headwriter gave us thsi recipe na knockout talaga. Alam ko kasi na itry ko na siya just now at masarap. Medyo mahal nga lang ang ingredients.

1. Dijon Mustard or French mustard. Mahal to. Pero fave ko ang mustard sa gourmet burgers.
2. Balsamic Vinegar. Lalong mahal. May pagka-chef na ang efek nitong maitim na sukang imported.
3. Extra Virgin Olive oil. Isa ring kamahalan. Pang sosyal ang olive oil. Though sa tingin ko ang alternaive nito ay Canola oil which is said to be more healthier.
4. Muscovado sugar. Isa ring mahal na asukal pero natural.

Paghluin mo ang Dijon Mustard at Balsamic Vinegar. Tanchahan lang to eh. Matapang ang Balsamic ha. Kaya tikim tikim. Then lagyan ng Muscovado for that added sweet taste. Lagyan ng asin at Pepper. Then saka lagyan ng Olive oil at haluan mo rin ng isa pang oil, pwedeng canola or corn oil. Ayun halu-haluin. Tada!! Ganito ang magiging hitsura niya.



May pagka-murky pero do not judge the food by its cover ika nga. Slather on to salad greens at mga baby romainne lettuce.  Chop ka lang ng kaunting red lettuce. Lagyan mo ng halved grapes na seedless at ilang julienned na apples or pears. Ay ang sarap!
Winner ito. Similar siya sa lasa ng House salad ng CYMA! Yan ang kapantay niya. Sabi ng head namin mas masarap daw kung frozen ang grapes at kung lalagyan mo pa ng walnuts. Mahal din ang walnuts. Pero kung gusto mo lang magpa-impress sa iyong mga kamag-anak aba'y ito ang salad na panlalakihan nila ng mata.

posted by gengcooker at 07:12 | link | comments


Wednesday, 01 July 2009

Mga kagustuhan sa ngayon.

Isang linggo din akong nakababad sa laptop ko. May ginagawa kasi akong script. Medyo sablay at madami revisions pero ok lang kasi nakakatuwa na marami akong bagong natutunang technique sa soap writing. Ngayon at patapos na siya at ginawan na ng paraan ni ser na matapos, marami na namang lumalabas na kati sa katawan ko na gusto ko gawin. Bilang natali nga ako ng isang linggo.

1. Manood ng sine. Tagal na ring di naka-experience ng sine feel. Medyo luxury na ang sine ngayon dahil magkano na? 170pesos isang tiket? Mahal na di ba? Kung kami ni R ang magkakasama 300 plus na yun plus pagkain plus gas. Kulang kulang na 1K kada labas ng bahay. Nabawasan na talaga ang panood ng sine simula nang magka-anak kami. Sayang kasi ang pera. Pero dahil i deserve it. Gusto ko manood ng sine.

2. Ipasyal si Musa. Tagal na rin naming di naipapasyal si Musashing. Observant pa naman siyang bata. Gusto ko sana sa mga parks. Naalibadbaran na ako sa dami ng tao sa mall lalo na sa SM Fairview. Parang lahat ng taga Bulacan andun.

3. Manood ng play. Shet. Virgin Labfest na ngayon. Gusto ko na talaga. Gusto ko mabuhayan ng dugo. Gusto ko rin makita ang old and usual faces from the theatre block. Atat na rin ako dalhin si Musa sa loob ng theatre.

4. Kumain sa isang bonggang buffet. Tipong Mario's tuwing Sunday or Spiral sa Sofitel. Natutuwa ako pagnakakakita ako ng masarap na pagkain. Euphoria naman ang feeling kapag natikman ko na at ubod pa ng sarap. Kaya ng kapag may pagkain at di ako nasarapan parang nalugmok ang buhay  ko sa lungkot.

5. Gusto kong bumawi. Haha. Sana next week assignment ko ay di na mangamot ng ulo si kuya A. Ginulo ko ata ang buhay niya dahil sa treatment ko.

6. Gusto ko chumika sa mga friends. Ako talaga I make time for my friends. Ako ata ang laging nagyayaya na lumabas at kumain man lang.

So far, yun lang.
posted by gengcooker at 16:20 | link | comments

This has been my sanctuary for four years already. It's my extension. Almost like a limb out in the open. Know that people want to express, to just chuck it out, to just be themselves even on something as artificial as blog. I am that people. So don't mind me...